5 keys to Disciplined Defense

Checks

Very few if any great lacrosse coaches are coaching checks on a regular basis anymore. The simple truth is that with a big step on a check, the defensive player is out of position, and more importantly, even with hard contact on the check, the ball does not come out.

Position, angles, the attack position for defenders are so much more important. The goal is to keep them from scoring, not to take away the ball, when it usually does not come out of the stick anyway. “Don’t get Beat,” is so much better than “Take it Away.” More and more coaches focus on position, pushing, and a small lift on the bottom hand when the offensive player goes to shoot or pass.

“Back Pedal, Drop Step then Squeeze…” And get physical when crossing parallel line from GLE to the top of the crease, going across the offensive zone in tight to the cage.

Slides and Recovery

I know at least for me we spend a lot of time in practice on transition drills in practice. It is a fun way to practice, fast paced, and helps to intuitively teach players to slide. What I am learning from is that the majority of the focus needs to shift from the actual slide itself to the slide and recovery. Slides is easy, recovery is critical.

Angles and Position

If we want to begin to really reinforce positioning as a defensive fundamental, then we need to talk first about attack position. Many of our players want to slide hard, and then either lunge at the ball, or try and run over somebody. Coach a balance, and keeping the pole out front for the cushion position after we have slide hard for five yards is the key. For drills, running skeleton (no offense) slide drills concentrating on a 1) hard slide, 2) balanced strong attack position upon arrival, and 3) quick recovery on and off ball will help build these skills.

Coach Defense Through Picks

Coaching our kids how to deal with picks and especially the ‘Pick and Slip’ are now critical.

First on teaching the player guarding the pick to step back and allow the defensive player on ball to go through. It is especially critical if you have scouted specific match-ups that we want to maintain. If our kids are always in the ‘Switch’ mode, it is easy to get out of the match-ups we want defensively as a coach. It also opens the door to potentially get a ‘little’ on an attack player, where we really want one of our poles, or a specific pole. We really want to make ‘Going Through’ a priority rather than a switch with one possible exception.

Defend the Pick and Slip

In the Pick and Slip, the offensive player who sets the pick, actually slips away from the set up, before the player with the ball gets there. Teams do this primarily at ‘X’ but it can also be effective up top with middies. And often, against even the best defenders can be open to drive or force a slide. With good offensive teams, and the advent of the Canadian offensive philosophies, and teams that can make four to five yard quick accurate passes it can be a challenge.