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4 Across Clear
Learn the 4 Across Clear in men’s lacrosse, a clearing formation that uses width and spacing to create passing options and help advance the ball upfield.
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Men's Lacrosse Defense
Defensive concepts, clears, slides, rides, and goalie-supported teaching notes.
Categories
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3-1-3 Clear
Learn the 3-1-3 clear in men’s lacrosse, including the positioning of the goalie, defensemen, midfielders, and middle floater in this standard clearing formation.
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How to Teach a Backer Zone Defense in Three Practices
Learn how to install a women’s lacrosse backer zone defense in three practices, with a step-by-step progression covering positioning, communication, slides, rotations, and game application.
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Intro to Team Defense: Adjacent Slides
Adjacent slides give defenders a simple system for helping the ball when a defender gets beaten. Learn how to identify the first, second, and third slides while keeping the defense connected and ready to recover.
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Intro to Team Defense: Crease Slide 2-2-2
The 2-2-2 crease slide gives defenders a simple plan for helping the ball carrier while protecting the middle. Learn how to identify the hot slide, find the opposite adjacent, and recover after the slide.
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Intro to Team Defense: The Paint
The paint is the area defenders use to protect the middle of the field. When you're guarding the ball, you can step outside it. When you're off ball, you should stay inside it and be ready to help.
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Intro to Team Defense: Crease Slide 2 3 1
The 2-3-1 crease slide package gives defenders a clear plan when the ball moves. Learn where the first, second, and third slides come from, how to protect the crease, and how to recover after a slide.
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Clearing: The Basic L Clear
The basic L clear gives defenders space to move the ball up the field. By spreading out, using the extra player, and moving away from the ball, the clearing team can create open passing options and make it harder for the riding team to defend.
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Clearing: Four Across
The Four Across clear gives the defense four players behind the cage and three players near midfield. It creates easy passing options, gives players room to build momentum, and can be especially useful against aggressive rides.
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Clearing Mistakes Youth Lacrosse Teams Make, and How to Fix Them
Common mistakes youth lacrosse players make during clearing, such as rushing passes, poor spacing, and lack of communication, which often lead to turnovers. By addressing these errors with structured strategies and proper coaching, teams can improve their clearing game and minimize costly mistakes.
Backer Zone Defense
The backer zone is a great way to let your long sticks pressure the ball while always having the support of a floating defender behind them.
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Gilman The Ball With a Purpose
What are you hoping for when you launch the ball down the field? It is not the ideal way to clear the ball, but we all have to play to our strength on the lacrosse field. Therefore if for whatever reason you need to chuck it down the field, have a plan.