Circle Box Team Defense Concept

Simplifying Team Defense for Athletic but Low IQ Players

I had a very athletic defense with a very low lacrosse IQ. They understood how to get after the ball carrier, press, and stay on their bottom hand. But they did not understand off-ball team defensive concepts.

Thus, I created a few defensive concepts they could follow—regardless of whether we were in a zone, man-to-man, or even man-down.

I figured if they could follow these three simple rules, we would be great.

There were exceptions to these rules, but I tried to minimize these exceptions in order to minimize confusion.

1. Press the Ball.

Once your player passes the ball, quickly get at least one foot in the box.

This will ensure that your players are sluffed in. There are times where you may want to deny the adjacent.

But for the most part—especially with new players—it is great to keep them packed in off-ball.

With my team in particular, because they were very athletic, pressuring the ball was not an issue. It was what to do when their player did not have the ball that caused confusion.

2. The Defender Furthest from the Ball

Should be in the circle that is in the box.

• It is a great way to make sure we are sluffed in on the backside, ready to provide that second slide.

• This will help to prevent "aimless roaming."

3. ALWAYS Know Who Is the First and Second Slide.

I did not get too caught up with the adjacent slide or crease slide. I just told my guys to always communicate and have the 1st and 2nd ready to go.

Following the box/circle concept, that should be easy to do.

After practicing the concept, I knew that even if our team defense was not perfect, at least nobody was running through or catching passes in the middle of the field.