Rotating Motion Box offense with 2 men in the crease
The 1-4-1 Rotating Motion Box offensive scheme is great for dodgers as it creates space. It makes it very easy to bring the top two defenders into the crease which creates good matchups on the perimeter. Keep in mind that strong takeaway defenders HATE being trapped on the crease as they want to play the ball to be more proactive in creating a turnover. These aggressive and now pent up strong defensemen have a tendency to slide very early leaving the crease men open.
Attack Rotation Off of a Quick Whistle
Everybody says they like to play fast, but do they have tangible strategies to play faster? One such opportunity is the restart on a face-off whistle. This is typically a time of confusion with the offending player hesitating to get off or sometimes still trying to ask an official the nature of the infraction. Also typically your face off guy will run to the same side of the field each time as they are not always your must skilled offensive midfielder. This is an excellent time to: 1. Play fast creating confusion in the slides as your face off guy can be rewarded by going fast by having a clear path to the goal. 2. Open up outlets for your face off guy coming down with your scores being in a position to score
Kick Back Behind GLE to a off ball Pick on the Crease
These very simple 2 or 3 man plays are easy to teach, they do not need the full coordination of the entire team and they work. This can work as an inbound play, a subtle call between the dodger and the men in the crease or if done enough can be a natural part of the offense. This is a great play for beginners as it is a very simple 3 man play.
2-3-1 Dodge Fill and Pick
If you teach the triangle motion offense out of a 2-3-1 set, (2middies up top) this could be a nice extra wrinkle that incorporates a pick.
Zone Breaker Double Cut with a Backside Curl Out of a Open Set
Beating a zone is all about getting the defense to move and then finding the open space to fill into for a shot. This play causes a lot of confusion for a few reasons
Zone Breaking Wing Seal and Rotate Through
This is a really great way to open up a shot on the wing. The concept is to seal the low defender so that the wing player can step into the soft part of the zone
Pyramid set
I use this concept as a way to possess the ball when we are up on the other team and time remaining in the game is under two minutes so we have to keep it in the box.
Double mumbo pop
The is a classic play out of a 1-4-1 set that has been used by lacrosse teams through the ages because regardless if a team knows it is coming, if it is executed well it is very difficult to stop.
Off Ball Pick the Picker - end line inbound play
An end line play that has been around for ages that can be run at all levels of lacrosse. This video will show it being run at differently levels succesfully.
Flat break
The flat break introduces a strategic departure from the conventional L formation, skillfully disrupting defenses accustomed to the standard approach. This tactical shift complicates matters for defensemen, particularly those used to stopping the ball and then rotating towards the expected first pass.
Force them towards the sideline or in the middle on the ride?
Discover the pros and cons of forcing the clearing player toward the middle versus the sideline in lacrosse defense. Learn which strategy could make your team more effective and why it’s crucial to have your riding unit work together seamlessly!
Dodge draw the slide move the ball one more
Dodge, draw the slide, move the ball, one more… simple as that.
Adjacent Triangle Rotation Man Up
It may look chaotic, but it is actually very simple. Two triangles rotate simultaneously and continuously towards the goal, from top to bottom and across from each other. This constant motion keeps the offense dynamic and the defense off balance, creating numerous opportunities for scoring.
Pyramid Dodge out of a 2-2-2 set
Dodging from a pyramid formation can work out of any set. I created this out of a 2-2-2 for now because I think that is the most smooth transition as I illustrate in the article. But if you have a talented player you want to dodge with the ball while dictating who is sliding and where they are sliding from this is for you.
1-3-2 Double Go Overload
The 1-3-2 Double Go Overload uses ball movement and misdirection, and finishes with two simultaneous cuts to overload the crease.
Man up Wheel
The basic premise is to pull a defender out of their zone, making the rotation awkward. It is shocking how many looks open up just from all the players on the permitter moving in sync.
2 3 1 set Drive from X Fill from the crease Clear out the wing
This is a basic way to teach the offense how to clear space for the dodger while keeping the field balanced. This is a great way to teach young players who are starting out.
3-3 to a 1-4-1 man up set change
In the video in the article we show how Cornell effectively uses changing the set from a 3-3 into a 1-4-1 to get a quick goal. Sometimes giving a different look is all you need to throw the defense off.
Rotating Diamond to beat a 3-3 zone defense
Included in this post is a video demonstrating how one of the best college teams in the country broke down a 3-3 zone using a rotating diamond concept. If you are having difficulty agains a 3-3 zone you must check out this article.
Scouting Defenses
A program should have a standard format for scouting a defense. This will allow for a variety of scouts to observe opponents, and relay the information in a digestible and consistent manner for coaching staff and players.