If your team is getting crushed on the draw, don't be afraid to adjust your setup.

Sometimes the opponent has a dominant draw taker and your team is getting fast-broken over and over. In that situation, changing your personnel or setup can help prevent easy possessions and give your defense time to adjust.

Adjust Your Draw Setup

A typical setup has:

  • 4 defenders

  • 3 players on the draw circle

  • 4 attackers

If you're consistently losing the draw, you can drop your midfielders behind the restraining line.

This gives you 5 or even 6 players ready defensively if you can't stop the bleeding.

You still need to maintain the offside rule, so one or two of the players on the circle need to be attackers.

The goal is simple: if you're unlikely to win the draw, prioritize being ready for whatever comes next.

Change Your Personnel

Don't be afraid to try different players on the draw.

If a tall player isn't working, try a strong ground-ball player.

If that doesn't work, try someone who is reckless and fearless.

A player who isn't normally your draw specialist may have a natural ability to win the ball.

Sometimes the best draw player is simply the person who is willing to fight for it.

Give Players a Role

You don't necessarily need a dedicated player who takes the draw and immediately leaves the field.

But if having a specialist helps your team win, don't be afraid to use one.

Especially at the high school and youth levels, giving a player a specific role can be valuable.

They may not score a lot of goals, but they can take pride in winning draw controls that make a difference in the game.

Add a Double-Team Option

If the opponent has a dominant center who consistently wins the draw to herself, you can add pressure immediately after the draw.

Place your fastest, cleanest, and most aggressive defender along the 50-yard line behind the opponent.

As soon as the opponent wins the ball, that defender runs in.

Your center and wing then work together to double-team the ball immediately.

If the opponent hasn't experienced that pressure all game, you may be able to force a quick turnover.

Take Some Power Off the Draw

If the opponent is getting a lot of power behind their pushes, you can also try to take some of the steam off the ball.

This requires working with the officials, but the goal is to reduce the power behind the opponent's draw and give your team an opportunity that is outside the opponent's comfort zone.

Countering the Right-Handed Pusher

One of the most common draws is the right-handed pusher who sends the ball forward and allows her teammates to win it off the circle.

A counter to this is to go with the direction of the push instead of fighting against it.

The Counter Draw

Set up left-handed against the right-handed pusher.

The player is right-hand dominant and uses her bottom hand, the right hand, to drive toward her left armpit.

As the stick twists, she releases with the right hand and chases the ball forward.

The opponent's pressure is already pushing the ball toward the back of your player's stick.

Instead of trying to fight that pressure and pull the ball backward, go with it.

Push forward, cut the opponent off, and beat her to the ball.

Kayak Motion & Box Out

The player uses a kayaking motion with the right hand toward the armpit before chasing the ball.

The purpose of the setup is to allow the back leg to come up and take the first step in front of the opponent.

From there, the player can box out and get to the ball.

How to Practice It

Start with the players loaded low on the ground.

Have them:

  1. Start low.

  2. Run up.

  3. Chase the ball.

  4. Practice the kayaking motion.

  5. Work on getting in front of the opponent.

  6. Box out and win the ball.

Once players understand the movement, take the training wheels off and have them perform it standing.

The preference is to have the inside foot back, because it can make it easier to step across the opponent's path and box them out.

However, the setup can vary depending on the player and what works best for them.

When to Use the Counter

Use this counter when you're facing a dominant right-handed pusher and repeatedly losing possession.

Rather than trying to fight the opponent's strength, use the direction of the push to your advantage.

Go with the motion, cut the opponent off, and beat her to the ball.