True Lacrosse: Defense Clinic 12/21/14Drill #1

Setup: 3 Cones placed equal distance apart from each other just outside the 12-meter arc. Have a single file line of athletes in the lower middle of the 8-meter arc, almost near the crease. Needs one athlete per rotation.

Direction: Each athlete will approach the outside cones as if they were a defender approaching an attacker. Starting from the left cone moving to the right, each athlete will approach the outside cone run back to the front of the line and then on to the next cone. Once the athlete reaches the right cone, a new athlete may go through the rotation. Each player should go through it at least 3 times.

Focus: -should approach cones at a c-shaped curve/angle. -close attention to detail of breakdown of the feet

(not too early, not too late)

-Encouraging the idea of breaking down steps and slowly creeping to the cone-Body positioning should be as if they were forcing an attacker to the sidelines without giving up the lane.

Objective: Technical critique on the fundamentals of good defense.

Drill #2Setup: Depending on the number athletes, a number of lanes would be needed to be setup with cones with about a 5meter width and a 10-meter length. Needs 2 athletes per rotation.

Direction: This is a 1v1 Drill. In this drill the defender will apply/practice the skills learned in the previous drill #1. The defender will start off lower than the attacker. As the defender engages in the 1v1, they must choose a side of the lane where they want to force the attacker and continue forcing them or channeling them that way. Once the rotation is up, they switch places; the defender becomes the attacker and the attacker becomes the defender.

Note: Coaches can choose to have the defender start off with/without a stick and adjust the speed level of the attacker depending on the skill level of the athletes. They can also set the defender behind the attacker in a way, so the defender canpractice recovering.

Focus: -Same as Drill#1

-Making contact at the attackers hip or forearm. -Light on their toes.-Are they creeping towards their attacker or are they

backing away?-Are the defenders keeping their attackers to one side

or are they getting flip-flopped as the attacker changes direction?

-Defenders must understand that they are going to get beat. That is OKAY! It is important that

they get beat the right way. **

Objective: Teaches a 1v1 defense that can be used in the midfield and as well as in a 12-meter arc setting.

Drill #3

Setup: Same Set up as Drill#2. However, this time it is a double-teaming drill. There will be a 1v1 from top of the lane. There will be a post to receive the pass at the end of the lane. Somewhere along the side of the lane, towards the middle section, a second defender will be waiting to double team. Needs 4 athletes per rotation.

Directions: Start out just like Drill#2 and applying the same concepts from both previous drills. 1v1 to start. As the first defender is channeling the attacker to a side, the second defender approaches to seal off the attacker in the same c-shaped curve as taught in drill#1. The second defender doesn’t go to help until the first defender successfully forces the attacker to one side.

Focus: -Approaching the attacker and double team at a c-shaped curve/angle

-once in a double team, defenders should hold it until they get the ball back or the attacker successfully passes it off to

the post. -Lots of Communication coming from defense, especially

the second defender.

Objective: Teaches a double team defense that can be used in the midfield and as well as in a 12-meter arc setting.

Drill #4Setup: A total of 5 Cones positioned in a box around the 12-meter arc.

3 cones positioned up top and 2 cones positioned behind goal line extended. There will be a pair of offense and defense at each cone.

Directions: Going one at a time, each defender will engage in a 1v1 from various angles, while applying the skill learned from

previous drills. Focus: Same focus as in Drill#1 and Drill #2.

Objective: Applying the skills learned in previous drills in a 12-meter arc setting.

Drill #5

2v1’s to goal. Two defenders working together to stop an attacker from going to goal.

Drill #6

7v7 or 5v5 depending on the number of athletes.