Defense
Tips for Defensemen to set you on your way to on-field success.
Keep Your Stick Up
When not poking at the man with ball, keep your stick around the height of your attack man’s shoulder. Don’t ever carry it at your side, KEEP IT UP!
Playing Off Ball
When your man hasn’t got the ball, always play slightly to the ball side of him, so that you gain a step as he cuts toward the ball. If he cuts away from the ball, the pass must go over your head which leaves you in good position to intercept or check.
Use Split Vision
When your man hasn’t got the ball, stand sideways (135deg) to the man and ball. You must use split vision watching both your man and the ball.
Communication
There must be plenty of talk on defense, this is important. The following are the most important examples: a) The man adjacent to the ball must let the man on the ball know if he is backed up. b) If a man leaves to back up he must let the defense know he is leaving, so that they may shift. c) The m…
Sliding Defense
If a man leaves to back up on a dodge, the whole defense slides a man, leaving the man farthest from the ball open.
Crease Defensemen
Only in extreme cases, should the defense man on the crease leave to back up. Example: To stop a play that would end up in a score.
Keeping Up
Never cross your feet while playing an attack man unless you are forced to run to keep up with him.
