Team Concepts
Lacrosse is one of the most exciting team sports there is. Many people refer to it as the “fastest game on two feet”. Others consider it America’s true pastime, with roots older than the country itself. The goal of any coach should be to allow his players to have fun and grow as athletes and individuals. Should they accomplish this rather simple goal, there is no doubt that they will have great opportunities in life, all the while creating lasting friendships and awesome memories along the way.
How to Beat a Zone Defense
Zone defense in lacrosse is a defensive strategy where defenders cover specific areas of the field rather than individual offensive players. To beat a zone defense in lacrosse, you need to be able to move the ball quickly and accurately to create scoring opportunities.
10-Man Ride
Posted in Riding, Team Concepts.
When it gets down to the last minute and an ill-advised shot goes without backup, call out your wheels for a 10-man ride. The 10-man ride is an aggressive scheme meant to trap an opponent in its defensive end to create a turnover. It requires using your goalie as the 10th rider, opening the cage […]
Finding Space: Part II
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
If this concept of this finding space is to move to the next level, players must now formally execute it as they run their offense. We introduced the concept of motion offense at Adelphi University to teach the concept of finding space to our players (Lacrosse Magazine, February 1986). Richie Speckman, one of the most […]
Three Rules of Defense
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
This is the basic tenet of defense whenever the other team has the ball. So many times our players play adjacent to or in front of the man they are covering. Other times they are just plain out of position. The most basic fundamental of defense is that they should be positioned between the man […]
Finding Space
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
You have now succeeded in teaching your youth players the fundamentals and basic skills of lacrosse. You can only marvel at your players’ ability to switch hands, roll dodge, and pass and catch with both hands with proficiency. Thanks to Gary Gait, some of your players can now pass behind their backs, and with Casey […]
Transition Offense
Posted in Team Concepts.
Just like defense, it is our philosophy that intermediate players can learn how to play offense through transitional situations. Even in six-on-six situations, the job of the offensive players is to make it a transitional situation. The ball carrier tries to dodge to draw a slide, which turns it into a six-on-five situation.
Transition Defense
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
Learning to play transition defense is the key to understanding general defensive concepts. It is vital to a team’s success to learn to play defense as a unit, as well as individually. Defense is one aspect of lacrosse where the whole is far greater than the sum of its parts. Transition drills and practice reinforce […]
Clearing
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
Clearing the ball means getting the ball from the defense or the goalie upfield past the midline. The in-bounds clearing is when the goalie makes a save or the defense steals the ball and has to get it upfield to the midfielders. Out-of-bounds clearing is when the offense throws the ball out of bounce and […]
Riding
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
Riding is pressuring the other team’s defense when they are trying to clear the ball in-bounds or out-of-bounds. At this level, there is really no need to set up a complicated riding package. For both in-bounds and out-of-bounds riding, the most important aspect is to make sure that the midfielders pick up a midfielder on […]
Team Defense
Posted in Team Concepts.
The most important distinction that you want to make when setting up a defense is where you want your defensemen to slide from. A defenseman has to slide when the person covering the ball gets beat by the ball carrier. The area in which many defenses slide is the crease. Many programs call this “crash” […]
Team Offense
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
As mentioned before, a successful offense will break a defense down into a transition situation. Proper positioning is essential to exploit these opportunities. For example, if two players bunch up near one defenseman, they allow him to defend two players at the same time. In this situation, if the ball-handling offensive player does his job […]
Team Drills
Posted in How to Play Lacrosse, Team Concepts.
There are two options when running transition drills. The first option is to have no trail checker and make it easier on the offense. The second way is to have a trail checker and make it more realistic for the defense. The first should be used early in the season and coaches can slowly work […]
Coaches Insider
- How Exceptional Leaders Build Trust with Justin Dixson, CMAA – Decatur Central High School (IN) May 8, 2025 ADInsider
- 4 E’s of Impact and Influence with Reid McFadden, CMAA – Currey Ingram Academy (TN) May 8, 2025 National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association
- Key Characteristics of an Effective Athletic Administrator with Dr. LaTonya Goffney – Aldine ISD (TX) May 8, 2025 Texas High School Athletic Directors Association
- Iowa’s Tackling Circuit with Seth Wallace – Univ. of Iowa May 7, 2025 Coach of the Year Clinics
- Blocking Progression Drills with Renee Saunders – Skutt Catholic High School (NE) May 7, 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association
- Developing Pitch Recognition with Jay Johnson – Louisiana State Univ. May 7, 2025 I-70 Baseball Coaches Clinic
- Faceoff Warm-Up Drills with John Cohen – Johns Hopkins Univ. May 7, 2025 Intercollegiate Mens Lacrosse Coaches Association
- Goalie Dive Drill with James Crowder – West Texas A&M Univ. May 7, 2025 Championship Productions
- QB’s Bloody Tuesday with Hunter Evans – Ware County High School (GA) May 7, 2025 Coach of the Year Clinics
- Counterattack: Cross Face/Near Ankle with Dave Crowell – Nazareth Area High School (PA) May 7, 2025 Wrestling Coaches Insider
Latest Lacrosse News
NCAA DI Men’s News
- 2025 NCAA DI men's lacrosse championship: Bracket, schedule, results May 7, 2025
- DI men's lacrosse career goal leaders: All-time stats May 6, 2025
- Top 8 offensive threats in the 2025 DI men's lacrosse tournament May 6, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DI men's lacrosse championship selection show May 5, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DI men’s lacrosse championship selections May 5, 2025
NCAA DII Men’s News
- 2025 NCAA DII men's lacrosse championship: Bracket, schedule, dates May 7, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DII men’s lacrosse championship selections May 4, 2025
- DII men's lacrosse: 2025 selection show May 4, 2025
- This week in DII sports: The UT Tyler Patriot Way June 5, 2024
- The DII men's lacrosse programs with the most national championships May 27, 2024
NCAA DIII Men’s News
- 2025 NCAA DIII men's lacrosse championship: Bracket, schedule, results May 7, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DIII men’s lacrosse championship selections May 4, 2025
- DIII men's lacrosse: 2025 selection show May 4, 2025
- #HarperStrong: Albion men’s lacrosse forms unbreakable bond August 21, 2024
- Tufts win the 2024 DIII men's lacrosse championship May 26, 2024
USILA Lacrosse News
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division I Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division II Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division III Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- 2025 USILA Men's Lacrosse Team of the Week – Division I – Week of April 28 April 30, 2025
- 2025 USILA Men's Lacrosse Team of the Week – Division II – Week of April 28 April 30, 2025
Premier Lacrosse League
- Evaluating Archers’ 2025 draft: Was trade up to No. 5 worth it? May 8, 2025
- Instant reactions to every PLL team’s 2025 draft class May 7, 2025
- Cannons’ puzzle complete: Coulter Mackesy adds missing piece to Boston’s offense May 7, 2025
- Breaking down the Whipsnakes’ 2025 College Draft class May 7, 2025
- Chris Kavanagh drafted No. 10 overall by Redwoods May 7, 2025
NCAA DI Women’s News
- 2025 NCAA DI men's lacrosse championship: Bracket, schedule, results May 7, 2025
- DI men's lacrosse career goal leaders: All-time stats May 6, 2025
- Top 8 offensive threats in the 2025 DI men's lacrosse tournament May 6, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DI men's lacrosse championship selection show May 5, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DI men’s lacrosse championship selections May 5, 2025
NCAA DII Women’s News
- 2025 NCAA DII women's lacrosse championship: Bracket, schedule, results May 8, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DII women’s lacrosse championship selections May 4, 2025
- DII women's lacrosse: 2025 selection show May 4, 2025
- Double vision — Meet Florida Southern's women's lacrosse pair of wonder twins May 3, 2025
- This week in DII sports: The UT Tyler Patriot Way June 5, 2024
NCAA DIII Women’s News
- DIII women's lacrosse: 2025 selection show May 5, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DIII women's lacrosse championship selections announced May 5, 2025
- 2025 NCAA DIII women's lacrosse championships: Selection show info, bracket, schedule May 3, 2025
- Middlebury wins the 2024 DIII women's lacrosse championship May 26, 2024
- 2024 DIII women's lacrosse championship: Salisbury vs. Middlebury full replay May 26, 2024
USILA Men’s Lacrosse News
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division I Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division II Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- USILA 2025 Men’s Coaches Division III Poll – Week 13 May 5, 2025
- 2025 USILA Men's Lacrosse Team of the Week – Division I – Week of April 28 April 30, 2025
- 2025 USILA Men's Lacrosse Team of the Week – Division II – Week of April 28 April 30, 2025
Lacrosse All Stars News
- 2025 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Tournament First Round Preview May 8, 2025
- 2025 ACC Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals Prediction May 1, 2025
- 2025 Ivy League Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals Predictions May 1, 2025
- 2025 Big East Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals Predictions May 1, 2025
- 2025 Big Ten Lacrosse Tournament Semifinals Predictions May 1, 2025
LI Lacrosse Journal (LILJ)
- Long Islander’s Competing in the 2025 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Playoffs May 8, 2025
- Long Island Lacrosse Talent Shines in NCAA Women’s D2 & D3 Playoffs May 8, 2025
- Fellas Repping Long Island in the NCAA Division 2 & 3 Men’s Lacrosse Championship Playoffs May 7, 2025
- Long Island’s Pride Shines in the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championships May 6, 2025
- Clash of Titans: The Wantagh Warriors Take on the Garden City Trojans April 10, 2025