Transition Offense

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.

If the offense moves the ball quickly, they can turn this from a five-on-four to a four-on-three to a three-on-two to a two-on-one to a goal. This is a lacrosse offense in its most simple form.

3 v 2

Although simple to write on paper, it is extremely difficult and takes great skill to achieve on the field. The most important keys for offensive players in a transition situation are to stay spread, draw a defenseman as a ball carrier, and then dump the ball off quickly. Obviously, this is not possible if players cannot pass and catch. Also, it is important for offensive players to not be too unselfish in transition. When they have a good shot, they should take it.

Run it and Gun it

In a two-on-one situation, the four rules just listed are the only things the two offensive players need to worry about. If they stay spread in passing lanes, draw the defenseman, dump the ball off, and take the shot when they have it, then they should be able to score goals. One thing that offensive players should work on in these situations is having their stick in the correct hand.

At the youth level, many transition situations get screwed up simply because the offensive players refuse to switch from their strong hand. If a player is coming down the right side of the field (from the goalie’s perspective) then he should have the stick in his right hand. If he is on the left side, then the stick should be in his left hand. Transition situations are the times in lacrosse when it is appropriate for offensive players to have their sticks to the inside of the field. If player catches the ball on the left side of the goal with his stick in his right hand, then he is not going to good angle for a shot. Also, with their sticks to the outside, then the two players’ passes are going to be longer than necessary.

In a three-on-two situation, the aforementioned rules apply. The only new rule is that the three offensive players want to come down the field in a V-formation. The two players on the wings want to be about five to seven yards ahead of the middle offensive player. The offensive player in the middle should also be the man who brings the ball up field. As soon as he draws the point defenseman, he dumps the ball off to one of the lower offensive players. This player now has two options. His first option is to take a shot if he has one. His next option is to make a cross crease pass to the other low offensive player. This is the progression that an offensive lacrosse player must learn to make in his head. He must run through his options quickly. He must see if he has a shot and if not, he must draw a defenseman and dump the ball off to an open teammate. Three-on-twos are a great situation for intermediate level players to learn to play offense and make these important decisions.

4 v 3

Finally, in four- on- three situations many of the same rules apply. Usually in these situations, the three attackmen are already going to be set up. They are set up in an L-formation in front of the goal. The two base attackmen are about two yards above goal line extended and five to seven yards out to the side from the pipes. The point defenseman is about ten yards above either one of the attackmen. The midfielder bringing the ball down fills in the L-formation to form a square. As the middie brings the ball down, he draws the point defenseman. Once he does this he dumps the ball off to the point attackman or the highest attackman. This attackman now has to go through his options. If he has a good shot, he must take it. If not, he draws a defenseman and dumps it off to one of the lower attackmen.

To decide which of the lower attackmen to throw to, he must read the base defenseman. If that base defenseman is sliding over and is covering the lower attackman who is on the same side as the point attackman, then the point attackman should throw a skip pass to the base attackman on the opposite corner of the box (on the “backside”). If the base defenseman is covering that opposite attackman closer, then the point attackman should throw it down to the attackman who is on the same side of the field as him. Either attackman who gets it from the point attackman should usually have an easy one-on-one shot on the goal.

Important tips for an effective four-on-three fast-break are to move the ball quickly and to always step towards the ball. If the offensive players are set up in the right place and always step to the pass thrown to them, then they should always be in a dangerous position to score. Fast-break situations should be easy opportunities for offenses to get goals. They are also great situations for offensive players to learn how to make good decisions about passing the ball or going to the goal.

Youth players make many of the same mistakes when learning transition offense. First, they may not get in to scoring position in time and therefore allow the defense time to recover. Second, they may get in to scoring position in time but not get in a passing lane where the ball carrier can easily make a pass to them. And finally, they may get in a passing lane in a position to score and yet pass up a shooting opportunity. If an offense can make sure they are in position to score, in position to receive the ball and shoot when they have a shot, they will score many goals.

KEYS

• Stay spread
• Create passing lanes
• Be a threat to score
• Use the correct hand for the situation
• If you have a good shot take it. If you don’t, move the ball on
• Bad Habits: Passing up a shot, holding the ball, dodging a defender, Poor positioning; i.e. behind the goal, using the wrong hand

In conclusion, transition offense is an essential aspect of lacrosse gameplay that requires skill, speed, and teamwork to execute effectively. By quickly transitioning from defense to offense, teams can catch their opponents off-guard and capitalize on scoring opportunities. Successful transition offense also requires players to possess a strong understanding of the game’s rules and strategies, as well as the ability to make split-second decisions under pressure. Through rigorous training and practice, lacrosse players can hone their transition offense skills and improve their overall performance on the field. Ultimately, mastering the art of transition offense can lead to greater success and victories for lacrosse teams at all levels of competition.