2010 Lacrosse Coaches Playbook
Offense
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Always give help and outlet; never leave a teammate on an island.
Run to your pass, run to your catch
Crease Play
One Man
- Constant Motion
- You must be help all over the field
- You are responsible to be on all loose balls
- You are responsible to be in goalie’s face on saves and shots
Two Man
- Pick
o Call Pick
o Pick than Roll
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Stack
o High guy crashes
o Low guy rolls
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Flat
o Near guy pick away then roll
o Far cuts
Cutting
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Always cut with inside shoulder to play side pipe
Don’t below 5 yards of crease
First cutter cut tight to pipe providing lane for second cutter
Make all cuts and clear through back door cuts
Feeding
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Make feeds catchable
Try to spot feed (feed to a spot, not the man)
Getting Free from Pressure
- V Cut
- Back Door
- Fade
- Pick
Sets
23 and 13 will be our base sets with 24 and 14 being used as change of pace offenses.
23
13
24
14
24 Special
14 Wide
Base Sets – see www.athleon.com
23 Basic Plays that can be run either way
o Backside to Dodger (double pick)
o Turkey (sweep)
o Side (double pick)
We have set the plays to run together. As coaches we can call out the “Set”, the “Side”, and which “Play”
to start with. Example: “23 – Right – Turkey”
Advanced Plays or looks will be implemented throughout the year. Give and Goes, Re-Directions and
Quick Picks…
13 Basic Plays that can be run either way
o Backside to Dodger (double pick)
o Pop (single pick)
o Turkey (sweep)
We have set the plays to run together. As coaches we can call out the “Set”, the “Side”, and which “Play”
to start with. Example: “13 – Left – Pop”
Advanced Plays or looks will be implemented throughout the year. Give and Goes, Re-Directions and
Quick Picks…
Other Sets – see www.athleon.com
Inbounds Plays
New this year is the addition of inbounds plays. They are a set play we will run after every shot when we maintain
possession.
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Every player must know when and where to be.
We must be set quick. As the opposing teams defense is trying to get a quick rest, we will be running by
them with a set play to score easily.
Players will know what play to run prior to being on field. (timeouts, qtrs, other stoppages)
If we get a fast break opportunity, and shot with possession, we run inbound play! We will sub during
settled offense. (LSMs included)
Stack
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1 carries as the stack separates. If no pass, 2 goes behind net.
3 and 4 come down to set pick for 1 who cuts through crease.
5 is the outlet.
No looks, get into “23” set
Falcon
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Pass to wing attackmen, while opposite Att cuts through crease, and top mids exchange
Att continues to carry through X as X mid cuts to crease, and top mids exchange again
Att in crease no cuts back out towards ball, and ball side top mids, cuts for outlet.
No looks, get into into “13” set
Inbounds Plays cont…
Zebra
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1 drives as 4 picks for 3 and 5 cuts through
4 drops out for outlet
3 picks for 5, as 6 readjusts for backup
No looks, get into “14” set
Rodeo
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1 passes to 3 to 5, while 2 and 4 cut through crease
2 and 4 set pick for 3, while 5 passes to 6
6 alley dodges, while 3 rolls, 1 and 5 outlets, and 2 drops out for shot backup
No looks, get into “23” set
Inbounds Plays cont…
Eagle
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1 drives, while 3 and 4 crash, 2 fades, and 5 and 6 exchange
1 cuts back behind net while 2 and 4 cut towards alley
3 drops out, 1 passes to 3 while 5 cuts to ball
No look, get into “23” set
Short
- 1 drives while 2 picks for 3, 5 and 6 exchange
- 1 cuts back behind net, while 4 picks for 2
- 4 drops out, passes to 4 who passes to 3 while 2 picks for 1 and 6 picks for 5
- No looks, get into “24” set
Inbounds Plays cont…
Short Pressure
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2 drops out, receives pass from 1 while 3 cuts to ball
2 cuts behind net, 1 and 4 cut to crease, 5 and 6 exchange
4 picks for 1
No looks, get into “13” set
High
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1 passes to 3, passes to 5, while 3 and 6 cut to crease
3 picks 4, 5 passes to 1, passes to 2
6 picks 3, 5 backs up pass
No looks, get into “23” set
Tight
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3 cuts ball, 5 and 6 outlet
1 passes 6, while 4 picks 2
No looks, get into “14” set
Defense
2010 Objectives:
 Communication!
o Call out who you are covering and which slide you are
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Sticks Up!
o In the passing/shooting lane.
o Over the head of the ball-carrier when not making not checking hands and stick.
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Prevent the High Percentage Shot!
o Force ball carries down the wing when dodge comes from up top, or behind the cage when dodge
is from behind GLE
o Force shots from the outside, never from the middle
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Be Physical!
o Dictate where the ball carrier can go, cut off his strong side
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Move Your Feet!
o Do not rely on your stick to play defense.
o Stick with your man!
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Be PATIENT!!!
o Throw well timed stick checks to disrupt the ball carrier
o Continuously throw poke and slap checks on the ball carriers hands and stick.
o Time your slides to cut off the angle.
Calls:
“Quake” – Crease Slide
“Thunder” – Adjacent Slide with Recover
“Thunderstorm” – Adjacent Slide No Recover
“Haze” – 3-3 Zone Defense
“Typhoon” – Backer Zone
“Tsunami” – Princeton Zone
“Earthquake” – Early Slide from the Crease
“Flood” – Heavy Pressure (sideline to sideline)
“Drizzle” – Light Pressure
Man Down
“Hurricane” – Box String
“Tornado” – Circle
“Ice #” – Lock & Box
CREASE SLIDE DEFENSE
Maintain position and protect the middle!
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Be ball aggressive, play tight on the ball carrier and maintain pressure on hands and stick.
If adjacent to ball carrier slough out slightly and show that we are shutting off adjacent, take away the
easy pass.
If beat, you head to crease to find open man. We do not try to recover, which would leave crease man
open.
When multiple crease defenders, we must communicate who is the go and who is the 2nd. Go should take
two steps up on crease player towards ball carrier.
We will only slide when:
o A defender gets beat or is in the process of getting beat inside the box.
o If a ball carrier turns his back on the slider and carrier is caught of guard.
o When there is a strong or weak man to man matchup and we need an immediate switch.
All defenders except the one covering ball carrier should be within 12-15 yards from the cage at all times.
We will be a tight DEFENSIVE UNIT!!!
ONE OFFENSIVE PLAYER IN THE CREASE
 As ball carrier initiates dodge, crease defender (D1) will go
BALL SIDE, INSIDE and be ready to help if original
defender gets beat.
 D1 will arrive at the ball carrier and will maintain inside body
position, forcing carrier away from the cage.
 The player that is backside (furthest from ball carrier) sucks
into the crease and will cover the crease player from behind.
Other backside player will help split crease player and their
man.
 Both backside Defenseman will be ready to check crease
stick if pass comes to the middle, so keep sticks up!
 Defender who gets beat should immediately head back to
crease and communicate which open player to pick up.
TWO OR MORE OFFENSIVE PLAYERS IN THE CREASE
 As ball carrier initiates dodge, the crease defenseman should
communicate who is the GO (HOT!), he will go BALL SIDE,
INSIDE and be ready to help if original defender gets beat.
 GO will arrive at the ball carrier ad will maintain inside body
position, forcing carrier away from the cage.
 The other crease D will split the crease O until backside help
arrives.
 The backside player will come into the crease splitting man and
crease O. Both crease defenseman will be ready to check crease
stick if pass comes to the middle, so keep sticks up!
 Defender who gets beat should immediately head back to
crease and communicate which open player to pick up.
ADJACENT SLIDE DEFENSE
Be patient, conservative and ready to help.
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Allow the ball to be passed on the outside perimeter, no need for heavy pressure.
Be position aggressive versus player aggressive, force the ball-carrier down the wind, prevent the inside
dodge by keeping feet consistently moving.
Lock out the crease player, stay tight on man until obviously no longer in the crease, aka outside 12 yards
from the cage.
All players not immediate adjacent from ball carrier or backside should slough towards the crease to help
and shorten slides.
Communicate your slide and man continuously throughout play.
WILL ONLY RUN WHEN ONE OFFENSIVE PLAYER IS IN CREASE!!!!
RECOVERY DEFENSE (SLIDE AND RECOVER)
 Player covering ball carrier should play out picking up
man 5 yards into the box.
 Player covering crease O should play tight, locking out
player with stick head always on the chest of player.
 If adjacent D to the ball carrier take a couple steps to
position yourself to the INSIDE of the ball carrier to cut
off passing and to help force the dodge to the outside.
 If D gets beat past player the adjacent player (the next
closest D) must motion toward the middle to cut off
lane, and if need be slide to pick up player.
 The original D who got beat should continue to pursue
his man.
 Two defensemen should pinch the ball carrier and put
heavy pressure on his hands and stick.
 If the original D recovers the adjacent D can slide back
to his man.
ROTATION DEFENSE (SLIDE NO RECOVER)
 If ball carrier eludes his defender (M1) and the D can
not recover even with help the closest D (adjacent D
(M2)) must pickup the ball carrier.
 Since M2’s man is left uncovered the next closest
defenseman (M3) to him must pick him up.
 The rotation would continue with D3 sliding to pick up
M3’s man and D2 sliding to pick up D3’s man.
 M1 must fill in the rotation by sloughing back in and
picking up D2’s man.
 D1 will play lockout on the crease O the entire time.
ZONE DEFENSE
Understand your own and everyone else’s responsibility inside the defensive zone – our goal is to prevent
penetration to the interior of the defense, keeping the ball on the outside of the defensive formation.
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All players must constantly be moving within their zone depending on where the ball is.
When a ball carrier is not in your zone position yourself into a passing lane to prevent passes across our
defensive formation.
3-3 ZONE
 Crease defender (D1) will always stay on the crease
unless he needs to slide to the ball-carrier because an
outside defender has been beaten or has not slid fast
enough.
 If D1 does slide his backside far side defender must slide
hard into the crease to prevent a feed to the crease.
 All other Defenders must be playing tight towards the
crease cutting off all passing lanes with sticks up.
 If a ball-carrier runs behind the net the 2 wing defenseman
D2/D3 must work together to prevent an unpressured
pass. Ball side middie can step out of his zone to prevent
draw and dump play.
 All players should be rotating in their zones.
BACKER ZONE (5 MAN ZONE, 1 MAN SLIDE)
 3-3 zone switches to a 2-1-2 zone with 1 man rotating
(“backer”) throughout the zone as ball moves.
 “Backer” will always be on the inside of the man covering
ball carrier taking away passing lane, and path to goal.
 The “backer” is always the first slide.
 Work just like a 3-3 zone in all other aspects.
PRINCETON ZONE (2-2-2 INVERT)
 Two short sticks (M1/M2) come down and each take a
side of cage on GLE to cover.
 Will only run win starting in settle D and they have a
strong dodger at X and are trying to isolate.
 M1/M2 will pick up X player behind GLE at bottom of
crease playing tight and pressuring hard. Opposite middie
will rotate around crease staying perpendicular to ball at
all time.
 4 remaining D will make a tight diamond zone on top of
the crease cutting off passing lanes with sticks up.
 Diamond D can rotate throughout the zones.
Clearing
Recognize the situation – in most clearing situations, we will have a man advantage to get the ball across the
midline. Let ball do work! Get it to the open side of the field.
In unsettled clearing, (after shot) two defense banana cut out, one defense stays home till first pass then breaks
for box. LSM over midfield for attackmen, then off field for sub. Other middies away from box, to deep and low
clearing positions.
Middies covered by an attackmen should bring them up field.
General Rules with ball:
- 1st look is straight ahead – Make the easy pass.
- 2nd look is cross the field
- 3rd look is over the top, cross field.
Calls:
There are no calls for our clears. Ball placement and situation dictate the clear.
END LINE CLEAR
- On whistle, M1 sprints towards D2, as M2 and A1
cross midfield.
- If M1 receives pass, he turns and works 2 on 1 with D3,
or carries over midline.
- If D2 passes to goalies or D1, A1 is coming towards
ball for pass. If A1 receives ball, he can turn away from
pressure and look for a 2 on 1 or carry over
opportunity.
- M1, M2 and A1 are going in circle motion, with
rotation set at whistle. Far mid goes towards ball.
- M1, M2 and A1 are responsible for each other in
regards to offensive onsides.
- M3 and D3 are responsible for each other in regards to
defensive onsides.
- If G is forced to walk up field, with no pressure, D3
should make an offensive move crossing midline.
SIDELINE CLEAR LOW
- After a horn, we sub out LSM and D3, and sub in M3 &
M4.
- Mid with Attack playing D, would be in M2 position
(closest to ball)
- If G uncovered, we are working to get M2 the ball.
- If D1 is uncovered, we pass to D1 and are working 2 on
1’s up the sideline.
- M1 & M2 are responsible for staying onside, subbing for
D3
SIDELINE CLEAR HIGH
- M1 starts with ball, at pre-whistle D1 cuts offensively, ball
side.
- If no pass, M1 passes to G (or D3) and D1 curls back
onside towards M1 as M1 cuts to center midline.
- M3 crosses midline and M2 drifts towards D2, as both
players move towards G not to cross top of box.
- G pre-whistle looks D2, to see if covered. If not, D2
crosses midline in anticipation of pass from G.
- If D2 is covered, G looks M2 and M3, or passes to
uncovered D3 would then work 2 on 1 with D2.
- If M2 or M3 receive pass, they curl towards nearest
sideline to work 2 on 1 with D1 or D2.
We are working to get D1 or D2 across midline with ball in
a fast break scenario. A1 must adjust positioning for
possible fast break from either.
MAN DOWN CLEAR
- M1 picks up ball, everyone aligns based off of ball spot.
(Defense on opposite side of field.)
- Pre-whistle identify if M1 has 1 or 2 defenders. Be slow
to pick up ball.
- If 2 defenders, D2 shifts toward middle of field, LSM
shifts toward sideline, M2 drops back into attack zone,
and M1 identifies open man to pass ball to. Make it a
good hard pass.
- If 1 defender, on whistle LSM and M2 will cross midline.
If not open, M2 will circle towards center of field, as M1
carries ball up field.
- Use your stick, one defender cannot take ball from you.
FAST BREAK (4 vs. 3)
- As M1 carries ball down field, we want M1 and A1 to
cross the top of the box together as A2 and A3 are moving
towards the net.
- Spread out to far and you allow the D to recover, bunched
in to tight, and D can react faster then ball.
- Pass on the run, Catch on the run.
- D will be attacking you, use their momentum towards
you, against them if you can’t pass.
SLOW BREAK (5 vs. 4)
- In a fast break situation, when M1 is covered running
down field, but the 2nd mid, M2 is not covered.
- A2 will pop out to receive pass, and immediately pass to
A2 behind net.
- A3 brings his defender through the crease, leaving a void
in the center of the box.
- A2 attacks opposite side of net, feeding M2.
Riding
We play harder without the ball, then with the ball.
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Use your legs, not your sticks. A majority of slash calls occur during riding, and a majority a slash’s
during riding, do not dislodge the ball.
Make them pass the ball under pressure, all of our Rides require them to make long passes. Make those
long passes even tougher.
Do not allow easy 2 on 1 situations. 2 on 1’s will occur, cover most offensive threat.
Use the sidelines as a 3rd defender.
1 Attack on Goalie on unsettled ride.
Attack rides to the midfield line.
Calls:
“Man” – In Box Man
“Zone” - In Box Zone
We won’t be calling out rides during the play. Rides will be called during stoppages in play (timeouts, qtrs) No
name for out of box zone, as anytime ball is out of box, we will zone ride.
IN BOX MAN
- Everyone is on a man leaving most defensive
cross field player open.
- A1 and A2 are responsible for D, G and D. A2
must sprint to other D at pass.
- Stay with opposition, no matter what side of
midfield they are on. If everyone stays with
their man, opposition will be offsides, not us.
- We may leave the G alone. A2 would shift
over to D, leaving G open, and we will allow
G to walk ball up field, locking out all men.
We will only jump him from behind, not
passing side(i.e. If he is right handed, we will
jump from left behind – A1)
IN BOX ZONE
- A1 and A2 are responsible for Zone A, B & C.
- A3 is responsible for Zone D & E
- Mids are responsible for Zones F, G, H, I.
- We leave farthest zones from ball open.
- If M1 Zone is unoccupied, he can drop down
to Zone D.
- When pass goes to far zone, everyone shifts
over. A2 must get to Zone A fast.
- Mids should never let a man behind them,
cross midline with them.
- Defenders should stay onsides, in proper stack
position.
OUT OF BOX ZONE
- A1 and A2 on ball, utilizing sideline. Do not let
man with ball between you.
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M3 is responsible for man in Zone F, and pass
for Zone C, F & G. If pass goes to C, M3 beats
ball there.
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If no one in a zone, we communicate and shift
away from ball.
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Never let a man behind you. We allow the clear
before we allow a fast break.
FAST BREAK DEFENSE
Recognize where the ball is coming from and communicate to the entire field – remember we are man down only
for a moment and need to all be on the same page.
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Slide patiently and do not go until the ball is in the air or a defenseman is obviously beat and can not
recover.
Stay tight on top the crease in a triangle formation, and keep stick in the air protecting the middle of the
box.
BALL CARRIER COMING DOWN THE MIDDLE
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Start defense in triangle formation, with point, left,
right positions.
Point D (D1) should meet the ball carrier just inside
the restraining line and come at an angle that forces
carrier to go towards wing or pass off the ball
D2 and D3 must be patient and wait for a pass to be
in the air before sliding, and should arrive at the
same time as ball arrives
If pass is made the opposite defender should slide
back in crease and split two remaining attackman,
until a second pass is made.
Any player (typically midfield) trailing should go
straight to the crease to pick up an open man.
After players pass the ball all defenders should slide
back into the crease
BALL CARRIER COMING FROM WING
 Start defense in upside down triangle formation,
with Top left, Top Right and Crease.
 Closest Defenseman is responsible to pick up the
ball carrier just inside the restraining line and come
at an angle that forces carrier to go towards wing or
pass the ball.
 If pass is made the crease defenseman (D1) is
responsible for the second slide, wait for the pass
and wait till ball is in the air.
 If a second pass is made the back side Defenseman
must pick up open man.
 Any trailing player (midfield typically) should go to
the backside crease to cover open man