Extra man Offense from the 3-3 formation

Man up opportunities give the players a chance to get a quick goal and sometimes turn the momentum in a game. Teams who have a high scoring percentage when up a man can get back into games when behind, or close the door on a team in a close contest.

Taking advantage of the extra player takes patience, good ball movement, and finishing when the time is right.

I try to practice EMO daily and have a few simple drills that improve the youth player quickly.

Recently I have been running the 3-3 formation on the man up and have found it works well for this age group. Having all 6 players top side and in scoring position sometimes overwhelms a middle school defense.

Here is some basics to try with your group.

Start with the players in the 3-3 set with no defense on the field (skeleton). I put 3 middies on the top of the formation, 1 attack on the crease and 2 attack on the wings. Make sure the wings are high enough above GLE to have a shot angle, but not too far out to back up shots.

In our 3-3 the crease attack rotates with the movement of the ball, basically "posting up" on the crease defender. Teach your crease player to have his stick up and to be ready at all time for a feed, turn, and shoot move.

I like using my best 6 stick handlers on the EMO, its may way of rewarding the players who have worked hard off field to get their skill level up.

Grab a stopwatch and start the ball moving on your whistle. See how many touches they can accomplish in 20, 30, or 45 seconds. Make sure they pass adjacent, skip pass, and feed the crease as they move it around. If the ball is dropped, have them hustle for control and continue on. Have "teams" of 6 compete with each other and against the clock. Count the passes out loud and count down the seconds left in the drill.

Another variation is to move the ball until until you call "shot". The shot should come off a skip pass or a crease feed.


Gradually work in defenders, I put in 3 to start , and build up to 6 on 5 as they get better and gain confidence. Its OK to use 5 poles on this drill to increase difficulty.

Here are a couple of important keys to running the 3-3.

1. BACK IT UP. The 3-3 is designed to get the D out of place for a wide open look. Teach the boys "one more" so they are open when shooting. Discourage a lot of dodging on this set. Make sure guys are not shooting when covered or taking shots from too far out.
The off ball wing attack players are responsible for the back up of a missed shot. Make sure they are acutely aware they cannot be beat to the end line by the goalie.

2. STRETCH. Just moving the ball around the perimeter is not enough. Stretch the defense by making a move to the goal every time you touch the ball in rotation. By becoming a threat, the D is forced to react and will leave some one open every time.

3.QUICK SHOT. Fire shots early in the penalty before the defense has time to settle in and gain confidence. Defenders at this level are usually confused when they are setting up a Man Down.
A early shot can surprise a goalie or a MDD player.

As they progress you can move them in an out of new formations to create looks on your EMO.

Thats all for now...

sticks & pockets

"hey coach, look I restrung my own stick last night"

This may possibly be the worst thing you can hear game from a middle school lacrosse player right before the big game.

Many lacrosse players are obsessed with their pockets. It seems every year some one on the team gets designated as the "stick doctor". Many players are very gifted at the fine art of stringing pockets. Unfortunately they are extremely rare in middle school.

Here is a checklist to make sure a bad pocket or string job doesn't ruin a players practice, game, or season.

1/ Throw and catch with every players stick a few times in the beginning of the season. I throw and catch with 4 or 5 every practice to see how they feel. Check sidewall strings, shooting strings, pocket depth, (or lack there of) and head condition. Many players get hand me downs or abandoned sticks from older brothers, the kid next door, etc. Some are worn out or cracked.

2/ I forbid the players to do any "custom stringing"on their game stick. There is a reason Warrior, STX, and Brine offer simple stringing versions on new heads - they work. Most of the variations seen in forums or on line are made by kids with too much time on their hands or by lacrosse peddlers trying to add a few bucks to the sale. If you want a weird pocket, do on your back up or an extra head lying around the house. A factory string job is fine. They are simple to tweak. Sidewalls and shooting strings can be easily and quickly adjusted.

Complex pockets with multiple twists and several extra shooting strings are virtually impossible to adjust on the fly.

I have been to MLL, NCAA, and NLL games. I can honestly say I have never seen any "custom pockets" at this level. Its always 6 diamond, hard or dura mesh, or sometimes an occasional traditional pocket.

3/ Back ups. I keep two short sticks in my truck, a long stick, and a goalie stick. Sidewalls strings break, heads crack, and sticks get soggy in games. Not to mention that kid who shows up at an away game with no stick at all. Having these extras are life savers. Make sure they are throwing and catching perfectly.

Its a good idea to introduce youth players to the fact they will, at one time or another need to get a back up stick or head. Especially in the future when they move on to the next level. I don't advocate Parents buying two sticks at the MS level, but if they can get a back up cheap or used, it may be a good idea.

hope this makes sense...