game end planning

Youth players get excited when the game is on the line. Coaches get excited. The timekeeper, the referees and the spectators all can be sucked in to the firestorm at the end of a close one.

I was on the side line of a recent game in which some last minute plays ended up giving a game back to a team which was outplayed for 90% of the game.

Although it ended in a tie, the players and coaches learned a valuable lesson.

This was not a case of players giving up, or running out of steam.

It was a case not preparing young players to finish poised and with a plan.

Because I am the coach, I have to reevaluate my actions and put the blame on myself.

In earlier posts, I write that coaching is 90% preparation. I did not practice what I preach and it cost me.

On the positive side, what I did get is and excellent opportunity to teach my players in the next couple of practices the right way to finish in the future.

Here are a few key pointers to help you close the door on a comeback when ahead at the end of a game.

1/OFFENSE - Have a two minute plan and practice it. Know what personnel should be on the field. Have your best ball handler take the ball on an in bounds play. Be specific what should be done with a last possession. Practice "keeping it in". Players have to work hard to make passes shorter and more precise. Runs some drills that double team players and lock off adjacent players. Teach kids that end of game shots taken to finish an opponent, if saved are an opportunity for the opposing team to tie or get win. The best way to stop a comeback is to maintain possession of the ball. Young players do not know this is some cases.

If they perfect 2 minute drills in practice it becomes easier in a live game.

2/ DEFENSE - If you do cough it up ( it will happen, trust me) and an opponent is threatening, have a two minute plan to protect a lead. It is very important to have the proper match ups on defense. Make sure you are communicating when marking up. Match size with size, speed with speed etc. Have your best LSM or Defenseman on their biggest threat. Lock off if necessary, the best way to stop a great shooter is to deny them the ball. Have a "special team" of defense middies and long sticks ready to clamp down on a late surge. In the confusion and excitement of a thriller, the ball and crease may be left wide open. Younger players may tend to "let some else" take ball or the crease man.

3/ Stay calm - Players feed off confident and calm coaches. Panic, screaming, and losing your mind on a side line only "freaks out" youth players. If you are melting down, what do you expect from them? Stress the importance of being intense, but cool under fire. It is a life lesson that can be taught during a game to young men. Win , lose, or draw if we stay composed we all win.
I try not to make a huge deal out of a last minute win or loss. What comes around goes around.

Over celebrating or falling in to a deep depression after any game is not good. Of course we need to be excited at a last minute win, but we also need to congratulate an opponent that gave you a great experience.

I will post on how to make a comeback in the future.

sure fire man up offense for youth

Man Up. Music to a lax coach's ears.

We've all seen them "bang it around" at the HS and college level with precision and skill. I run a 3-3 with my U19 guys who will give you 24 passes in 20 seconds and finish with 2 skip passes and a lay up. A defense is rendered powerless when run correctly. Its a thing of beauty.

Not so easy with a rag tag middle school bunch. They have another idea on how to "get it done". Here are some of my favorite "hall of shame" plays from years of watching EMO's dissolve in seconds.

Play #1 Don't pass, don't look, attempt to dodge a few poles and lose the rock. Usually in 10 seconds.

Play # 2 Make one pass to a weak shooter and toss up a "beach ball" to a goalie stick side high.

Play #3 Stand around the perimeter near the top of the box and run a stall. Yes on the EMO.

Play #4 Shoot a wild side arm shot or better yet underhand high. Make sure no one is backing you up. If you do have a chance do beat the goalie to the end line, don't try to.

Any of these bad boys bring back memories? I lay awake at night trying to forget them.

I've seen futile attempts at 1-4-1 sets and 3-3 sets by many coaches at this level for years. They are great in theory, but unless you've got the stick skills and a group of kids who have great field presence, the results have not been too impressive. These sets are difficult with newer and younger players, even when blessed with one less defender.

The "one four" is a great EMO, but for the most part kids don't know how to position themselves well on the crease at this age. Passing around the perimeter with only 4 players will be more challenging as well. The longer passes get sloppy and picked off frequently.

The 3-3 is also a set which takes skills, a lot of practice time, and above all very quick movement of the ball. On top of that you must have the ability to complete two precise skip passes. If that's not enough, the chance a sixth grader will back up a shot when he is topside is also a long shot.

So what do we do? I suggest a simple 2-3-1 ( I call it from topside) with a twist.

Here's how you set it up:

1. Put your best player at X with the ball. Notice I said player not attack.
2. Put a lefty shooter bottom left, a righty shooter bottom right.
3. Put your "cannon" top center.
4. If you are blessed with another lefty stick him top left and place another decent righty top right.
5. The crease guy should have great hands and a quick release.

You are now basically 5 on 5 topside with your ace at X.

Most middle school man down units are a 2-3 or a box and one. They don't rotate well at this age, slide late, communicate poorly, and rarely recover.

Drive your man from X and try to beat the slide. Accomplish that and you've got a marker.

If the slide comes adjacent, feed a wide open shooter in the slot. If the slide comes from the crease, feed a wide open quick stick on the doorstep. If the D recovers to the crease from the top Hit any one of the topside guys , especially the top center, and feed for a blast from him.

If a coma slide comes and get's there you must be in Baltimore or on Long Island.

If you've got nothing, circle back, reset, move around the horn back to X, and attack the opposite side.

Keep it simple, get your best player the rock and relax, your most likely going to be getting one.

Take care.