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.
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.
posted by 313 LACROSSE at
9:25 PM
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