Offense that works for youth
Lets face it, you need goals to win games. You can be the best defense on the planet, but if your team is unable to put it in the back of the cage, you will have a long season.
There is no "right" offense or formation. There are things that work and don't work based on your skill level and personnel. When it comes to young lacrosse programs and youth clubs, unfortunately talent and skill are sometimes hard to find.
Instead of blogging about a system that works, I will give you a list of thing that may NOT.
1/ Trying to complete too many passes - Attack the cage. Its great watch Virgina on ESPNU bang it around the horn, but most likely our guys will drop it, throw it away or force a pass to someone who is covered. Get the ball to Mids or Attack who can cradle and drive the cage with out getting stripped.Teach them to make easy feeds to the open man when a slide comes.
2/Running set "plays". Multiple picks, you go here, you cut there, you pass, you don't,etc. usually results in failure with unskilled players. Teach stick protection, moving to open space, rolling away from pressure, climbing the latter and dodging. "Find the fish"-isolate a weak defender long pole or otherwise and iso him.
3/Sets with 2 on the crease- "duces (222) and 141 sets look great on the whiteboard. The problem becomes you need 4 solid players on the perimeter of these sets who can pass the ball the extra distance, who can move to throw and catch and who can feed guys in tight spaces. Any time I see a young team put two on the crease I pressure out on ball and adjacent and watch it implode. Stick with one one crease or even a circle offense with no one on the crease. "wheel" offense means kids are closer together and passes are easier to make.
4/Settling the ball frequently - In youth lacrosse that just might mean "wait until the opposing defense is set up". Teach transition, transition, transition. Practice odd man scenarios all the time. Push the ball hard, especially if you have some kids with wheels on the squad. Catch the defense off guard with players stuck up field who are gassed or not dropping in. I suggest settling a bit only when your defense needs a rest.
Some other key points to youth offense is teaching players how to shoot and more importantly WHERE to shoot. I spend a lot of time and energy on instructing changing planes on shots (high to low) and what I call the "red zone", the area off stick and back pipe on a goal. Make sure shooters learn to shoot for specific areas of the cage and not to see the goalie, but see the twine.
Put every player in the cage for a few tennis ball shots. They will quickly learn what is an easy save and what is not.
more soon, take care
There is no "right" offense or formation. There are things that work and don't work based on your skill level and personnel. When it comes to young lacrosse programs and youth clubs, unfortunately talent and skill are sometimes hard to find.
Instead of blogging about a system that works, I will give you a list of thing that may NOT.
1/ Trying to complete too many passes - Attack the cage. Its great watch Virgina on ESPNU bang it around the horn, but most likely our guys will drop it, throw it away or force a pass to someone who is covered. Get the ball to Mids or Attack who can cradle and drive the cage with out getting stripped.Teach them to make easy feeds to the open man when a slide comes.
2/Running set "plays". Multiple picks, you go here, you cut there, you pass, you don't,etc. usually results in failure with unskilled players. Teach stick protection, moving to open space, rolling away from pressure, climbing the latter and dodging. "Find the fish"-isolate a weak defender long pole or otherwise and iso him.
3/Sets with 2 on the crease- "duces (222) and 141 sets look great on the whiteboard. The problem becomes you need 4 solid players on the perimeter of these sets who can pass the ball the extra distance, who can move to throw and catch and who can feed guys in tight spaces. Any time I see a young team put two on the crease I pressure out on ball and adjacent and watch it implode. Stick with one one crease or even a circle offense with no one on the crease. "wheel" offense means kids are closer together and passes are easier to make.
4/Settling the ball frequently - In youth lacrosse that just might mean "wait until the opposing defense is set up". Teach transition, transition, transition. Practice odd man scenarios all the time. Push the ball hard, especially if you have some kids with wheels on the squad. Catch the defense off guard with players stuck up field who are gassed or not dropping in. I suggest settling a bit only when your defense needs a rest.
Some other key points to youth offense is teaching players how to shoot and more importantly WHERE to shoot. I spend a lot of time and energy on instructing changing planes on shots (high to low) and what I call the "red zone", the area off stick and back pipe on a goal. Make sure shooters learn to shoot for specific areas of the cage and not to see the goalie, but see the twine.
Put every player in the cage for a few tennis ball shots. They will quickly learn what is an easy save and what is not.
more soon, take care
posted by 313 LACROSSE at
12:47 PM
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