Crease position on attack.

[Veni Vidi Vici]

Hey now that conditioning is over and tryouts are next week, I have decided to go out for offensive crease because the spot is open on varsity. I have played middy and attack in the past, but my offhand has always been rusty and i didnt practice it as much as I'd like to in the offseason. My short range offhand though is somewhat decent, so I am hoping crease can be better fit postion for me.

Anyways, does anyone have any tips and things I can work on during this weekend and during the next few weeks at practice? Maybe even a website? I've never played the position before, so anything could help.

[AM14]

Play with one of those reflex balls. You gotta catch whatever comes in there. Also, practice and get comfortable throwing fakes.

[Eclipse]

Here is a post I made in a thread a few days ago about crease. Let me know if you have any questions.

"Well, since I play crease, and have been specifically acclimated to do it for the last two years, allow me to give you a basic overview:

Simply put, your job on crease is to be....annoying.

Now I know that may sound somewhat silly at first, but allow me to explain:

Your primary goal on crease is not necessarily to get slam dunk goals. More importantly, you need to get the defense to commit to you, honor you, and constantly be on the move to keep up with you. If you find yourself standing around on crease, simply put, your not doing your job. When you're on crease, your feet should NEVER stop moving. You need to be cutting, creating space, and looking for quick shot opportunities. Here is some basic ways to accomplish those goals:

1.) Mirror the ball. You need to be opposite of wherever the ball is in the offensive zone. If the ball is low, you are high, if the ball is high, you are low. This is very important. You need to be staying opposite the ball so your attack and middies have plenty of room and space to work with. If the opposing defense slides from crease, this will also make the slide much longer.

2.) Time your cuts. You need to make sure when you are going to make a cut, the timing is right. Depending on the level you play out, your probably not going to be getting feeds from the midfield. Its very hard to catch the ball from up top, turn, and get a solid shot off with the defense collapsing on you. Your going to want to time your cuts as the ball is getting spun from the wing attackmen, through X, or as the X attackman is dodging. You have to anticipate in order to do this. If the man at X is dodging to his left, your gonna wanna shadow him, moving to you left a little, almost as if there is a pole connecting the two of you. At the same time, if you want to cut as the ball is getting moved from the wing, through X, then time your cut to the ball side, just as the ball is getting received by the X man.

3.) STAY ACTIVE! I cannot emphasize this enough. As odd as this may sound, if you are not scoring goals on crease, as long as you are keeping the defensemen committed to you, then you are doing your job. Standing still, takes you out of the game, you are no longer a threat, and the defense will capitalize. Keep them confused, wondering where you are, constantly moving. By doing this, you can literally occupy the attention of a few defenseman, and the goalie.

I know this is long, but crease is a lot more skilled then people think. You need to be working extremely hard off ball to be succesful."

[hukedonfonix]

jobs for crease attackman
1.) score
2.) set picks for other attackmen
3.) put in any rebounds
4.) annoy the defense

[Ctown311]

Eclipse hit it right on the nose. That's exactly what I do. Thats some great advice you should take.

[HVlaxa7]

you have to know when to get out of the way and to catch the ball in traffic

[aschroeder92]

i like to mess with whoever is on me when i play crease so they get annoyed and get distracted, then i usually cut away from them and score

[boro attack18]

Do u know what the legal rules are for diving around the crease?

[laxlover8]

Setting picks for the players opposite to on ball player...
It's not efficient from my own experience
First, the ball moves around and I have to move constantly....I am look like a fool more than a threat to the defence.
second, when the ball moves, the player I set picks for is no longer the opposite players to the ball...so pick for him is useless...

And a crease man also occupy cutting paths for the middies too..

[FindingReign41]

Nice post Eclipse. Off-ball movement is becoming a lost art.

[BJHeadlax69]

you definatley need a quick release

[bonebrakr12]

i score a bunch at practice ( no tourneys for me....thank you parents (10) ) by just lining up on the restraining line and when the action comes down field, quickly cut to the crease and sit open. a good pole will slide to the middi with the ball and u get the pass from that middi and score.