what makes a great defensemen

[fat mike]

This is my first year playing lacrosse and i was wondering what you guys think makes a good defensemen. is it speed, footwork, strength, or size

[lacrosse64]

footwork and speed. FOOTWORK IS KEY!

[blckout20]

To be a "great" defensemen you need everything. The most important things are footwork/positioning, communication, and strength to me. To play defense you have to be in good shape most people see defensemen as lazy because a lot of kids in younger leagues play defense when they don't belong on a lacrosse field and because defense get to rest while the team is on attack. Truth is for whatever period of time that the ball is on your half you shood be working harder then anyone on the field. But defense is just as mental as physical you shood study your attackmen and be able to know what hand he shoots with, how good he is a cradling, whether he tends to pass or try and take it himself, etc. If you can you shood watch them warming up but by the end of the first you should know all of this that way you can anticipate every move he'll make if you can do this you'll get into his head and get him to start doubting himself...then you own him.

[lacrosse64]

LOl tru and good stuff blckout

[stegmakk]

footwork and speed...
I consider a d-man that can completely shut down his attackman greater than a guy that comes up with a few great strips but lets his attackman beat him and score

[linkinlax311]

footwork is absolutely necessary.
know your basics: stick checks, slides, etc.
learn to read attackmen, if you can pick up on their habits, you can own them.

[bigDman]

foot work and communaction

[nVlax]

yes, defense is about physical abilities like strength and speed... but its more about smarts, knowing where to be and when to be there

[Tony]

i don't think speed contributes all that much to being good, communicating, slides, smartness on the field, and knowing what to do will make u good, speed won't get the ball out of an attackmans stick, stick skills will

[blckout20]

defense is a very basic position. It is all about fundamentals there is no trick to being a good defenseman. The best defenders are the men who work the hardest, train the hardest, play the hardest, you need heart to be a great defenseman.

[lacrossefreak]

the job of a defense man is to impare or impede the passing and shooting of a offense man. defensemen have to be agressive.. good at team work and a good listener...also defensemen have to be loud talkers

[Snake~eyes]

Originally posted by blckout20
defense is a very basic position. It is all about fundamentals there is no trick to being a good defenseman. The best defenders are the men who work the hardest, train the hardest, play the hardest, you need heart to be a great defenseman.
That is so true. There really are no tricks to being a defender. You need to be strong and quick(not necscarily fast, yes there is a diference). You need to be good at the fundamentals and play hard. You're absolutely right, just learn the basics and you're set. ;)

[Dan]

stripping over pressuring your man is dumb. if all else, play smart. don't overcommit. i dunno what footskills are for d or what i should use, this'll be my first year on this end, but it'll be awesome. i'm already pretty good, i just can't throw with someone else's pole very well. just wait till i'm all set up. my goal is all-state this year.

[laxfender]

i'll have to agree with lacrosse64, footwork first. another thing that isn't mentioned much but IMO is one of the key qualifers for a good defender is ground ball ability, it doesn't do much good knocking the ball down if you can't pick it up fast.

[HdGLaxWarrior]

Footwork is an essential, if you can get footwork down, throwing and catching, and basic defensive concepts, you will do pretty good.

[Laxgoat]

Man size does matter there is a guy on my team awesome but he is tiny he cant land the hits im a beast im not fast but i can screw anyone up when the try to cross me

[AHSlaxer3]

footwork, communication, and positioning. you don't always have to be insanly fast, but if you know where to be and when to be there, you've already won half the battle