Zone Or Man?

[SheepShank]

Which Defense do you find most effective? and do you use just certain defenses at certain times. (For example: you only use zone when you are man down.)

[CoachK]

We use a triangle zone, typically against a 2-2-2, but mainly a man to man. I love having my players play soft off the ball. I'd much rather give someone a 15 yard crank than a dunk. The Princeton D (pressure slides off the crease) can be great when the entire defense is on the same page, but I still have my reservations about it. The only zone I would consider on man down (6v5, not 6v4) is the string zone, but typically the counter rotation will work very well, and the concept is the same as adjacent slides.... One less thing to teach.

[jdaley]

If you have a good keeper I would zone all day and make them beat you by shooting from the outside. If they feed the crease from the outside make them pay.

[1/2man1/2amazin]

I coach box, but i find a great time to use a zone is when you have a lot of weak players on your team. Mismatches are too easy to exploit in a man-to-man. A Sagging Zone defence usually works best, is what i've seen and experienced at least, for when you have weak players on the floor.

[shrekjr]

ZONE ALL DAY!!!

[Longest]

We just use zone on mandown, man otherwise. We match up fairly well athlete on athlete usually, so prefer to take our chances there. Also our goalie is outstanding and so can make miracle stops he has no business making to bail us out occasionally.

Dan

[shrekjr]

I've seen too many "great" teams through the years that won on talent until they came up against an equally talented zone defense, then they cratered and couldn't beat it. The best attack team will have a more difficult time scoring against the best zone than it will the best man to man.

[Longest]

That's fine and well but like I said, we have opted to take our chances playing man. We did not have the time nor inclination to instill the zone and hone it to perfection so we are going with what is best available to us. Because if you mess up the zone, even a decent team is going to have a slam dunk shot. That is more onerous.

Dan

[shrekjr]

Personal preference, but I'd rather take the chance that the back side of my zone can slide to cover a mistake (keeping in mind that a very tight, well coached zone won't be out of position) rather than risk a smart team setting a screen that will force my weakest defender into an iso with their best player. Well coached talent will win regardless of their style if they execute. But if both teams are equal in talent, I'll put my money on the team with the zone every time.

[CoachK]

My junior year, we were poised for nationals. We had a great transition game, attacking offense, very strong defense, and no goalie. We came up against our first zone in a league game, and lost 11-10, when we normally scored 16+. The zone definately slows the offense down, and from that standpoint, if you run a good settled offense, run that zone. I see your point, but now, I beg for teams to run zone against us. I don't care what package you run, I especially hope you run a zone on man down, all zones have weaknesses that can get exploited.

It's all in your preparation. We teach a Triangle Zone first, for a few reasons.... Team defense being one, but I don't ever want to get shut down offensively the way we did that game. Great players can make zone's work well, but they are compromises from a solid team man to man defense. I am a proponent of man to man, enless the opposing team is running a 2-2-2, when I use some other options.

[jablax]

Depends on the strength of my team. This year my team is more athletic than the past. I will probably use more man. I seem to remember my coaches relying on zone when we we played teams with strong offensive units. I have found, contrary to my beliefs as when I was playing, that coaching teams to play the zone correctly is much harder than playing man2man correctly. In other words the zone works great if your players are focused and make crisp movements, etc.. but a bad zone is esay to take advantage of.