minor box line changes...

[roofdaddy]

Hello all!
Helping out with an 11-12 year old pee-wee team this year. Pre-season is approaching and i'm looking for some basic line changing technics for the kids. I'm thinking some thing on the break-out with ball possesion by the goalie. Thanks allot, look forward to everybody's input.

[Beacher]

Keep corners around hockey hash marks as outlets, run far side crease player up the floor for fast break/transition or to the rag line for an outlet, remaining crease and point break to the bench. First off the bench up the floor, second turns back to ball. Keep the ball going up the far side of the floor from the benches as much as you can. You need the pointman to be aware of what's happening behind him as he moves to the bench. And the corners have to be able to provide safe outlets for the goalie, and move from pressure if necessary and provide outlets for each other. How far/often you try to run the crease players and the first off the bench depends on how much you want to stress fast break, but since you mention running it from the goalie why not train the goalie to look upfloor for the long breakout pass on occasion? Do you have any specific questions?

[roofdaddy]

Hi Beacher,
Thanks for taking the time to help us out. Couple questions... The corners are the two low defenders? Crease guys are the two high defenders? And the point is up top like a basketball point guard? If this is correct I follow your drill.
I guess there will need to be some adjustments occasionally depending on the other teams forecheck pressure. I'll work on this next week and see how they do.

[Beacher]

Yup, those are the positions I meant. When you face a press that's when the pointman has to show some judgment. Having a good fast break, especially at the peewee age, can get you some easy goals against the press and force an opponent to re-adjust - although the skill level of your team and your opponents determines how far you can go with that. Are you looking for practice drills or just a system you can stick to?

[roofdaddy]

I would like to keep things pretty basic. Between their young age and only one hour a week for practice makes it pretty tough to get fancy. Three basic systems for Defence, Offence and breakout would be great. Finally, Ive been scouring the internet for good drills to keep the practices fresh too. Have not had much luck though. Thanks again!

[Beacher]

Look up "Lacrosse Fundamentals" and "Lacrosse Team Strategies" both by Jim Hinkson. They may be aimed at slightly older teams, but there are some good strategies, ideas and drills in both books that you can choose from. Another thing to do is to sit down for a coffee with other coaches in your organization. For the price of a coffee or a lunch (and for the benefit of young lacrosse players) most coaches are willing to part with all sorts of advice. Cheers.

[roofdaddy]

Hi Beacher,
Thanks for those leads, I'll check'm out. Good luck this year.

[OldPtboBoy]

http://eteamz.active.com/HalifaxLacrosse/links/

I don't know if you're familiar with the old OLA Videos. But there is alot of knowledge in them. Select a defense that you think will work for your guys and then play your fastest guy bench side creaseman. When you gain control make sure he knows that his first job is to get to the bench and/or pic up that outlet pass up the floor.

Depending on what your playing against your defense could change slightly, but always play that fast kid up high if your intent is to fast break.

[inblack]

you know whats frightening, I know these people!
God Im getting Old.
Great videos thought. Never actually watched them!

[boxpimp66]

offence defence is a pretty good way to go if your out to win, all the pro teams do it for a reason, my team owned when we switched to it. but if your trying to teach good fundamentals on both sides of the ball then i'd say just roll lines and have a set offence and defence pattern plus a breakout stratagy.

[attack27]

offence defence is a pretty good way to go if your out to win, all the pro teams do it for a reason, my team owned when we switched to it. but if your trying to teach good fundamentals on both sides of the ball then i'd say just roll lines and have a set offence and defence pattern plus a breakout stratagy.


I don't think you are allowed to run a true O/D system in minior lacrosse in Canada.

[laxgoalieking]

I don't think you are allowed to run a true O/D system in minior lacrosse in Canada.
there is no rule against it, alot of midget teams have started to run O/D. But IMO it shouldnt be used by anyone under bantam.

[BClax17]

Apparently, the new rule this year is that minor teams cannot use an O/D system. Teams that do so will have their coach suspended. They're taking it as far as not letting any player come out the "in" door. At least that's what they're enforcing here.

[Crusader9]

I have not heard of that rule, and I hope not.

I am not a fan of O/D, but I use some of the principles of the system.

What I do (and I am not saying it is new), I run lines of 2's and 3's. The 3's are the top & shooters, and the 2's are the creasemen. When playing defense, upon a shot and we gain possession, the line of 2 breaks up the floor (fast break...you can cheat if you are willing to go prior to possession), and the top man goes to the bench for a change (comes out, & goes across the floor), and the two shooters are the outlets. My goalie can go for the long-bomb, outlet to centre for the top-man change, or out to the wings for the shooters. As we move the ball up, the shooters change; thus my line of 3 has now changed and are fresh for offense play.

Once I lose possession, my creasemen (line of 2's) sprint to the bench and the next line of 2's head down to play defense. The shooters run back and cover the other teams fast break, and the top man can come back or pressure the ball (your choice depending on the opponent/situation). Now I have fresh legs on defence.

This is my line change strategy, and I have been using it since novice (9 & 10 year olds). There are a lot of advantanges to using this, and with anything, there are some disadvantages.

You either have a system and pick players to fit that system, or you pick your players and then determine your system...good luck!

[vimoose]

In BC they do not allow offence/defence in minor lacrosse.

[roofdaddy]

Great stuff guys! Thanks to OldPtboBoy for the videos. These are exactly what I was looking for (allthough the players shorts are a little scary). Really looking forward to our first exhibition game today. Thanks again!

[KnightsLAXDad]

In BC they do not allow offence/defence in minor lacrosse.

I personally don't think that minor should allow O/D. Hoe do tell a 9-15 year old kid that they are on D and will (almost) never get the chance to shoot on net or score a goal?? Besides, a true O/D takes away a lot of the transitional and fast break aspects of the game.

[CanuckLax]

I personally don't think that minor should allow O/D. Hoe do tell a 9-15 year old kid that they are on D and will (almost) never get the chance to shoot on net or score a goal?? Besides, a true O/D takes away a lot of the transitional and fast break aspects of the game.

Many other sports like field lax, hockey and soccer have full time defensive players that don't score much if at all, the kids handle those roles just fine.

As for fast break, there's very little in the full floor game too. Many coaches tout an up-back-off philossophy that has the lines change on each possesion change in their own end, giving the opposition plenty of time to get back and set-up the def.

Having said all that I agree that it's not conducive to a well rounding lax education but for Bantam and up, go for it!!