Question: Women's Lax spitting offense and defense

[ndirishlax]

I know that quite a few teams have offensive and defensive coordinators. I'm looking at trying to do something like that with my coaching staff now that they are getting more experience. One question I have is, how do you handle the midfielders in practice? I no longer use the traditional position names (homes, awings, center, dwings, 3rd man, point, c point) and have switched to just attackers, midfielders and defenders (4A, 3M, 4D on field at once).

If I want to split up the Attack and Defense in practice, what do you normally do with the Midfielders since they need to know both A and D? Do you have them switch back and forth each day and hope they can keep up with what they are missing on the other days? Do you send some with A and some with D and rotate those? I'm just not sure how to handle this.

Thanks for your help.

[CTLaxer]

I usually just switch them out halfway through a drill or play. I actually have all my players play each position at various points throughout practice. My feeling is if an attacker learns how to play defense and defend against what I'm teaching them, they'll have a better idea of how to adapt and beat the defense, and vice versa with the defense. I also like to be able to play any player on my bench in any position in case of injury or if I want to see how they handle another position in a game if someone is getting beat on O or D constantly. The past few years I've also had a good assistant coach so when I split up players I could have one group learning O and one D. That way one group isn't being neglected.

I also applaud you using a 3 position system, too many women's/girl's coaches are using the antiquated and obsolete system of 12 different positions on the field which only causes confusion and in fighting within the team. Bravo!

[ndirishlax]

Thanks CTLaxer, I appreciate it. I actually do something similar with regards to teaching defense to everyone. I start out teaching defense to the entire team. I won't move anybody to attack until they have learned defense first. I make sure they realize that everyone on the field will have to play defense at some point in the game. Everyone will be there when I go over the offense for the first time, so they have an idea of what we're doing, but I don't generally have the defensive players running the offense throughout the year. I like that idea though and will have to look into doing that this season.

Regarding the three position system, I agree completely. I can't tell you how many times I'd go to send somebody in and I'd tell them, you're going in for so and so and playing wing. They'd ask, is that Attack Wing or Defense Wing, so I'd then specify Attack Wing. They'd then ask is that Left or Right Attack Wing? Or trying to tell them to go in for so and so and they weren't sure if they were playing 1st, 2nd or 3rd Home. It just wasn't worth it. I heard about a couple of colleges switching to the three position idea and thought it made more sense to do it that way. It took the returning players a little bit of time to catch on, but the new players understood it immediately and it was so much easier. The only time its caused problems for them is when a couple of them play for some traveling teams that still use the 12 position philosophy and they aren't sure what they mean. I've started teaching the 12 positions at the beginning of the year just so they'll know about them and have an idea about what they are, and then I immediately start using the 3 positions instead.

Thanks again for the reply.

[NHLaxDad]

I agree with both of you. Using the "three position" system prevents them from getting "stuck" at 1st Home, etc. I also think it's a great idea to teach defense first. The only exception that I would make is that, at least at the Youth level, I tell one girl she's a D-wing, one she's an A-wing, and two that they're "full middies." This helps prevent offsides. As the season progresses, and they learn to communicate and look at what their teammates are doing, I let them figure it out, depending on the player. One nice aspect about a designated D-wing is that it makes them realize what their primary role is.

[lilaxgurl23]

When you get to college, most coaches will make you play every position. Some people that come in attack end up on defense. It's best to rotate everyone through all the positions, as CTlaxer stated because sooner or later, if they intend on getting to the next level, they're going to have to do it anyways. Most practices I've seen just have people rotate through drills, switching positions whenever they come out and go back in. Maybe not always consecutively but it's a lot more often then half the practice one way and half the other.

[lax@wwu21]

When you get to college, most coaches will make you play every position.

Somewhat true with my girlfriend's experience. My girlfriend had been an attackman (or whatever the girl's version is, I please ignorance...:dummy: :dummy: ).

She was one of the top scoring players but got bumped to defense in college (offense in high school). She hates defense, and thinks its boring.

My advice is because the girl's game is much more technical (as opposed to physical in a defense minded way), that to rotate everyone through so the attackmen will be good at riding their defenders and perhaps getting the ball back before it crosses the mid line.