Becoming a Champion Lacrosse Player: The Face-Off

with Kevin Cassese,
University of Virginia Head Men's Lacrosse Coach;
University of Virginia Associate Head Coach from 2023 to 2026;
2026 ACC Champions;
Lehigh University Head Coach from 2008 to 2023;
2018 Inductee into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame;
3x Patriot League Regular Season & Tournament Champions (2012, 2013, 2021);
Team USA Assistant Coach for the 2014 World Lacrosse Championships;
Duke University Assistant Coach from 2005 to 2007;
Duke Interim Head Coach in 2006;
2007 NCAA National Championship Runner-Up;
Stony Brook Assistant Coach/Offensive Coordinator in 2005;
Professional player for the Philadelphia Barrage;
MVP of the 2006 MLL All Star Game;
3x All-American at Duke University;
2002 MacLaughlin Award (nation's top midfielder);
3x member of the U.S. Men's National team (was Captain in 2010);
2x Gold medalist

Coach Kevin Cassese goes over the fundamentals of being an excellent face-off player. He shares several innovative and progressive drills, techniques, and strategies for winning every face-off. This highly effective video will demonstrate the same tactics that the Blue Devils used to win their NCAA-record 17 victories in 2005. This crucial part of the game is demonstrated by Cassese on the field beginning with the general rules of the stance. These include everything involved in the face-off, including: having your hands shoulder-width apart, being light on your feet and not leaning forward too far. Coach Cassese goes into detail about the different types of clamps that can be used during a face-off, like the Power Clamp, Quick Clamp, Reverse Clamp and more. To give you a greater edge, Cassese also emphasizes 10 pre-practice and four post-practice drills to help you condition your midfielders to the best of their ability. With each discussion he shows the up-close look at footwork and hand movement involved, where to release the ball after you have won the face-off, how to block out and how to go after the ball. Coach Cassese will guide you in learning how to block any foreign move, and furthermore, give you a certain leverage to put you in a position handle any situation. This video is a "must have" for any coach who wants to get an edge on the game, win the ball more frequently and produce more victories.

43 minutes. 2006.