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Archives by Tag 'All Access Lacrosse Practice'

All Access Haverford Lacrosse Practice: Half-Field and Transition Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, January 10, 2012

In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you to Haverford, Pennsylvania for a behind-the-scenes look at a Haverford School boys’ lacrosse practice. Watch as head coach John Nostrant leads his squad through a number of team drills on the heels of a big victory over archrival Malvern Prep.

This All Access session presents a great opportunity for coaches and players to see exactly how one of the nation’s top high school lacrosse teams prepares for opponents during the week. In this example, Coach Nostrant has his team run through the England Drill and the Mineola Drill, two highly effective half-field drills that get the players going at game speed.

At the time of filming, the Fords were 17-0 and coming off a huge win over the Friars. The coaches have told the players that they are looking for an up-tempo practice, which is a typical practice following a game. Meanwhile, the next day’s practice will be a little bit more specific and geared toward their opponent on Saturday.

England Drill

The drill starts out 2 vs. 1 with the offensive players sprinting down the field from the midfield line with possession. Note: The coaches eventually tell the players to pass the ball forward to their teammate from the start and play it from there.

The players are looking to finish on goal in a 2 on 1 transition situation (with goalie in net). As soon as the play is over (whether it be via goal, missed shot, save, turnover, etc.), one additional defender and one additional offensive player enter and the drill turns into a 3 on 2 situation. The new offensive player comes down with the ball and passes it ahead to a teammate and the unit looks to score quickly. Players must be on their feet at all times and ready to attack.

Next, the drill moves to 4 on 3, then 5 on 4, and finishes with a 6 on 5 situation. Entering players must always communicate with teammates and get into position as soon as possible. As soon as one play is over, the next one should commence immediately.

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Mineola Drill

The team is looking to run a number of different sets here. When you hear “31” called out, that means the unit is set up in a 2-3-1. The squad also likes to put a middie down on the crease at times with this look. Each set might be different depending on the kind of personnel playing at the time. The first group that you see is the team’s first group of offensive middies.

Next it’s to “20X”, which is the team’s double team. Notice there’s no need for a horn as the team just gets right into things. Meanwhile, it’s key that the players are always reading and reacting.

The coaching staff prefers to progress as practice goes along, and eventually the squad moves into a 6 on 6 out of a scramble set, which forces sliding and decision making, rather than just going straight 6 on 6. It also allows the guys to play with different groups and ensures that no one gets complacent.

Meanwhile, Nostrant and his staff try to make the teams even in every practice. Haverford has 38 players, so the coaches prefer to keep them active. Also, you can do a lot with this drill. For instance, the squad is currently working on clearing and this really gets everyone involved in the flow.

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The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Haverford Lacrosse Practice with John Nostrant.” To check out more videos in our All Access series, simply head over to our lacrosse video library.

All Access Stony Brook Lacrosse Practice: Ground Ball and Shooting Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, December 27, 2011

In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you to Stony Brook, New York for a behind-the-scenes look at a Stony Brook University men’s lacrosse practice. Watch as former head coach Rick Sowell leads his squad through a number of team drills in preparation for the season opener – just two weeks away.

This All Access session presents a great opportunity for coaches and players to see exactly how a top college lacrosse program prepares for opponents during the week. In this example, Coach Sowell talks to his team in the locker room before reviewing game film from a previous contest. Eventually, the players take to the field and run through a variety of ground ball and shooting drills that mimic game-like situations and quick decision-making.

Locker Room Discussion and Video Review

First, Coach Sowell talks with his squad about ways they can get to the fourth quarter and give themselves a chance to win every game. Concepts such as team defense, fundamentals, knowing your role, and establishing a gameplan are all discussed. Says Sowell, “Remember going forward, time and score matters. It must factor into everything we do. Playing your role is also important, especially when trying to set the game plan.”

Next, Sowell reviews video footage from a recent contest, focusing on defensive tactics. Specific player movements are detailed, including how they should react based on offensive passes and dodges.

Ground Ball Drill

After the locker room discussion, the team begins practice with a competitive 1-on-1 ground ball drill. Basically, it’s a fight for possession where players must scoop up the ground balls under major pressure. Once they scoop, the player with possession sprints back the other direction and tries to elude the defender. In this scoop and run drill, short sticks may end up going against long sticks. Players will start at a specified line before the coach rolls out a ball. Players can also work on their ground ball moves as well, such as boxing out the defender.

Shooting Drills

First, one after another, players move across the crease unloading inside shots on cage. This is an opportunity for players to really work on their hands, shooting close to the net, and overall accuracy in a tight space. It’s also a chance for players to practice different shots down low. For instance, changing planes when making a fake. This drill is a great way for players to get a lot of shots in a short amount of time.

Later on, players move into rapid fire shots. There are dozens of balls set on the ground in two areas at the point. One player scoops and passes across before a shooter dodges or carries and fires on net. This drill is a perfect way to get into shooting shape.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Lacrosse Practice with Rick Sowell.” To check out more videos in our All Access lineup, simple head over to our lacrosse catalog here.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: All Access Lacrosse Practice, Ground Ball Drills, Inside the Crease, Rick Sowell, Shooting Drills, Stony Brook Lacrosse

All Access Denver Lacrosse Practice: Pressure Passing and Transition Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, November 15, 2011

In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you back to Denver, Colorado for a behind-the-scenes look at a University of Denver men’s lacrosse practice. Watch as legendary head coach Bill Tierney leads his squad through a variety of team drills in preparation for an early-season match-up.

This All Access session is an ideal way for coaches to see exactly how a top college lacrosse program prepares for opponents during the week. In this instance, Denver runs through a variety of pressure passing and transition drills centered on game-like situations and quick decision-making.

Pressure Passing

The goal here is to get some regular stickwork in but while under some pressure. Coach Tierney believes that the team must get better under pressure at practice in order for the squad to be successful in games. This particular drill moves up the entire length of the field with 1-on-1 pressure passing situations, from one group of players to the next.

Keep Away

In this drill, there’s one more player on offense than defense. The goal is to quickly move the ball around the perimeter and have the players keep their feet moving when throwing and catching the ball. Offensive guys are working on their pressure passing around the horn and needing to pass and catch with a tight defense on their heels. It’s also a great drill so that players can work on their footwork and stickwork skills.

Hoops

With “Hoops“, a ball is thrown out onto the field and it’s initially a 2-on-2 fight for possession. The direction of play depends on which team scoops up the ground ball. Whichever team scoops up the ball, they immediately transition down the field and look for the quick score.

Although not entirely realistic, the drill simulates a 5-on-5 situation that starts with a ground ball fight. The offensive team is trying to push the ball and score, while the defense is looking to get set and recover on the transition break.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Denver Lacrosse Practice with Bill Tierney.” To check out our entire all access collection, visit our extensive lacrosse library. Don’t miss our latest edition featuring Haverford (PA) head coach John Nostrant.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: All Access Lacrosse Practice, Bill Tierney, Inside the Crease, Pressure Passing, Transition Drills, University of Denver Lacrosse

All-Access Bryant Lacrosse Practice: Chalk Talk and On-Field Simulations

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, August 9, 2011

In the latest edition of All-Access, we take you back to Smithfield, Rhode Island for a behind-the-scenes look inside a Bryant University men’s lacrosse practice. Watch as head coach Mike Pressler preps his squad in the locker room and runs through specific plays the team will be focusing on during practice. Then, check out actual scenes from practice as the team runs through drills and set plays discussed in the locker room earlier in the day.

This week’s All-Access session is a great way for coaches, players and even parents to see how a college lacrosse program prepares during the week – from locker room breakdowns to on-field simulations and to specific coaching strategies and concepts. Be sure to pick up some tips and insights from this exclusive look and see how you can use them with your own squad.

“Chalk Talk” – Zone Defense Overview

First, the coaching staff breaks down key zone defense techniques, like splitting the offensive side of the field in half and then splitting the top part into thirds. Meanwhile, defensemen should play from the back of the cage to the halfway point. Coach Pressler also talks about when opposing squads zoned Bryant last season that his team was really effective against it — explaining to his squad exactly why they are focusing on it that season.

The 1-4-1 Set

This 1-4-1 is a power set, with four players on the perimeter and two players inside. Coach Pressler diagrams the setup of the 1-4-1 on the whiteboard. One specific player will make the call to implement the play each time. If a “Roll” is called, the wings should roll up. “Carry” means to roll down. If a player is an X or four; that means to roll right and to carry left.

Sometimes we will call out “22 Carry.” Here, the player up top has the ball and then attacks/engages his man before carrying. Next, another player will fill in up top and the near wing player will move through. This forces the defense to rotate. If we call “22 Roll 2“, then the player with the ball engages his man, he rolls one, and then the trailing guys fill in behind. The beauty of this play is that even the coaching staff doesn’t know what’s going to materialize.

Wahoo

Next the coaching staff runs through Wahoo, which is actually Virginia’s play. Bryant used it against them with success the season before.

Here, the two nearest attackmen to the cage will start out on the GLE on opposite sides. The middle guy then cuts hard right-handed. If there isn’t a play out of this set-up, then the squad goes automatically into “Pinch.” Watch the video to see how the team makes the transition in case the original play isn’t open.

Wahoo to Pinch – On-Field Look

Now catch the play in action as the Bryant lacrosse team practices “Wahoo” on the turf. The squad also makes the transition into Pinch if the original play isn’t there.

The previous All-Access look can be found on Championship Productions’ DVD “All-Access Bryant Lacrosse Practice with Mike Pressler.” Check out our entire All-Access collection by clicking here. The DVD library also includes several new additions featuring Bill Tierney (Denver) and Mike Daly (Tufts).

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: All Access Lacrosse Practice, Drills Mike Pressler, Inside the Crease, Mike Pressler, Practice Organization for Lacrosse

All-Access: Scouting Sessions with Notre Dame Men’s Lacrosse

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, June 14, 2011

In this week’s edition of All-Access, we take you to the University of Notre Dame campus in South Bend, Indiana, where Fighting Irish head men’s lacrosse coach Kevin Corrigan breaks down the scouting report for his squad’s upcoming opponent.

First, Corrigan details the scouting report with his team in the film room and gives a general overview of the opponent. The head coach then emphasizes the key areas that his team needs to focus on and execute in order to be successful.

Next, watch as the scouting session moves from the film room to the practice field. With Corrigan and his coaching staff leading the way, get a glimpse at how the team walks through specific plays and situations discussed in the film session that must be addressed during the squad’s upcoming game.

This exclusive look is a great way for coaches and players to go behind the scenes and see how a Division I college lacrosse program prepares for its opponents during the week. Plus, readers can also get a feel for the different types of drills and instruction methods used when implementing specific plays and techniques to get ready for the opposition.

Film Room Discussion

Here, Coach Corrigan talks about the young team they are about to face, one that will not be afraid to challenge them and comes into the game with plenty of confidence. Corrigan also details what his squad needs to do in order to be effective, particularly thinking two steps ahead when it comes to decision making.

Scouting: On-Field Practice

Watch as the offense and defense walk through specific plays and techniques before running through them at half speed and full speed. Here, the players are practicing specific movements, overall reads, and not getting caught losing their men, especially considering they are about to face some crafty attackmen.

The team eventually works on a “Circle” play, which places particular emphasis on how to play a top pick and then react to a speed dodge. Success here really depends on timing. If the timing is off, the backside is often left wide open, so execution by the defense is crucial here in order to be successful.

The follow clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All-Access Lacrosse Practice with Kevin Corrigan” and Notre Dame Lacrosse. To see our entire All-Access collection, which includes a brand new video featuring Bill Tierney and Denver lacrosse, click here.