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Archives by Tag 'Transition Drills'

All Access Duke Lacrosse: Ball Handling and Transition Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, February 21, 2012

In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you back to Durham, North Carolina for a behind-the-scenes look at a Duke University men’s lacrosse practice. Watch as head coach John Danowski leads his squad through a number of competitive drills, including ball handling, full field transition, and 4 v 4 half field drills.

Ball Handling

This first ball handling drill focuses on defenders only with no opposition. Players work on handling the ball in their typical positions and look to spread out in their own defensive end. The goal is to mimic typical passing situations in your own zone, improve on passing and catching (especially long outlets), and move the ball efficiently up the field.

Passes go from the goalie to each of the defenders and then up to the nearest midfielders around the midfield line. The drill forces players to change directions, make quick decisions, and work on key fundamentals such as catching, footwork, and passing. Notice that players are always moving with the ball and that quick, seamless transitions are made between groups.

Full Field Transition

The following transition drill starts with the coach rolling out a ground ball to the face-off players at midfield. The players fight for possession and the team that comes up with the ball transitions to offense.

A three second rule is implemented in the drill to promote quick decision-making, solid ball movement, and constant attacking at a rapid pace. If a player holds possession for more than three seconds, a whistle is called and that player must drop the ball at that spot. The closest player picks up the ball immediately (AKA a “free scholarship”) and starts up play for his side.

4-v-4 Competition

For this 4-on-4 half field drill, the team is now split into two groups, a white team and a black team. Each side takes turns going on offense. The goals are simple. The defense must make stops and offense must score goals.

Teams can tally a point by scoring. It’s a two-ball drill for each set of groups, meaning there’s two main possessions for each rotation. The balls initiate once behind the net and then once from up top. You can get two points for each group of four guys out on the field. Meanwhile, the defense needs to clear cleanly to get out of the drill.

This is a terrific team-wide drill that promotes competition while focusing on half field skills.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Duke Lacrosse Practice: Individual Skills & Full Field Drills – Volume II” with John Danowski. To check out more videos in our All Access collection, simply head over to our lacrosse library.

2 Full Court Drills to Improve Your Squad’s Transition Game

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

A squad that’s proficient in the area of transition basketball will have a vital advantage over its opponent during the course of a game. The following team drills are ideal for working on typical transition game situations and promoting healthy competition during practice. Read through the details below and then watch the video clips to see how each drill should be carried out on the court.

17 Seconds Drill

Submitted by Richard Dardenne, Northeast Christian Academy, Kingwod, TX

Overview: This is a terrific drill to develop trapping abilities and defensive footwork among your defensive players. It also focuses on transition offense and getting players to pass the ball effectively under heavy defensive pressure.

The Set-Up: A coach will inbound the ball on the baseline. Two defensive players (X1 and X2) will start off in the lane near the baseline. Have them disrupt the inbounding of the ball by the coach. Offensively, player 1 is off on the wing to the right and near the sideline. Player two is on the nearside of the court, just over the midcourt line, but on the opposite side from 1. 3 is on the same side as 1, but just over the opposite midline. 4 is on the opposite low block and 5 is in the nearside corner on the same side as 3.

The Action: The coach inbounds the ball to 1. X1 and X2 immediately sprint to player 1 and form a double team trap. Player 1 must hold the ball until the trap arrives. Player 1 passes out of the double team to player 2 on the opposite side. The two defensive players sprint to trap player 2. 2 passes to 3 and the two defenders sprint toward 3 and form the double team trap. 3 must wait to throw to either 4 or 5 until the trap has arrived. Once 4 or 5 have the ball, they begin a quick 2-on-0 fast break transition going the other way down the court, passing the ball back and forth until they make the layup.

Recap: The goal is to do this entire drill under 17 seconds. Come up with a reward system for any steals, deflections, or forced turnovers that X1 and X2 get. Rotate the players after each drill simulation. X1 and X 2 become 4 and 5. 4 and 5 become the next two defenders on the baseline.

Paint Drill

Submitted by Gary Williams, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

The Set-Up: The drill begins with five offensive players (“O”) lined up around the perimeter of the three-point circle. They are paired off against five defensive players (X) and are lined up against each offensive player but inside the three-point line. All players should be facing the basket. O1 and X1 must always be at the top of the key, but it doesn’t matter where the other player start. Three coaches are standing behind the players, each holding a ball.

The Action: To start the drill, one of the coaches shoots and misses a jumper. The offensive and defensive players must battle for the rebound. If an offensive player secures the board, they must try and put the ball back up and score. No tip-ins are allowed. Players must secure the rebound, land with both feet, and put up a strong power move to score. This puts the players in game-like situations when it comes to getting the board, drawing the foul, and looking for the three-point play.

If a defensive player gets a rebound, that player throws an outlet pass to a teammate on the wing and the X team runs a fast break down the other end of the court. The O team must hustle back on transition and try and stop the score. If the O’s stop the initial fast break, they must get back to defend the paint and set up into whatever man or zone defense you want them to apply. To improve team communication, have your point guard call out the defense during the transition. If the X’s don’t score on the fast break, they must run a secondary attack until they score or the defense gets completely set up.

Run the drill to a set number of scored points or have a set time limit as the goal. Whichever team has the most points at the end of that time is the winner.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “25 Aggressive Transition & Conditioning Drills” produced by Winning Hoops. To check out more drills in the Winning Hoops collection, visit our basketball library.

Filed in Basketball • Tags: BasketballCoach eNewsletter, Drills, Fast Break Drills, Transition Drills, Winning Hoops

Lacrosse Transition Drill of the Week: The Bez Drill

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

The Tufts men’s lacrosse program is well known for its high-tempo attack and effective transition game. The squad’s proficiency in these areas is a major reason why the Jumbos are regarded as one of the best programs in Div. III lacrosse — particularly after posting a 38-4 record the last two seasons and earning the 2010 national title.

The Bez Drill is just one of many effective transition drills the team uses to prepare for game situations. This continuous practice drill moves at a quick pace and gives players a number of reps in a short period of time. With Tufts head coach Mike Daly leading you through the drill, make sure that you pick up some tips and insights and then see how you can incorporate the drill into your own practice plan.

Bez Drill Overview

This drill is named after one of the team’s all-time favorite players, Alexander Bezdek. The Jumbos use it all the time. It’s not only a great competition drill, but it emphasizes everything that we do as a team — stylistically, tempo-wise, philosophy, etc. While it may be somewhat similar to what other teams may run, we throw in a few wrinkles.

Drill Breakdown

The Bez Drill is a constant 3-on-2. Each team will come down on a 3-on-2 break every time. For the team that comes down, the guy that ends the play (whether it be from scoring, turning it over, or whatever) is out of the drill, and the other two guys get back. Immediately, the other teams comes down on those two guys on a 3-on-2 situation.

Keys

There’s no time for a momentum mistake, no time to worry about a mistake. Instead, it’s back on defense or offense. No matter what happened previously, we’re focused on taking the next opportunity as it really mimics our style of play. There are a lot of things happening here, good and bad.

Meanwhile, this drill particularly helps with creating runs on offense and stopping runs on the defensive side of the field. It requires proper stick handling and a focus on fundamentals for our defensive personnel, especially because they are handling the ball and running the breaks.

For Tufts, the team is most successful when playing as a unit, sharing the ball, making that extra pass, and not settling for outside shots.

On the Field

Next, Coach Daly provides the play-by-play as the drill happens. It’s a constant 3-on-2, involves a ton of quick looks, and really develops confidence to shoot off the pass. It also develops confidence in defenders, like knowing when to cut or when to attack on cage. This is all developing here.

Also, it’s an effective drill because we can emphasize many of the little things we do on transition. It’s a very compettive situation. For Tufts, something is always on the line, like pushups, drink break, etc. Like in a game, it always matters.

The previous clips can be seen in Championship Productions’ DVD “Transition Drills for Building an Up-Tempo Offense” with Mike Daly. Check out more videos focusing on transition lacrosse by visiting our lacrosse library.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: Inside the Crease, Mike Daly, Offensive Systems, Transition Drills, Tufts Lacrosse

All Access Duke Lacrosse: Transition Drills and Defending Behind the Cage

By adam.warner - Last updated: Tuesday, November 29, 2011

In the latest edition of All-Access, we take you to Durham, North Carolina for an exclusive look at a Duke men’s lacrosse practice. Watch as head coach John Danowski leads his squad through a number of shooting and ball handling drills.

This exclusive access gives you a glimpse of how an elite Division I program prepares on a daily basis. Be sure to pick up some new tips, drills, and overall concepts so that you can implement them with your squad.

Execution Drill: Fire

Any time that we turn the ball over anywhere on the field and we are scattered, and someone yells “Fire”, that means we sprint and defend the paint. This drill starts with a loose ball in the defensive zone before the defense breaks out to midfield looking to push it up field on the transition break.

The defender moves it to the nearest middie and it transitions into three middies breaking up the field into the offensive zone. Then at the sound of the whistle and the call FIRE, the middies sprint back down field towards the defensive zone and they must defend the paint and find the ball. It’s a continuous drill. Once the three middies come back and finish defending the paint, they move the ball back up the other way, and new players rotate in from there.

Defending Behind the Cage

The next drill is a one-on-one drill. When behind the cage, we trail to the X ( the midpoint directly behind the cage). The defender will do whatever he can to keep the offensive player toward the X.

The first rule here is don’t get beat top side. For defenders, you want your stick in your left hand. Here’s why: It helps as a deterrent, you are a little bit stronger, and it reminds you of what you are trying to do. If the offensive player crosses the X and tries to go top side, you have the advantage of being able to run through the crease.

In this spot, it’s okay to be behind your man. If he takes another step towards top side, the defender will change hands and this will remind him of what his job is. The offensive guy can’t score a goal back there at X. He can feed, but your teammates will do their part. Remember the ultimate goal here: Stop the dodger from scoring a goal.

Defensive Tips and Drill Techniques

You need a lower center of gravity. When you stand up tall, you are not as quick or fast. However, when you lower your center of gravity, you are quicker. Defensively, we also want to be athletic, but make sure that you don’t lunge.

In the drill, we’ll first go right-handed and one time left-handed – at HALF SPEED. The key here is trying to understand what we’re trying to accomplish. Remember, don’t get beat top side.

Now, one player at a time, the players make their defensive movements behind the cage going 1-on-0 — at FULL SPEED. After this, players will go full speed in a 1-on-1 situation looking to keep their offensive counterparts around the X.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Duke Lacrosse Practice, Volume I: One-on-One and Team Drills.” To check out more videos in our All Access library, click here.

Filed in Lacrosse • Tags: Athlete Instruction, Defensive Drills, Duke Lacrosse, Inside the Crease, John Danowski, Transition Drills

All Access Kansas Basketball: Passing, Rebounding, and Transition Drills

By adam.warner - Last updated: Wednesday, November 16, 2011

In this week’s edition of All Access, we take you back to Lawrence, Kansas for an exclusive look at a Kansas men’s basketball practice. Head coach Bill Self leads his squad through a variety of passing and fast break drills during one of the first practices of the 2009-10 season.

First, the team runs through the Pioneer Drill, a fast-paced passing drill, before moving into 2-on-1 Passing. The Jayhawks eventually get into some transition drills like the 4-Man Break and then finish up with the classic Shell Drill.

Pioneer Drill

This is a quick passing drill set within the confines of the paint. There are five lines of players and one minute set on the clock. Players must keep the ball up and in the air, never letting it hit the ground. They can keep the ball up by slight jumps and meeting the ball in the air. Players must count out loud on each pass and move to the end of the line once they have made the pass. This continuous passing drill gets faster and faster until the minute on the clock is up.

2-on-1 Passing

This is a keep away-style drill where it’s just two offensive players going against one defender. The offensive players are stationary and must use proper footwork and pass fakes to pass around the defender and across the lane to a teammate. Meanwhile, defenders must work on their defensive positioning, hands, footwork, and getting down nice and low to defend the pass. The passer moves on to become the defender.

4-Man Break

A coach initiates the drill by shooting and missing. The players fight for the rebound before transitioning up the court on a 4-man break. Each player touches the ball on the way up the floor. Players mix it up when it comes to shots, from layups to elbow jumpers to lobs down low. The key here is for players to push the ball up the floor fast and finish on the other end. Each group goes up and back.

Dummy Secondary

One at a time, a team of five goes up against a dummy defense for three reps. It starts with a rebound off a miss and a battle amongst teammates for the rebound. Once it’s settled, they immediately push the ball up the floor.

This first time up the floor, players can score anyway they want. After they push it back up the other way, they must step back and set up a quick offensive play against a dummy defense. The particular play here is called Stagger, where a shooter will come off a screen and hit a quick shot at the elbow. Now on the third time down the floor, the unit must attack the elbow, reverse it, and then throw it inside.

Shell Drill

Even the top college basketball programs in the country practice this classic drill. It’s 4-on-4 drill that starts with ball movement around the perimeter. When the coach shoots the ball, each player must block off and attack the glass.

Meanwhile, the defense changes its positioning based on passes. After 10-15 seconds of passes, there’s a shot by the coach and everyone crashes the boards. This is where the drill gets physical. The defense finds the nearest player and blocks out. The offense crashes the boards and looks for the offensive rebound.

The Shell Drill is a practical, useful drill that’s been used for decades across all levels. Elements of passing, sound defense, rebounding, and boxing out are all covered here — all within a game-like atmosphere.

The previous clips can be seen on Championship Productions’ DVD “All Access Kansas Basketball Practice with Bill Self.” Check out more all access videos by visiting our extensive basketball library.