Stick Skill Progressions & Competitive Training for Game Situations

with Michael Warari,
Vassar College Head Coach;
recorded Vassar College record 18 wins in 2018;
2018 Liberty League Champions;
2018 NCAA Tournament appearance;
2013 Liberty League Coach of the Year;
former assistant at Messiah College under Jan Trapp (all-time wins leader in Division III)

Michael Warari has put together a jam-packed video full of ideas to improve the stick skills and game readiness of your players. Within this video, you'll come across innovative exercises to encourage getting low and playing with speed/explosiveness when handling the ball, methods to grow wrist strength and boost player confidence playing with either "lead" hand, drills for working together as a defensive unit, and ways to improve communication among teammates.

Stickhandling

Coach Warari runs through three sets of stick skill progressions: On The Line (OTL), 45, and Relays. The outcome of each series is aimed to improve the 5 meter skills of every athlete on your roster. Goals for Warari's progressions include staying low, getting sticks on-ball, playing with speed, and having fun.

You'll see Warari diagram the components of each progression on a whiteboard before moving to the field for a full demonstration. Prior to each rep, Coach Warari reinforces the goals to his team so they will maintain a mindset that breeds maximum improvement.

Competitive Drills

Two main drills are covered by Warari that will prepare your team for a variety of situations you'll see during games. The first is Pressure Cover, which is primarily a defensive drill. In the drill, your players will block the lines to the goal and put pressure on the offensive player that possesses the ball. Coach Warari's primary emphasis is the "Big C"- communication. Additionally, he instructs his team to protect the center of the field to avoid giving up a big shot. Finally, individual players must know how to manage their mark and space, which means knowing the personnel on the field and recognizing when to intercept or delay.

The second drill presented by Warari is 3v2 Continuous. He prefers to extend the field from a traditional 3v2 Continuous space in order to incorporate transition scenarios. You'll learn how to split your players into two teams for the drill as well as how to prep for quick restarts so your team doesn't waste any valuable practice time.

The topics covered by Coach Warari in this video can be applied to lacrosse teams at any level, making it a great choice for beginner or experienced coaches. This video will help you improve your teams' stick skills and game execution today!

71 minutes. 2020.