Developing an Offense to Beat a Zone Defense

with Brooke Eubanks,
University of California-Berkeley Head Women's Lacrosse Coach from 2014 to 2022;
former Stanford University Assistant Women's Lacrosse Coach;
3x member of the Canadian National Team;
scored 12 goals for the 3rd place 2009 World Cup Tournament team

Through a series of four drills, learn to implement an offensive motion concept that is successful against a zone defense. Utilizing a whiteboard and on-field sessions, Brooke Eubanks shows you how to progressively teach the stickwork, movement, and spacing fundamentals to make your team more effective in finding and utilizing the open spaces a zone defense can concede.

Eubanks breaks down offensive movement training in stages, stickwork, through 2v2 on half, 3v3 behind, and finally to live 7v7 with and without defenders.

Stickwork and Movement

One of the keys to breaking a zone defense is effective, efficient, and purposeful ball movement. Concepts covered include:

• How the "two-pass" and the skip "two-pass" makes defensive adjustments longer and your offense more difficult to defend.
• How to collapse a defense with a drive and a "two-pass" and how this quick ball movement creates space and opportunity.
• How properly-timed cuts further facilitate the creation of opportunities.

Competitive Build Up

Learn a 3v2 to 5v4 build up drill that enhances the stickwork and movement fundamentals learned by creating a competitive environment. Eubanks show how spacing and ball movement within the formation helps collapse and wear down a defense. You'll learn efficient attack techniques that emphasize keeping space around the defenders and getting into good shot positions while maintaining the space created.

Attacking the Zone

Bring the concepts together in a full play 7v7 offense against a zone defense. Eubanks walks through how players need to be able to drive and handle pressure while looking for an open teammate.

You will also learn to teach your players opposite the ball to best utilize the space created by their teammates making "sacrificial cuts" by getting into areas off-the-goal where the goalie is not likely to defend.

This video does a great job breaking down offensive movement, starting small and moving through to 7v7, to show how to look for and create offensive opportunities against the zone.

54 minutes. 2018.