'Making it Count': How to Structure the Start of Every Practice

with Richard Carrington,
Haverford College Head's Men's Lacrosse Coach;
Amherst College Assistant Coach and Defensive Coordinator from 2021 to 2023;
Tusculum University Head Men's Coach from 2012 to 2021;
8.93 assists per game in 2007 (NCAA Division II leader);
Virginia Military Institute Assistant Coach in 2011-2012;
at VMI, Carrington's defense allowed the fewest goals in conference play since 2009

Richard Carrington understands the value of maximizing every minute of practice and has replaced an antiquated static stretching period with a series of dynamic and competitive drills that help to develop proper technique along with effective situational recognition. In this video, he stresses the value of creating a competitive atmosphere in practice, one that will at once enrich the learning curve for players while also making practice more fun. You'll get a rich array of short, dynamic and highly engaging drills that integrate numerous players engaging in a variety of activities that shape essential skills.

Warm-Up and Scoring Drills

Coach Carrington opens with a series of keep away drills. By replacing traditional line drills with competitive and situational drills, he is able to teach and refine multiple teaching points at once. Furthermore, these drills are simple enough to serve as an effective warm-up for players.

Next, Carrington presents a series of scoring drills in which players work on the fundamentals of shooting after executing an effective situational recognition. These drills are predicated upon the "pass down/pick down" offensive philosophy and offer players a high number of repetitions in a short time in which they not only practice their shooting, but also practice higher order offensive concepts.

Defense

While defensive approaches are featured in the Keep Away segment, Coach Carrington also features a series of drills designed to instruct and develop defensive approaches. He articulates the difference between soft and hard approaches, slide approaches, and skip approaches. As critical to defenders as passing and catching are to offensive players, this is another series of multi-layered drills that offer a variety of benefits.

Competitive Drills

Finally, Coach Carrington shares his favorite competitive drills: the 32 Challenge Drill and his 3x Drill. The 3x Drill is a fast paced, highly competitive drill that stresses effective decision-making for offensive players and skillful approaches for defensive players. It's fast, it's fun, and it effectively reinforces a number of offensive and defensive concepts. Players compete in teams of three, and all personnel play all positions so that defenders can cultivate stick skills for clearing, and offensive players are better prepared for defensive situations.

In total, this video features 16 drills, all of which integrate offensive and defensive players. In presenting the drills, Carrington emphasizes some key concepts repeatedly; for example, he discusses "release points" for shooting a number of times, while also stressing the benefits of "contactless pressure" for both his offensive and defensive personnel.

Coach Carrington shares excellent drills that allow players to sharpen their decision-making abilities and field IQ while simultaneously warming up for practice and executing essential skill development. Experienced coaches know the importance of having a dynamic start to practice and the benefits of a competitive practice atmosphere. This video shares how to maximize every minute!

53 minutes. 2022.