Setting the Tone on the First Day: Running Competitive Practices

featuring Mike Morgan,
Merrimack College Head Men's Coach;
2019 and 2018 NCAA National Champions;
2017 USILA Division II National Coach of the Year;
Five Straight NCAA Tournament Appearances (2015-19);
2017 NCAA National Championship Runner-up;
All-Time Winningest Coach in Program History

Great lacrosse programs aren't born, they're developed on the practice field. And a great lacrosse program starts with highly efficient, well-planned practices. In this video, Mike Morgan demonstrates why he has been so successful with his approach to practice.

Coach Morgan provides the viewer with a blueprint of his team's first spring practice of the season. His practices are detailed, fast-paced, and competitive. He stresses preparation and explains in great detail how he evaluates every practice, previous games, and players. Team/program buy-in is stressed, as well as how he expects his upperclassmen to mentor the younger players so they understand the culture of the program.

Practice Drills

Morgan unlocks his collection of drills and creates a competitive, zero-downtime environment. The video is broken down into four major segments:

• The first is a series of drills called Indy drills. This segment is focused on individual skills. Defensive players work on slides, recovery from slides and 1v1 defense. Offensive players work on shooting, proper hand placement, footwork and pass and cutting skills.
• The second segment is small group drills focused on getting either your defensive units or offensive players into situations where they have to work as a group.
• The third segment focuses on transitions. This segment works on field awareness drills as well as odd man situations.
• The final segment lays out 6v6 to full field situation drills.

Nine Line drill

Morgan explains how to energize your team with a simple, but effective drill that teaches transition, field awareness, and team play. The Nine Line drill is a fast-paced ground ball drill that gets your team moving. This drill has all the components you're looking for, including:

• Competitive ground balls
• Transition play
• Odd man situation
• Small field scrimmage

Sideways Transition

Morgan continues with a buildup transition drill that provides an opportunity for the goalies to outlet pass to start the drill and start the full field drill as a 4v3 from each end before building up to 6v5. Coach Morgan's Sideways Transition Drill is a great way of reinforcing the technique to control the field.

This video is great for coaches looking to get their team's season started with a high-paced, efficient practice that sets the tone for the year.

66 minutes. 2017.