Mason Lacrosse
Coaches Development
“Coming Together is a Beginning.
Keeping Together is Progress.
Working Together is Success.”
Henry Ford
History of Lacrosse
 Lacrosse or variations played by Indians,
especially tribes throughout Upstate NY,
Great Lakes, Canada
 One of the oldest Team Sports in North
America
 Game could last days, involve 1000’s of
participants, goals could be 500 yards to
miles apart
Basic Field Layout and Dimensions
X
A1
D1
GLE
G
A3
D3
D2
A2
D4
M1
D5
Ally
D6
M3
M2
Point
Basics of the Game
 Offense uses movement, passing, shooting, dodging to
score goals
 Game is played in each half of the field as a 6 on 6 + a
goalie (half field set – 3 Middies, 3 Attack vs 3 Middies,
3 Defense, 1 Goalie)
 Can only have 6 players on the offensive side of field at
a time
 Play is usually run by 4 quarters or 2 halfs
 Play begins with a face off at the center and resumes
with a face off after each score (technically one team
may possess the ball the entire game)
 Players can move behind the goal (usually a great
place to attack the goal from) – known as the X
Objectives and Concepts
 Lacrosse uses motion and off-ball movement
to create good shot opportunities (motion is
similar to that of basketball)
 Fastest game on two feet – can’t be fast if
standing still!
 Cuts and dodges create space for passing,
receiving, or to free hand space for a shot
 Transition offense or defense is important in
lacrosse (fast breaks)
 Team that wins the most ground balls, and
face offs – usually will win the game
 Cutting, pick and rolls, give and go, and
dodges on and away from ball create confusion
for the defense and allow the offense to attack.
 Defense uses man to man or zone defenses
Players
Goalie – Field General of D, Defends
the goal, Makes Saves, Starts offense,
Directs and communicates to defense
 Most important position on the field
 Find your BEST athletes – quick feet, great
hand-eye coordination, great reaction and fast
hands
 Physically and Mentally Tough (Great attitudes)
 Strong Leaders, Communicators (talkers), loud
voice
 Ability to accept physical pain
 Short Term Memory – Gets over mistakes
quickly
 Most Coachable Kid on the field
Players
Goalie–Fundamentals / Skill Development
2nd-4th Grade
 Teach them to see the ball first
 Proper starting position and movement towards ball
(Stay in front of player with ball)
 Use tennis balls in practice shooting drills
 Developing a warm-up routine (catch tennis balls,
catch lacrosse balls (hand only), hand-eye
coordination
 Protection and proper equipment
 Positive communication and coaching (always) –
build confidence, kids that want to play the position
 Begin teaching mental aspect of letting goals go –
find something they did right on each goal
Players
Goalie–Fundamentals / Skill Development
5th-6th Grade
 Teach Top Hand to the Ball
 Begin working to walk the arc
 Use tennis balls for high speed shooting (get
comfortable getting hit in the body)
 Developing a warm-up routine (same as earlier –
add footwork drills, reaction time on wall, stick skills),
clearing passes
 Begin talking more to defenders – call out ball
location
 Positive coaching with some correction (always
precede critiques with something positive first)
 Keep developing mental aspect
Players
Goalie–Fundamentals / Skill Development
7th-8th Grade
 Teach athletic movements, pick up the ball first
(eyes)
 Begin working to walk the arc
 Use tennis balls and lacrosse balls in shooting drills
 Developing a warm-up routine (same as earlier –
add making saves with small stick, tapping ball with
shaft, footwork ladders)
 Begin talking more to defenders – call out ball
location, call for basic slides, stick checks, cutters
 Positive coaching with some correction (always
precede critiques with something positive first)
 Keep developing mental aspect
Players
Long Pole Defenders – Play primarily
in defensive end of field, Protect Goal,
transition offense, clearing
 Excellent Stick Skills – Long Pole defenders
should have some of the best stick skills on
team (excellent stick skills before use long
pole)
 Great Athletes with good open field speed
 Physically and Mentally tough
 Aggressive – willing to stick nose into a pile
and not afraid of physical contact – tenacious
with never give up attitudes
Players
Long Pole Defenders –
Fundamentals/Skill Devlpmt (2nd-4th)
 Play with short sticks – teach break down
position, footwork – keep man in front of you (stay
with Man – not chasing the ball)
 Develop passing, catching, cradling, ground ball
scooping
 Develop awareness to get ball to outside (don’t
throw passes to the middle)
 Teach passing the ball ahead vs running ball
ahead
 Warm up – Wall Ball Drills, longer pass / catch
 Discourage Double Teaming at this age
Players
Long Pole Defenders –
Fundamentals/Skill Devlpmt (5th-6th)
 Play with short sticks – for most all defenders at
this level – stay focused on playing D with feet
 For high skill (6th) – can use long stick (no greater
than height of player)
 Develop passing, catching, cradling, ground ball
scooping
 Develop awareness to get ball to outside (don’t
throw passes to the middle)
 Teach passing the ball ahead vs running ball
ahead
 Warm up – Wall Ball Drills, longer pass / catch
 Introduce Team Defense Concepts – Man-Down
 Teach proper stick checks (no one handed)
Players
Long Pole Defenders –
Fundamentals/Skill Devlpmt (7th-8th)
 Move up to long sticks – continue to coach
playing defense with feet, body position
 Develop Long Toss Passing / catching
 Develop awareness and vision to transition (D to
O), involved in fast breaks
 Develop abilities as team defense to execute 2
slides consistently when needed
 Introduce some zone defense concepts (do not
mix man and zone with more complex defenses)
 Introduce Team Defense Concepts – Man-Down
 Teach proper body checking (safety, defenseless
players, what is a foul)
 Practice play with short tube sticks (no heads)
Players
Midfield – Also known as Middie,
Plays offense and defense (transition)
 Athletes with Good Open Field Speed, Change
of Direction quickness
 Great Endurance – must run length of field for
entire shift
 Good field vision
 Great passers, shooters (especially on the run)
 Decision Making, Vision, Passing, Catching,
Stick Protection Skills are more important then
size, speed
Players
Midfield – Fundamentals/Skill Devpt 2nd4th
 Passing / catching – in box / triangle formations –
both hands (3 players, 4 players)
 Play small group games – 2v1, 3v2, 4v3
 Use progression to build skills (GB’s, GB’s to
dodge, GB’s to dodge, pass
 Teach Give and Go
 Teach proper mechanics of shooting, passing
catching
 Use tennis balls to teach catching
 Endurance runs (sprint, jog, sprint, jog – transition)
 Basics of face off play (importance of wing
positions)
Players
Midfield – Fundamentals/Skill Devpt
5th/6th
Passing / catching – on the run
Shooting on the run
Both hands (Right/Left) – transfer cradle/stick prot
Shooting drills (Sitting, Knees, Standing, Running)
Quick Stick shooting on the island
Defense skills – transition game (back to the holemark up), Man-You-Ball (head on a swivel)
 Talking – calling help from defense
 Skeleton circle offense passing (20-30 sec – all the
way in both directions – no drops
 Fast Break fundamentals for Middies (drive the
cage)
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Players
Midfield – Fundamentals/Skill Devpt
7th/8th
 Skeleton offense (Circle, 1-3-2) – passing, catching
(off ball movement, cut to a post, opposite (reverse
field) (Spin ball – both dir/10-15 sec/no drops)
 Small ball games (Setting Picks, Pick and Roll (look
behind), Dodge and Dump, Feeding cutters (2v1,
3v2 from set offense)
 All fundamental skills at full speed on run (Mid
Dodges-Split/Face/Bull)
 Proper stick position for receiving ball (call for the
ball-Help) / Protection of stick/ball, transfer cradles
 Teach full arsenal of checks (proper body checks)
 Defense footwork – using short tube sticks
 Working Defense w/ long poles / wing play face off
Players
Attack – Play in offensive end of field,
Attack the goal, scoring, feeding,
Defensive Transition (Riding)
 Excellent Stick Skills – developing fakes, hiding
ball
 Must play in tight situations surrounding by
defenders – strong stick protection skills
 Not Fastest but quick first step – strong
dodgers with change of direction
 Accurate Passers, Shooters (not necessarily
the fastest shots)
 Soft Hands
Players
Attack – Fundamentals/Skill Dvpt 2nd-4th
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Stick protection, cradling, ball control
Passing, Catching, Shooting, Ground Balls
Play 2v1, 3v2 games
Passing formations from triangle
Cutting to goal (cut through and clear out)
Wall Ball drills
Use Tennis Balls for teaching catching
Teach soft hands, quick feet (loose grips on stickwhen not engaged – tighten grip inside)
 Give and Go concepts
 Find open space on the island (what is island)
 Shooting close – away from goalie’s stick (bounce)
Players
Attack – Fundamentals/Skill Dvpt 5th-6th
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Dodge and Dump, Setting a pick/ rolling away
Stick protection skills – hand transfers
Roll Dodges
Attacking from X
Fast Break (setting the point, look to shoot,
diagonals / slow break (get the ball to X) – point
calls the break
 Skeleton formations (rotation to cut when middies
have ball)
 Cuts to the island (cut and clear through)
 Basics of riding
Players
Attack – Fundamentals/Skill Dvpt 7th-8th
 Small ball games – Give and Go, Pick and Roll,
Dodge and Dump, Feeding middie cutters
 Reversing field – getting through X (attacking
opposite)
 Roll Dodge, Rocker Dodge (one handed cradlesstick protection on attack dodges), inside rolls
 Stick transfers on attack dodges
 Skeleton Offense (Circle, 1-3-2) – spin/bump the ball
(same as middies)
 Fast Break transitions – setting the point, Slow
Breaks (get through X and immediately attack the
opposite side)
 More advanced riding (using sideline as double Def)
Players
 Specialists – At higher levels, Long Stick
Middie (LSM) – plays as an extra long stick on
defensive end of field, breaks out and begins
transition, comes off field in offensive half field
sets for an offensive skilled middie
 Face-Off – sometimes called a FOGO (Face off
– Get off) – used as specialist to win face offs
and possess the ball or start immediate fast
breaks
 Man Up or Man Down Teams – groups of
players who specialize in Man Up situations to
score or Man Down situations to kill off penalty
Goals of Mason Lacrosse
 Teach the game of lacrosse to youth through high-school
with a cradle to grave approach (we want to develop
them for the Mason Teams).
 Have Fun!
 Build respect, knowledge for the game, develop athletes,
graduate players that are developed to play at the
college level.
 Compete at high school level consistently as one of top
programs in Southwest OH.
 Compete consistently in state tournament and be
considered one of top 5 programs in the state of OH.
 Be able to compete in All-Star or off-season tourneys
with our own teams from Mason.
Goals of Mason Lacrosse
 Team Philosophies at Youth Levels
 2,3,4 Fundamentals, Skill Development, FUN
 Exchange, Cradling, Stick and Ball protection, passing
and catching (stationary and with a little movement),
shooting (stationary and with a little movement),
ground balls and scooping, running through ball, stick
checks (focus on poke check – not swinging sticks),
defense – break down position
 Face-offs – basic stance – teach clamp move
 Have fun – every practice should end with something
fun, every game should learn from mistakes but
coaches must have patience that the result (win or
lose) is not what we are after at this age. Did they
learn something and have fun.
Goals of Mason Lacrosse
 Team Philosophies at Youth Levels
 5,6 – Have Fun!
 Fundamental skill development – same skills as earlier years
but being able to perform them on the run (consistently at 7080% speed), occasionally at full speed.
 Begin introducing more advanced concepts (offensive sets,
defensive slides – if we can execute one slide consistently,
and a 2nd slide occasionally – we will be a very good
defense)
 Keys at this level are to get MORE (LOTS) of movement
away from the ball
 Cutting to get open (V-Cuts, C-Cuts away from ball)
 Non-Dominant Hand passing and catching, shooting
 Face –Off – begin teaching moves (tops, clamp and rake,
punches)
 No Long Poles – Defense – teach to play defense with feet,
body position (not with stick)
 Passing to create motion – dodging to create space for shots
 Fast Break / Unsettled Transition game
Goals of Mason Lacrosse
 Team Philosophies at Youth Levels
 7,8 – Have Fun!
 Fundamental skill development – same skills as earlier years
but being able to perform them on the run consistently at full
speed
 Non-Dominant hand skills – getting comfortable with having
stick in the correct hand and the correct time
 Playing with your eyes – see the field, see the cuts and
movement away from ball happening at game speed
 Dodging to create motion (Attack and Middie Dodge
packages)
 Offensive and Defensive sets, packages (1-4, 2-2, 1-3, Man
up formations, transition from one O-Set to another on the fly
 Shooting on the run, shooting in tight space (quick sticks)
 Unsettled and transition situations in half field or full field
situations
Communication is a MUST!
 Ball (I’ve got Ball) – lets teammates know
that you are taking the ground ball
 Ball Down – lets teammates know that
ball is on ground
 Release – lets teammates know that you
have the ball
 Help (Here’s your help) – lets teammates
know you are open
 Double – Lets teammate know a double
is coming
Communication is a MUST!
 Cutter – Lets teammates know that a an
opponent is cutting through to goal
 Hot – Lets designated defenders know to
slide to a dodging player with the ball that
is immediate threat to the goal – Player
nearest ball slides with body
 Goalie Calls – Call outs for location of
Ball (Top Right, Top Center, Top Left,
Bottom Right, Behind (X), Bottom Left
Motion Offense-Objectives
 Keep Field Balanced in Offense
 Create Confusion for Defense
 Creates Multiple Options for Pass, Shoot,
Dodge
 Give Flexibility to Offense
 Create Mismatch Opportunities
Motion Offense-Sets
 Other Terms
 X – Man behind the goal at position X
 Crease Man – Player in motion in front of goal
or crease
 The Island – Area directly in front of
goal/crease – refers to area extending about 68 yards from pipes, right to left. This is area
where crease players will operate
 GLE – Goal Line Extended – refers to line
extending out from the pipe of goal to sideline
– wing attacks should be in front of goal line
extended about 5-6 yards and off island
Motion Offense-Sets
 Other Terms
 Bump it or Spin it – refers to rapid movement of
the ball around the perimeter (outside) of the
offensive set
 Dodge – movement with ball to create space or
separation from opponent designed to open up
shot or pass, or force defense to slide creating
opportunity to pressure the defense
 V-Cut – off ball movement to move towards a
defender and rapidly away (in shape of V) to
create separation and opportunity to receive
pass
Motion Offense-Sets
 Other Terms
 C Cut – cut around a pick or around defender
to create space. Cut is made in shape of a C
for quick open up looks
 Roll Back – a reverse direction of ball carrier if
pass or dodge is blocked. Used to create
separation from defender to reverse the ball
direction quickly to the other side of the field.
 Ball side – referring to the side of the field ball
is currently located
 High Side or Low Side (wing) – from the goalhigh top of box, low side – low wing of box
Motion Offense-Sets
 13 (1-3-2)
 Our sets are always counted starting behind
the goal at X
 1 attack at X, 2 attack and 1 middie make up
middle row, 2 middies make up top row
 To keep field balanced (2 middies always
rotating to keep top row balanced and
protect against transition
Motion Offense-Sets
 13 (1-3-2) – What you will hear from
coaches
 Set Call – 13
 Balance up (if we see open spots – we will
call to balance up)
 Find Space (keep motion running, off ball
movement to create and find open space
which allows for passes, shots, dodges)
 Play with your eyes – see the field, get your
head up and see the whole field, see the
back side
A1
A3
A2
M1
M3
M2
A1
A3
A2
M1
The Island
M3
M2
Motion Offense-Sets
 13 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Set Up – This offensive set creates 2 offensive
triangles that work together to create motion
and confuse the defense
 Ball movement in 13 – Move ball around
perimeter
 Use V-Cuts to support the ball carrier and give
open looks to pass
 Crease man DOES NOT stand still – he must
work the island by mirroring the ball to give the
ball carrier space to dodge and find open
opportunities on island for quick cuts and shots
Motion Offense-Sets
 13 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 1 – ALWAYS maintain Field Balance
 Imagine a string connecting all the players in the
triangle
 When one member of the triangle cuts through, the
other players in that triangle MUST rotate and follow
to maintain Field Balance
 Rule 2 – Rotate when the ball is passed from
one triangle to the other
 Rule 3 – When one player dodges – BOTH
triangles rotate (creates rapid motion and
confusion forcing defense decisions to slide)
Motion Offense-Sets
 13 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 4 – Dodge – Pass – Pass – Dodge – If a
player dodges, a good defense will slide to pick
up the player – this is a good opportunity for
two passes which will reverse the field and
give the second receiver an opportunity to
dodge and shoot. This is general rule but if the
first dodge produces separation from defender
and defense chooses NOT to slide – then shot
may be open without additional passes
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 (1-4-1) – sometimes called a Diamond
 Our sets are always counted starting behind
the goal at X
 1 attack at X, 2 attack and 2 middies make
up middle row, 1 middie up top
 To keep field balanced (1 middie MUST
always rotating to keep top balanced and
protect against transition
 In this set – if ball is lost – Attack MUST ride
hard and aggressive all the way to midfield
line to give other middies time to recover
and shut down fast break
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 (1-4-1) – What you will hear from
coaches
 Set Call – 14
 Balance up (if we see open spots – we will
call to balance up)
 Find Space (keep motion running, off ball
movement to create and find open space
which allows for passes, shots, dodges)
 Play with your eyes – see the field, get your
head up and see the whole field, don’t forget
to see the back side as well
A1
A3
A2
M3
M1
M2
A1
A3
A2
M3
M2
The Island
M1
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Set Up – This offensive set creates a diamond perimeter
with 2 crease players that uses picks, c cuts and
movement around goal to confuse defense
 Ball movement in 14 – Move ball around perimeter
 Use V-Cuts to support the ball carrier and give open
looks to pass – Receiver must create movement towards
ball carrier to allow for shorter passes, then roll away
from defense
 This offense set uses dodges to generate motion and
get defense to react
 Many times in a 14 the open space will be created on
the back side as a dodge pulls defenders to overload on
one side leaving large spots of open space to the back
side (This is why Dodge, Pass, Pass, Dodge works so
effectively in a 14)
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 1 – ALWAYS maintain Field Balance
 Rule 2 – Attack MUST ride hard and tight if
possession is lost to give time for downfield
middies to recover and shut off fast break
 Rule 3 – When one player dodges – BOTH
triangles rotate (creates rapid motion and
confusion forcing defense decisions to slide)
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 4 – Dodge – Pass – Pass – Dodge – If a
player dodges, a good defense will slide to pick
up the player – this is a good opportunity for
two passes which will reverse the field and
give the second receiver an opportunity to
dodge and shoot or look for feed. This is
general rule but if the first dodge produces
separation from defender and defense
chooses NOT to slide – then shot may be open
without additional passes
Motion Offense-Sets
 14 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 5 – Many times the best initial dodges in
this offense set come from X or Top Middie.
Always dodge towards center and then down
the ally towards the pipe (NOT down the
sideline)
Motion Offense-Sets
 22 (2-2-2)
 Our sets are always counted starting behind
the goal at X
 2 attack behind goal-corners, 1 attack and 1
middie on island, 2 middies up top at corners
 To keep field balanced (rotate on dodges)
Motion Offense-Sets
 22 (2-2-2) – What you will hear from
coaches
 Set Call – 22
 Balance up (if we see open spots – we will
call to balance up)
 Find Space (keep motion running, off ball
movement to create and find open space
which allows for passes, shots, dodges)
 Play with your eyes – see the field, get your
head up and see the whole field, don’t forget
to see the back side as well
A1
A3
A2
M1
M3
M2
A1
A3
A2
M3
The Island
M1
M2
Motion Offense-Sets
 22 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Set Up – This offensive set creates a Box perimeter with 2
crease players that uses picks, stack formations, and
movement on the island to confuse defense
 Ball movement in 22 – Move ball around perimeter – in this
formation the passes are longer so it is critical that you
move towards each other when passing and receiving to
gain separation from defense
 Use V-Cuts to support the ball carrier and give open looks
to pass – Receiver must create movement towards ball
carrier to allow for shorter passes, then roll away from
defense
 This offense set uses dodges, picks, rolls to generate
motion and get defense to react – objective to use dodges
from the corners to force a crease slide and move defense
out of the crease
 This creates fantastic opportunity for quick passes to
reverse field or roll back opportunities to get defense to
overload and open up back side looks
Motion Offense-Sets
 22 – Other Concepts and Rules
 Rule 1 – ALWAYS maintain Field Balance
 Rule 2 – Use dodges to start motion
 Rule 3 – When one player dodges – Player
next to (in direction of dodge) cuts and sets
pick
 Rule 4 – Off the pick – dodger looks to attack
goal and force slide, Crease players always
pick and cut off dodge (side to side, stackedhigh,low)
A3
A1
A2
M3
M1
M2
Motion Offense-Sets
 22 – Modified 2-2-2 (Circle Offense for
Younger kids)
 3 types of motion creation – Pick and Roll,
Give and Go, Opposite Cut
 Teach small skill concepts first 2 v 1 or 2 v 2
(Pick and Roll, Give and Go)
 Work up to 3 v 2, 3 v 3 (Triangles, rotation,
opposite cuts, double picks 2,3,4 grade)
 Work up to 5 v 5, 6 v 6 (dodge with trail cutters,
double picks and reverse field sweeps)
Practice Planning / Tips
 Be prepared – objectives to teach
 Have timed agenda
 Warm Up Routine (Form Running, Light Runs,
Light Sprints)
 Basic / Fundamentals Skill drills (focus on 1 or
2 things) drill stations broken up to use
progression, keep principle of Tell, Show, Do,
keep it moving
 Small Group / Team Play Drills – Reinforcing
concepts coached in skill drills (again build
progression – skills learned in previous
practices incorporated to add to foundation
Practice Planning / Tips
 Have timed agenda
 Half Field / Full Field Scrimmage – play and
coach points from previous drills to reinforce
concepts
 Cool down – static stretching (very important to
leave the time for this at end)
 Build “FUN” into the agenda – make
competitions (for push ups, sit ups, etc), be
passionate, excited, and motivational (kids
at young age respond better to positive
reinforcement then critical analysis)
 Emphasize desire to try new things, enjoy
the process vs the result