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The “Lope” Lacrosse Drill, Great New look for 6V6!
Head Coach Manny Rapkin, Grand Canyon University
This is a multi-purpose lacrosse drill, named after the “Antelopes” from Grand Canyon University, and the Head Coach Manny Rapkin. When you first read through the lacrosse drill you might think it is a drill primarily for more advanced teams with larger rosters, but can easily be adapted to any team with a little creativity.
Let’s start with these questions…
1. Do you worry about spending a lot of time in 6V6 and slowing down the pace of practice?
2. Do you worry about having a lot of players just standing around while your starters are playing 6V6, even though we need to do this?
3. Do you worry about working on critical face-off and wing play slowing down the pace of practice?
4. Does your work on Rides and Clears tend to slow down practice and you lose the attention of a lot of your players? [private]
In our recent podcast w Coach Rapkin I found his approach to lacrosse practice and lacrosse practice planning to be in his words, “like a CEO running an organization…” And thus the amazing efficiency of this lacrosse drill.
In this creative drill we can hit many of the buttons listed above in a positive way.
In a nutshell, yes, it is primarily a 6V6 drill, but done on a full field with a huge number of options to work on a number of the critical areas listed above, all while keeping players engaged. However, perhaps a minor emphasis and time allocated is till on our primary players in their 6V6 at one end…
This is a full field drill (coaches with younger or smaller rosters stay with me,) that has the first attack unit versus the first defense unit at one end. We also play with our first midfield unit on offense, and Goalies. As the drill starts with a face-off we begin with the second midfield line also facing off in the same color pennies as the first defense… to begin.
Stay with me, the lacrosse drill starts with a face off, and for the moment let’s assume that it is won and goes into the end with the first offense. And now we ultimately will play 6V6…
However, this is also an opportunity to work on a number of other details… For example, perhaps we have a quick strike offensive or ‘early’ offensive look before we might sub off, now is the time. Next we can work on the details of the sub game, or perhaps opportunities to score within the sub game, and then ultimately we play 6V6.
Now, as we continue in the 6V6 — off a shot or a save we are immediately into a Clear vs Ride scenario… are you still with me?
Once the ball goes over midfield into our offensive end…. Here we have our second attack, and our second defense with a twist…. We encourage them to get to a shot in transition, or then work on the sub game, or quick strike look… but…
They do not play full 6V6 as you might typically do… following the quick strike or sub game, whistle blows and …
1. Immediately into a clear, and ride scenario back into the offense end with the fist teamers
2. Or a whistle and we face off and begin again
3. Or we roll a ground ball into a transition back into the offensive end with the first teamers…
So we are keeping many more players involved while still coaching and reinforcing the critical elements of face-off, wing play, quick strike, sub game and rides and clears, basically letting the first teamers play more time in 6V6. Pretty cool eh?
It is critical to make sure the coaches’ whistle is flexible to start and stop at any time (especially on the non 6V6 focused end) to put the emphasis on the fundamentals listed above where the coaches believe we need more work.
We also have the opportunity to switch the second midfield to run with the first attack, or substitute the fourth attackman or fourth pole, or second LSM to run with the ‘first teamers’ in the 6V6 focused action.
Hopefully you see the benefits, make sure you listen to the “Preview” for all Free Members and you can listen tyo Coach Manny Rapkin explain this in his own words in eight minutes or less!! Just Click Here!
Options for Youth Coaches…
Now if your roster is smaller, or you might have not as many and/or developing players, on the non 6V6 end perhaps we just run a quick 3V2 look or 4V3 to a shot, then roll the ball back to offensive team in the 6V6 end, or go back to a face off…
I love the concept, anxious to read your thought below, or email me, mike@laxcoachmike.com
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March 24th, 2016 at 9:17 am
I have a 10 year old son in lacrosse and would like to learn more about drills to help him with the game.
March 30th, 2016 at 6:37 am
So sorry for the delayed response, most of our drills are more team oriented, it is kind of ironic, with the growth of lacrosse and all the new drills and offenses, the very best teaching tool for stick skills remains throwing the ball against the wall. You might be surprised but even the very top NCAA Lacrosse programs have their college skilled players spending hours just throwing the ball against a wall,
There are a lot of great examples, on the internet, and we have a pretty good video on our site he might want to watch,
http://www.laxcoachmike.com/fullmembers/2009/04/video-the-lost-art-of-wall-ball/
or type in “Wall Ball” in the search box on my site,
Start slower, maybe ten to fifteen reps with each variation, then just build… for younger players have him take four or five balls to the wall so if one happens to bounce away he can just pick up a ball and continue,
Mike
April 1st, 2016 at 6:44 am
So sorry for the delay… unfortunately I do not have a lot of individual drills on my site, mostly all team practice drills,
But you might be surprised even with all of the changes and growth, the college teams spend a lot of time with players working on the wall,
Here is a wall ball video from my site, take a bunch of balls so your son does not have to chase if one bounces away initially, start slow, and build up, “see how many in a row” etc…
http://www.laxcoachmike.com/fullmembers/2009/04/video-the-lost-art-of-wall-ball/
Thanks Mike