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Amazing – Shooting Drill, Transition Drill and More
OK, I try and keep these articles and podcasts timeless… but Coach Brandon Childs and the York Men’s Lacrosse Team have had an amazing season in 2016. No surprise to me, this is our second podcast with Coach Childs and he is by far one of the more creative coaches in our library.
He has a unique perspective and a special way of modifying lacrosse drills to accomplish so much more in preparing players to be successful. So much so that I am not even sure how to describe this drill, in his words “it is a shooting drill.” You or I might even call it a transition drill with a special focus, regardless of how we might label the lacrosse drill it is awesome!
Going back to my first podcast with this great coach, he often would enhance his “Shooting” drills not in a skeleton format, but with defenders and goalies in the cage. Crazy eh?
The foundation begins with Coach Brandon Childs suggesting that his players shoot really well in their base or skeleton shooting drills, most often run without a goalie. However, he observed that often the shots taken were not necessarily directly realistic to game scenarios, … stay with me here. [private]
Coach wanted to create a scenario where the offensive players had to quickly move the ball, a scenario where there were actually defenders w sticks in the drill, and a goalie in the cage. And of course the challenge of keeping the drill extremely fast paced and with a ton of touches.
So, here we go. The initial base set for Coach Childs is an umbrella set with three middies up top, two attack on the wings or behind, and an attack player in the crease. Although different ‘sets’ will also work.- so we have all six offensive players in the drill.
In this lacrosse drill we also have five defensive players, so although the drill designed to be a shooting drill, it is a basic 6V5 drill format, but now with almost Man-to-Man principals defensively. (Please stay with me)
The drill begins with a dodge from the top in the alley. Although the player is covered by one of the five defenders, there is always a quick pre-determined slide as he drives with the ball. Now the player has to quickly move the ball adjacent to the middle offensive player up top, or a player behind in order to quickly move the ball to the weak side, or to a preferred space for a Time and Room, or a Time and Space shot, or even to the backside pipe.
Thus even briefly with two of the five defenders close to the ball there must now be 5V3 elsewhere in the offensive end, and ultimately after two or three quick passes a 2V1 for a look we want in Time and Space. With me so far?
Important Configuration – Critical
So when Coach sets up the drill, he has a line of new “Dodgers” while the other five offensive teammates stay in the drill. Presumably, the two or three quick passes will get off a shot from a preferred location, the other five stay, and on the quick whistle, a new dodger initiates a new rep on the drill. Thus the important element of keeping the pace of the drill very quick. The fact that is 6V5 should give us a shot almost every time, in a short period of time. Quick Reps!
After a minute or a minute and a half of new dodgers and new reps, we now change out the other five offensive players and the defensive players (who stayed in the drill for the entire 90 seconds.) Or perhaps you want to keep your midfield lines working as individual units.
And we go again, quick reps for 90 seconds, using new dodgers every six or eight seconds.
Ultimately I love this drill because we can focus on a slide we will face with our next opponent. In today’s game we are seeing a movement to adjacent slides off of attackmen that are clearing thorough, especially for most ‘Motion’ offenses… this is new for many of our players. Thus even though it is a shooting drill, it has an awesome “Scout Team” element inherent as well.
This all sounds much more complicated than it is in real life… be sure and tell your players in advance we most likely will not be great at this drill until after we run it a few times, no worries, don’t get frustrated.
Coach Brandon Childs explains all this in a great way, Click Here to listen to him describe this drill (For all Free Members just log in) then come back and review the article if you like.
Why is this So Great for my Defenders Too?
1. In most transition drills where we have on less defender, we are coaching to recover to the crease. In this case it ultimately turns out to be a recovery to a spot in ‘rotation’ still from “Inside Out” in the Hub.
2. Defenders must –must communicate and that is a key element of this drill. Coach Child emphasizes and focuses on talking in front and behind. “it is not as much what you do, or when you go, but the fact you communicated in advance.”
3. Defensively we want to give up shots that we want to give up… bad angles etc… and protect areas we want to make sure we protect
4. Even though it is a quick shooting drill, the fact that a new dodger initiates a new rep and then a few passes, the goalies should be able to get set for each rep. And our goalies are seeing realistic shots.
Great Options!!
Perhaps the next day we run the lacrosse drill with the same 6V5 configuration, but… with the initial drive coming from ‘X’ or out on the wing with a line of attackmen. Again quick slide and quick ball movement to s preferred shot.
Or for younger teams or smaller rosters run the same drill but begin with 5V4, or have your defensemen use nubs rather than full sticks.
OK, Coach Brandon Childs explains all this in his own words, much better than I… Click Here to listen to the Preview (for all Free Members) it is worth your time,
Love, love to get your thoughts below, or email me, mike@laxcoachmike.com
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May 24th, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Coach, your site says I do not have access to this page, what gives
May 24th, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Thanks I screwed it up myself when coding, left out my Premium Guys, what a mess I am, all fixed now,
Mike
May 31st, 2016 at 6:07 am
Sounds like a great drill, particularly for the defense who must identify immediately for each new rep. Great Stuff!
June 2nd, 2016 at 4:31 am
Thanks, we love it, special thanks to Coach Childs!
Mike