Coach Berkman, Salisbury Designs 2 New Lacrosse Drills

OK I admit I am extremely biased. Coach Berkman is a friend, a mentor, and has been an incredible positive influence on any success I have had as a lacrosse coach. In the recent podcast he shared four new drills he had designed for this year, this team, and as you might expect they were awesome. There is a good reason why he has 530 plus wins, 30 Consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, and 12 national DIII Championships.

Before the podcast he shared his practice plan w me and I laughed as I saw 4 min drills that I could only imagine were electric to watch.

In this case he has taken it to a new level. He rarely runs any drills two days in a row keeping in interesting for the players. He uses shooting drills for touches, (sound like my site so far?) but he is perhaps best at integrating game scenarios into even basic fundamental lacrosse drills.

So here I want to share two of those that are really extensions of the same concepts. The first is a 3V2 that begins with a 1V1… So I can hear you saying “we already do that… nothing new here” but read on….

1V1 to 3V2 Salisbury Style

So we begin with four lines of offensive players, and four lines of defensive players set up in a “Diamond” around the Box. There is a line at each GLE wing, a line up top, and a line behind. Although we have four lines of each, only three lines of offensive players and two lines of defensive players are in the drill at a time, they change w each rep, and it is fast so players have to be engaged.[private]

The ball starts up top (see the diagram) and begins with a 1V1 from up top. The 3V2 comes from the fact that even though there are four lines, in this rep of the lacrosse drill the two adjacent offensive lines are in the drill. The defenders in the 3V2 are the defender playing the ball, and then the 2nd defender farthest away opposite the ball or where the drill begins.

So although in this case the 2nd defender started behind, he now becomes a slide from the crease area and we play it out. The 1V1 to begin I guess is scripted but then it is 3V2 with the adjacent offensive players perhaps cutting through or clearing or finding space. They encourage the slide and in the words of Coach Berkman, “Two quick passes to beat the slide.”

Where this drill is different is that even assuming the offensive player gets a step on the defender the slide is coming from inside, not just a player winning a 1V1 and shooting on the cage. Every dodge must include the offensive player keeping his head up to move the ball. There is a slide coming.

OK we play to a shot… whistle… and then we go to the next line, in this case the wing offensive player and we go again. Wing dodger is going 1V1 on his defender, now we have two “New” adjacent offensive lines, while the 2nd defender in the 3V2 is coming from the far “opposite” wing. We dodge 1V1 and then we play 3V2.

Next rep the ball is behind and wing offensive players are adjacent, slide 2nd defender coming from the top line, and we play.

Next rep the other wing offensive player initiates the dodge, behind and up top are now the “adjacents” and in the drill and so on…

And in the plan he runs this drill for 4-5 minutes, although I will go a little longer with it.

Next…

2V2 to 4V3

We keep the same four lines of offensive and four defensive players. But now we initiate or start the lacrosse drill with two offensive players working on a 2 Man Game. This too is scripted to begin the drill. So two offensive players are picking, slipping, clearing, replacing, however you run your offense. They element I love is that even if the 2 Man game is successful, there is still a slide coming. Offensive players again must dodge, or pick or slip with their heads up to pass as a slide is coming.

The two defenders in the lacrosse drill are the two lines of defenders whose offensive players are in the 2 Man Game to begin.

Then after the 2 Man Game plays out all four lines of offensive players are in the drill. The third defender to make it a 2V2 into a 4V3 is the defender adjacent inside. So if the ball is up top, the 2 Man is the offensive player up top and the wing offensive player, with each of their corresponding defenders. (see drawing)

The drill begins with the ball up top, next rep we begin at the wing with a 2 Man Game with the player at “X” then to a 4V3. Next rep far wing, 2Man w offensive player up top and so on…

I love it!!

Perhaps it sounds a little complicated at first but please Click Here and take seven minutes to hear Coach Berkman describe all this to me, this “Preview” is free for all Free Members, for the Premium guys there is even more great content in the full podcast. Please love to get your comments below!

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