June 3, 2009 E-MAIL PRINT

Transition drills

by Dan Chouinard/

Carolina drill

Carolina drill

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THE GREAT DRILL

The great drill is fantastic for working on the transition game. There are two coaches on the field. One coach is with the offensive players (in yellow) and another coach is with the defensive players (in red). The offensive coach rolls out a ball and then calls out a number. The number that the coach calls out is the number of offensive players that run onto the field. At the same time, the defenders run onto the field to stop the offensive players, but they have one less player than the number that was called. Example: The offensive coach calls out “5.” Five offensive players and four defensive players run onto the field.

Players can work on basic offensive and defensive strategies in this drill. On the defensive side of the ball, these are the defensive formations that are practiced:

? 2 defenders = I formation

? 3 defenders = Triangle formation

? 4 defenders = Box formation

? 5 defenders = Box-and-one formation

On the offensive side, the players are man-up and should be moving the ball quickly to keep the defense moving around and find the open man, basic draw and dump. This should be a very fast-paced drill, with players running on and off quickly. Coaches should be enforcing good communication among the defense with good rotation. Offensively, players should be moving the ball to keep the defense moving and finding the easy pass.

On a shot and save or out of bounds, the defense can clear the ball and the offense can work on riding.

In the diagrammed example, the coach calls “3.” Three offensive players run out in yellow and form a triangle offense, and two defenders in red run out and set up an I defense.

CAROLINA DRILL

The Carolina drill is one of the best 3-vs.-2 drills that a team can run. All of the offensive players are spread out in the four corners of the box with two defenders inside the box area. Offensive players are in yellow and defensive players are in red. Each offensive group is assigned a number — 1, 2, 3 or 4 — and each group has balls. The coach will call three numbers, and the first player in each line then runs out to start the 3-vs.-2 drill. The first number called is the player that starts with the ball, and the defense reacts immediately, pressuring the ball and forcing the offense to move the ball quickly.

The offensive player should stay spread to keep the defensive slides long. This will give the offensive players the few extra seconds they will need to either make the next feed or take the shot. The ball should be moving quickly, and once an offensive player draws the defensive slide, they should find the open player and pass the ball.

Defensively, the players should be communicating, “I have ball” or “I have slide.” Sticks should be up in the passing lanes, and the players should be breaking down and getting a stick on the offensive players’ gloves with the ball.

In the diagrammed example, the coach calls “1, 2, 4.”

HALF-FIELD TRANSITION DRILL

The half-field transition drill is a fantastic drill because it gets the offense pushing the ball from the midfield toward the goal and at the same time teaches the defense to sprint back into the box area, turn and recognize the situation and get into a defensive formation depending on the situation they are facing (man-down or all even, or they can double the ball).

All players start at midfield, with offensive and defensive players staggered. The coach has the option to make as many lines as desired. In the accompanying diagram, the offense is in yellow and the defense is in red, with the offense having a 4-on-3 advantage.

To add difficulty to the drill, have the first player in each line start out by lying on their back. The coach can roll out the ball and blow the whistle, and the players have to quickly find the ball and adjust to the situation. This drill can be run with 2 vs. 1, 3 vs. 2, 4 vs. 3, 5 vs. 4 and 6 vs. 5.

After a shot or save, the defense can practice clearing the ball, and have the offense work on riding.

The coach also can let a player come in late, and then the defense can adjust from a man-down situation to all-even.

Offensive players should move the ball quickly and find the 2-on-1 advantage if they are in the man-up situation.

Dan Chouinard is the founder, director and coach of the EMass Jr. Minutemen select team, an assistant coach at Scituate (Mass.) High School,
and director of the Sean Morris Lacrosse Academy. Contact him at feedback@laxjournal.com.

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