Individual skills

catch

• Correct grip on stick- stick across fingers with top hand thumb on side of stick
• Correct hand position on stick
  • throw with top hand on middle of the stick - piece of tape helps
  • catch with top hand near the head
• "soft hands" when catching - give with the ball (think egg toss)
• move feet to catch the ball

Throw

• turn body -point off shoulder at target
• hands away from body - top hand higher than bottom hand
• point butt end at target
• step to target point foot at target
• "push-pull" top hand pushing while bottom hand pulls
• top hand wrist snap (same as thowing football or shooting basketball)
• finish with head of stick pointing at target

cradle

• top hand near top of stick
• stick across fingers
• top hand does all the work-bottom hand loose grip (make OK sign with bottom hand put stick in the O)
• natural arm motion when running
• top wrist opens and shuts to cradle

ground balls

• top hand high on stick (on the plastic)
• back hand on butt end
• "both butts low"
  • bend knees to get players butt low
  • butt end of stick low to ground
• "see it, smell it , hear it"
• accelerate through the ball

shooting

• similar hand position to throwing
• extend hands back away from body
• shoot OVERHAND

individual defense

• defense played with feet
• athletic stance (same as any other sport)

Individual skills

• Continue to emphasize skills from clinic
• Begin to add these concepts

Catching

• moving feet to catch /moving towards the player throwing to you
• catching the ball in the box
• giving with the ball into throwing position

Throwing

• moving feet to throw-moving towards player you want to throw to
• throwing with "hands free"
• throw off front foot
• throw from the box
• introduce fundamental concepts for off hand

Cradling

• cradle vertically in the box in traffic
• changing hands - "holstering" the stick

Ground balls

• "ball - release"
• head up through ball
• running to open space "run away"

Shooting

• OVERHAND
• changing plane
• shooting on the run

dodging

• change speed change direction
• split dodge
• attack defenders shoulder
• plant and accelerate off downfield foot
• run off defender's hip
• changing hands - bottom hand up to top hand - "holster the stick" "ear -chin-ear"

individual defense

• D played with feet
• visor below chin
• taking away middle of the field
• forcing O player where you want them to go - forcing to the alley or weak hand
• keep cushion - close enough to keep hands on but enough to recover and run
• play "hips and hands"

team O

• basic formation 1-3-2
• introduce motion O /triangles
• if you are standing still you are not open
• play with head up - always looking for the ball
• fast break set up and ball movement

team D

• COMMUNICATION - don’t be afraid to talk
• importance of defending 8x8 in front of cage ( the "hole")
• playing "inside out"
• "see your man see the ball"
• unsettled - getting inside to the "hole" then looking for an offensive player to play

goalie

• COMMUNICATION - don’t be afraid to talk - starts with goalie
• stance
• position in cage
• rules of the crease
• outlet after save

face off

• basic clamp and rake

Clearing

• clear up side up field not the middle

Individual skills

• no static drills anymore
• everything associated with movement

Throwing and Catching

• Off - hand -
• emphasize using correct hand - even if they make mistake
• throwing with outside hand - away from defender
• catching with outside hand - away from defender

cradle

• one hand cradle
• stick protection
  • off-hand elbow up - thumb down- keep stationary
• "holstering" increase speed

dodging

• Roll dodge
  • foot plant diff than split - (roll to right - stick in left hand plant
  • right foot to defensemen's right foot)
  • "sitting on dodge"
  • head around rotating on plant foot
  • stick in middle of body
  • don’t change hands till out of dodge
  • difference of rolling to shoot and rolling to pass
• face dodge
  • use when defender coming out at player
  • stepping through - rolling shoulders to protect stick
  • top hand "punches" through to opposite shoulder
  • dodging from X - getting to 5 and 5 or "Island"

Ground balls

• "Man Ball Release" - communication
• go for ball first not man
• running through the ball in crowd
• using feet (particularly defensemen) to get ball to open space to pick up
• no-raking- go through ball
• defense on ground ball- poke or lift back hand

Shooting

• shooting on the run
  • overhand - 3/4
  • hand extension
  • "kiss shoulder" - body torquen
  • hiding stick behind body
  • shooting low and away - far pipe
  • follow through with backside to sideline
• bounce shots particularly on grass - make goalie move*

Individual D (first ages for long poles)

• poke check ,lift , slap
• poke and drop step
• "hands and hips"
• push hips /no check above GLE
• "closing the door" - take away middle of the field

Team O

• Motion offense principles
  • balance field - maintain triangles
  • move through the "hole" when dodged at
  • pass out of your triangle (midfield or attack) rotate your triangle
  • both triangles rotate on dodge
  • dodge - pass-(pass) - dodge - flipping the field
• introduce 1-4-1 formation in addition
• cutting with a purpose always looking for the ball
• moving away from ball to find space and occupy defenders
• recognize difference between man and zone D
• keep stick in the box

transition O

• positioning of attack
• transition O player making defenseman play them
  • staying outside the hashes
  • "finishing the box
• "ball moves faster than man"
  • moving ball quickly to make D move
• maintain spacing

Team D

• COMMUNICATION !!!
• importance of 8x8 area "hole" in front of cage
  • defending area not just man
• off-ball positioning
  • inside and below ball
• Center-line concept of off ball positioning
• Crease slide - when O man on crease - Hot Call and 2 call
• Adjacent slide when no O on crease
• "showing to the ball"
• slide and recover
• sticks up and into the middle
• head on a swivel - NO ball watching

transition D

• COMMUNICATION !!!
• triangle formation
• understanding rotation

goalie

• COMMUNICATION !!!
• stepping to ball with off foot following
• moving stick on a plane
• outlet passing to the outside not middle
• make easy pass

face off

• develop moves- clamp, rake, pinch and pop,jump etc
• wing play - boxing out

clearing

• positioning of D and M
  • settled vs unsettled
• midfield breaking out-looking for over shoulder pass
• clear to the side - bad things happing in middle of field
• middies working to get open

riding

• Effort and Hustle
• match feet at midfield
• attack playing zone

man-up

• stick in strong hand
• basic plays
• move ball - don’t dodge

man-down

• COMMUNICATION !!!
• sticks in passing lanes
• do not play below GLE

Focus on IQ, team concepts , shooting, ground balls

Individual Skills

Throwing and Catching
(should not be a focus of practice - private time work by each player)

• Focus on off-hand
• using correct hand during passes,dodges, cuts etc…
• catching inside of body-("catching with your feet")

Cradle

• proficiency with both hands (one and two hands)

Dodging

• dodging to either hand
• introduce Rocker, Hitch, ?
• getting to 5x5(island) and making decisions based on defense - IQ
• setting up dodges - IQ

Shooting (Focus)

outside and on run

• Overhand first then learn to change release points
• importance of Step-down shooting - finding space getting hands free - IQ
  • particularly against zone-d
• hip -rotation
• hands follow through
• shooting far pipe
• looking at open net not goalie
• divide goal into 1/3rds
• different shots on diff surfaces - ie bounce ball on grass - IQ
• changing where you shoot - don’t be predictable- IQ
• inside
• shooting from the box/ hands inside of body
• stick fake- moving goalie - not shooting where you faked-IQ

Ground balls (Focus)

• "man,ball,release"
• finding space - moving ball quickly- IQ

Individual D

• taking away "top-side" /"closing the door"
• stick and body position
• maintain correct body position through check/slide
  • short, hard checks - Poke, lift, slap
• extension and aggression at correct times - IQ
• sliding to body - stick on hands body to body
• dodge from X - no checks above GLE - PUSH hips - goalie communication

Team O

• Communication
• Motion O
  • understand movement and rotation
• "flipping the field"- moving ball backside and dodging/shooting
• off-ball movement
• two-man pick game
• recognizing Man vs Zone and what works against each - IQ
• know when you are open and demanding the ball - IQ
• Know when you are NOT open and do NOT demand ball- IQ
• stick in the box - ready for ball
• recognizing where slides come from and how D moves - moving
• ball to vacated space - IQ
• set plays just a tool- look for opportunities - IQ
• introduce new sets - 2-2-2, 3-3

transition O

• Communication
• recognize fast vs slow break and player/ball movement- IQ
• understanding D movement
• c-cuts from GLE
• knowig shooting/passing priorities- IQ

Team D - All about LAX IQ

• COMMUNICATION!!!!!
• Back side, off-ball, Center line positioning- protecting 8x8 "hole"
• Showing to the ball /maintain ability to play your man
• No sliding upfield
• Diff slides for diff situations - Crease, AJ (Adjacent slide), COMA
• second slide
• difference of man vs zone
• staying underneath cutters
• slide and recover

transition D

• COMMUNICATION!!!!!
• triangle rotation - sticks to middle
• slide and recover

Goalie*

• COMMUNICATION!!!!
• Outlet passing proficiency- making good decisions IQ
• body position in cage
  • playing angles
  • taking away pipe at GLE

Face-off*

• continuing to develop diff moves
• coordination with wing
• wing-play reading face off - box out, following butt end.
  • first step from wing to shut off opposing player
  • adjustments as game progresses

Man-up

• moving self and ball to create 2v1
• maintain spacing
• always look inside but no forcing
• step inside -"stomp the bug"
• quick movement
• additional plays
• looking for opportunities outside of play depending on D

Man-down-IQ

• COMMUNICATION!!!!
• know O set and how to rotate
  • lock -off crease - four man rotate
  • rotate from crease
  • "stringing" vs 3-3 set
• compact inside-out play
• no shots from 8x8

Clearing

• working for ball from midfield
• settled vs unsettled
• finding open man- easy pass
• avoid passing into middle of field

Riding

• Effort,Effort, Effort
• forcing long pass
• attack playing above the ball
  • forcing backwards pass
• long pole/goalie crossing mid-field - play aggressively -off ball shut off