Age based Fundamentals

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

About RFH Youth Lacrosse
We provide a fun, safe, instructive, competitive environment for any boy in grades Kindergarten through 12th and any eligible girl in grades 5th -8th who lives in Rumson/Fair Haven and who wants to learn, and participate in, the sport of lacrosse. RFH Lacrosse Youth Lacrosse is a registered 501c3 and completely parent/donor funded.
Contact Info
rfhylacrosse@gmail.com Boys program
rfhyouthgirlslacrosse@gmail.com Girls program
P.O. Box 465
Rumson, NJ 07760