Defense

Manhasset H.S.

Bill Cherry

• B.S.- C.W. Post College-1974• MA-Adelphi University-1982• Coaching experience 36 years (31 M.H.S/ 5-Sewanhaka H.S.)• Head coach M.H.S.- 5 years• Record 84-10• 2009/2010 (undefeated) N.Y.S. State Class C Champions• 3X Conference conference coach of the year• 2009 Nassau County Lacrosse coach of the year• 2009/10 Newsday Lacrosse Coach of the year• Coach 2011 Under Armor H.S. All America team• Coach 2008 Addidas N.E. Regional team• Manhasset Lacrosse Hall of Fame

Overview

• Intro • Philosophy• Scouting• Basics• Checks• Sliding/slides• Drills• Keys• Q/A

Philosophy

• Our philosophy at Manhasset is to play man to man, aggressive under control, fundamentally sound defense. We try to accomplish this with intelligence, discipline, hard work, conditioning, and toughness.

• It is our belief that “Great Defense” translates into even greater offensive opportunities

Philosophy

• Head-Be smart, know your opponent. Be disciplined and communicate. Anticipate!

• Heart-Be passionate about the game, the Creator’s game. Love the Game!

• Feet- Defense is about footwork! If you can run and change direction, everything else will fall into place.

• Hands-Use your hands to Jam and stop a players momentum .Keep your stick on the hands of your opponent.

Scouting

• We scout All of our opponents. We take no one for granted.

• At Least once in person• At Least once on Video• Team Video sessions after practice• Scouting report

Basics• Stance-Similar to D Back in football. Sit in a chair , chest up, feet staggered, butt

hand on hip, crosse pocket up. Stick out in front on ball, 45 to ball, sticks inside off ball.

• Position: On Ball-Close Defense-Split Attack man, eyes on midsection. Never get ahead, stay ½ step behind to drive. If need be, catch up, close gate and force inside roll or turn back

• Position-Backside pipe-On Pipe, angle to ball…never be square to the ball…see your man and the ball…Big Eye on the Ball/Little Eye on the Man!

• Position: Middie-On ball, align ½ man to strong side, force man to weak hand. Use your hands to jam when opponent is dodging. Most players will rise up when dodging, that is the time to jam them and stop their momentum. Off ball sink towards crease, stick inside.

Basics

• Crease-D/M• Ball Behind-Face to Face/stick on stick-no slide

responsibility.• Ball on side or out front-play ball side, sticks

length away. Head on a swivel. You are “Hot” in Princeton and Maryland slide.• Middies/D Mid-45 off ball-offside middie

cheats down for 2 slide. Onside shut off.• Stay Tight!!

Communication

• It is imperative that “all” our defenders communicate. First, I believe it keeps everyone on their toes as to what we are doing, and secondly, it puts the offense on the defensive, in that they know we know what we are doing.

• Goalie-Calls Ball position and slide, Ind. talk• Man on Ball “Got Ball”• Adjacent players-Gotcha Right/Gotcha Left• Off Ball players-I’m Hot whose got my 2?...• I gotcha 2-who’s got my 3?...

Checks

• We do not teach the exotic checks, although we do have players who can throw them. We allow them at the right place and time.

• We do teach basic fundamentally sound checks• Slap (rather than Wrap) A/B technique• Poke-under control, don’t lunge• Lift-Underneath arm or hands• Scoop-in and under hands• Hold-pressure down on hands

Sliding

• We slide with a purpose. We will slide when an opponent gets even with the defenders hands as a general rule.

• We will slide early on the opponents best player to take the ball out of his hands and take our chances on the other match ups.

• We try to make the slide a double team if at all possible. Otherwise we “Find One”

Slides

• Princeton-(Crease slide)-Crease man will release if opposing player gets even with the hands of our defensive player. The backside defenseman will slide to crease, while the back side middie or pole slides down to pipe.

Depending on situation man who was playing ball will either double ball or “Find One”( go towards crease and look opposite for your man)

Slides• Cornell (Corner slide, Coma)-We will slide

from the corners most times when ball is coming from behind. It is imperative that the backside defensive player is cheating down to cover the backside . Defensive player who has gotten beat “Finds one”.

Slides

• Maryland-We will use our Maryland slide vs a 1-3/1-4 offense if we are getting beat by the wing players. This is a slide where the crease player releases and the backside middie slide into the crease. Your top defensive player split 2 cheating to the top man

• Adelphi-(Adjacent slide)- we will slide adjacent when there is no crease man. It is important that we stay Tight Vs this set(45 degrees)

Slides

• Duke-Duke is used Vs a 1-4-1 with an outstanding attack man behind. We will drop a D-Man down and play zone across the top.

• Devil-Devil is a Double team off a dead ball Vs a 1-4-1 behind the cage. If we feel we have a good match up, or a dangerous feeder we may go after them. Zone across the top.

Pre-Practice Drills

• Kick and chase• Star• All in one• Gauntlet• Break 0ut• Long Pass/Short Pass• Shooting

Drills

• 1V1-Stress position/Footwork/”Trail to X”/drive/shut the gate.

• Box Drill-Slides/approach/breakdown/poke check/Stick position (inside and up/recovery).

• 45’S-(cones) between Goal line and end line set up 5cones about 10yds apart. Player starts on end line directly opposite first cone. On go approaches, breaks down, throws poke check, drop steps on 45 back to end line. Approaches next cone same routine. When player gets to second cone next man goes. Go down and then coming back. (Rt/Lt)

Drills

• Clearing Drill-(fun/competition) Attack Vs Defense. Between box and sideline.

• GB Drill-(fun/competition)-4 lines-2Att-2D• Shell Drill-Offensive shell Vs D-coach blows whistle,

defensive player on ball lets his man beat him-slide rotate recover.

• Salisbury Drill-divide lines up O/D (can include middies on D. start out 2v3 in front of cage. Drill starts with GB from coach and progresses. Great O dill also (1 cradle move ball)

Drills

• Carolina Drill-(uneven drill, great for O also) Divide team up into O/D (middies can run D also. Coach calls 2 numbers, first number is offensive players, second is defensive players. Ex 32, 43, 54, 65

• Villanova Drill-6v5 from out front. 3 att/3 D @ restraining line. 3O and 2D lines at midfield. Drill starts with GB and continues. D must clear ball

• Brown Drill-Team 1v1- 1@X, 1 at each GLE 1@ each corner of Box, 1@ center of box. Rotate 1v1’s( x, gle

rt, corner rt , center, etc. After the 1v1 offensive players rotate rt, defensive players rotate left.

Drills

• Rutgers Drill-7v6 Drill- Seven offensive players Vs 6 defensive players. Exhausting for D, lots of slides and rotations.

• Transition Drill-Breakout patterns into 6v3(conditioning and confidence builder hopefully!

Keys to Defense

• Athletic ability• Technique• Head• Heart• Hands• Feet• Film Study/preparation

Questions/Summary

Acknowledgements

• I would like to thank the Seattle Chapter of US Lacrosse for inviting me here today, I am truly honored.

• Thanks to my players, youth coaches, staff and Manhasset Hall of Fame for making our program successful.

• Thanks to all the people who have contributed to my coaching education over the years

• Last but certainly not Least to my family for allowing me to do what I love to do!