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3/4 PROGRESSION

At this age, Catching and throwing is still hard to accomplish. Because of this we see a lot of one man plays and the ball continuously on the ground. Focus on the fundamentals you can control. Spend time on stick work drills but make it a point to have the boys work on wall ball outside of practice. Have wall ball tests to make sure the boys can accomplish certain things in a certain amount of time. This should be done at all ages.

Emphasize ground balls, cradling technique, and dodging. On defense understand the principles of how to guard someone; giving ground and approaches. Team defense will be hard to teach.

Ground Ball Technique:

  • Both Butts Low

  • Importance of Quick Cradle on Ground Ball

  • Head and body down, bring it to your ear, make a phone call

Cradling:

  • TO START THE YEAR - Players should be able to cradle with both hands

  • Proper technique

  • Functional to getting the ball out of your stick faster - vertical by your ear

  • Power position - top hand touching plastic, bottom hand on the butt of your stick

Catching and Throwing:

  • Importance of proper fundamental throwing - compare to baseball pitcher, opposite foot forward, hands away from your body, put keys in pocket

  • Overemphasize rotating when throwing! Turn your torso

  • Soft hands! No death grip. All fingers!

  • Ability to Quick Stick right and left - (start early with both hands!!!!!)

  • Ability to throw 10 yard throws - Both hands

  • Ability to throw Canadian left and right

  • Ability to catch "snively" or cross handed with strong hand

  • Ability to catch Over the shoulder

  • Ability to split left and right and throw on the run

Catching  

  • Very soft hands, top hand never on plastic, catch with fingertips. Pressure should be light enough to knock stick back to passing position

  • Moving to the ball!!! No flat footed throws or catches

Rolling away from Pressure:

  • Importance of moving away from pressure and punching hands out away from defender

  • Stepping in and out away from pressure

  • Keeping hands away from defender

Dodging:

  • Importance of dodging full speed on all dodges

  • First step at defender

  • Changing speed and direction

  • Dodge 5-10ft away depending on person guarding you to create space

  • Dodges to master (Importance of footwork in dodging:

    • Bull dodge - Compare to an in and out dribble in basketball - player explodes off of opposite foot to explode back to their stick side

    • Split Dodge - Compare to crossover in basketball - player explodes off of same foot the stick is in to change direction - hands are changed late to make sure player shields stick with body

    • Redodge - Squaring up to defender after initial dodge and dodging in tight quarters

Defense:

  • Giving ground

  • Proper approaches - banana approach

  • Poke check

  • Giving a “pop” and what the importance is

  • Controlling offensive player - you control where he goes

  • Help defense - knowing how to clog up lanes of other dodgers, “showing” and sluffing in - understanding what being in the hub means - using cones to emphasize getting in.

  • Zone help

Offense

  • Clearing through - When someone is dodging, know to get out of the way if you’re adjacent

  • Coming to the ball!!! easiest pass is two players running toward each other, no flat feet!!!! CANNOT STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS

  • Full understanding of 3v2

  • Partial understanding of 4v3

Goalie: 

At this age everyone will rotate through goalie. We have brand new full body pads for everyone to use!

  • Understanding 5 point arc
  • Stepping to the ball
  • Athletic stance
  • Hand placement on stick - top hand touching plastic level with eyes

Faceoff:

  • Know proper fundamentals
  • Foot placements, hand placements
  • Clamp, lazer technique

7v7 Play:

This will help players emphasize moving off ball as they will be in tighter spaces. We will work heavily on off ball movement as well understanding why! This year we will be putting in a 3 pass rule at this age group to help the players work together. On defense we'll emphasize team concepts and understanding how we can help each other out. Limit overplaying on ball when shooter is not a threat.

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Want to participate in your local community? Become a  sponsor for THE HOME OF ROCKFORD BOYS YOUTH LACROSSE and support youth in your area.