Defensive Stickwork Drills

This is about creating the type of passing your defenders will experience in your clearing scheme. The combinations are endless.

Set Up:

• Goalie in cage
• Lines of defenseman each side of GLE about 5 yards from crease.

Drill (Option 1):

• Coach tosses ball to goalie
• Defenders breakout
• Goalie throws to one side
• Defender catches and throws ball cross field
• Defender throws ball to coach

Drill (Option 2):

• Coach tosses ball to goalie
• Defenders breakout
• Goalie throws to one side
• Defender catches ball, runs up field 5 yards, circles and throws ball cross field
• Defender throws ball to coach

Drill (Option 3)

• Coach tosses ball to goalie
• Defenders breakout
• Goalie throws to one side
• Defender catches ball, runs up field 5 yards, circles and throws ball cross field
• Defender throws ball to other goalie up same sideline between timeline and midline
• Goalie Throws ball to coach, or goalie collects balls at his feet

Drill (Option 4)

• Coach tosses ball to goalie
• Defenders breakout
• Goalie throws to one side
• Defender catches ball, runs up field 5 yards, circles and throws ball cross field
• Defender throws ball to other goalie up same sideline between timeline and midline
• Goalie throws ball back to same defender who is cutting across the field to catch an over the shoulder pass
• Defender throws ball back to coach

Issues:

• Defenders want to get up field, make them catch breakout at or below GLE
• Cross field catcher, needs to be even with ball, not up field: make it a big field
• As soon as they catch they should be throwing the ball, not slow motion

Adjustments: If not enough personnel to get to Option 3 or Option 4 place a goal in the place of other players and have the players throw ball into the goal. Do not allow them to throw so it bounces or just gets to the goal. The pass needs to hit the goal in the upper foot of the goal. Not a goal or you want to create touch on passes; use a trash can and have the players have to throw into the trash can; get some air under the ball.

Instead of throwing up the same sideline, have them throw the ball diagonal; opposite sideline-midline intersection

Have it predetermine where defender is throwing the ball. Then once they are good at that, when the cross field pass is caught, coach tell defender where to throw ball: "Diagonal" "Boston." Reminder you are not trying to trick them.

When first outlet pass is made, have the goalie, say either "Cross Field" or "Goalie" and defender has to throw as communicated.

Add a coach between the Goalie and the Cross Field catcher. When the defender is circling, have the coach run to the Goalie or the cross field defender, this makes the goalie make a read and a call.

Set Up:

• 2 Lines of defenders/middies next to one another on GLE about 5 yards from pipe: Coach between them
• 1 line of defenders/middies next to one another on opposite GLE about 5 yards from pipe
• Coach has a bunch of balls

Drill:

• Coach rolls ball out between defenders so it goes below GLE
• They must communicate who is getting ball, that player scoops ball
• The defender on opposite side of goal breaks out to be the scooper's outlet
• The scooper throws cross field
• The defender on same side as scoop breaks across middle of field at 45 degrees
• The defender who catches the cross field pass throws ball to breaking defender

Adjustments:

• Add goalie or other person at midline-sideline so the breaking defender can throw to him

Issues:

• The 45 degree breaking defender will slow down once he catches the ball
• Make him speed up and run at least 10 yards with the ball if not throwing
• If you are throwing, have him throw ASAP.
• Then have goalie throw back to defender OTS