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Basic Tips for Defense

Feet First, Stick Second

 The primary rule for defensemen. If you are out of position with your body the chances of a successful take away are slim and none. It is as simple as it sounds, move your feet and then play with your stick. You can also teach "feet, hips, hands, stick" which is a more advanced idea for defensemen to practice.

Never stop talking

Constant communication is one of the keys to great team defense. Understanding the "I've got ball", "I'm hot right or left", "I'm 2" and "I've got split" calls will make your defense much harder to beat. Also, by using "audible triggers" the off ball defenders can better defend backdoor cuts by keeping better track of their assignments until the slides begin.

Stick always up

Don't carry your stick off your hips or even worse low to the ground. Keep your stick above your shoulders when off ball and at the height of your attackmans shoulders when on ball.

Learn "High Hands"

If your attackman gets you to over commit topside with your stick up field and tries to inside roll you, as soon as he begins to roll, put your hands high over your head with your stick parallel to the ground and turn with him. Keep it there until the attackman pulls his stick back to shoot or pass and then check down hard on his arm and stick. This is a variation on the "over the head" check. You must practice this check because if you do it without proper timing you will probably come down on the attackmans head drawing the flag.

"Sit Down"

Make sure that you are playing defense with your body a position as if you were sitting in a chair(knees bent, legs wider than shoulders and on your toes). This will keep you low and quick to react to the offensive players movements.

"Eyes on Hips"

Always watch the offensive players waist, never watch his stick or his shoulders because these are two places where fakes are most likely to come from. His body cannot move in any direction without his waist, so keep your eyes on it.

Don't play with your "Head on a swivel"

(I know, I know, it goes against everything you've ever heard) When off-ball, use a midpoint between the ball and your man and keep both in front of you slightly by playing the low point in an inverted shallow triangle. KEEP YOUR STICK HIGH AND IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE PASSING LANE. Good offensive players are taught to cut as soon as they see the back of your helmet. By using your peripheral vision(which is actually more sensitive than your straight on or "focal" vision) you increase your chances of keeping everything in front of you and lessen the chance of an offensive player's movements surprising you. This is also extremely helpful in timing when you should slide and when you should stay. If you are "shutting off" and playing close to an offensive player, hold your stick to that player's mid section and if you have to look away, you will feel his movement. Of course sometimes you are going to have to turn your head but if you can learn midpoints and keep turning your head to a minimum you will find yourself in the right place at the right time more often.

"Slide and Recover"

One of the most common problems in poor defense is that when they slide they do not recover but instead get caught standing or stuck outside. Every time you slide you must recover inside. Defensemen should be taught to slide as if they have a "bungee" cord wrapped around their waist. They cannot go out without coming in.

"Stay/Find One"

Every defense should understand the concept of doubling the ball. Your slide defender must communicate to the on ball defender to "stay" or "find one". Communicate the "stay" call if the double is not seen by the offensive player or if the on ball defender is playing solid defense and is not beat and there is no need to double. Communicate "find one" if the on ball defender is beat and must recover inside to help subsequent slides.

"Cover Real Estate"

This is a great way to play off ball defense and also if you are the "hot" slide. Rather than sliding quickly or out of control, "cover real estate" so the dodger will see you as the potential slide and turn away. If he turns away, you recover inside, if he doesn't then you go.

Lift Check, Lift Check, Lift Check

By lifting the offensive players hands, you can be much more effective in disrupting his ability to feed or shoot. While other checks can be effective, none are as effective as the lift check for young players. The poke check is very effective but only if the defensemen has been taught the proper timing. The mechanics of the poke check make the body move slightly forward which is the last movement you want to make as a defender.

Play the spot, then the man

When playing on ball defense, always pick a spot in front of your man and try to beat him there to make him turn away. This is especially effective when defending the dodge from x and any open field dodge. If your defense is on the same page, this can lead to great double team opportunities. When sliding, slide to a goal side spot that will put you between the offensive player and the goal. Never slide right at the player, he will be gone by the time you get there. When doubling the ball, always slide opposite where your help is so you can catch the player in the middle.

Check the man and take away the space around him

You can stifle a strong offensive player by understanding this principle, it is very similar to the above but is a different way to relate it to your defenders. You always check the man but if you can learn to take away the space around him you put yourself in a stronger position. This is more of mindset than a physical idea, it can really help younger players understand that defense is not all about the stick.

"Split the field"

Split the field into three basic sections, marked by the lines in red. For more complex sets these areas can be divided further for slide packages, double teams or zones. The idea of splitting the field up top is to not allow the offensive to cross the "imaginary" center line up the field. For defending up top, try to push the dodger downfield into the alleys to decrease the angle of shot or force them to use their weak hand. When defending from behind, keep the offensive player from getting above GLE for a possible shot.

Shut off the "X"

Allowing the ball to go through "x" with little or no pressure is the same as allowing it to cross the middle of the field up top. There may be times when you'll allow this, i.e. you have a weaker player that will gain possession by going through "x", you will allow him to receive and then pressure the ball to force a turnover.

 Drive to the corner from X and turn the attackman

When your attackman is driving from x to GLE(Goal Line Extended), step high to his outside, swing your foot in front of him to seal, get your hands under his armpits and force him back towards the corner of the field. NEVER LET THE ATTACKMAN GET TOPSIDE OF GLE. Force him to turn back below GLE.

DEFENDING THE "PICK & ROLL"

A coach must spend a lot of time teaching his defensemen strong fundamentals and how to properly play the pick and roll so everyone is on the same page and knows how and when to switch. I am not an advocate of always staying with your man, however, you should always try to fight through the pick as your first option. The idea behind defending the pick and roll should be to take away the passing lane first, defend the man second. 

Follow the pick

NONE OF THIS WORKS WITHOUT DEFENSIVE COMMUNICATION You must be communicating that the pick is coming and the "stay/switch" call. If the pick is soft, fight through it to stay with your man. If BOTH defenders are good or the pick is strong, then a switch is always an option. If your man is moving towards the ball to set a pick, do the following. D2 follows the pick but positions himself on the up field shoulder of O2 to be able to go in either direction that O1 cuts to. D1 must see the pick and drop below O2 to stay between him and the goal be able to stay in the passing lane if O2 rolls to the ball. When you switch you must immediately put your stick on the attackmans stick to make sure he doesn't receive the ball easily if at all. CHECK HARD!!

Play sides

If O1 is bringing  his defender to a set pick. D1 should drop below(or low shoulder) O2 again to be in position to play O2 if he rolls. D2 will release quickly with stick in passing lane to cover O1. D1 must move quickly and be in position before D2 can go or O2 will have an open lane to the goal. D1 must also watch O1 to make sure he doesn't peel back behind O2 for a feed. If he does, D1 can move straight out to cover him and D2 will stay on O2. This is where the communication of "stay/switch" must be practiced so they know how and when to do it.

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