Lacrosse Defense

lacrosse defense

Lacrosse is a fast game on two feet that requires great speed, stamina, hustle and determination. While the best players on a team are often highlighted for their offensive abilities it is a great defense that will ultimately win games. Defense is a team game and the stronger your defensive unit operates as a unit the less pressure on your goalie to make hero save after hero save. To that end it is essential for any team to have a variety of defensive strategies and drills at their disposal.

Many great defenders on teams will tell you that the key to good defense is having a solid foundation in both man and zone defense. This can be achieved with simple concepts and drills. A few of the most important are:

Sorting (See Drill #15A): As the opposing team enters the defensive zone defenders need to “sort” out who they are checking. This is done by clearly communicating who has who (pointing to a player with your stick for example) sometimes based on predetermined match-ups. This is a great way to set your team up for success on both sides of the ball, as a well-sorted team will rarely be caught off guard.

A defender must always be able to see their man and the ball, especially when they are defending off-ball. If a defender cannot see the ball they must immediately change their angle by moving side-to-side, or even back and forth depending on the situation. This will prevent the attacker from gaining a strong shooting position or rolling back behind a defender for a safe shot.

Seeing the ball and the man must also be a continuous process. If a defender can be distracted by an errant pass they are leaving themselves open to attack the other side of the field. This is why it is critical for a defender to constantly check their blind spot and look around the entire field for passing opportunities.

The defender must always be able to lock off the shooters, whether they are playing 2 defenders high or 1 up and 2 back. They must be able to deter quick sticks from one crease player to the other and the shooters must be forced into difficult shots they may not be able to make.

When a defense gets too spread out it opens up space for cutters and soft spots for the shooters. This is why the defense must communicate and quickly re-set when a player is pulled off the bench or an early substitution occurs. The first defender on the floor to recognize that their opponent is pulling the goalie or a delayed penalty is called should loudly bang their stick against the boards, which will alert all other defenders of the change in strategy. This is often referred to as the ‘tighten-up’ and is one of the most underrated aspects of lacrosse defense.