In 2016, Brown lacrosse had the best transition offense I've ever seen. 💨
This was thanks to Coach Tiffany's combination of incredible personnel and innovative scheme, let’s break it down.
The Trip Move—a dodging hack every player should master! By stepping into your defender’s feet as you turn the corner on him, you can cause your defender to trip over your feet and fall, creating a HUGE advantage.
Canadian and native box lacrosse players have shot 20% better than Americans for over 15 years in division one men's lacrosse. 🤯 (references: Jason Donville, Joe Keegan, Jesse McNulty)
Here's 3 reasons why:
Dodging in two-man game is harder for a defender to guard than one-on-one. The defender cannot guard you equally to the net and to the pick, creating the most fundamental advantage in two-man game.
STOP teaching the wrong Shooting Technique in Lacrosse! ❌
I spoke with
@CoachDShack
a throwing mechanics expert, on S6 Ep18 of The Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast, about the optimal way to throw with force in Lacrosse.
This is a really interesting look. It's the equivalent of a Spain look vs a Big-Little Coma invert defense.
Defenses do this to avoid committing a 3rd player to a 2man game behind. Notre Dame picks the picker's man & the Spain picker's guarding short stick doesn't recognize it.
Graeme Hossack is the best player you don’t know much about! The Whitby, ON native grew up playing 90% box lacrosse (as most Canadians do) and his box training has made him into one of the best players in the world. The 3x NLL Defensive Player of the Year and 1x PLL Defenseman
One of the reasons why I love the PLL is there are so many interesting plays to watch, and Zach Currier is a standout! Watch the way he handles two-man games and the variety of techniques he uses.
Off-ball 2man game is the future of high level lacrosse and is truly and untapped opportunity! Most offenses are geared towards spacing for a dodge and spacing for when the defense slides and only use off ball picking in set plays or in hang up situations.
In a Principles Based
Reading the defense and recognizing coverages is a non debatable principle of play. In 2man game, no matter how the defense plays it, there are solutions that will punish the coverage and create advantages for the offense: positional advantages, 2 on 1 advantages, or match up
Every player should be looking to feed behind the back! It's a critical and misunderstood skill. Many think it's too hard or unnecessary, but it's the opposite—it's easier and absolutely necessary.
Hand fighting is a concept you will see at the highest levels of play in all sports. In lacrosse there is a large amount of holding that goes on defensively V Holds, Reverse V Holds and Crowbars, and the offensive players especially at the PLL level have learned how to counter.
The simplest and most effective way to beat a pole is to sprint right at them! Most defenders put their stick out to try and force the dodger to make their move early so they can have cushion to turn and run with him. Don’t let your defender off the hook! Run right at their
Awesome “Sucker Double” from
@SpallinaJoey
It’s a known fact that a great time to send a double is when a dodger turns his back while executing roll dodges near the crease or inside the hashes.
There are tons of different 3man actions that are highly effective.
3man actions provide many variations of looks depending on the role of the third player.
The constraint-led approach is revolutionizing coaching!
This method focuses on creating specific contexts in offense and defense to enhance decision-making.
Deception is the key in 2-man game. ✨
When you’re playing the two-man game, it’s not about speed or dodging hard shoulder to shoulder off the pick, it’s about recognizing and capitalizing on the coverage that is being presented by the defense which always involves deception.
Jeff Teat is a master of deception, making it look so easy when he scores a goal. Watch this clip closely, and you'll see the brilliance behind his seemingly effortless play.
Let's check out this clip from Water Dogs vs. Whipsnakes where Matt Brandau somehow gets wide open. At first glance, it looked like Brando was just sealing his defender and pushing off to get open.
Is running your favorite sets and motions actually an advantage for your opponent? 🤔
It's true that plays can provide great looks, but they also come with a level of predictability that can be a goldmine for defensive coordinators.
Creating variability in your training is a key to getting better and one great way to do it is by using different a different type of pocket. Boys training with girls sticks is an amazing constraint that will teach new and different solutions than what you’re used to with your
Too many coaches have taught a “One size fits all” approach to 2man game suc as “Dodge hard shoulder to shoulder off a pick” when in reality in order to punish a defensive coverage the picker and dodger must be attuned to the coverage. If players are not aware of the coverage
A lot of coaches need to hear this - Chaotic practices can be a good thing! 🗣️
In S6 Ep.19 of the Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast, Ecological psychologist
@GrayFThomas
discusses the crucial aspect of embracing the inherent messiness of games.
Growth Mindset: Coaches should always seek to learn and improve; we owe it to our players offer the best and most informed guidance to develop our athletes and we need to embody the same attitude we ask of them: always be learning always be getting better!
Have you ever heard the Canadian saying, “your stick has eyes?” 👀
This simply means that the imaginary eyes on your stick can see angles to score that the eyes in your head cannot.
(Thread 🧵)
In Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast S6 Ep20, Jamie caught up with Michael Sowers of the
@PLLWaterdogs
for an AWESOME lacrosse conversation spanning Michaels favorite college offenses to watch, how he’s completely changed his approach to training with JM3 & of course the Waterdogs.
@NDlacrosse
had an epic run through the NCAA tournament, dominating on both sides of the ball! Their offense is a masterclass in movement and unselfish play, with heads up and deceptive shooting, while their defense is classic Notre Dame team defense!
Coaching is an all-consuming profession that often extends far beyond the field. On Season 6, Episode 13 of the Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast,
@jamiemunro3
spoke with
@LafayetteMLAX
head coach
@PatMyers1221
about balancing work & life.
All coaches have favorite drills, and for good reason! Drills that are challenging and create behaviors we want our players to learn!
If your favorite drill is on air, you should really start learning about Ecological Dynamics, and you’ll realize your wasting precious time!
If
What do you do when your best player gets a short stick? I have some great ideas for you to think about!
First, float out the back with the original picker, now guarded by the pole originally on your best player. Don’t hang around and mirror with this guy, make the defense
As coaches we spend so much time teaching moves that it steers us away from an emphasis on deception.
There is nothing more powerful than non verbally communicating with your opponent to get him to do what you want!
Deception in individual defense is an under taught and under utilized concepts in the game. In team defense deception is taught: faking slides, disguising coverages, the element of surprise, etc, but there is great opportunity to use deception in your individual defense as well.
Head Fakes and Look Offs are arguably the most powerful element of great dodging. Everyone knows to look off feeds and to use your head to fake a goalie, but so many players stare down the direction of their dodge, probably because so much of the way players practice is
“Dodge and Kick” is a concept taken directly from basketball, where the dodger penetrates the middle (or “Paint” in basketball terms), forcing the defense to collapse and then kicks it out to the perimeter where teammates can pass, shoot, or dodge again to create a high value
How Michael Sowers Approaches 2-Man Game 👥
In S6 Ep.20 of the Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast, Philadelphia Waterdog, Michael Sowers shared how he developed his 2-man game skills without the ball.
On S6 EP11 of the Phi-Lacrosse-Ophy podcast,
@TomSchreiber26
shared insights on what makes great team lacrosse and highlighted teammate Connor Fields' exceptional play
The Constraints Led Approach is not only a cheat code for developing players, it’s the best way for coaches to develop too!
The essence of great players and great coaches is they make adjustments based on how they’re being played.
For the player and the coach this requires
"It was an incredibly interesting conversation about how the pristine, unadulterated class of 2021 has become the most under-evaluated class in the history of college lacrosse recruiting."
Check out and listen to
@tyxanders
and I talk about Recruiting.
The Question Mark move is the most overrated move in the game.
Do you think a defensive coordinator would rather give up a Question Mark move or a move where a dodger gets his stick to the middle coming top side or underneath?
The truth is shots with sticks to the outside are
Deception is an absolute cheat code for goal scorers! 🎯
Adding deception to your shooting is key because it gives you more margin for error. Every goalie watches your body language, release point, and swing angle.
Is there a more important part of the game than finishing?
Check out this video shot a while back of
@JohnGrantJr24
doing a finishing demo. This video is an insane display of Jr being Jr and using 5 fakes in a matter of seconds
Ball movement is on the Mount Rushmore of offensive principles! To be a great player you must be great at moving the ball and that doesn’t just mean looking to feed.
Wall passes are a great way to create dominoes and opening up high-value shots for your team! 🥍
Wall passes are mostly used for man-up situations and zone offense, but you can actually use it in all even situations too!
This is a really interesting way to get open in women's lacrosse, and I call it a sneaky curl cut. 🥍
Watch Cornell's Josie Vogel getting wide open. How does she do it?
Alex Sarama of Transforming Basketball is the most influential coach in my career, opening up the understanding of Ecological Dynamics and the Constraints Led Approach.
Watch this clip of how Jeff Teat beats his man 1v1 with a series of moves. This is a perfect example of manipulating and controlling both his defender and the slide!
Girls playing boys lacrosse is arguably the most impactful way to improve. The simplest way for me to explain why: Women’s lacrosse is very physical, but girls lacrosse is not. One could argue women’s lacrosse is more like men’s lacrosse than girls lacrosse is like women’s
You should definitely be using a shot clock in all of your practice drills, games, and activities!⏱️
A shot clock is an incredibly powerful constraint and it's actually really easy to execute. Just have your goalie count down. Here are a few reasons why shot clocks are so great:
The Constraints Led Approach (CLA) is the moneyball of modern sports. 🚀
I truly began to leverage the power of the CLA, Ecological Dynamics, and Nonlinear Pedagogy concepts a few months ago and it's revolutionizing the way that I coach.
Deception is key! 🔑
@HarvardMLax
Head Coach Gerry Byrne joined us on the Phi-Lacrosse-ophy podcast, here's part of our discussion on the importance of Deception and how guys like Ryder Garnsey use it so well!
1. Never let the ball beat you to the cage
2. If you’re not covered get covered
3. if you are covered, move it.
Let us know what you think about this simple way to think about capitalizing on advantages!
@PLLWaterdogs
Michael reflected on his time with
@AndyCopelan_PLL
, praising him as the ideal mentor. Michael highlighted the significant impact a coach can have on a team's culture & performance. Coach Copelan led the Waterdogs to a PLL Championship & is one of the great guys in the sport!.
@CoachSilvera
Great point! Using picks early to set up refusals later can make the refusals more effective as defenses start to "cheat." Balancing both tactics keeps the defense guessing and maximizes your two-man game strategy.
@MattRewk9
the Delaware Offensive Co-ordinator sat down with us on the Phi-Lacrosse-ophy podcast last month.
Matt opened up about how his offensive philosophy has evolved throughout his coaching career. Here's part of our conversation!
@CoachWheel
Playing pick up games is how you learn the fluency. Once you have mastered the fluency of the game you are ready to learn and most importantly incorporate the highest levels of skill and concepts!
@JohnGrantJr24
Let's break it down:
Collarbone position, near side high fake
Farside low fake with body lean
BTB fake to the nearside high
A sweeping low high lift fake (two fakes)
Farside low finish
First taught to me by PLL Chaos coach Andy Towers in the late '90s, I’ve been teaching this move to my players ever since and it’s $! Imagine being able to regularly make your guy fall down! You’re welcome! Enjoy!
This quote is why free play works better than structure. The key to being a great player isn't about how good your skill is, but rather your ability to process what's happening, make a decision, and then execute a skill.
Starting with the attack, 2016 Tewaaraton award winner Dylan Molloy was flanked by righty and future pro Kyler Bellistri and lefty finisher Henry Blynn, this group was the focal point of the transition offense. They were highly skilled & unselfish.
In our recent conversation with Jess Hansen on S6 Ep15 of the Phi-lacrosse-ophy podcast, we explored the intense pressure many athletes place on themselves.
Jess emphasized that unlike gymnastics, which scores athletes on precision, lacrosse is not about achieving perfection.
Keep Away:The Great Skill & IQ Accelerator
I continue to be blown away with the power of keep away
Why is it such an accelerator? It maximizes skill reps of dodging, passing, feeding, finishing (yes finishing!), stick protection, and so much more
If you want to be like Blaze, focus on being a GREAT lacrosse player, focus on principles of play in live / contextual training situations, and don’t be afraid to do it your way, not the way you’re “Supposed to do it.”
Shay is one of the smartest coaches I’ve ever been around and his Transition Rules a simple breakdown to convert in advantage situations, similar to Dominoes Theory with 0 seconds decisions.
This past off season Sowers played a ton of small net tennis ball games aka “Pick up” & seriously upgraded his off ball 2man game IQ. If you watched PLL Sixes closely, Michael was creating off ball advantages everywhere. I know we’ll see that this summer with the Waterdogs too!