A Lacrosse Weekend 4.4.20

Uncategorized Apr 04, 2020
 

Welcome to "A Lacrosse Weekend" my weekly compilation of thoughts, ideas, stories, myths, truths, about the great game of lacrosse. I hope you enjoy it! 

Phi-Lacrosse-ophy Podcasts

I have been cranking out podcasts since the beginning of the quarantine both to help people get their minds off this pandemic and to get my mind off it!  There have been some really deep lacrosse conversations with incredible people!

Michele Tumolo, Head Coach Wagner and one of the greatest women's lacrosse players in the world, joined Colleen Magarity and me on the Inside the 8 Podcast this week and it was and fun conversation about everything from flips/fake flips, deception, zone defense, and how to practice deception on your dog.  I think Michele enjoyed it to because she's just like me and Colleen, a lacrosse nerd!  Click here to listen!

Harvard Head Coach, Gerry Byrne joined me again this week in a conversation that always spans many topics from off ball defense to 80's movie lines.  Byrnesy comes on the show about as much as Paul Simon used to host Saturday night live or Tom Hanks on Letterman.  Gerry is funny, articulate, and a Jedi master of a defensive coach!  Click here to listen!

Nick Myers, Head Coach Ohio State is always a great lacrosse conversation.  Coach Myers is insanely buttoned up with an answer for every situation imaginable.  We spent this podcast talking a lot about "Control" and what that means when a player can control his opponent.   Click here to listen!

Shooting on Dad

Last weekend I busted out the box goalie gear and let my kids rip tennis balls on me in the backyard.  Why tennis balls?  No cup = no lacrosse balls!  I am not good and really need some lessons!  Anyone who reads this blog and knows anything about box goalie technique, please email me! 

A worthwhile exercise, if you want to learn more about deceptive shooting, is to watch the video below and see what shots the shooters are working on and how the goalie reacted.  Scoring is an "Art" and requires a feel for controlling goalies.  There is a pretty good repertoire of shots in there!

"Every time you are shooting, you are telling a story to the goalie" -Darris Kilgour,

The Double Hitch

One thing I try to teach my JM3 Athletes is the power of the multiple hitch.  It's not actually hard to do at all yet not many players have a feel for this powerful technique.  Most field players wind up and shoot, hitch and go, or wind up and face Dodge; all with one hitch or crow hop.  Box players on the other hand use multiple hitches which allow them to find their screen by altering the approach of the defender, making the goalie step, as well as freezing defenders for cleaner face dodges or hitch and go's in space.

Here's a great example of a quick Double Hitch to set up a screen shot and freeze the goalie.

 

Here's a great Double Hitch variation I call a Powless Pump that completely makes the goalie bite.

 In my opinion this is one of the greatest plays in Final 4 history.  Chris Cloutier catches the ball and hitches his way right by the whole Loyola defense. 

 The Multi Hitch technique works just as well in women's lacrosse.

Connor Fields is a master of the Double Hitch and here uses it beautifully to set up a face dodge!  So smooth!

If you want to learn how to teach the Multi Hitch, keep reading this blog!

A Backyard Game

Recently in the Munro backyard we made up a game called Dodger, Defender, Picker, Passer  or D2 P2 (D squared P squared) which is an awesome four person game.  If you want to learn how to Double Hitch, this is a great environment to learn it in!

 
Rules of the game:
-4 players all play a role: Dodger, Defender, Picker, Passer
-Rotate spots: feeder to picker, picker to defender, defender to dodger, dodger to feeder.
-Use some type of target in the goal if you don’t have a goalie.  You can see we put a goal inside a goal to make it harder to score.
-The ball has to go to the feeder before you can score
-Picker can set moving picks
-The ball starts with the dodger outside of shooting range with pressure on the ball and a pick
 
Things this environment teaches:
-Control on ball defender in an on ball pick situation with Double Threat and Post ups
-Quick give and go’s
-Read the pick in off ball situations with curls and pops
-Approach type wind up 1v1’s for multi hitch face dodges and spin moves
-Screen shots around defender and screen
-Feeder reading defense
-Picker adjusting and learning how to set moving picks off ball legally
-Defense pushing out or getting under picks

Virtual Lacrosse Summit 

I'm fired up to announce the Q2 VLS coming the week of April 13th!  We have an amazing line up of speakers that will allow us to forget about this dreadful virus and focus on lacrosse!  

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER: www.VirtualLacrosseSummit.com

Here's our list of speakers and there are more to come! (list is subject to change)

  • Jana Drummond, D Coordinator UMass
  • Jim Stagnitta, Head Coach PLL Whipsnakes
  • Kylie Ohlmiller, NCAA All-Time Scoring leader WPLL Pro Team USA
  • Steve Brundage, Offensive Coordinator Hobart
  • Dave Pietramala, Head Coach John's Hopkins
  • Darris Kilgour, NLL Hall of Fame player and Championship Coach
  • Tim McCormack, Head Coach Arizona State
  • Sean Allen, Box Lacrosse Coach/Executive
  • Pat Myers, Head Coach Lafayette
  • Andrew Baxter, Head Coach Fairfield U
  • Tom Mariano, Head Coach Pace University and MLL Bayhawks
  • John Galloway, Head Coach Jacksonville
  • JP Brazel, Assistant. Coach Stony Brook
  • Gerry Byrne, Head Coach Harvard
  •  Kevin Corrigan, Head Coach Notre Dame
  • Justin Tuma, Assistant Coach High Point

 Have a great weekend!

 

 

 

Close

50% Complete

Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and blog

FREE lacrosse content delivered right to your inbox.

Sign up today!