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Grip and Rip


Ohio Machine long-stick midfi elder and Trilogy Lacrosse’s Brian Farrell lets it fl y


>> WHAT I DO


It’s three to four feet above the normal release point of a short- stick shooter.


Goalies aren’t used to seeing this high of a release point.


PRACTICE SHOOTING


A lot of poles don’t have time to practice shooting. When I go out to do footwork drills, I’ll do 20 minutes and then I’ll shoot after, since I already have my stick with me. If you want to become a better shooter, you have to shoot. Same as the short sticks. If they go out and shoot for 20 minutes, why can’t you? The most fun part of what I do is shoot and play in transition.


MAKE GOOD DECISIONS


You have to be smart about your decision-making — when to shoot it or when not to shoot it, knowing the situation of the game. Is it a tie game and we’ve played a lot of defense? Do we really want our pole shooting right now? Attackmen are paid to score goals. At the end of the day, if you’re shooting with a long pole or you’re given time and room with a long pole, you have to score. You can’t let it get saved. You can’t miss and not have a backup.


It’s the best position on the fi eld. I’m not just saying that because I


Find net. Don’t make the goalie look good by shooting right at him. Try off-stick high, off-stick hip, near-side low. Some kids throw it right at the goalie. Find the open spots.


BELIEVE IN LSM


play. You have the opportunity to be on the wing of faceoffs every time. You get to play defense every time, and you’re also involved in the transition time. If you understand the game enough and know where to take your opportunities, you can be part of the offense, too. You’re doing everything but save the ball. No other position can really say that. There are some two-way middies, but most middies just want to play offense if you ask them. I love seeing the kid that wants to be a pole, but can still play close defense. The versatility factor is huge. It’s the all-around position. It’s the most fun.


My Background


I played attack until ninth grade at Boys’ Latin (Md.). I’ve always liked playing offense and scoring goals. I also played football in high school. I was a receiving tight end. I didn’t really block much. Now I coach football and lacrosse and work as assistant admissions director at Salisbury School (Conn.), in addition to working with Trilogy.


My View From


the Stands I played at Maryland (2007-11). I went to the Villanova-Maryland game and saw Villanova long stick John LoCascio playing man- up. I was thinking, ‘Why aren’t we just shutting off adjacent and pressuring him?” But he scored a goal. It was impressive. I got to play against him in the USA tryouts.


>> MY SCOUT ON RABIL


Rabil is Rabil. It’s not fun guarding him. His pure athleticism and stick skills, his ability to go right and left, you can’t force him either way. He’s big, strong, fast, powerful. He’s a horse. Coming downhill, you don’t know which way he’s going, what his tendencies are.


— compiled by Corey McLaughlin A Publication of US Lacrosse July 2014 >> LACROSSE MAGAZINE 69


©JOHN STROHSACKER (JL)


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