[
YOUR EDGE] coaches Run for Fun
What does every athlete dread each day at practice? Conditioning. What is one of the most important aspects of a successful athlete? Conditioning. How do you get a fourth- quarter advantage on your opponents? Conditioning. Every coach needs to address conditioning, but at the same time can struggle to get maximum effort from their athletes. If you do it before practice, the players are spent and you may not get a great practice out of them. Or they
1. Shorten the wait. Reduce the number of players in a line or drill so they can
get multiple reps in a short time. Having several stations of small groups set up around the fi eld ensures players get multiple opportunities to participate. Rotate the groups between drills every 5 to 7 minutes and in just 20 minutes the kids have done three or four different drills with multiple runs in each. The 4x4x3 Drill (not illustrated) is an example.
• Set up multiple 4-on-4 stations with a goal at each to limit inactive players (no more than 4-5 subs at each station).
• Each station runs all three scenarios (Y-North, Y-South and Box) in succession (15-20 seconds max for each situation).
• Once the eight players have run all three drills, sub new players into the set.
2. Use the whole field. Full-fi eld drills such as this Maroon Drill (illustrated at
right) force players to get up and down the fi eld quickly in a game-like situation. They are constantly in motion at game speed and must react to various situations.
Start with three attackmen and three defenders at each end of the fi eld, inside of their restraining boxes, plus three
additional players for each team in the middle of the fi eld. Roll a ball toward players in the middle to vie for possession.
Once possession is gained (red team), the players look for a quick pass up fi eld for a fast-break opportunity. The
team on defense (blue) is not permitted to enter the box, but may pressure anywhere outside of the box.
Red team runs a 4-on-3 fast break. Blue team defends it. As soon as the ball hits the ground or a goal is scored, roll
out a new ball to repeat the drill, often in uneven situations near midfi eld. Switch the six middle players every three reps, with each rep lasting a maximum of 15-20 seconds.
3. Don’t stop practice. Have water bottles handy at each station so players can rehydrate while waiting for their next rep. Taking 5 to 10 minutes off to let everyone get a drink allows their heart rates to lower, and then you need to ramp them back up. Most of the break is wasted with athletes waiting to get to the water jug or taking gear on and off. (Note: You may need to schedule breaks based on weather or the age of your athletes.)
78 LACROSSE MAGAZINE May 2014 >>
Disguise conditioning with engaging, IQ-building skills
fi gure out ways to come late. Do it at the end of practice and you risk injury, because they already are fatigued or you’ll hear more excuses. That’s why you should disguise conditioning in the form of drills and limit the amount of time you spend blowing the whistle to start another sprint. Hiding conditioning in drills makes it seem almost fun for the kids and uses game-like situations to develop their lacrosse skills at the same time.
US L acrosse
Coaching education program
A Publication of US Lacrosse
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