[YOUR EDGE] coaches Playing from Behind Tactical keys for a late-game comeback
OK, coach. Here’s the situation. The score is 15-13. Your team is down by two goals with five minutes left. You have the ball, just took a timeout and have one timeout left. What adjustments do you make to give your team the best chances of winning this game? Do you make any? Here are some thoughts on what you might consider.
DEFENSE Do you go zone or man?
On one hand, zone defense is going to protect the inside and only allow your opponent to take long-range shots. Conversely, the zone can allow your opponent to run out the clock by not attacking the goal and just passing the ball around the perimeter. I would stick with man-to-man defense. During the timeout, I would encourage earlier sliding and silent double-teams when the ball carrier’s back is turned toward the middle of the
field. This gives you the best chance of getting the ball back because of a bad shot or a caused turnover. You might also consider shutting off
a particular player on their offense, or the location on the field from where the opponent likes to shoot, regardless of which offensive player occupies it.
Do you pull the goalie? You should pull your goalie to shut off a player or double-team the ball only if: There’s less than three minutes left in regulation.
The opponent is holding the ball to run out the clock.
The ball is behind the goal. You’re down by more than two goals.
If you’re only down one goal or the ball comes back in front, I like to keep the goalie in and use high-pressure defense on the ball. An empty-net goal can be devastating.
OFFENSE
Which play or set do you run? Now is not the time to draw up a play on the whiteboard that you have never practiced before. The chances of it succeeding are slim-to-none and most likely it will result in a turnover. Stick with what the kids know and what they have been successful with the entire game. Hey, they’ve scored 13 goals. The offense can’t be that bad, right? One offense I like to have in my pocket for situations like this is some kind of open set, to spread the defense out as far as possible and try to create 1-on-1 matchups. Once you’ve found the desired matchup (your best attacker covered by a midfielder or their weakest defender), let the athletes go to work.
The defense has long slides to make should the on-ball defender get beat, and the dodger has plenty of room to work with to get a shot or a great pass to the uncovered off- ball offensive player.
58 LACROSSE MAGAZINE September 2014>>
Who’s on the field? You want to start a debate about lacrosse strategy? Ask 100 coaches about personnel for the last five minutes when you’re down by two. You’ll get 100 different responses. There are four factors to consider when thinking about your personnel:
1. Defenders. You need solid defenders in place, but consider their ability to jumpstart the transition game for your offense. Maybe you go with a lesser defender because they can get up the field quickly and have a better offensive mindset. They need to be great decision-makers with the ball in their stick and know when to push transition and when to pull the ball out and pass it to an offensive player. This is a time in the game where every player has to be an offensive threat in some capacity.
2. Goal scorers. Do you need the time-and-room shooter on the field? Do you call upon your extra-man unit? If you tie the game and gain possession in your offensive end, take a timeout and get your best offensive players back into the game to run a set play that you’ve practiced just for this situation.
3. Lacrosse players. For me, this is who I go with until we’re tied: my best all-around lacrosse players for the attack and midfield positions. I want players on the field who can play defense and offense. The last thing we want is to get a strictly offensive-minded shooter stuck on defense, where he is a bigger liability than an asset.
4. Parents. Funny how they seem to know their kids could win the game for the team if you just gave them a shot! You know your team better than anyone, so block out the noise and go with your instincts.
US L acrosse
Coaching education program
— TJ Buchanan US Lacrosse coaching education content manager
A Publication of US Lacrosse
©JOHN STROHSACKER
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