Playing Fast

Offense has been on my mind a lot lately as we head toward March 9- partially because I will be spending more time with our offense than I have in past years, and in part because I don't think we were particularly good at it last season. Sure we had a few standout players that created trouble for opposing defenses, and we found ways to win last year, but overall didn't ever become the prolific, attacking, opportunistic offense I always dream we can be.

This year, I want that to change all of that. This year, I want to play fast.

I don't mean (just) 40 yard dash fast- I mean I want to attack the opponents cage every time, all the time. I don't want our guys just to "get the ball down the side and get it to X" on transition- I want the guy carrying the ball up field- short stick, long stick, goalie, fogo, whatever I want him attacking the defense with an intent to score when he crosses midline. I want the ball to move in and out of out sticks quickly- I don't want the ball to die in the stick of some player who thinks his range is at 15 yards- I want our shots to be inside of 8 yards (8 inches would be nice) by making an extra pass, or two. I don't want to play settled 6v6 offense- Let's attack the cage when they are unsettled, when they have only 5 guys in, when they don't have any idea who their 1st or 2nd slide will be.

I would be happy with 15 second possessions, as long as we are taking the shot from inside 8 yards. Heck, let's keep the O mids on the bench and just play fast break lacrosse- d-mids (I hate that term) and long poles sprinting up field flooding into the offensive zone- all 3 of them- not giving the other team a chance to sub- attacking in transition. Heck, maybe we wont have offensive and defensive mids any more- maybe just 2 way middies who can play defense AND offense- just athletes being athletes.

Sure seems like a lot more fun to me- and if we are sprinting up field all the time, we can play more guys.

So what does it take?

First- it starts with me. I have to change my attitude about the whole "O thing". Playing fast and up tempo means making mistakes...it means a few more turn overs and we (I) have to be ok with it. It's moving the give and take paradigm thing from controlled possessions with 1 single great scoring chance to taking 4 shots and scoring on 2 of them. It means being ok with a mistake as long we are 1) sprinting to create a play before the mistake 2)sprinting after it when we do (like riding the heck out of them after they get the ball on a blown fast break). We also have to practice it. I think we spend a lot of time practicing 6v6 settled offense, more time than we are actually in 6v6 in a game.

What else? We have to have great sticks skills...all of us...yeah...you too. Goalies who can pass (and get out of the cage and run a bit), long poles who can handle cross field passes, short passes, dodges, midfielders who can dodge to score coming from the defensive side. We have to shorten the amount of time the that the ball in our stick- quick, crisp passes that start from your ear and end at your nose (11 to 1 passing)- not the big wind up and follow through- and be able to handle the imperfect pass- catch the one at our knee and above our head. Write this one down- get on the wall. We have to always be a threat to dodge, shoot, or pass- basketball calls that "triple threat"- we have to be a triple threat when the ball in our stick- we have to be even more of threat when the ball isn't in our stick.

We have to be able to attack in the unsettled- face offs, transition offense, successful rides and ground balls- all opportunities to attack the cage before we get to 6v6.

What else? Gotta be in shape- you knew that was coming. We have to be able to play 3 minutes of defense, sprint up field, ride the ball back and play another 2 minutes. No subs- keep their guys on the field. How can we work even harder on it this year than we did last year? "Coach Vincent doesn't know what he is doing- half the time we just run sprints." I'll bet I can name a few other coaches from last year that wish they spent a bit more time at it.

I want to play fast...but its less about the x's and o's and more about the Jimmy's and Joe's- getting our guys ready with the tools- impeccable fundamentals, gas in the tank for all 48 minutes, and an environment that allows athletes to be athletes.

Get on the wall

Coach V