Coach Bailey’s Lacrosse Philosophies- The 10 Commandments
1.) Attack the Goal/make good decisions
2.) Check with Authority
3.) 500 touches daily
4.) Practice Hard, Play Fast
5.) Groundballs are 90% desire 10% skill
6.) Develop as a Player daily
7.) Ride Hard
8.) Push Transition
9.) Program Pride
10.) Arrive and play with Swagger
DEFENSE:
1.) Check w/Authority - send a message when sliding; slide to the body (b/n waist and shoulders) NO HEAD SHOTS/ come down hard on the wrists
2.) Team defense demands talk - communicate to each other; navigate through each defensive possession
3.) When playing one on one use your FEET to STAY in FRONT of your man, use your STICK to poke and LIFT
4.) Use the crease and or sideline as an additional defender - when able, drive the hip of the Offensive player into the crease or out of bounds from the side or front (do NOT push from behind)
5.) Force midfielders down the side of the field, keep attackman behind the cage
6.) Do not get beat back to the Hole, get into the Hole and play inside out. Buy enough time to allow our midfielders to get back and number up.
7.) When riding do NOT swing your stick, instead use your feet to TURN the player and ride his hips using the sidelines as an additional defender
8.) HUSTLE - Even if you are clueless; Sprint!! Always play at full speed
9.) Use your Head, DO NOT push from behind; NO unnecessary penalties
OFFENSE:
1.) ATTACK the goal and make good decisions!
-if no one slides sprint as close as possible and score high to low or off hip.
-if a defender slides; make the right pass to the open teammate
-off ball player follow the sliding defensemans outside shoulder, when receiving a pass, MOVE TOWARDS THE BALL, catch it, square up to cage; score
2.) Use two hands when scooping a ground ball; sprint through the ball then listen to the ball(protection), one cradle then move the ball with a pass. Do NOT push from behind if you arrive late to a ground ball late. 90% desire!!! only 10% skill. Be there first!
3.) When in tight to the cage, fake high to freeze goalie then shoot low
4.) Know your personnel - memorize each other's strong hands, preferences, dodges, likes
5.) HUSTLE!! Dodge, shoot, play as fast as you can
6.) When the opponent shoots, goalie outlet to shooters defender who anticipates the save and BREAKS OUT, SPRINTING out of the hole and pushing transition offense.
7.) Push the ball in transition; create unsettled plays, always look to move the ball in the air
8.) Anticipate & Understand situations (ie. long Def stands = possess the ball on Off, end of qtr, 10 sec count; dead ball = quick whistle, also quick whistle on endline after a shot.
9.) Cooler heads prevail - Never get too high and Never get too low; stay even keeled and focus on the next play of the game.
*Remember, as a team carry yourselves with a confident swagger and end the game before it begins!
