The 2 Man Game Presented by: Shaun Lux

Agenda Intro What the 2-man game means to me Basic principles and fundamentals for teaching the 2-man game How the 2-man game relates to team offense

Coach Shaun Lux Over 20 years playing experience 5 years collegiate coaching experience Associate Head Coach at the Marist School (GA) Atlanta Youth Lacrosse Director of Lux-Lax Former assistant coach at St. John Fisher College Played at Mercyhurst College Played for Fairport High School, Fairport, NY

What the 2-man game means to me The craft of using teammates to create an offensive advantage The goal … to use line-mates in tandem to become a potent offensive threat Enables teams to be more diverse on offense and requires defenses to constantly pay attention to detail Ultimately, creating opportunities within your team offense and chances to score independently The 2-man game is the next step to becoming a better player

Teaching the principles and fundamentals … The 2-man game Teaching the principles and fundamentals … Who What Where When Why

Why The average offensive player has the ball for a total of three minutes in a 60-minute game The 2-man game is what players can focus on the other 57 minutes

Why Create scenarios that cause the most confusion for the defense Get players open Your best players will meet their match … ensure you have options to free them up Create space to create shots Use the 2-man game to free up your best shooters Create mismatches Force defenses to switch creating mismatches for your best players. Exploit the big/little matchup

Who uses the two man game PLAYERS: Offensive players who can use it effectively The 2-man game is a great tool, but if done wrong it can cause turnovers Players who need to get open Players having trouble getting open use the 2-man game to free them up Linemates Use the 2-man game to create a dynamic threat

Who uses the two man game COACHES: Can you run by people? If your team isn’t full of studs then using picks, screens and seals can get players open If you can run by people: Use the 2-man game to free up your best players when they meet a defensive equal Team Offense: Build in 2-man looks in your offense Practice Tip: When doing 2 vs. 2 drill - have linemates pair up for half of the time

Teach the basics of the 2-man game … develop the core fundamentals What do we teach Teach the basics of the 2-man game … develop the core fundamentals

Types of Picks, Screens & Seals Pick and Sweep Standard Pick and Roll: Horizontal pick Screen or Pick and Slip: Right before the Picker sets the pick, he slips through to get open Seal: Seal is used to describe a pick on the crease “Princeton Pick”: Pick set at the GLE for Attackman coming from X Vertical Pick: Pick where usually Middies are stacked vertically of each other

The Pick Set the pick properly Ensure you are stable when setting the pick Set the defender up by picking on the “On-Ball” Defender’s Blind Side Players should square up their shoulders to the player they are picking Players should keep stick ¾ and hands in front of numbers Player needs to be responsible for what comes up after the pick! The pick is one of those things that can look beautiful or absolutely terrible. People really think only one person sets a pick, but a pick is a 2 man play no matter how you look at it. You have the Picker and the Pickee. Each have their own role when it comes time to execute the pick. Things to consider when teaching the Pick:

The Pick Attack the pick properly Attacking the pick properly is as important as setting a pick properly It’s the ball carrier's job to run his defender off the Pick Set up your defender by dodging into the pick Position yourself where your man can’t recover to play you The pick is one of those things that can look beautiful or absolutely terrible. People really think only one person sets a pick, but a pick is a 2 man play no matter how you look at it. You have the Picker and the Pickee. Each have their own role when it comes time to execute the pick. Things to consider when teaching the Pick: Coaching Point: Coaches teach pickers to rub shoulders. If you can't get that close, make sure you’re close enough to the pick that the defender can’t slip through.

The Pick What are you trying to accomplish with the Pick? Creating the big/little matchup? Where a short stick defenseman is covering an attackman … requiring more time because you must force the defenders to switch Going to the goal? If you’re looking to go to the goal, you need to ensure proper angles of attack and spacing Are you attacking from up top? Pick & Sweep picks need to be set on the far side of the goal so players can have a good angle to shoot Are you attacking from behind? Coming from X, players must come off the pick and around the cage with enough room to get a good shot

The Pick: What comes after? Most important is what you do after the pick! Sweep and Shoot or horizontal picks Look for the picker rolling, slipping to space Throw the ball through and rotate the offense Feed the open man Patience is key, if it’s not there don’t force it

Options off the Pick Pick & Roll - #1 The Picker using his body to block his defender and roll to the goal Picker needs to lead with his stick going toward the goal. This prevents trail checks and shows where he wants the ball. Picker needs to remember to “Swing the Gate” “Swing the Gate”: When a player sets the pick, teach them to swing to the inside to get open … just like a gate. This is a great way to teach players to Pick and Roll properly.

Keys to the Pick & Roll Be Ready! Players must be aware that after they set the pick a pass may be coming! Swing the Gate! Something I see players constantly doing wrong … After the pick, players often turn and run away while looking over their shoulder Instead - stress that after you pick, roll to the inside acting like a swinging gate

Keys to the Pick & Roll Keep your stick up! Give your teammate a target If you don’t get the ball, balance up the offense Used when teams are not switching effectively Coaching Point: When using the pick behind at X talk about how to use it when the defense switches properly vs. when they show and play around the pick.

Pick & Roll - Breakdown

Pick at X – Pick and Shot

Pick at X – Pick and Roll

Princeton Pick – Pick & Shot

Princeton Pick – Pick & Roll

Options off the Pick Pick & Slip - #2 Set the Pick … then as the offensive player with the ball approaches (before he arrives) slip away for the pass Used if the defense is trying to switch on the picks rather than show and stay above Best after a few successful picks, defense will eventually switch on the pick allowing the slip Coaching Point: As you insert the slip into your offense, ensure you keep the other 4 players balanced away from the action. Spread the slide out as far as possible!

Pick & Slip from up top

Pick & Slip from X

Why the Vertical Pick? In a vertical pick, the ball-carrier runs off a screen while running parallel to the sideline Vertical picks are more difficult to defend, once a player is beat they immediately have a look at the cage Using the Vertical Pick the middie has a significant advantage because they are attacking downhill at full speed This forces the defense to switch more often, which can create mismatches with the big/little Because you’re typically running these picks on the side of the goal, rather than behind or up top, you’re constantly a threat to score

Vertical Picks … harder to defend It is easier for a defender to switch on a horizontal pick than when turning and running downhill, defending a vertical pick While defending a vertical pick, it is more urgent for a defender to recover off the pick compared to an east and west pick On a vertical pick, you’re defending a dodger coming right at you and to the goal … any misstep leads to a goal

Great for Attacking the Pole Long vertical picks are a common element of the 2-man game when teams run a 1-4-1 Pull the middie with the ball way out past the top of the restraining box and have him run at a longstick middie The long dodge means the dodger can run his defender into the pick, removing some responsibility from the picker

Vertical Pick

Vertical pick hit man on roll

Things to Consider A pick without movement afterwards … is easy to defend! What do you do after the pick? What do you do if your not involved?

Give and Go The Give and GO is the most basic 2-man play. The easiest way to practice this is with Give and Go Shooting. Inform players to always look back to where the ball came from If the defense is ball watching, then the Give & Go will be there Slow defenders make perfect targets Stay away from the LSM’s

Give and Go Shooting 1 4 3 2

Give and Go Shooting 1 2 4 3

Give and Go Shooting 3 1 2 4

Give and Go Shooting 2 3 4 1

Give & Go Look

Backdoor Cut The player makes a break to receive a pass, then once his defender catches up, he back-cuts his man, then receives the pass Tell players they need to sprint to make a back door cut work Communication needs to come from the passer Have passer call out players name to signal back door cut Most effective when defense is playing ball side heavy and it’s man to man defense

Backdoor Cut

Flip Play The Flip/Fake Flip is a great tool. It’s essentially a screen where you hide the location of the ball. Always flip from outside hand to outside hand Flip to space, not to the man After the fake flip, the man without the ball has to sell the fake EMO, Offense, set plays, flip does it all! Players have to practice the flip! Coaching Point: You have to explain to the players how to flip right and how to be flip ready. Come up with a signal for a Flip and Fake Flip to ensure players know what is going on.

Best Locations for the Flip

Flip

Fake - Flip

Flip Shooting Drill Flip 2 1 3 4

Flip Shooting Drill 1 2 3 4

Flip Shooting Drill 1 Flip Again 2 3 4

Flip & Roll

Adding the flip to EMO

Adding the flip to EMO

What to do without the ball The key to the 2-man game is what the off-ball players are doing Balance the field: Ensure you have a player at X as well as having someone up top to avoid the fast break Move with a purpose: Cutting and picking all over the place only causes havoc if not within the team concept Occupy defenseman: Moving constantly will force the defense to focus on you instead of the slide Rotation Off-side players on crease can seal/screen Off-side players can set picks to free up help

Where to Apply the 2-man Game 6 spots: Top, Bottom, Wing, GLE, X, Crease

When #1 Question from coaches: when do I use this? While the 2-man game is great, you must ask … what is right for you! Do you have a FAST team? Focus on using this to free up your key players when they have a good defenseman on them Do you have a SLOWER team? Focus on building in these concepts to your offense Does you team have trouble with outside shooting? Focus on more seal play on the crease, perhaps in a 2-2-2. Want to free-up some more movement in a stagnant offense? Focus running this out of a 2-3-1 set … it fits nicely with the typical motion offense.

Things to Think About What is the D doing? How strong is your opponent? What triggers your offense? What do you want the 2-man game to accomplish?

Whoops!

Special thanks to: John Johnson – St. John Fisher College Ansley Jemison – St. John Fisher College & Asst. GM Iroquois Nationals Lou Corsetti – Atlanta Youth Lacrosse US Lacrosse