LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

Presented by:

Andrew Fink, Head Coach

Chris Widelo, Associate Head CoachMount Ida College

Newton, Massachusetts

Assisted by:

Jason Shemenski, Assistant Coach

James Grande, Assistant Coach

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Who is Mount Ida College?

• Small Liberal Arts college located in Newton, MA (7 miles from Boston)

• Division III athletics, compete in the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) for lacrosse

• 5x NAC Champions, 36-0 in conference• NCAA Tournament 2007 vs. Middlebury

and 2008 vs. Bowdoin

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Little Program, BIG Goals

• Program has been built on solid defense– Back to basics– Not flashy– Communication– Quality goaltending

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

Individual Defensive Mentality

• Setting up the dodge– What do you know about your opponent

• Strengths and weaknesses– Defense needs to control the offense

• Ready for action! – Body positioning

» Feet » Stance» Hands» Distance - 3 feet / 6 feet

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

– First Step• Set Dodge Up Top – close gap,

control body, bump and check– 3 feet and footwork– Stay topside– Bottom hand hip– Top hand high ready to check– Bump to set up check– Poke, slap and lift

» All checks in control

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

– First Step• Set Dodge at “X” – close gap, control

body, bump and check– 3 feet and footwork– Stay topside– Bottom hand hip– Top hand high ready to check– Turn back at GLE– Close gate, sit and drive

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

– First Step• Dodge Off The Pass – poke and

drop– 6 feet and footwork– Don’t lunge, control body, stay

top-side– Poke check on hands– Poke, slap and lift

» All checks in control

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Individual Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

Team Defensive Mentality

• By controlling the dodge with proper individual technique we are reducing the risk even though the probability of being beat 1 v 1 is high

• Need to address the potential liability with a team strategy that allows us to best control the offense once we are beat 1 v 1

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

• What is our approach?

– Coordinated set of defensive terminology

• Ball, “Hot” or “1” and “2’s” “3’s• “GLE” (Goal Line Extended) and “X”• “Alley” and “topside”

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

– Where we get beat to is very important• From up top

– Keep ball out of the middle of the field

– Slow down the ball carrier– Down the alleys, out to “X”; out

and away from the goal– Force low % shots and put goalie

in the best position to succeed

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

– Where we get beat to is very important • From “X” and the wings

– Don’t get beat “topside”– Know where the GLE is– Force them back behind the goal

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

– Goalie Communications• Need to let defense know where

they are on the field and what they need to do 1 v 1 and as a team

• Making saves is a secondary responsibility. They are only as successful as the defense in front of them

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

– Most vulnerable when sliding. Plan in advance to minimize mistakes

• If everyone does their job 1 v 1 then we can anticipate who is sliding and where they are sliding to

• Pursuit angles – Go to where they will be• Slide with a check, break down and drive

player out (1 v 1 principles)– Stay in control and don’t lunge.– Body check is not the priority. Contain

ball carrier and move out and away from the goal.

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

– Most vulnerable when sliding. Plan in advance to minimize mistakes

• Player that is beat needs to recover to crease and find open man.

• “2” slide needs to communicate where the open man is to the recovering defender

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Team Defensive Mentality

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Defensive System

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

O & D

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

O & D

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

O & D

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

O & D

LEARN.LEARN.

LEAD. LEAD.

INSPIRE. INSPIRE.

Contact Information

Andrew Fink, Head CoachMount Ida College

afink@mountida.edu (617) 928-7207; ext 7207

Chris Widelo, Associate Head CoachMount Ida College

cwidelo@mountida.edu(617) 928-7207; ext 7207