3x NCAA Champions, including back-to-back seasons (2013-14); 2x NCAA Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year;
and Matt Danowski, Duke University Assistant Coach;
member of the Charlotte Hounds (MLL), 6x MLL All-Star and was named to the All-MLL team in 2010 and 2011; 4x All American at Duke, 2007 Consensus NCAA Player of the Year, NCAA All-Time leading scorer
Going beyond basic attack position techniques, Matt Danowski, the NCAA's all-time leading scorer, teaches the attack standards that he has developed into a proven attack philosophy. Using whiteboard explanations and on-field demonstrations, Coach Danowski explains how to play the attack position using the Duke standards of play. These include receiving the ball under pressure, protecting the ball, dodging with head up while looking to feed, getting open and creating space.
Coach Danowski gives standards for protecting your stick using footwork and correct hand and body positioning. Focusing on-ball and off-ball movements, the progression of drills presented here, including C-cuts, S-cuts and Fish Hook cuts, will strengthen your players' ability to control the ball. This simple, commonsense approach to playing the attack position provides an easy-to-follow strategy that will greatly improve all aspects of your offense.
Attacking the goal from behind the net is covered with several options to increase scoring opportunities. These drills will prepare you to successfully react to the actions of the defense. Discover how to play from behind and attack the goal. Know where to carry your stick and create separation. Learn how to read the defender to know when to use a Step Away Shot, Rocker Step, or Inside Roll. Using these methods, your attack will be better prepared to respond to the actions of the defense.
Coach Danowski discusses how to look inside, look through for the skip pass or look forward all while handling a double team or slide. He then takes the viewer through a series of cuts, explaining how to get open using them and which cut works best with specific dodgers and their position.
This comprehensive DVD also covers situational needs. Coach Danowski shows attackers where to line up on face-offs while the ball is in the defensive end and when approaching on the fast break. He then describes and demonstrates how attackers should move on loose ground balls off a face-off, how to follow the defense's slide to the fast break and how to receive the ball in a scoring area. Finally, he discusses how to play the ride and force the defense to throw over the top to delay the clear and increase the chance for mistakes.
This is a must-have DVD for any coach or athlete who wants to rise to Duke's successful level of play. Using the drills and methods shown here will provide a foundational balance for your attack men. Working from a standard game plan, your attack will soon develop into an effective, efficient offense.
59 minutes. 2014.
LXD-04691B: with John Danowski, Duke University Head Coach;
3x NCAA Champions, including back-to-back seasons (2013-14); 2x NCAA Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year;
and Ron Caputo, Duke University Assistant Coach
In this dynamic presentation, Ron Caputo tells you how Duke' lacrosse squad is able to advance past the fundamental pillars of shooting and progress into mobility shooting and shooting on the run. Coach Caputo shares 15 step-by-step progressive shooting drills designed to isolate the key, individual movements needed to become a successful shooter. Each drill isolates one or two critical concepts that will improve a shooter's accuracy, velocity and quickness when releasing the ball. The simplicity of each drill allows the player and coach to effectively evaluate the shooter's effort so that corrections are easily implemented.
Coach Caputo initiates the shooting drills by teaching players how to receive a pass. The faster you can get the ball out of your stick, the less time the defense has to adjust to your shooting. Concentrating on receiving the ball in "the loaded position" more easily engages your core muscles. Also, receiving the ball in "the loaded position" allows for a faster release. Coach Caputo takes players through a Weight Exchange Drill to transfer power to the shot, and follows that with a series of drills to create accuracy and power.
The next set of drills focuses on movement and correct body positioning. Players learn how to concentrate on footwork when receiving the ball and shooting on goal. Catching the ball in the correct position and shooting the ball with your feet and body correctly orientated to the goal helps players find "room and time" to be successful shooters.
Mobility shooting begins with an emphasis on engaging the shooter's core muscles. In the first mobility drills, the shooter starts by taking only two steps before shooting. After a series of individual movements that emphasize engaging your core for greater velocity, the drills progress to training players how to accept the ball, split to change direction, load and drive the ball with power low and away. Working from three yards out, Coach Caputo takes players through a shooting drill over one goal into another to develop extension on the player's shots while emphasizing shooting down low.
Coach Caputo builds his drills to increase the success of the attack man and shows how to finish with two strong inside cutting strategies. He shows the correct position to accept the ball on the cut, create torque with your shoulders and finish with a quick shot using the top hand to "hammer the nail." Coach Caputo shows what to do when covered while cutting, showing how to backside dive to create another scoring opportunity.
Scoring while on the run is one of the hardest offensive concepts in lacrosse. This presentation delivers an easy-to-follow drill progression that will improve the shooter's ability to shoot while on the run. Players of any experience level will benefit from these strategies. Coaches will be able to dramatically improve their ability to help their players become more effective shooters.
58 minutes. 2014.
LXD-04718: with John Danowski, Duke University Head Coach;
3x NCAA champions, including back-to-back seasons (2013-14); 2x NCAA Men's Lacrosse Coach of the Year;
and Ron Caputo, Duke University Assistant Coach
Successful face-offs lead to ball control and extra possessions, which is the key to winning at any level.
Multi-time National Championship coach John Danowski has had tremendous success with his face-off system, fueling one of the leading scoring offenses in the NCAA. The Blue Devil focus on face-offs helped lead the way to back-to-back championships in 2013 and 2014.
This presentation includes three parts:
- an in-depth marker board explanation of the fundamentals of team face-off play
- a series of face-off drills with on-field demonstrations
- grip workouts for face-off players demonstrated by Carl Christensen, Duke Sports Performance Coach
Team Face-offs
Coach Danowski opens with a thorough PowerPoint presentation of Duke's team approach to face-offs. He discusses in detail various ways to possess the ball, covering technical skills as well as correct positioning, forward thinking and preparation for the face-off team. The expectations and actions of every man on the face-off team are discussed.
Coach Danowski takes you through a detailed evaluation of face-offs, gaining possession, goals, outcomes of the draw, wing play, boxing out, attack, close defense and goalie play on the face-off. He concludes the section by addressing game management, special situations and unusual face-off situations.
The position of every player on the field is considered and evaluated to help them deliver their most concentrated effort in support of winning the face off.
Individual & Partner Face-Off Drills
Coach Caputo explains the "Rock, Paper, Scissors" philosophy of face-offs, developed by former Dartmouth Head Coach Andy Towers. The analogy is used by players to remember to clamp, jam, and rake/laser, which trains them to develop secondary moves and thus win more draws.
Using on-field demonstrations, Coach Caputo shares individual and partner drills designed to increase face-off success and then manage the loose ball situations with box-out and team calls to open areas. These drills, which are easy to teach, execute and implement, will develop hand speed and reinforce the importance of low positioning so that you can gain advantage over your opponent. Your individual face-offs will become faster and stronger, and defensively you will be able to quickly identify your opponent's first move and counter with the appropriate defensive move.
Grip Workouts for Face-Offs
The presentation ends with Coach Christensen's demonstration of weight room exercises. The series includes Towel Grip Pull-ups, Baseball Grip Pull-ups, Fat Grips with Dumbbells, Rice Bucket Drill, Wrist Rollers-all of which are designed to build hand and shoulder strength.
Duke's face-off system can be easily modified to any level of the play. This philosophy will have your team approaching the face-off as a strong, single-minded and well focused team.
76 minutes. 2014.