A Lacrosse Weekend 11.19.22

Welcome to "A Lacrosse Weekend" my weekly compilation of thoughts, ideas, stories, myths, truths, about the great game of lacrosse. I hope you enjoy it!   

If you are a men's or women's lacrosse player, coach, or parent, I think you will love the weekly content, videos, and analysis.

Installing the 141 Offense - JM3 YouTube Channel

When I launched the JM3 Sports Coaches Training Program in 2018 my goal was to create content that was both cutting edge and practical: a Division I coach would take something away from a presentation and a high school or Youth coach could apply the concepts for their teams.  I'm excited to share some of my favorite all time content like this 141 breakdown with the world on our JM3 YouTube Channel!

One of the revelations I had while producing this webinar is that the 141 and it's "Hot Spots" are the foundation of every modern dodging / spacing offense.  Therefore mastering and understanding this offense will have a positive effect on any set you decide to run! This is as comprehensive of breakdown of the 141 offense as you will find!

Here's a list of what is covered:

• 141 Advantages, Motions, and Adjacent Movements
• Hot Spots & Lateral Spacing
• Through X to The Float  / Reverse to The Follow
• Crease Play  
•  Exchanges: The Denver Exchange, Crease/X Exchange , The Dave Cottle Look
• Pairs Looks - Mirror Action , Crease/Wing Pick
•   3 Man Midfield Rotations
• Center Dodge plays: The AT look and Double Mumbo
• Applying 141 concepts to other sets 

The content in the JM3 Coaches Training Program like this 141 webinar will stand the test of time.  That said, at JM3 we are constantly evolving.  The updated content from our Virtual Lacrosse Summit speakers as well as the Principles Based Lacrosse content allows us to share the older stuff to make way for the newer stuff!  Enjoy! 

Coaching Girls Lacrosse Using A Constraints Led Approach

If you want to see the JM3 Athlete model in action, check out the video above of middle school girls playing various small sided pick up games using multiple constraints such as:

• small nets
• shot clock
• space limitations
• boys sticks
• uneven games, all even games,
• Scoring systems
• Coaches playing in the games

In these games skills literally emerge as solutions to the challenges and problems presented by the situations.  Creativity, deception, communication, anticipation occur naturally and if you look closely, you can literally see the girls learning and figuring things out in real time!

At JM3 Sports we leverage the concepts of the Constraints Led Approach (CLA) and Non-Linear Pedagogy in our Free Play and on field coaching with phenomenal impact.  These two articles are a MUST READ for any coach!  Below is a quote summing up the CLA:

"A constraints led approach is a teaching/coaching method based on the principles of the non-linear pedagogy. It advocates a more ‘hands-off’ approach to teaching and learning within Physical Education. Through the manipulation of certain constraints, different information is presented to the learner. In turn, the learner is then challenged and channelled to find their own movement solutions to the problems faced or the goals needed to be achieved. These constraints are the boundaries in which our pupils can search for those solutions."

 The final piece of the development puzzle for our JM3 Athlete program is film review.  If you read the above articles you now understand that an athlete perceives her surroundings and executes an action or makes a decision.  This is called Perception - Action Coupling.  Therefore, If a player has a better understanding of the situation she is in, she can make better decisions.   Our model of creating free play environments utilizing variable constraints combined with regular film review is a rinse and repeat guarantee for huge improvements!

If you are interested in learning more about the JM3 Athlete Program or the JM3 Women's Coaches Training Program, feel free to email me at [email protected]!

JM3 YouTube Channel

BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE YOUTUBE CHANNEL! We have been uploading a ton of content that will help you shift to the next gear.

CLICK [HERE] to SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

We are in the process of ramping up the content on our JM3 YouTube Channel with videos, webinars, breakdowns, training clips, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse, box lacrosse, podcasts and more!  Over the past five years, I have produced endless instructional lacrosse content and now I'm going into the JM3 archives and sharing some of my all time favorite stuff!  Hopefully this will give you a thirst for more!  Please note that the YouTube content is the tip of the iceberg.  I literally have 15,000 videos on my Vimeo and am creating new ideas, new drills, new games, and advancing new concepts on a weekly basis.  Please subscribe to the channel and if you want more, become a subscriber to the CTP!

 A Dissertation On Hesitation Moves

The 9:26 video below is an excellent breakdown of Hesitation Moves, which covers and explains just about every variation imaginable!  This video was created for the JM3 Attack and Midfield Academy and is well worth the time!

Hesitations are undoubtedly one of the most difficult skills for athletes learn and impossible to teach.  Yes, we can explain the concept and show examples like I'm doing in this blog, but many applications of hesitations are counter intuitive and require a "Feel" for dodging that cannot be taught.   

Hesitation Moves After You Get A Step

While most players use some kind of a hesitation to initiate a move, like a split dodge or hitch and go, hesitations have so many more applications even after you get a step!

One scenario that occurs all the time: a dodger, gets a step and his man and is hip to hip with his defender, but the defense is putting up a good fight with physicality, most players will roll back, whereas a hesitation move would be a better choice.  One analogy I use all the time with my JM3 Athletes is, a "Hesi" is like tapping the brake lights when someone is tailgating you while driving:  they slow down while you're hitting the gas.  Watch the video of PLL Cannons Stephen Rehfuss, who is a master of using hesitation moves, "Tapping the brake lights!"

Sometimes you want to use hesitations even if you've broken the ankles of your man!  Letting your man catch up a little bit and slowing down holds sliders and buys time for decision making.  This is one of the most counter intuitive concepts, but is seen regularly in hoops!  You almost never see a guard make a move from outside the 3 point line and get to the basket without several hesitations on the way to the rim.  The reason: to hold off the shot blockers!

The On The Run Hitch

The On The Run Hitch is one of the most important and exciting moves a player can learn and I talk about this a lot with my JM3 Athletes!  What makes the On The Run Hitch unique is this move can be done at speed without breaking stride!  Whereas many hesitations and hitches involve stuttering your feet, crow hopping, shuffling etc,  the On The Run Hitch is a One Foot Hesitation that allows the dodger to elicit defensive responses without slowing down. 

If you watch the video below, you will see players selling shot by dropping their hands and loading up on their jump shot foot with a subtle one foot hesitation, drawing checks to their fake, allowing them a window of opportunity to get a shot off after the fake.  This move works equally well coming up the hashes to get a shot off as it works sweeping across the top or down the alley.  If you watch closely you will see that not only do the on ball defenders react to this hitch but the off ball defenders AND goalies react.

On The Run Hitches Improve Deceptive Shooting On The Run

One interesting application of the On The Run Hitch is in the deceptiveness of a shot on the run.  When people think about deception they generally think about the deception of "Where" you're shooting.  Looking low to shoot high, etc.  However, the deception of "When" you release the shot is arguably the most powerful!  Watch the clip below of Zach Currier using the one foot hesitation of his On The Run Hitch to impact the goalie. 

Ryder Garnsey = Case Study on Hesitations

Ryder Garnsey uses the On The Run Hitch as well as any player in the world!  Watch the way he uses this technique in conjunction with his Dead Shoulder Hesitation.  This combination is like a cheat code!  Here's the sequence:

• When your back is to your defender on the run, shuffle or post up, you are in a deep spin posture and therefore your underneath threat is enhanced
• The Dead Shoulder Hesitation sells the Spin move while creating an enhanced top side step compared to a Classic Rocker Step
• The On The Run Hitch executed right after a Dead Shoulder Move draws checks and "Opens windows" to shoot 

Hip Swivel Hesitation

Watch Ryder Garnsey use Hip Swivel technique to abuse a UNC short stick defender.  This technique creates beautiful hesitations and can be applied to both Pop outs and Stop and Go moves.

A couple of years ago I was watching this Steve Nash Breakdown.  I watched it 10 times actually!  The amount of techniques applicable to what we teach is mind blowing!

One technique I found fascinating was the "Hip Swivel" is an amazing hesitation move where when the dodger flips their hips, it creates a natural and devastating hesitation!  It is the move I discovered years earlier during my 3 Step Dodging exploration!

Watch the Steve Nash Breakdown!

How To Learn Hesitation Moves

Truth be told, I haven't taught 3 Steps or Hip Swivel very much since my Denver days.  In a Division one setting we had endless time to work on it, but in high school and club settings, there hasn't been time, until now!  The best way to learn 3 Step Dodging and Hip Swivel is in Area 1v1's!

The reason most players don't get great at hesitation moves is because when they do 1v1's, they usually make one hard move, run past their defender and shoot.  This is why Area 1v1's are so effective at creating an environment where kids learn how to use hesitation moves in all different ways!  In this drill you will use hesitations moves to initiate a move, on your bounce out re-dodge, while initiating contact and trying to cut your man off, and in your post up where you can use dead shoulder hesitations.  When I say this is the most important dodging drill anyone can do I'm not exaggerating!  do this drill!  Go to the JM3 YouTube Channel to watch a full breakdown on Area 1v1's in the Backyard Curriculum Webinar!

Get your season started off right by learning the skills, drills, and strategies in the Coaches Training Program [LEARN MORE HERE]

 Have a great weekend!