Offensive Tips for the Midfielder

A couple of weeks ago we offered some defensive tips for midfielders. This week, we have some offensive tips for midfielders.

Midfield Offense Tips

1. Endurance.  Endurance is a midfielders best friend.  As a middie you need to be the most well conditioned player on the field.  How else are you going to make a big stop on D and than go to the O side and stick a corner?

In the off season, you should be running both long-distance and sprints every day.

Even if you aren't that great of a ball handler, if you have speed, then you have much of what you need.

2. Get GREAT at ground balls. The team that controls the ground ball game, wins the actual game.  No matter what level of lacrosse you play in, there will always be ground balls to pick up.

Just remember to get low and scoop through the ball.  Pound it into your head to NEVER rake the ball, and always scoop through the ball.

One more thing to remember with ground balls. Use two hands. One-hand ground balls are for showoffs that never get the job done. Use two hands, and be a reliable ground ball man.

Kyle Harrison after a successful split dodge

3. Become a GREAT dodger.  Don't dodge with the intention of always blowing by your defender.  To score goals, midfielders only need to be able to execute a dodge that will enable them to get their hands free for a quality shot or pass.  Getting your hands free for a shot (away from your defender and his stick) while in shooting range of the goal is the key to scoring goals.

When dodging from up top, midfielders can anticipate having to take a shot from a distance no closer than 8 yards away from the goal.  This is because there is often a defender standing right in front of the goal, on the crease area, who is ready to slide and double team if the offensive player gets close to the goal. Offensive midfielders that get too close to the goal before shooting the ball will often find themselves in this double-team and unable to shoot or pass effectively (a common mistake with young players).   As a result, midfielders should learn to shoot the ball relatively quickly out of their dodge.  A midfielder that has the ball and is within 13 yards of the goal with his hands free should shoot the ball if he has a quality shot, rather than trying to run in for a closer shot (if there are other defenders blocking his path to the goal).

Execute all of your moves in a game at FULL SPEED (Practice your moves this way too). Learn to play lefty and righty equally as well.   It does not matter how good you are at a dodge. If you make the move the same way every time, your defenseman will recognize this and you'll never get your hands free.

A player has a big advantage dodging from up top rather than behind the goal because they start their dodge while facing the goal, and therefore already have a shooting angle on the goal.  For midfielders, a basic split dodge is the dodge that will most often help you get your hands free for a shot, because when done correctly, it creates the most space between you and your defender than other dodges.  Midfielders should practice dodging and shooting drills designed to create separation from a defender within scoring range of the goal.

At the intermediate level, the split dodge is the primary dodge a midfielder should use.  It is actually better to have midfielders concentrate on this dodge because it makes them go north-south. Too often at the youth level, midfielders try to go back and forth across the field as they slowly back their way to the goal.  They either use a million face dodges or a million roll dodges and if they are lucky they get to the goal in a one-on-one situation. This is not an effective way to get to the goal in a game and it is not a dodge that any player would use at a more advanced level because he would get crushed.

Midfielders should be encouraged to make one hard move (a split dodge) and go to the goal.  Midfielders should attack their defenders “top” or “outside” foot, make them change direction, and then go to the goal. Midfielders will make split dodges from up top or from the wing but should never dodge east-west.  Getting to the goal or drawing a slide and passing is the main job for the midfielder on offense.  It is that easy.  A midfielder that understands this concept at an intermediate level will make them much better than their competition.

4. Become GREAT at shooting on the run.  Since they are learning to make one hard move and go to the goal, midfielders must also learn to shoot on the run. This is something that takes a great deal of practice and repetition. During practice, focus about 90% of the time shooting on the run. That is really the shot you will use most of the time in a game. The ability to shoot well on the run rests on the skills of snapping the wrists over and twisting the upper body.

Try to be deceptive. Try to hide your stick behind your body until the last second. And, make sure to shoot with the proper technique. Remember to:

• Get your hands away from your body - Hands and elbows high and away from your body, hands 12 inches apart close to the bottom of your handle
• Snap your stick over the top with your wrists
• Turn your shoulders and hips and uncork like a golfer
• Drive with your front shoulder toward the goal

Some players find it more effective to bring their hands closer together when shooting on the run because it gives them more torque on their shot.  Some players also find that jumping while shooting on the run gives them more power as it allows them to twist their body more as they are in the air.  This is a very difficult skill to learn and is more suitable for stronger, more advanced players.  If you are fading away from the goal or shooting off your back foot or not turning and shooting in stride, you’ll want to practice to break these bad habits right away.  A young midfielder who can learn to shoot on the run effectively will have a very bright future as a lacrosse player.

5. Perfect your quick stick. Quick sticking can be the most lethal attribute that a middie can have.  It is so difficult for the defender and the goalie to stop it, or to even see it coming.

It doesn't require a lot of power (or skill) to do. Just get out to a brick wall, and play wall ball.

It is very important that you learn how to quick stick with both hands. Doing this might make you the MVP of your team (at least for scoring and finishing).

6. Practice Time and Room shooting as well (midfielders have to be well-rounded). To learn to shoot with time and room from the outside, young midfielders should first try to catch the ball behind them.  If the midfielder can learn to catch the ball with his arms extended, his hands away from his body, and his stick behind him, then this will set him up for a great outside shot.

As he catches the ball, the midfielder wants to push off his back foot and step with his front foot, take a small cradle, and let the ball go.   Just having a quick shot at this level will catch goalies off guard.

Much like shooting on the run, catching and shooting with time and room is learned from a great deal of repetition. The more it is practiced, the greater the level of muscle-memory will come into play. Things to watch out for and avoid when practicing time and room shots are letting your hands get to close to your body, letting the head of your stick drop, using your arms instead of your wrists, stepping with the wrong foot, and attacking the ball when catching instead of receiving it behind you.

7. Learn how to play off the ball. Off ball play is an overlooked and important part of the midfielder's game. 60-70% of the goals scored are assisted by a teammate. To get these scoring opportunities however, you must know how to move without the ball.

Here are four tips to better off ball play:

• After throwing a pass, immediately cut to the goal for a return pass (give and go), Most defenseman relax after you give up the ball...make em pay.
• If the defenseman covering you goes to double or help a teammate, follow behind him and get in a passing lane.
• Always cut to the ball as hard and fast as you do when you dodge. You'll be surprised how open you get just by cutting 100%.
• Watch top level lacrosse and see how the middies and attackmen cut. Also watch and play basketball.

8. Perfect your Passing game. The key to being great at midfield is learning when and how to pass.   Of course every player wants to be the one who scores the goal, but a player who can pass when necessary is worth more to the team.  Make sure that your passes have purpose. You don’t want to move the ball just for the sake of passing.  If the recipient is no better off to make a move or shot on goal, then the pass loses its value.  After a pass, however, the midfielder should hustle down to the goal to grab a return pass if necessary. A midfielder should always be on the move to keep the defense on their toes.

For young midfielders, it's important to pass before you run into trouble, find one or two or three opposing players collapsing on you and then can't make a good pass or shoot.  Midfielders need to see the field and pass to the open man before they draw the double or triple team.  It's painful to watch young midfielders dodge to the goal directly into trouble while one or two of their teammates wait open for a pass.  Learning to see the field and find the open man comes with experience.  

9. Practice your face-off technique. Don't rely on the other guy all the time. Learn some moves and practice! Young midfielders should all practice face-offs. You may be called upon to face-off in a game and you should know how to do it and practice. If not practiced, it might be hard to discover who might be good at it as well. Face-off tips coming soon.