Tips from "The Goalieman", John Weston

Advanced Fast Break Defense
January 2002
This month's column is definitely for coaches, but goalies should look at this and talk it over with their coaches too, especially if your team is not using this structure.
The fast break defense is usually taught in a basic way.  When the break begins, one defenseman sets up at what is called the POINT (out closer to the restraining line and probably playing the up attackman there). The other two defenseman are on either side of the crease.  All three form a triangle.
As the ball advances, the POINT defenseman slides to the ball, STOPPING the BALL's advance and usually forcing a pass to the point attackman. The defenseman on that side slides up to the point attackman.  The other low defenseman slides across the crease to the low attackman ball side and the point defenseman drops down with his stick in the passing lane between the point attackman and the off-ball low attackman (essentially leaving the middie that started the break open for the moment).
As play progresses, and if the defense slid well on the 1st pass, the ball will be denied from the wing attackmen low.  The offense will probablay pass ball back to the middie on the off-ball side. The low defenseman has to slide up to him, the now the off-side defenseman has to slide back across the crease and the off-ball defenseman that was high on the point attackman drops down with his stick in the passing lane between the middie and low attackman on the point attackman's side of the goal.
This is pretty standard stuff.  It is an extension of the defensive principle when the offense has more men than the defense that the 1st defender stops the progress of the ball toward the goal and the next defender defends the man who receives the 1st pass from that player.
So why would a goalie coach write about this basic part of transition defense. Goalies not only can contribute to this defense, but this defensive scheme with the goalies's help can be expanded.  In transition defense there are really four situation.  The first is when there are three defenders as described above. The next three involve four defenders, five defenders and six defenders (or all even). These are different situations yet many teams ignore the four and five defender situations and therefore don't regain defensive control until all even.
At Towson we practice all four circumstances, with the goalie telling the team which we are in.
Break 3 - When there are three defenders the goalie calls out, "BREAK THREE". and the team plays the three man rotation to the ball as described above.
Break 4 - When there are four defenders, the keeper calls out, "BREAK FOUR". and the defense setups up in a box with the middie on a top corner. This is a strong to the ball zone defense with the weak side man sagging into the middle covering cutter and the back side player(s).
Break 5 - When there are five defenders, the keeper calls out, "BREAK FIVE". and the defense setups up in a box with the middie on a top corner and another middie in the middle of the box (five on a dice formation). This is a strong to the ball zone defense with the weak side man sagging somewhat into the middle and the center man covering cutters (just until he clears out of the middle).
All Even - When the sixth man arrives the keeper lets everyone know when we are all even and can start playing our regular team defense.
At Towson we practice all these breaks and transitions so that we play as well as possible in odd man situations. The calls by the goalie are critical since we change defenses based upon our number of defenders. We have to practice these so that the keeper can recognize our numbers and the team can move from the 3 to the 4 to the 5 to the Even defense as the situation changes. Although the keeper is the quarterback calling the play, this scheme gives every defender a clear role as they get back to the defensive end of the field.
Thus, this minimizes the time when the defense is off balance as the offense comes down the field. Although it takes a while to learn, this stucture applies at the high school and above levels, not just the top of the college level. By using this and practicing it your team's goal's against will go down and you will have a more vocal keeper, a definite plus for your team.
That's all for this month - KEEP PRACTICING AND IMPROVING  Coach Jon Weston,
The Goalieman at
Weston Lacrosse, Rockville, MD
and
Goalie Coach at Towson University, Towson, MD