Longstick Defender Positioning

It is true that longstick or “close” defenders have better opportunities to create turnovers than shortstick defenders, but that is only true if they play fundamentally sound defense. Learn how to improve your defensive positioning at the wing and at X in this video from Conner Schryver.

[@AdamAnderson-ev5sn]

One of the most helpful videos for me as a beginner.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Glad it was helpful!

[@asonga5410]

Playing highschool Lacrosse as a defender and really needed this. Thanks!

[@Inquisitor61]

One of the best defense videos on KZbin, great tips !

[@SchryverLacrosse]

+Chris Onate thanks for the comment glad you liked this one. I'm working on few new videos to come out in the next couple of weeks. Let me know if there's anything in particular you want to see.

[@Inquisitor61]

+Schryver Lacrosse can you make one on different types of long pole stick checks and ideal situations to use them

[@SchryverLacrosse]

+Chris Onate I will! I'll add it to my queue. I have a few different videos on checks that I've been thinking about.

[@Merc70]

One of the best lacrosse defense videos I have seen. Thanks for putting this up, I will send this to several of the boys on my team.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Thank you Rob. We're glad this has helped. It's been busy around here this past year but we have several new videos we're scheduled to get up during the next couple of months. Let us know if you have anything in particular you want to see!

[@nathanielthomas8149]

Amazing video, I did most of this but definitely helped me know when to really position myself in certain areas like x

[@kevinbanuelos8747]

thx for the helpful tips. first year playing lacrosse and can really use these videos to learn better techniques.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Thanks for the comment Kevin. We're glad this video helped!

[@eraukah]

thanks man, this is really gonna help

[@Breacher-jt4uw]

Awesome video! I'm trying out for for varsity lacrosse for the first time my senior year. I'm a really tall guy so this video helped me out to know that I should chase and I should defend certain positions instead. Thanks alot.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

+TAPP_BREACHER Thanks for the comment I'm glad this video helped. Good luck in tryouts!

[@OpTicDemonOR]

This helped so much, I have tryouts March 1st-3rd for high school lacrosse and I'm really nervous. This video gives me a feeling that says I'm going to make the team. Thank you!

[@SchryverLacrosse]

I'm glad this helped! Good luck in tryouts and let me know if you have any questions.

[@aidenhunt6812]

This is great advice and has helped my close D a lot

[@SchryverLacrosse]

I'm glad it's helped and thanks for the comment!

[@mrxfendt]

Awesome videos you are doing. This helpes a lot especially if you have to teach youself as there are only few coaches availiable as in germany. It would be very helpful if you could do some tutorials on individual and team defense drills and what it is important to focus on.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Thanks for the comment mrxfendt! I definitely have a few thoughts on what drills can really help. On an individual level getting lots of 1 on 1 dodging is a great way to practice defensive positioning. The most important thing in 1 on 1 defending is controlling where the offensive player going on the field. For team defense drills it is smart to make sure every defensive player especially the midfielders understand the slide packages. I like to try and go over every position with every player if I can. I'll add defensive drills to my tutorials list.

[@brendanlaferty2830]

Great video

[@nicklucky8476]

Great vid!! Might Help me a lot in my first game of highschool lacrosse.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

+AlexanderLuck Thanks for the comment Alex! Let me know if you have any other questions about playing defense. Good luck this season!

[@jonathanryu43]

Awesome video. Absolutely very helpful and learned a lot from it, which I am confident that I can step up my game as a close defense. If I were to ask you to post new vids, can you post tutorial videos of how to be a good ball handler with a pole, as it's never the easiest part of playing pole?

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hi Jonathan, Thanks for the comment I'm glad it helped. I think ball handling as a d-pole is difficult to learn but having a defender who is confident with their stick is such an asset. I'll definitely add it to my tutorials list.

[@scottp8461]

Great teaching video. As far as stick position goes(man on man), I have always thought stick on stick is best...that way the head of your stick is opposite the head of the offensive players stick. O rightie/D leftie and vice versa. Switch when they do. It makes no sense to me for it to be any other way because it is impossible to block a pass with the butt end. I am also interested in your comments on defending from X. I feel that all HS players unless they know an opponent should favor pushing the player to his left hand.. any comments coach?

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hi Scott, thanks for the new comment and watching more of our videos! It is usually a safe bet to force someone to their left hand. However I believe that only works as long as the offensive player is one dimensional and cannot play with their off hand. I prefer to coach players to control areas on a field as opposed to reacting to the offensive players stick work. In my experience if a defender is too focused on the stick of the offensive player they end up falling for stick fakes instead of playing body. For that reason when I play I almost always keep the head of my stick on the upfield side of my player. You can see in the video that as soon as I cross the centerline behind the goal I switch hands to keep my stick upfield. This deters the offensive player from dodging that direction and keeps the defender ready for the roll back which is when most X defenders get beat. If you are worried about the ability to block a feed or interfere with a pass then I usually try to coach my players to lift an elbow or wrist of the offensive players bottom hand. Most people don't realize that in a passing or shooting position the offensive player's elbow is usually the closest thing and it is easy to perform a lift in that situation. Let me know if you have any other questions!

[@omerfarukyetistirici5045]

Where did you shoot this video? The background is amazing. It wouldn't be bad to lax there :).

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hello ömer, Thanks for the comment! We shot this video in our hometown of Ojai, California. It's definitely a good spot to play.

[@omerfarukyetistirici5045]

I am a Turkish Box Lacrosse National Team player and I definitely want to lax over there one day. Greetings from Istanbul.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Thanks for reaching out - fun to have some international lax action on the comment board! Seems like you might know one of my old teammates, Seth Mahler. He plays for Israel and works in their lacrosse development program.

[@the_boss2194]

Which mesh do you recommend for my stick? I have hard mesh, should I get something in the middle like Hero or East Coast?

[@SchryverLacrosse]

+The_Boss thanks for asking. I have successfully played with lots of sticks strung with hard mesh. That being said if you are looking to change I currently play with East Coast Dyes Hero Mesh and it has been awesome. Also super durable. If you are looking to switch mesh you can't go wrong with hero mesh and the hero mesh strings.

[@justhere588]

I need help with a issue I’m having with positioning, I’m not the strongest player on our defensive line and when I play they stick me with the guy at X, they don’t want me to go behind GLE but I also don’t want to screen the goalie, they’ve told me to run across the crease but that also seems to not work well. I really need help with my positioning so I can keep playing without angering my teammates.

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hello @Just Here thanks for commenting and sharing your question. It can be a little be trickier to play X without extending behind GLE. There are a couple of things you can do to help yourself out though. First when your guy doesn't have the ball you need to be able to position yourself in a way that you can see both where the ball is and where your X attackman is at the same time. If you don't it can make it extremely easy to lose track of the X attackman and let him get open for an easy goal. To do this you will need to stand sort of sideways between the X attackman and the player with the ball that way to one side of you is your guy and the other side is the player with the ball. Instead of looking behind you to find the where your player is you simple turn your head a little bit left or right.. Next you have to be aware of where your goalie is and not stand in their line of sight to the ball. This might mean that sometimes you stand slightly higher up on the crease or a step or two behind GLE. You will need to constantly adjust as the ball moves around and be decisive about where you are going to move to so that you move quickly in and out of your goalie's sight. Finally when your X attackman does have the ball you have to be extremely disciplined about not pursuing them behind the goal. If your coach has you playing X only at GLE then your job is to meet and stop them physically when they get to GLE. This is a physical battle and you will have to rely on pushing them back away from GLE as opposed to relying on stick checks to make them lose the ball. You won't be a takeaway player in this position so don't worry about trying to make them lose the ball. Just keep them behind the goal and don't let them get topside. You can get yourself out of position easily if you pursue them behind the goal. You have to be very patient and let them go behind the goal and then run across the crease to meet them on the other side when they threaten GLE again. I hope this helps! Let me know if you have more questions after reading this.

[@erby111]

The lower camera is weird when it's to the side

[@SchryverLacrosse]

I would have to agree +Ever Morrow it was an interesting choice on my part : /

[@juancamilovalerolesmes583]

Why the defender switch hands? I think you're not supposed to do that...

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hi Juan, Thanks for asking. More often than not coaches will tell close defenders to play only with your strong hand. I certainly coach my players this way. I played quite a bit in college as a defensive midfielder and would switch hands to keep the head of my stick up-field depending on which side of the field I was on. All that practice switching hands made me really comfortable playing defense with either hand being dominate. In this video I sort of just fell into old muscle memory habits . . . Although I do think keeping the head of your stick upfield makes it harder for the offensive player - as long as the Defender is confident and skilled enough to play with both hands and he doesn't get out of position while switching.

[@bomberstringz3031]

What brand of long pole would you recommend

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Hey Bomber Stringz thanks for the comment. I don't have any specific brands that I recommend but for younger players and most high school players I recommend using a light shaft. Something like a Kryptolyte shaft from Warrior or equivalent from another brand. The light shaft helps the speed of your checks and ball handling ability. As players get older and stronger they can upgrade to Titanium shafts that will be heavier but will last much longer. Don't get a super skinny head or a super wide head. Something in the middle is a good mix for easier catching but good ball handling as well.

[@seanwheeler1733]

Why didn't you talk about the point

[@SchryverLacrosse]

Thanks for the comment. What do you mean by the point?

[@louisbrody582]

Schryver Lacrosse i think he means top of the triangle... Great vide btw