Scotland Defense

1. Scotland Defense jmklax@aol.com www.lacrossecoach.org

2. Defensive Terms • Crunch – slough or collapse to the “Island” • Island – the area of the defensive area also known as the “hole” – an area just above the crease • Crash – Slide comes from the “Crease” • Tunic (Two Nick) – first slide is adjacent; second slide from crease Yellow = Island

3. Mexico – Substitution from the midfield border ( closest dpole – exchanges at the Box) • Bust It – clear the ball up the same side • Up and Over – Clear ball with diagonal pass • Eagle – Slide Early • Liz – Slide Late • Falcon – Fake Slide – then recover • Squeeze – Squeeze ball on the double • Two feet – 1 foot; if you are two passes away from the ball – you should have two feet in the Island; if you are one pass away from the ball – you should have 1 foot in the Island.

4. Defensive Colors • Green – Regular man to manDefense (Crash /Tunic) – force offensive man down the side – no sweeps • Black – Press out on adjacents • White – The amoeba Zone Defense • Orange – Pressure Zone defense • Grey – Deny 1 – lock off • Silver –Deny 2 – Lock off 2

5. Coaching Aids • Flat Indoor Bases • Laxsoft • QB Guard

6. Ameoba Principles • Ball in your zone area – play as if man to man – aggressively • SS tries to force ball down sideline • Wing D try to force ball Down (up) sideline ( into LP’s Double) • D3 Plays ball behind , must see the whole field and must not get beat by a sneak from X behind • LP doubles as ball moves from either S1 or S2 to D1 or D2 • LP plays like a backer at other times and looks for flash cuts • Sticks to the passing lanes • The rule for any skip pass is that the closest player to the ball covers the player with the ball . • COMMUNICATE –COMMUNICATE-COMMUNICATE

7. Basic Alignment – 2 triangles

8. Vs 1-3-2 X X SS1 SS2 LS X P P D X X X

9. As ball moves around the perimeter, the top triangle rotates ; S1 steps down and back; S2 steps down; LP looks to double; If the Wing offense player moves the ball to behind X, LP replaces S1, S1 replaces S2 and S2 replaces LP’s triangle position; When they can exchange to original spots, I encourage my players to do so. In the picture above, D1 and D 2cover the crease man with the help of S2 ; the bottom triangle does not rotate , we just do not play as aggressively behind . When ball is behind the others hold their positions ( Top Triangle with the LP or S2 helping crease) and D2 and D3, watching their pipes.

10. Vs 1-4-1 X SS1 X X LP SS2 X X P P D X

11. 2-4 • Invert SS X X D X P P X LP SS SS SS plays only at GLE; diamond rotates X X

12. Pressure Zone

13. Though most college programs utilize man-to –man defenses as their primary form of defense, most NCAA programs will throw a zone defense into the “mix” to disrupt the offense flow of the opponent( after a time out or out of bounds ball ) The Basic Set –up: SS SS B C W W

14. SS= Short Stick MidsB=Backer C= Crease manW = Wing Defenders The Roles of each Position:Primary: SS = unlike the Princeton Man-to-Man style, the SS should force the ball inside—that is, funnel to the SS SS Centerline of the defense ; if this means that the SS get beat inside, then so be it! W = The wingmen, play soft and are primarily concerned with covering the passing lanes ( Hide a Dpole here if necessary) C= Creaseman—plays behind—should be a take-a-way type player. B= Best Athlete—needs to cover a lot of ground.

15. Areas of Pressure: There are three areas of Pressure 1 2 3

16. Backer Responsibility C A When ball is behind – Crease man must get top side to funnel to backer

17. Coma Zone • The COMA Zone was perfected by the UPenn Squads under Tony Seaman and are typically employed to clog the middle of the field and slow down the pace of the game. It is not an aggressive zone, but does require that the man playing the vall does so aggressively. It does not look to double the ball or trap the ball, although it is capable of doing so. For those not familiar with the term COMMA—it refers to COMing A-cross the Crease— that is: COME A-CROSS—shortened to COM-MA • Key points to the Comma Zone • 1. It is based on complete team-work and communication • 2. Employs aggressive play on the ball • 3. Wing Defenseman are interchangeable • 4. Crease defender does not deviate off the crease and is a last ditch slide. • 5. Wing Midfielders pass along the ball to the next defender when ever possible. • A zone is always vulnerable and this zone’s weakness is when the ball is behind at X, the opposite top middie area is vulnerable . • Terms for the Zone: • Front Porch—ball side Top Middie area • Back Door— off ball ( backside) Top Middie area

18. Areas of Responsibility

19. Points of Emphasis • · D1 and D 2 must cover a lot of ground • · Crease D must play belly to belly on offensive crease man • · SS Middies must get down low on back door position—a couple steps off goal crease • · LP must be a solid athlete and understand the zone as he must accommodate for other mistakes—; he need not look at ball—but must listen to goalie for ball location– his main job as ball moves down perimeter to X behind is to watch for cutters. • · As this is a soft zone—ball should be forced down the side and D should move as one complete group. • · Suggestion—when teaching the zone have offense use a volleyball ( no sticks) to move the defense– a volleyball is easier to catch and the D can see the ball movement better.

20. Change on “Out of Bounds” • Change as ball moves to X behind • Change when Opponent achieves a “run”. • Change on a Time Out – especially when Opponent calls the TO • Change when Middies are Tired • Change to trap weak player. • 10man on Shot

21. Info: • www.lacrossecoach.org • jmklax@aol.com • 248-225-2536