Amoeba Zone Defense: Dominating Lacrosse Strategy

1. Zone Defense Amoeba - A match-up zone

2. Why Zone – Why match -up • Basic Alignment – 2 triangles SS SS LS P P D

3. 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

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

5. 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.

6. Vs 1-4-1 Help is adjacent; protect the crease X SS1 X X LP SS2 X X P P D X

7. 2-4 • Invert SS X X D X P P X LP SS SS SS plays only at GLE; diamond rotates X X

8. Drills • Hub Drill X X X D Footwork and recovery is key – use a crease!!! Options – add a football hand pad; add a QB dummy for a figure 8 or chop

9. Drills • Slap X X X D Footwork and recovery is key – use a crease!!! Options – add a football hand pad; add a QB dummy for a figure 8 or chop

10. Drills • Over Top Coach D X X Footwork and recovery is key – Break down is key

11. Individual Drills • Slap – use a football hand dummy