3-on-3 “Guts” Keep-Away Possession Game
Turnovers will force your team to spend most of your games on Defense. Use this fun and simple practice drill to teach your players to handle 1-on-1 pressure, get open and move the ball so your team will have more time with the ball and more chances to score!
Teams and players that don't value possession are rarely successful. Possession time equals more chances to score. It's important for your beginning and youth lacrosse players to know how to move their feet to run away from pressure and keep the ball in their sticks and away from the other team, especially when they come up against bigger, faster and stronger opponents.
We play lots of "Guts" at summer camp and in the fall and pre-season. It's a great game for work on stick skills like carrying, passing and catching, and ground balls. Your players won't realize it until the end, but it's excellent for sneaking in conditioning work at practice. Everybody has to run hard in this game!
Your players can work on basic offensive and defensive skills like creating space and man-on-man coverage. You can also work in more advanced concepts like the Pick & Roll and Defensive Double-Teams.
Play this game any day at practice with as few as six players. You could even play too, coach!
Get multiple games going in different areas of the field at the same time to keep all your players busy at practice!
Here's THE DRILL:
This is a 3-on-3 game, just like keep-away.
Every time one team completes three consecutive passes they get a point. Play games to three or five points.
Figure 1.) Set up your players in teams of three in a confined area of the field. You could use the area between the midfield line and the restraining line, the goal area box, or set up some cones in a box 20 or 30 yards long on each side.
Start the game with a face-off or throw out a loose ball.
PRACTICE TIPS:
- Play this same game around the Goal with 6-on-6. Play a quick game to three points, then let your players go to the goal to score!
- Use "Quick Restarts" if the ball goes out of bounds to teach your players to "Play between the whistles," just like in a full game. Keep your players busy and moving!
- Make sure you are keeping score in all your drills and games to inject some competition in your practice!
- Keep time in all your drills and games for your players' age and attention span.
RELATED PRACTICE DRILLS:
- 1-on-1 "Revenge" Clearing & Dodging Drill: Teach all your players to Clear the ball against 1-on-1 pressure, dodge and play individual 1-on-1 Defense, all in the same rep of the same drill!
- The T-Shirt Drill: Use this classic drill to teach your Offense to keep possession, while your Defense learns to get back in the "Hole" to play defense "from inside-out."
- 3x ("Three-By") 3-on-3 Practice Game: The best training game we've ever seen, no joke. 3x works on stick skills, ball movement, defensive help and rotations, everything!
Try this game out with your team and make sure to tell us if it helps you get more possession time with your team!
