Box Lacrosse Pass Up, Pick Up Offense
This is a fairly basic play we see in Box Lacrosse using the Pick & Roll that you can also use with your Field Lacrosse team to get your players open for quality shots!
For most of us here at Lax Library, it's still Box Lacrosse season. We saw top NLL teams Colorado Mammoth and Saskatchewan Rush both using a little Pass Up, Pick Up in their game last night.
This is just a slight variation on the more standard Pass Down, Pick Down Offense that we see used more often. Both of these plays will work just as well for your outdoor team as it does for your indoor team.
Canadian coaches and players are known for using "Righties" and "Lefties", instead of spending so much time training their players to use both sides equally. Think about the playing style of Mark Matthews, Lyle Thompson, etc.
We run this play most often on the right side of the goal (when looking out from the Goal or Goalie) so that most of the passes and shot opportunities are right-handed, working with most younger players’ dominant right-hand side.
Related: Check out our Wall Ball Workouts for help developing stick skills with dominant and non-dominant sides.
HERE'S THE PLAY:
Figure 1.) Blue 1 Passes Up, then Picks Up to Blue 2 up top. Blue 1 moves toward the middle of the field as if he is clearing through to the Crease. Blue 1 then comes back out to set a pick on Defender Red 2's back side, so the Defender doesn't see the Pick coming.
PRACTICE & GAME TIPS:
- Teach your players to use SPACE on Offense! Don't bunch up and make it easy on the Defense. Stay spread out and force the Defenders to cover more ground.
- Practice lots of Two-Man Game! This can be hard for younger players to understand, so spend extra practice time with your players setting the Picks so the man with the ball can really use it.
- Keep It Simple! Practice this same play using 4-on-4 before you move to 5-on-5.
RELATED PLAYS & DRILLS:
- Box Lacrosse Pass Down, Pick Down: The original version of this Box Lacrosse Offense, much more commonly used.
- 2-3-1 Pass Down, Pick Down Offense: The American/Field Lacrosse version of this simple Pick & Roll Play.
- Box Lacrosse Man-Up Double Pick Play VIDEO: We saw the Iroquois team use this great Man-Up Play during the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. The commentators said it was a "Classic", so we thought we better cover it!
- Duke 3-1-2 Inside-Out Pick & Roll: This is a similar offensive set that Duke used when they won the 2014 NCAA National Championship!
- 3-1-2 Outside-In Pick & Roll: Another similar offensive set we've seen college teams run using the Pick & Roll to get open for good shots in good shooting positions.
- 3-1-2 Man-Up Pick & Roll Up Top: Pro and International Teams have used this same idea in their Man-Up Plays.
Let us know if you get Pass Up, Pick Up to work with your youth or high school Box Lacrosse team, Field Lacrosse team, or both!
