DefenseTeam Concept

Help Defense Slide Basics Drill

An introduction to team help defense, teaching the nearest off-ball defender to slide and support a beaten teammate.

Age RangeAges 10+
Duration8-10 minutes
Group SizeGroups of 4
SportLacrosse

Equipment Needed

  • One ball
  • Cones to mark positions

Keep a ball with every group

A bulk bag of lacrosse balls means every group practicing the slide has their own ball.

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Setup

  • Set up three defenders and one attacker with the ball in a half-field shape.
Help Defense Slide Basics DrillODodgesXXSlides to helpOOpen manNearest defender slides to stop the ball; beaten man recovers

Instructions

  1. The attacker dodges their primary defender toward the goal.
  2. The nearest help defender slides over to stop the ball while the beaten defender recovers to cover the open man.
  3. Play out the sequence to a shot or a pass, then reset with a different attacker.
  4. Rotate through all defensive positions so everyone reps both the slide and the recovery.
Coaching Points
  • Communicate the slide loudly - 'help, help!' - the instant the primary defender is beaten.
  • The recovering defender sprints to the next open man immediately, not back to their original assignment.
  • Slide from the direction that keeps you between your own man and the ball.

Variation

Add a second slide (a rotation) once the basic help-and-recover pattern is solid.