5v4 Drill
Set up half the field with five offensive players and four defenders. The coach holds a ball and can either roll it out as a ground ball or pass it directly into the group to start the action. On the whistle, the offense attacks the goal with one extra player, moving the ball quickly and looking for gaps. The defense slides, communicates, and tries to prevent a shot while managing their numbers disadvantage. The play continues until there’s a goal, save, clear, or the coach blows the whistle. Focus on crisp passes, smart positioning, and timing your slides perfectly. Encourage the offense to use the extra player advantage without overcommitting, and remind defenders to anticipate passes and recover quickly. To mix it up, flip the numbers so the defense has five and the offense has four, or add rules like a minimum number of passes before shooting, or requiring defenders to clear the ball outside the attack zone. You can even start from a ground ball to simulate a chaotic restart.
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West Genny
Set three offensive players (Player 1–3) vs. two defenders (Player 4–5) on a short field with a net at each end (sideline-to-sideline OR box-to-box OR similar distance). Play 3v2 until a goal or turnover. The last offensive player to touch the ball rotates out; remaining offense switches to defense and runs back into the hole to defend their net. The goalie clears a new ball to 3 new offensive players pushing down in a 3v2. End practice on a high note and keep score for fun!
3v2 Sideways
Set up cones to define each team’s half of the field. Place three offensive players (Player 1–3) vs. two defenders (Player 4–5). On the whistle, offense moves the ball within boundaries, looking for high-percentage shots; defenders communicate, stay tight, and force turnovers. Can start with ground balls, adjust players, or shift boundaries for progression.
Static 4v3
This drill starts with 4 offensive players and 3 defenders. The 4 offensive players are set up in a rectangle, the 2 low players are at about GLE and 3 yards off the crease, the top players are about 7 yards above the cage even with the bottom 2 players. The 3 defenders set up in a triangle in the middle of the rectangle. The purpose of this drill is for the defense to work on rotating. Specifically, reading the offense's body language and understanding when a full rotation is necessary, versus being able to hedge and go ball to ball. This is traditionally a box lacrosse drill, but it proves to be quite useful at younger levels to help develop defensive IQ. To make this more a defensive drill, the offense is NOT allowed to move. They must stay static in their spots, but its important to emphasize to the defense that they are not trying to take the ball away, but slow down the offense.
Numbers
Players line up with the offense at the top of the field and the defense on the sides. The coach calls out a set of numbers, such as “43,” where the first number is offensive players and the second number is defensive players. That many players sprint in to compete for the ball and play a live possession, e.g., 43 - 4v3, 55 - 5v5, 32 - 3v2. Variations can adjust the number combinations to create even or uneven matchups.
4 Corner Over the Shoulder GB's and Passes
Improve catching on the run, over-the-shoulder grabs, hand switching, and throwing to the box area. Mark 4 corners with cones, at least 3 players per corner. Start with one ball rotating counterclockwise — catch over the left shoulder, pass with the right hand. Switch directions halfway to work the other hand. Add more balls as skill allows. For ground ball reps, players in line wait for a "break" call, then get a ball rolled to them while moving upfield. Variation: Alternate between passes and ground balls. Have players sprint the sides and jog the top for added conditioning. Blow a whistle to reverse direction and keep players sharp.
Ground Ball Relay
Break into groups of 3. To start, one girl will roll a ground ball out to the other two. Whoever gets the ground ball is running through the cone, whoever doesnt get the ball, is playing defense on the girl, and trying to turn her. Switch the girl who is throwing the ground ball out. After a few, switch one girl from each group so they are going against different people.
Up and Over Shooting
Develop ball movement and positioning — move the ball from a low wing, up and across for a dodge and shot. 3 lines with cones: one 3 yards behind GLE, one at the top of the box, one at the opposite top. Balls start low. Bottom player dodges inside, bounces back, and feeds the top line. Top catches and moves it across to the third line, who dodges off the cone and shoots. Rotate clockwise. Variation: Switch sides. Designate the final shooter. Add defense. Put goalies in for live shots.
Goals back to back
Set two goals back to back and run the drill with players attacking and defending on both sides simultaneously. The ball is moved quickly between reps, forcing defenders and goalies to reset, communicate, and adjust their positioning as play flips from one cage to the other. Emphasize awareness, quick transitions, and staying organized while tired.