Key Position Skills Young Players Should be Developing
By Duke University Men's Lacrosse Coach, John Danowski

a communicator on defense, a short stick man down player. Midfielders do many things, but it all begins with great fundamentals.

The Close Defense Man: There is an old coaching cliché that says, "Defense wins championships!" Defensemen, in general, are akin to offensive linemen in football. The running backs get all of the credit, but it's the guys up front who do all of the work. An awesome defense man has a champion's attitude. He understands his role and prepares himself to be fundamentally sound in every aspect of his game.

First and foremost, he knows that he is a defender, a player who steps on the field to stop the opposing player from scoring. He does this on the ball, or off the ball, as a communicator with his teammates, as a slider, or someone who fills the crease or makes

a second slide. He relishes his opportunity to pick up ground balls with either hand and make correct decisions with the ball. A defender must be able to learn to protect the ball from the riding attack men, an accurate passer, and someone who can catch the ball standing still and on the run. The ability to defend all starts with the feet. The faster that you can move your feet, the better you can defend. Reading offensive players' posture and understanding when a player wants to dodge or feed comes with confidence and experience. The complete defenseman understands his role, and approaches each possession with a championship attitude. He believes in his skills and knows what to do in a varied amount of situations.

The Goalie: It is tougher than ever to play the position of goalie. The great goalies must have confidence in themselves, and that must emanate to a goalie's teammates. The best goalies are "thick skinned." Very few goalies pitch a shutout. They must learn from their mistakes and move on. There is no time to dwell on the last play. Goalies must be fundamentally sound