Template:Defensive Mindset and Technique

Defensive Mindset and Technique - Tucker Durkin

• tucker.durkin - yahoo .com
• Between the Ears
  • Intangibles and IQ far outweigh your physical athletic prowess
  • Team USA - Weren't the best athletes its the guys with the best IQ
  • Defensive Starting D - Cover, Combo, IQ (communication and play off the ball)
• Teaching IQ
  • IQ Build: Pride in preperation/film, development of player/coach/team log
    • Make a detailed list of player tendencies (look at your competition film and review his dodges)
  • Drawing and understanding offenses
    • Teach defensive players about the offense, so they can understand how to defend them
  • You should take every matchup personally, this gives you your edge. But, don't let it take away from the important of your Team's matchup. Don't cover your guy at the risk of hurting your team defense
• Defensive Edge
  • An Edge: "Controlled Aggression"
  • Mental Preparation and Word Association
    • Mental Preparation Night Before with On-Field Visualization
    • Word Association, find your game day words like (matchup, team driven, feet)

On Ball Technique

• Approach: 1) Stick out (want the guy to dodge further away from you), 2) Athletic Stance (stance is so you can react quicker), 3) Dictate Dodger Direction (approach dictates where the guy goes, always have a plan when approaching)
• Hips: Footwork training directed out of defensive position where you are forced to open up hips. When you do defensive footwork drills always be in a defensive posture
• Patience: Understand where change of direction is occurring, Do not try to match feet, understand area of field you are trying to protect
• Strike Zone: On Hips, Aggressive, Keep head up
• Ball Pressure > Taking Ball Away (just pressure the stick, don't try to strip the ball)

Teach On-Ball Defense

1. Player understanding of areas of field to protect, where do you force offensive players based on where they are on the field
2. Approach
3. Backpedal (maintain low body position while back pedaling). When you stand up you don't have explosion to push back
4. Open up hips
5. Hips to defensive crossover run
6. Incorporate reactionary component into you agility training, you are always reacting. Coach should tell you where to move and defender reacts
7. Cross training in other sports (Hoops, racquetball, football, golf)
8. Clips

Off-Ball Defense

1. Athletic Stance: means you are engaged/present, ready to communicate, quickest way to react. Stick up and ready to deflect and defer
2. Communicate not yell when on the field

Clip Notes

• Stretch to the ball, go out and make them feel a little uncomfortable, so approach and play a little outside the zone
• Stick in the gloves when they are are good feeders, don't be super aggressive, stay on his hands so he can't feed