How do I play lacrosse?

How to play defensive midi in lacrosse?

• I've been at lacrosse tryouts for the past four days, and I'm a freshman in highschool and I'm trying out for midi. I've never played lacrosse before but I've been training insanely hard for about 11 months. So far I've had great running and hustle, really good dodging combos, some great offhand goals, and fast feet. The coaches are noticing this, and I feel as if (being a track and cross-country runner) my agility and hustle are making up for my occasional clumsy mistakes. However, there is one thing that I am clueless with...defending. Luckily, I can out-run most of the offensive players, but I really have no idea how to position myself playing defensive midi or how to land a good stick check. Today I played too tight on my man so it was easy for him to dodge me. After learning this, I gave him more space, yet still stayed on him. The coach stopped the play and told me that I should be making cuts to anticipate where the offensive player was going, and to not stay on my man all the time but rather go to the passing lane to stay in the play. I need help with how to follow those instructions and how to defend as a midi on general. Other than that I have mastered all of the required skills, and have proved myself as a worthy athlete. Tommorow is my last shot, and I don't want to be cut from a new sport that I love just because of my weak defending as a midi. I realize this is crucial and detrimental to the game, but I've trained to hard to watch it all slip away. Please help me. Thank you.

• Answer:

  as a middie, youre gonna have another middie with the ball running and dodging at you at full speed very often. youre gonna want to stay on the balls of your feet in a defensive stance, and start moving before he gets to the point where he's gonna blow by you with a split dodge. ***PLAYING THE BODY > PLAYING THE STICK*** a coach will eat you alive for going for a home run check and getting beaten. the main goal on defense is to keep the offensive player from getting a good shot, not to take the ball away. dont go over the head or give up your position to try and take away the ball DO NOT give up the inside of the field: this is called the high side. for example, when your man is carrying the ball down the alley, force him that way, giving him less of an angle to shoot at. dont let him bring the ball back into the slot (in front of the net) use your body and feet to stop him from turning it inside off ball defense: stay tight, cut off the passing lanes when you need to, just dont let him run behind your back towards the net and stuff. also, keep your head on a swivel, dont "ball-watch" (watching the ball so much that you forget about your man) to sum it up: PLAY THE BODY STAY HIGH SIDE NO HOME RUN CHECKS HEAD ON A SWIVEL FORCE YOUR MAN TO GO WHERE YOU WANT HIM TO GO