How does this drill work ..?

by **gbridges** on Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:43 pm

I saw Michigan running this drill in st. louis a few years ago, and it seems like something that would be good for the HS team that i now coach. Please tell me if you recognize this drill and fill in some of the specifics:

The drill took place on a shortened field with two goals and teams of 4 or 5. There were a lot of transitions back and forth, and a number of players would switch out each time the ball turned over. Can you tell me any more info about this drill.

Thanks.

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by **John Paul** on Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:04 am

You're talking about either the Air Force Drill or the Army Drill (common names, but some teams use others).

We run Air Force usually as a 3 v 2 to 2 v 1 drill. Two cages 40 - 60 yards apart. Goalies in each cage with a lot of balls. 3 lines behind one cage, and 2 players waiting at the other goal to start the drill. The 3 players at the front of the lines run to the other goal and run a 3 v 2 against the 2 players waiting. When they are finished (shot, goal, turnover) whoever touched the ball last among the three runs back down to play defense, and the other 2 stay at that end. The 2 who had played defense on the 3 v 2 break out for the goalie, and run a 2 v 1 against the player who ran back. When the 2 v 1 is over, the next 3 in line head down for their 3 v 2 against the 2 who had stayed at the other end (from the original 3). And so on...

You can also set up 3 lines at each end and run it as a 3 v 2 in each direction. Just send 3 down to start the drill against 2. The difference is that the guy who touches the ball last is finished (jogs back outside the drill), and the other 2 hustle back on D while 3 from the front of the lines at the other end come down for their 3 v 2. The 2 playing D are always done after they play D.

If you run it with 4 lines as a 4 v 3 that's the Army Drill.

Great drills to get the guys moving, work on stick skills for all players, and work on finishing.

by **Kyle Berggren** on Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:24 am

We run the same drill, and its great for wearing the guys down as practice goes also. We just call it 3 on 2 on 1, and it was my favorite drill during basketball. Its pretty nice how easily it transitions into lacrosse.

by **gbridges** on Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:29 pm

I will implement this into our practices.

by **byualum** on Tue Sep 20, 2005 1:19 pm

We run the Air Force drill at every practice with the 8th graders I coach. We also run the following variation:

Two goals, 40-50 yards apart. A goalie and 2 d-men in each goal and line of middies at midfield. Three offensive players attack one goal, when the possession ends (goal, turn-over. shot...) the defensive player closest to the ball hits the next middie at midfield with an outlet pass. The two defensive players fill the wings on a fast break. Two of the three offensive players then stay at the goal and play defense and it's a continuous 3-on-2 drill.

We try to get the outlet pass plus 2-3 more passes in transition. With young players (pre-high school), if you can complete 2-3 passes in transition I think you'll be ahead of a lot of other teams.

by **NELAX21** on Wed Sep 21, 2005 4:08 pm

We ran this drill at the end of practice full field as our conditioning also