Midfield Defence

[Glam]

Any tips for defending, specifically as a short-pole Middie?

[Dining Room]

Use your angles to send them down the side and towards the corner of the pitch.
narrow the angle on goal and encourage them to move themselves or the ball behind the goal.

Unless of course you want the guy to come inside for a tatering from the crease slide! !

Some people still talk about 'giving the weak hand' - there is still some merit in this however i'd prefer my man to be running away on their strong hand than cutting inside with their weaker hand. - unless of course your opposite number is 100% one-handed and you fancy a laugh.

Don't throw lots of checks - leave that to the long poles, though you might want to try to lift the glove as they attempt to pass/shoot.

[kjk20]

All about body. Learn to run against someone while you push them out. Don't throw a stick check unless they're begging for their stick to be hit, or you're beat. Body is more important.

[davidmcculloch81]

I echo Dining Room's words entirely. Before being coached properly I used to just stand there facing them and wait until they made a move and then try and stop them. This was not effective.

Always stay above your man and NEVER let him back over the top. If he gets underneath then your defence should be ready with a slide.

[laxwill11]

Short stick middies job is simply one of containment - you're not there to take the ball away, thats the long stick's job. As has been said, keep him to the channels, dont get beat inside, dont bother throwing stick checks and NEVER EVER go one-handed to throw a check. if you do, you're already beat and 90% of the time the best you can hope for is to not draw a flag. Nothing good ever comes from defending with one hand on your stick.

[fifteen peter twenty]

Kyle Harrison's twopenneth:

http://tv.insidelacrosse.com/index.cfm?video=333

Nothing good ever comes from defending with one hand on your stick.

Haha Quint!

True. Although, there is that guy who plays/played for Duke who throws it like it's hot, it's all about knowing when you can get a check off, I would say:

If the guy's going nowhere then you can throw one but keep your feet moving and don't get tempted into a second.

[Glam]

Thanks for the advice gents. After putting some of it into practice I've found that my defending has improved.