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LB3 Lacrosse – “The U” – New Position Clinics

Editor’s Note: Please welcome Ned Kaish, Liam Banks, and Scott Ratliff to LAS! These three guys run the show at LB3 Lacrosse down in Atlanta, and they have some ideas to share on the game of lacrosse. So take note, and learn from these excellent lacrosse educators! The first post is an intro from Ned about the new LB3 positional “university” training they are running, and coming down the line we have some awesome posts from Liam and Scott about what makes certain positions special! It’s going to be great stuff!

The “U” position series came together when Scott Ratliff and Liam Banks noticed a need for more position specific work for players across the area. What Defense U and Attack U allows is a chance for players to go through position specific workouts and drills that will translate straight to the field. Each session will build on the previous session using the skills already learned to build on new skills. Defense and Attack U allow coaches the chance to implement skills they have used to be successful and
pass them on to the next generation of players. These clinics are for players of all age and skill level.

Scott Ratliff on the U Series

“There are several things that separate the “U” clinic series from other training opportunities out there. One is the specificity of the series allows our coaching staff to really get into the details of playing a position .Rather than simply running through basic drills, we are able to attack a specific theme at each clinic at a very granular level. Players who attend the “U” clinic series will not only leave with a better skill set, but also with a much higher lacrosse IQ for their position.”

(EN: If you are interested in having the “U” position clinic come to a town near you please reach out to Scott Ratliff at lb3scott@gmail.com.)

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LB3 Lacrosse – Defense U

The Defense U clinic series is being run by MLL All-star and All-Pro Scott Ratliff. Ratliff is a Georgia native who excelled while at Loyola where he was a two-time All-American, two-time team captain and won the National Championship in 2012. Ratliff saw a need for improvement on the defensive side of the ball in Georgia and hopes Defense U can bridge some of the gaps.

“As a defensive player I have always felt that the position is under taught. Often times coaches stick their best athletes who may not have as good of stick skills at defense and instruct them to stay in front of their man and keep their stick out,” says Ratliff. “I was interested in starting a defensive specific training series to expose youth players to the finer points of the position.”

Some of the finer points Ratliff hopes to pass on to the players are communication, body positioning, footwork, and of course stick skills. Ratliff has helped transform the long stick midfield position over the last few years with his ability to handle the ball and create plays when crossing into the offensive end. Last season Ratliff finished 1st in the MLL among long poles with 20 points including three two-pointers. He wants to make sure defensive players understand that to be a great defender you have to be able to handle the ball.

Footwork is another area where Ratliff sees a need for improvement in the youth game. During each session Ratliff has a footwork station that incorporates lateral movement, change of direction and explosion. He uses speed ladders and hurdles to make sure defenseman have flawless footwork and keep opposing players in front of them.

Ratliff loves the competition that a clinic series like this implements. Not only do attack and defense get the opportunity to compete during 1v1’s but they also have the opportunity to compete within their positions.

“Having many of the top players at the same position on the field together promotes the highest level of competition within your position. This series is an opportunity for players to come out and size themselves up against the other top players at their position across the state.”

After the first three sessions these are some of the players who have stood out to Ratliff at Defense U:

High School:

Zeke Day – North Atlanta High School (Uncommitted) – “Zeke has fantastic feet and quickness, he has the ability to stay with dodgers relying on his athleticism and footwork and not his stick. Zeke is a leader both on and off the field and will be a steal for whichever school picks him up.”

Peyton Boggard – Lovett High School (Maryland) – “Peyton is one of the most skilled poles I have worked with. Peyton has the ability to handle like a short pole and score goals when given the opportunity. On top of that, he is in great shape and is able to play at a fast pace for long periods of time.”

Nick Ganem – Cambridge HS (Uncommitted) – “Nick has managed to stand out with his footwork and effort throughout the sessions. Nick has the ability to navigate cone and ladder drills with great quickness and balance. On top of that, Nick has the type of stick that seems to suck up ground balls like a vacuum, I believe that Nick’s game will transition very well to the next level.”

Youth:

Collin Davis, Rhett Jones, Sam Dembowitz, Ethan Landry

LB3 Lacrosse – Attack U

LB3 founder Liam Banks is joined by 4-time Syracuse All-American and 2-time Attackman of the Year John Zulberti to run the Attack U clinic series. Banks had his own success at Syracuse where he was a two-time All-American and MVP of the 2000 National Championship game. Banks and Zulberti focus on improving some of the key aspects to being a successful attackman such as dodging, feeding, and scoring.

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Banks starts the first 45 minutes of each session devoted to stick work. These skills and drills all directly correlate to game like situations. The focus during stick work emphasizes catching and throwing with both hands, keeping the stick by your ear at all times, stick protection, and always moving your feet.

Another focal point at Attack U is dodging to set up your strength. Coaches focus on using different moves that help set you up to make a play. This includes double moves behind, getting to the island at 5 and 5, and keeping your head up to see the whole field. Banks wants to make sure players walk out of each session with a higher lacrosse IQ than when they walked up.

“The focus of Attack U is to ultimately hone your skills to play the attack position at a top level,” says Banks. “By coming to Attack U players have the chance to work on different skills they may not have been using or even thought about previously. Each session builds on the previous in hopes that we can give you the skill set to be a complete attackman.”

After the first three sessions these are some of the players who have stood out to Banks at Attack U and his thoughts:

High School:

Nicky Solomon– Centennial High School (North Carolina) – “May be the best player in the state as a sophomore.  His play is almost effortless. Can shoot the ball inside and outside and has a really high lacrosse IQ.  Can play attack and midfield and can dodge from anywhere on the field.”

Jackson Ortolano – North Gwinnett High School (Providence) – “Jackson is an extremely skilled player with a high lacrosse IQ, shows great COD (change of direction) and sees the entire field.”

Jack Dennehy – Harrison High School (Army) – “Jack has a quick change of direction and can make a defenseman fall behind the goal.  He is skilled both right and left handed and is an extremely hard worker.  Jack is a great inside finisher with both hands and has a high lacrosse IQ.”

Youth:

Drew Pritts, Carson Reeder

Come back for more from Ned, Liam Banks, and Scott Ratliff, as LB3 tackles the task of intensive positional training, all over the field! You will also hear about why Scott and Liam love their positions so much, and gets training tips and updates from the “The U”!