Positionless Defense: The Principles of Sliding

Sliding in lacrosse involves sending an additional defender to defend the ball carrier and is a fundamental element of any man-to-man defense. While many teams use a crease slide, others may slide and support from an adjacent defender.

What is sliding in men's lacrosse?

There are reasons for choosing one over the other in different scenarios; however, this article won’t dive deeply into these specific slide strategies or packages. Instead, this piece will provide a broader perspective on sliding fundamentals. As a young player, I struggled with sliding and decision-making. Now, as a coach, I see that many defenders still find these concepts challenging.

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THe principles of Sliding in a positionless defense

Before diving into sliding, it’s important to understand the context of positionless lacrosse. This term has become popular in the modern game as offenses have shifted towards more fluid, principle-based systems. These systems are less structured and more unpredictable. Consequently, great defenses must thrive in this unpredictability. For a more detailed discussion, check out my previous post on positionless defense here. 

In today’s post, I’ll focus on one critical aspect of defense in a positionless environment: sliding. Every defense has a plan around how they want to support the ball (ie, slide). However, given the fluid and unpredictable nature of offenses, it is challenging to over script sliding. Great slides are instinctive reads that players must make in the flow of the game. Given the uncertainty of a positionless environment, getting the core principles of an effective slide down are all the more important. 

It All Starts with the Stance

A great slide starts with a great stance. In fact, nearly every defensive concept starts with the stance. A proper stance is the foundation for executing off-ball or on-ball defense effectively. If a player’s stance is poor, they’ll often be late and reactive, rather than anticipatory and proactive. Your stance signals your readiness to make the next play.

This principle was ingrained in me during my time at Maryland and has been reinforced by many college coaches I've interacted with. Johns Hopkins Defensive Coordinator Jamison Koesterer breaks down a proper off-ball stance into three things: knee bend, stick position, and head turns. This approach is straightforward yet comprehensive, providing a solid foundation for an effective stance.

Coach Koesterer's 3 Keys to Off-Ball Posture

Koesterer refers to this overall positioning as “posture.” He suggests evaluating these three components on a scale of A to F. Is your knee bend an A, or a C? Is your stick position a B, or an F? This grading system helps players focus on key elements and provides a clear way for coaches to assess execution. 

The above is a clip from Coach Koesterer’s webinar in our premium community. Watch the full webinar on off-ball defense here.

In my opinion, stance is one of the most controllable aspects of defensive play and should be a non-negotiable standard for any defense. We can hold units accountable to their stance when they are on the field. Coaches may elaborate on these components as needed, but most effective stances include these fundamentals. Other cues I’ve heard include: “linebacker stance,” “loaded stick,” “athletic posture,” or “bouncy with head turns.” The exact terminology varies, but the principles remain the same: a strong stance sets you up for success.

Coach Odierna's Lone Wolf Sliding Example

Watch the violent posture in this Syracuse sliding drill above from Coach Odierna's webinar with us. 

Slide Stance = Off-ball Stance + Leverage to Dodge

As we move to a slide specific stance, we want to build on the fundamentals of a good stance by adding the concept of "leverage to the dodge". This concept, harped on consistently to us by Coach Joe Amplo at the 2023 World Games, is key to effective sliding.

Leverage to the dodge means ensuring you have an unobstructed “slide tunnel” (ie, path) from your position to where you intend to slide. Establishing this leverage often requires maneuvering around the player you’re guarding to get ballside of them and create a direct path to the dodger. Sliding without first securing leverage will almost always make you late, and it also gives the dodger more time to read the play. To make our slides as short and efficient as possible, we must establish leverage before the dodge begins.

Tips for Establishing Leverage to the Dodge:

• Fight against getting sealed by inside players as the ball moves around the perimeter. Be ready to knife through the player you are guarding for leverage. 
• Work to get at least to the ballside pipeline as a crease slider (ie, in line with the pipe of the goal).
• Keep your stick pointed towards the crease and your body positioned outside, maintaining leverage to the dodge.
• You can switch hands to keep your stick inside or keep your chest tilted toward the middle, with the stick “loaded” and ready to check (this is a matter of personal or coaching preference).
• Trail clear-through cuts to the crease to prevent them from blocking your leverage.
• Use your hands and maintain a physical presence to secure your leverage position.
• Establish leverage before the dodge begins, whenever possible.
• I prefer to angle your butt towards the ball-side sideline (even just slightly) or towards the endline, as it keeps your chest connected to the backside of defense and facilitates communication prior to the slide. Some coaches prioritize this less and sometimes it is not realistic, but I think it's beneficial when possible.

Watch this video of Shawn Lyght from Notre Dame establishing good leverage to the ball and slide posture before the fire on a clear through. 

Slide Decisions: Match-up, Location, Body Language

One of the most challenging aspects for players is deciding when to slide. As a player, I remember how difficult this was, and it’s something I see many players continue to struggle with.

The key to effective sliding is recognizing when the dodger has entered a dangerous area of the field. Every defense defines these areas differently, but it typically revolves around the high-percentage scoring area—12-14 yards in front of the goal and between the hashes. Knowing these landmarks will help defenders anticipate rather than react.

Former Maryland defensive coordinator and now Michigan head coach Kevin Conry used to emphasize that sliding is more about where the ball is on the field than where the defender is on the dodger. While body positioning matters, many players get caught up in individual matchups and fail to recognize where the real threat is developing. When dodgers get into certain areas of the field, we should be on high alert.

Slide Decision Framework To simplify the decision-making process, I recommend a three-part framework:

1. Match-Up: Who is dodging and who is covering them? This can often indicate the likelihood of needing to slide. For example, is it a short-stick or a long pole defending? Is the dodger a proven scorer? This should be assessed even as the ball moves around the perimeter.
2. Location: Where is the dodger on the field? Are they in a dangerous area or still out on the perimeter? Are they threatening one of the designated landmarks?
3. Body Language: What is the dodger’s intent? Are they looking to drive aggressively to the goal, or are they looking to distribute? This can often be assessed by their posture—are they moving like a "running back" driving into the defense, or a "quarterback" scanning for an open teammate? Syracuse coach John Odierna dives into reading body language in his webinar with us.

This framework helps narrow down the information players need to process and allows them to anticipate better, rather than react. As players develop, they gain a natural feel for these elements and can make quicker, more effective decisions. Watch this breakdown of Will Schaller from Maryland executing a great slide using this framework.

Slide execution: Tips on How to Slide

Now that you have a foundational understanding of stance, technique, and decision-making, let’s look at some specific tips for executing effective slides:

• Use Read Steps Before Committing: As dodges begin, stay in a sideways stance and use shuffles to “read” the play. From here, you can either give a hard hedge or commit fully to the slide.
• Stay Sideways Until You Launch: Avoid turning your chest to the ball too early, as this commits you prematurely. Stay sideways with your stick inside as long as possible. Once you decide to slide, lead with your stick to close the dodger’s decision-making window.
• Lead with Your Stick in Front When You Launch: The stick will always arrive first, especially for poles. Leading with the stick allows you to skewer and disrupt the shooter’s path and decision-making before your body arrives.
• Slide to Neutralize, Not Just to Contact: Your objective should be to contain the dodger. Break down and prepare to play defense rather than simply colliding with the ball carrier.
• Slide at a Positive Angle: Don’t chase the dodger. Position yourself at an angle where you can cut off their path to the goal, even if it means backpedaling or dropping lower to meet the dodger’s path. This may also allow you to slide through the shooting lane.
• Use Body Language to Bluff or Hedge: Bluffing or hedging effectively can deceive dodgers and disrupt their timing. This is one of the most valuable skills an off-ball defender can develop, making the defense appear unpredictable.