I have learned by observing and coaching a lot a lacrosse over the last few years that there are several significant differences between the highest level of the sport and teams that are developing.

The pinnacle is home to world cup teams from an array of countries that meet to play every four years. College teams have advanced so far in recent years that they themselves behave much like world cup caliber machines. Top high school programs  have on the field personalities that often cannot be distinguished from many college teams. The young set of youth organizations are changing - improving  so rapidly that they too will take on the characteristics of their older siblings.

The distinctions between teams ( the good and the developing ones) is patterned often in their transition game which is where many turnovers take place, fast brakes are created and control is established. Confidence, maturity, skill and mind-set instilled by coaches is what influences how this part of the game is executed.

This post started out with observations. What do I see between the good, the bad and sometimes ugly? It is simple really. Confident, mature, skilled teams are coached to transition the ball quickly if it makes sense, but not to force the transition. In practical terms, if a player is running down the field into a crowd of opponents and there are no outlets ahead the smart move is to reverse direction to a trailer who can swing the ball cross field and reestablish the transition progress. Often this can result in not only a successful clear because the opponents take time to reset in the opposite direction, but a fast brake can easily evolve.

In one day I observed two games. First one where an attack player caught a clearing pass near her attacking restraining line and immediately ran into a pack of wolves from Vanderbilt. She had the speed, sense, and skill to bring the ball back over her midfield line where no opponents could get her and reengage her defense who made one cross field pass to a streaking middies causing a rapid transition that led to a goal.  In the other game I witnessed two hard fighting rivals constantly try to force the ball up field. Without the clear line of sight to make a confident pass and catch these players valiantly attempt to make a pass through a crowd or player not in position to receive. Frequently this results in a turnover the kind of which so often and devastatingly end in a goal and not yours.

So what is the remedy? You can stop in the face of pressure.Don't force a bad pass. Get it to a player that is clearly open (often behind you). Swing the ball around and go again. Do this a few times and you will be amazed at how confident you can become, the amount of control you will have over the opponent and your ability to create opportunities.Teams that execute this are mature, well schooled and successful because they own the ball.