BEGINNER TRANSITION SET

Lanes

• There are four imaginary “lanes” referenced lengthwise (north-south) on the floor in lacrosse, two outside and two inside.  These lanes are often referred to when speaking about transition and the pick & roll.  

• The lanes stretch from either a few metres off of the side-boards to a few metres outside of the goal posts (“outside lanes”), or from a few metres outside of the goal posts to the middle of the net (“inside lanes”).

• Players running in the outside lanes during a fast-break should run as hard as they can to the same-side goal post on a 45° angle, as a general team rule.  Inside players should be trailing the play, at least slightly (if possible), and will sometimes have to “slow up” in order to maintain proper "spacing."
  

Spacing

• Essentially, transitioning players must maintain good “spacing” so as to not get too close to each other, whereby one defender could potentially defend two offensive players. 

• The focal point of spacing is normally the position of the ball.  The player carrying the ball should have an opportunity to beat their check at all times.  The more space this player is provided in the prime scoring area (staying “spread”), the more likely they are to get a quality shot. 

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  Proper spacing during fast-breaks is also referred to as running in your “lanes.”  The player with the ball in a 2-on-1 needs to remain a threat as they approach the prime scoring area and either shoot or pass, depending on whether the defender slides or "hitches." 

  The same goes for a 3-on-2, with one player in the middle lane and two players in the outside lanes, ideally breaking the play down to a 2-on-1 and ultimately a 1-on-0.