In this whiteboard session, Peter Dolan of Iona University breaks down the Spotlight Faceoffs Drill, designed to develop clean exits, spatial awareness, and decision-making under pressure.
Key takeaways include:
- After the whistle, the focus is on securing possession and executing a clean exit to space
- Use the women’s circle as a natural boundary to organize players into pods, creating defined exit channels around the faceoff
- Position teammates in different areas to simulate wing pressure and force faceoff players to read and react in real time
- Emphasize ground ball execution
- Train faceoff athletes to keep their head up, recognize pressure, and identify open lanes to escape
- Reinforce the importance of escaping with control by reading space and making quick decisions
This drill helps players go beyond the draw itself, teaching them how to turn possession into opportunity by navigating pressure, finding space, and creating successful offensive starts.
