In our recent interview with Coach Bates from Princeton, he offered a great way to maximize fundamentals as well as open play out of a 4V4 set. This drill again meets our criteria. It is a snapshot of a game situation, engages eight players at a time, quick to a shot, and fun.

Similar to the 4V4 sets from Coach Seaman, this is a 4V4 drill from a set with two players up top, a player in the crease, and a player behind. Thus the "Y".

It is amazing how many of the college coaches we talk to about practices, work on 4V4 in some variation. The reason is simple, it allows the players room to see the field and their options better and gives them space to work off extensively. In addition, even though we might only have four players on offense we can still emulate offensive sets and strategies with just the four offensive players, making the drill more game-like.

Defensively, in a six man set or 6V6, when a player slides, two or three might also slide, but one or two may just sag in to possibly help. In running a 4V4 set, all defensive players must react or slide, or be prepared to slide in every drill and every situation.

In Coach Bates' version, we want the player to drive hard and necessitate a slide. This forces our defense to communicate and decide the best option to leave open, but the slides are a little farther, especially up top. And in many cases the defender up top will need to make a decision, as he has two to cover … So in the configuration of the 'Y' the ball goes to the player at 'X', and he must drive or force the offensive action. All of the others need to be aware and react both offensively and defensively.

Coach Bates was quick to suggest we could just as easily run this with two behind, one in the crease, and one up top, and start the ball up top …