With Big East tournament looming, Gait still developing new offensive schemes for Syracuse women’s lacrosse
There’s a field of lacrosse players frozen in their spots, and an all-knowing Gary Gait will dictate what will happen.
The head coach of the Syracuse women’s lacrosse team instructs and speaks into their ears. When he gives the word, midfielder Christina Dove will travel from the middle of the arc and face a choice. Gait has already told her what she will do. The defense knows nothing. But curled in his left arm is a drawn plan on a whiteboard – a new lesson – that keeps the Orange’s offense in a rhythm.
‘We’re just trying to mix some adjustments, to be a little creative and different,’ Gait said.
With one game remaining before Big East tournament, Saturday against Rutgers, Gait is still changing his offense. Even though the Orange has compiled an 11-3 record so far, Gait is still experimenting, trying to find new schemes and plays to try in games. He hopes they will propel his team far through the Big East tournament and into the NCAA Tournament.
His formula is simple: Watch how the nine Syracuse defenders in blue practice jerseys react.
It’s adaptation that keeps the No. 8 Orange up to date, until it reaches the postseason, until it reaches its goals.
‘It’s a great way to make different plays,’ Gait said. ‘You keep the defense honest.’
There are no double teams, no leaving your player to help on another player. ‘No cheating,’ Gait said.
Through defender Sarah Sedgwick’s perspective, the offense is working on finding its marks. But she’ll never know. The defense never knows. And it’s that aspect that Gait uses to create and recreate his offensive schemes.
‘Defensive wise, you always have to be ready for something new,’ Sedgwick said. ‘Because they always try something new.’
Sedgwick knows it works. Nearly everyone gets involved in Syracuse’s No. 8 ranked scoring offense that has produced 212 goals to this point. And the team knows what to expect.
Gait’s new plays are a lesson for both sides of his team, offense and defense, scribbled in X’s and O’s and arrows on Gait’s portable whiteboard. He sees and stops these plays in motion, scribbles again when he notices a change in his defense. Introducing new plays is simply keeping up with everyone else.
The drill is simple, too. The two and a half hours of practice also works out the offensive ‘glitches,’ sophomore attack Tee Ladouceur said. And it’s proof of what SU can do during a game.
‘I think we can handle change real easy,’ said Ladouceur. ‘I think we mature as a team through it.’
Through it all, the plays that draw out in Gait’s mind and onto his whiteboard are done in preparation of the future, to continually surprise his team and the opposition.
Gait understands that when he and his team travel to New Jersey to face Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights will have seen tapes of Syracuse’s plays. He understands they will come ready to play.
‘They know what to do and how we come out and show up,’ Gait said.
So the introduction of new plays, from the whiteboard and off the top of Gait’s head, make sense.
‘To add a little offense in there will hopefully give a little surprise when we play someone else,’ Gait said. ‘Going into the Big East Tournament, that will give us a little advantage.’
Published on April 15, 2009 at 12:00 pm
