Face-offs are one of the most important--if not the most important--factors in the outcome of a lacrosse game. Winning a face-off leads to more possession time, more possession time leads to more offense, and more offense leads to more goals.

Even if a team does not score with their possession, possession time is huge because it takes the ball away from the opponent and keeps them from going on offense. These are very simple concepts indeed, and yet they are often overlooked by an outsider. Facing-off is a game within a game.

Face-off men are often known as one of the unsung heroes of a team. And it is no wonder considering what facing off entails: a do or die situation – face-off man against opponent, sometimes with the game on the line. Most face-off men will tell you they take a lot pride in what they do for their team, scraping and fighting at all costs to get that ball for his teammates. It may be a position often overlooked by an outsider, but it is never overlooked by the players on the field.

Face-off men have the ability to change the outcome of the game in the matter of seconds. Paul Cantabene of the Philadelphia Barrage was a great example of this in the MLL Championship game. He dominated the “X” against the Denver Outlaws, a significant factor that helped his team win the 2006 MLL Championship.

Another good example defining the importance of face-offs came after the 2006 MLL season. The Long Island Lizards, a team loaded with amazing players on both sides of the field, named Peter Vlhakis their team MVP for his efforts on the “X”. That alone should tell you how important winning the ball off the “X” can be for a team.

As a high school lacrosse player growing up in Cleveland, Ohio, I used to take face-offs because my coach just wanted me to stay on the field. When I first started to face-off, I would look at face-offs as my time to rest in a game as I walked back to the midfield X for the next draw. This is often times the case for a lot of high school players - coaches place good athletes on the field to take face-offs and hope that they come up with the ball. Now, there are a lot of high schools that do place a lot of emphasis on the importance of winning face-offs, and they do have specific players for the job. But as a player advances in his career, face-offs become more and more important, as well as more specialized.

Facing-off in college is where I really started to excel. For the first few months of “fall ball” as a freshman at Ohio State, I was running on the 2nd midfield line and fighting to keep myself there. I was never recruited to be a face-off man, but I soon found my role changing. The year before I arrived at Ohio State, the face-off man was a Senior and they needed to find a replacement. Legendary Towson face-off man, Assistant Coach Mark Goers, asked the team if anyone was interested in filling the role. A number of players stepped up, and I was right there with them. After a few weeks of learning, hard work, and practice, I was the new face-off guy for Ohio State.

I bring this scenario up for several reasons. This was an opportunity that I jumped on as a freshman to get myself on the field and have the opportunity to start as a freshman. But, on the flip side, this also closed the door for me as a regular two way midfielder. It is important for players to know what they are getting into if they choose to take face-offs in college, or even some high schools. Soon my new role became taking face-offs, playing D-middie, and running short stick on man down. The coaches wanted to keep me fresh and ready to go so I could win the next face-off and fulfill my role. We didn’t really have a back up face-off man, so I needed to make sure I was getting the job done. Young players need to understand what this role is before they sign themselves up to become a face-off man. They must know what they are giving up to be a face-off guy. They need to decide if facing-off is going to be their primary role or secondary role. Currently as a professional player, it’s my primary role, and I love it!

What role works for you?

There are some amazing athletes that play lacrosse who are unbelievable two way midfielders as well as great face-off men. Kyle Harrison and Kevin Cassesse are two players that come to mind. However, players like this are few and far between in the new age of the sport of lacrosse.

The art of facing-off has become so specialized that the expression FOGO has become common language in the game. It stands for “face-off get off”. This means that a player will take a face-off and once the ball is won, head for the bench and sub off the field. Often times, face-off men get converted into D-middies as well, so that if they lose the draw, they can get in the hole and still play solid defense. Rarely do FOGOs play a lot of offense.

People may wonder why this is the situation, but it actually makes a lot of sense. Coaches know the importance of every possession and they will do what it takes to ensure that their team gets the ball. By getting a face-off man off the field, they are making sure he is fresh and ready to go for the next face-off. Unlike what I thought about face-offs as a High School player—rest time as I went to the “X”—face-offs are actually one of the hardest and most draining parts of lacrosse.

Face-offs wear on your body and absolutely drain every ounce of energy. It feels like you just ran a mile each time you get down in your stance, scrap for the ball, and sprint after the loose ball with several players colliding in a dog fight for the loose ball. There are some games where the combined score is in the 40’s. For example, if the score of a game is 22 – 20: that’s 46 face-offs taken over the course of that game with face-offs after every goal and at the start to each quarter. After a game like this, your body feels like you just got run over by a truck. In a low scoring game, of let’s say 9 – 6, there may not be many face-offs so each one becomes that much more important to win. You want to make sure that you are fresh and ready to go. You need to make sure that at all costs you come up with the ball for your team.

Many people look at what we do as a simple thing, and you will often times hear people say, “That’s all those face-off guys can do”. That is true for some face-off men – it may be the only thing they do, but I guarantee most are very good at it. And talented face-off men, make their team that much better as a whole. Also, there are typically a number of goals scored in a game from face-off transition. This is a great opportunity to create an odd man break and convert it into a goal. A 4 on 3 fast break off the face-off is one of the prettiest things to watch in the game of lacrosse. As stated before, face-off men often play d-middie, man down, and a few players will run on offense. A player’s role for their team will decide how many face-offs a players takes in a game. Teams that have a FOGO, will allow this player to generally take 95% of the face-offs. Other teams with players that run offense, defense, etc. as well as face-off, will share the duties between multiple players.

Often times the teams that run multiple face-off men will have the upper hand in the chess match on the “X”. Granted the team that runs one face-off man may have the freshest player if he is strictly a FOGO going against some two way middies, but by running multiple players against him, you keep him from getting in a groove against one player and you give him different looks. It is easy to get in your rhythm after you figure out how to beat one player, but going against 2 or 3 players can prevent this. Also, each face-off man has their very own distinct style of facing-off and little tricks. It makes it very hard to pick up on their moves in a low scoring game when you have to go against several players from the other team. They also have the opportunity to pick you apart on the sideline after each face-off discussing ways to beat you, especially if you are the only face-off man for your team.

Level of Importance

As a head high school coach, I feel face-offs at the high school level are very important, but at the same time, not nearly as important as they are at the collegiate and professional level. In high school, just like at any other level, possessions lead to goals. But, at the high school level players tend to turn the ball over more, make poor decisions with the ball, and take bad shots. These all lead to turnovers and to a lot of possessions for the other team in return.

At the collegiate level, face-offs serve the biggest purpose. Since there is not a shot clock at the collegiate level, each possession is very important. Teams have the ability to have possession of the ball for as much as 3 – 4 minutes. Especially in a low scoring game, this time with the ball is very valuable. Face-off men have the ability to control possession by fulfilling their role. Winning the face-off late in a one goal game is paramount to your teams’ success. Either giving your team hope to score and tie the game, or giving your team a chance to keep their lead for the remainder of the game.

At the professional level, face-offs still play a very significant role, but with the addition of a shot clock, possessions change almost every minute in the MLL and almost every 30 seconds in the NLL. But, if you can give your team more time to control the ball, this is more time for your team to score and less time that you have to play defense. There are two ways to look at things from this level: It is less important than college since the possessions alternate more with the shot clock. Or the possessions are that much more important since you only get a minute with the ball. Either way, face-offs are still important at the professional level.

The One on One Battle, into the Three on Three Battle, into the Ten on Ten Game

I love the face-off because for a few seconds, it is a one on one battle within a team sport --the game within the game. All eyes are on those two individuals while they compete at all costs to win that ball. When I step on the field to take a draw, it is the most intense moment in the world. Pure focus takes over and my only objective is to come out with possession. After that whistle blows, it’s on. I either win, or I lose. Nothing else matters to me except winning. I will do whatever it takes to make sure my team ends up with the ball. I take that same mindset into every single face-off I take, and as the game progresses, I become more and more focused on my objective.

After the first few seconds after the whistle, the one on one battle becomes a 3 man game. Now, there are 3 men fighting to get the ball. This creates an entire new outlook on things. My philosophy when I face-off is to keep it a one on one battle for as long as I can. Meaning, I want the face-off to stay between me and my opponent. If I can eliminate the defensive wing play, then I have won half the battle. I try to get the ball off the “X” as fast as possible, putting the ball to open space, all while keeping it close enough that I can go pick it up by myself. This gives the least amount of room for error. I know where the ball is the whole time, I can get it myself, and I don’t have to rely on anyone else to pick up the ball. But, often times, this doesn’t happen. You may pull the ball too far, not win the draw, lose track of where the ball is, or just get tied up too long fighting for the ball that it automatically becomes a three man game.

At this point, communication becomes key. Once the ball is out off the “X” and it is a 3 on 3 battle you must communicate. One player needs to go after the ball, one player needs to drop back to cover the break, and the last player needs to react to the situation. He needs to decide if it is worth chasing the ball, picking up one of their players, or helping out in the hole. Every situation will be different, but through communication, teams can be successful and ready for any situation.

Communication for face-offs should start before a unit even touches the field for the draw. Face-off men should align their wing players where they want them, and let them know their roles ahead of time, as well as notifying them where he is planning on putting the ball. All are key components to successful face-offs. Teams with great wing play are teams with great face-off percentages. Generally you will want one wing player back to cover the break or at least in a position where they can get in the hole easily, and you can put your other wing player wherever the face-off man chooses to put him. Again, every scenario will be different, but you will always want at least one player ready to cover the hole and help out defensively in case the opposing face-off man creates a fast break situation. As I said earlier, I try to take the ball to myself, but there are a lot of times where I need to pull the ball to one of my wing men. There are days when these guys are responsible for a lot of my success.

Two things make a great wing player: speed and guts. You need someone to get off the line quick and get to the ball faster than the opponent. You also need someone with the guts to get into a scrap and fight like a wild dog to get that ball. Great face-off men with the addition of great wing players, make a great face-off unit.

After that ball is up and off the ground and the referee yells release, then it soon becomes a ten on ten game. The ball can rotate to the defensive end by passing it back to a defenseman or the goalie. Or, it can immediately get pushed in transition into the offensive end, looking to find the open attackman.

Face-off Situations

By winning face-offs consistently, face-off men give their team a distinct advantage. If you look at the stats after a game, you could almost guess which team that won just by looking at face-off percentages and ground balls for each team. The team that wins both categories will generally come out on top. If a face-off man can come up with the ball several times in a row, especially after their team scores a few goals, the momentum of that game will be with their team.

By continually gaining possession, it mentally wears on your opponents as well as physically wears down their defense. Physically, the other team doesn’t get a break if you just keep coming and coming on offense. Also, mentally it hurts the other team. Their attackmen will begin to get frustrated if they can’t get the ball in their sticks to do anything, and then once they do, they will often times make a poor decision and try to do too much. Also, it wears on a goalie mentally when a team just keeps coming down, taking shots, and scoring consistently on them. You will even be able to see the other team’s coach getting upset and frustrated. It’s also obvious that the defenseman will not be happy when they are getting run ragged with little to no break. Little by little things will fall apart for an opponent if you have a face-off man dominating a game.

You can also create great scoring opportunities right from a face-off. My favorite move is to take the ball out the front to myself and push a fast break creating a 4 vs. 3 scoring opportunity for my team. It also helps to have players like Mike Watson, Spencer Ford, and “Buggs” Combs waiting for me to get them the ball down on attack in transition, so we were able to create a lot of transition goals off face-offs this season. That is the best case scenario when you can create a clean fast break, but there are other opportunities.

In college, I was lucky enough to have a great defenseman in Greg Bice backing me up. And, I am even luckier to have him playing with me again out in L.A. Once teams had me scouted out in college, they would eventually shut down my fast break and drop their LSM all the way back on the face-off wing to come directly in to help take the break away. So, adjustments needed to be made. I would take the ball out the back to myself with a clamp. The opposing face-off man would chase me as well as the ball. As soon as I picked up the ball, the ref would yell release. And, that’s exactly what we would do. Greg would take off, releasing from the defensive restraining line, flying up field. I would hit him with a simple pass and I would stay back on sides as he would carry the ball over and push a 6 vs. 5, or often times a 5 vs. 4 transition opportunity.

Another great way to create odd man transition with face-offs is to use your wing men. Often times, the opposing face-off man will go after the ball initially once it is won off the “X”. If you can pull the ball out to your offensive wing man, a lot of times two opposing players will go after the ball – their same side wing man as well as the opposing face-off man. If your wing player can pick it up cleanly, have the face-off man break up field towards the sideline as soon as he pulls it back, opening up a simple passing lane between him and that wing man. It’s almost like a give and go play from the face-off man, to the wing man, and a pass back to the face-off man. If executed correctly it will create a 4 vs. 3 opportunity or at worst a 5 vs. 4 break. Both will give your team an opportunity to create scoring chances off the face-off.

Face-off Moves: Rock, Paper, Scissors

There are tons of different face-off moves, with tons of variations to each of them. The three basic moves that have led to the development of everything else: the clamp, the rake, and the top/jam.

I look at these three basic moves like the old game of rock, paper, scissors. Each of the moves can be successful against one move and get beat by another. I call the clamp “rock”, the rake “scissors”, and the top/jam “paper”. When someone clamps (rock), they will usually beat someone that rakes (scissors) the ball, but they will get beat by someone that tops/jams (paper). If someone rakes (scissors) they will beat the top/jam (paper), but lose to the clamp (rock). Lastly, someone that tops/jams (paper) will beat the person that clamps (rock), but lose to someone that rakes (scissors). I came up with this perspective on face-offs to help explain face-off techniques to young kids at lacrosse camps. Since we don’t live in a perfect world, the outcome will not always be the same, but this is a basic guideline to follow.

Before we go into the different moves, here are some important things to keep in mind. Hand placement and footwork are key. I prefer to use an over-under grip with my hands. I put my left palm aimed down towards the ground, and my right palm up under the stick. Some players use a double over grip, commonly known as “motorcycle style”. They place both palms facing the ground when they hold the stick. Both are good, and I am not here to tell you which one is better. I have used both techniques at different points in my life. The thing to remember is that when using either one, the closer your hands are together, the faster your move will be, but it will also be weaker. If you separate your hands very far apart, you will gain more strength and power but sacrifice speed. I recommend finding out what works for you and using it.

As for stance, I think you always want your right foot forward so you have the ability to step across your opponent and not give up a break. If your right foot is back, then you are susceptible to a fast break by your opponent. Also, always get on the balls of your feet so you are ready to move as soon as the whistle blows.

The clamp is the most common move used by players, especially at the collegiate and professional level. This is also my favorite move. The objective here is to punch your left hand forward and rotate your stick head to cover the ball with the back of your stick and pull the ball out to the spot of your choice. This gives you the ability to go forward, backwards, or straight down the line to your wing player.

The rake is a very fast, quick movement to get the ball off the “X” as fast as possible. You will simply roll the head of your stick back towards your body, making it parallel to the ground and flicking your wrists, popping the ball to open space out the front. This is a great move to use against someone that wants to jam or tie you up, or someone with a slow clamp. This is also a great move to use on turf, when you can get the ball moving quickly and it won’t get stuck in the grass.

The top/jam is a great power moved that can be used as an offensive face-off move to get the ball out, or simply a counter move to tie up your opponent. This serves a great purpose if you are having a bad day facing-off and you want to tie the other man up, making it a 3 vs. 3 battle for the ball. When doing the top/jam, you will bring your stick head up off the ground, take it over the ball, and drive the head of you stick into your opponents, all while driving your left hand forward. Once clearing the ball and driving your opponent’s stick off the ball, rotate your hands as you lift your butt end and pop the ball out using the head of your stick. Some players choose to “jam” the other player’s stick head with their shaft, and then pull the ball back behind them using their shaft. Both are very good techniques.

The great thing about facing-off is that there is no right or wrong way. Play around with these three techniques and invent your own. Figure out if you are a power guy or a finesse guy when it comes to facing-off. Do you want to use your wings or simply take it to yourself? What works better for you, the clamp or the jam? As you develop skills you can come up with your own moves. I have several advanced moves that I have come up with for a variety of situations. I call them the “slingshot”, the “around the world”, the “hail Mary”, and the “behind the back”. All fun moves I like to bring out in club lacrosse tournaments throughout the year.

Conclusion

Face-off men can come in all shapes and sizes. I just happen to be 6’4 and 250 pounds. But, some of the best face-off men are only 5’7 or smaller. Anyone can learn to do well on the “X” with a lot of practice, hard work, and determination. I didn’t even pick up a lacrosse stick until I was a freshman in high school. Through hard work and the fact that I was determined to do well, I have made it to the pros.

Many players have different philosophies and strategies they bring with them to the face-off “X”. Nobody knows the best way or right answer for everything. Every situation is different, as are each individual style. If facing-off is for you, then you need to figure out what works, and practice, practice, and practice some more until you perfect it. Never give up, and don’t let anyone ever tell you can’t do something. Prove the doubters wrong, and always strive to be the best that you can be!

Please feel free to write me with any specific questions about facing-off, technique, situations, or specific moves. You can reach me through email at: Anthony_Kelly@hboe.org since I am happy to help out other players.

- Four year starter in college, starting every game of his career at Ohio State University
- Only player in school history to lead the team in ground balls all 4 years of career
- Ranked Nationally in face-off win percentage all 4 years of college career
- Plays in MLL for the L.A. Riptide
- Named L.A.’s “Newcomer of the Year” by US Lacrosse Magazine
- Lead L.A. to a #2 Ranking in face-off wins for the 2006 season
- Signed with NLL N.Y. Titans for 2006 - 2007 season