Communication is the key
The number one key to being a great defensive player, is the communication you have on the floor between yourself and the rest of your teammates. Communication is key in box lacrosse on defence as well as offence. It's amazing how easy team defense can be, with everybody including the goalie, barking out calls to their fellow teammates. It is even more amazing how you can intimidate an offense just by how loud you can yell out a call (even if a defender is beat). Everyone in the defensive end should be yelling a call. Whether it's the man on the ball (yell "Got Ball"), the players off the ball (yell "I've Got" Left/Right"), or on the cutter  (yell "cutter"), every player is communicating and working together as a team.

One-on-One
This can be a the defensive players dream or their nightmare. With that aside it is definitely the one time they have the opportunity to show their athletic ability. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when going one-on-one with an offensive player. The first thing you should focus on is your "ready position" when preparing for a good one-on-one battle. You should always have a slight bend in your knees, almost as if you are sitting in a chair, and be moving, don't hang back and be caught to deep standing still. Move up first and then start coming back with the shooter. If you get caught standing still, then the shooter has all the advantage and can blow right by you. Secondly, always have your stick out in from of you, not at your waist, this way you are ready to engage the shooter. Finally, play on the balls of your feet, not on the back of your heels, this way you can react quickly by engaging or running back with the shooter forcing him to the outside, out of the shooting lane. Remember, the longer you can engage the shooter the better chance you have of creating a turnover and eliminating their scoring opportunity.

Attack Style Defense
The final tip for any defensive player would be to play an attacking style of defense. A lot of players, will get beat for goals because they are too worried about  the ball, focusing on hitting the stick and trying to knock the ball out rather than stopping the shooter. Remember, your job on defense is to stop your opponent FIRST. Be physical and initiate the contact and again, never play on your heels. Have an active stick, don't just use it to check the body, use it on the body for initial contact, once you've stopped the shooter use the poke check. Keep poking (not slashing) at the bottom hand or stick of the shooter. This will drive them crazy! The shooter does not want to engage in physical play; so Be The Aggressor! Your physical play will bother the shooter so much that it will take him out of his game. You can develop take-away checks such as the over-the-head or the can opener later on, but the poke check still remains the most effective check in one's arsenal.

  Andrew McBride at his finest!                                         Photograph by: Tania Garshowitz, NLL.com