Jason Tasse, of the Ottawa Rebel, shares his lacrosse expertise.

Having a strong face off / draw man is key to the momentum of the game. As in all sports, ball possession is crucial to wining. You can't score if you don't have it. There are different techniques to successful ball possession off the draw. The elements to success are;

You need consistency here. How you win the possession is secondary to getting the ball in one of your teammate's stick. There are many different ways to win that draw. The most common is the Hard Clamp - this technique is common of big strong players who like to smother the ball with their stick and body, then sweep back it to their offensive wingers.

The next method is the Strong Side Pull - in this method the player clamps down and sweeps out the ball immediately to the approaching winger. If your opponent is faster on the clamp than you, let him clamp the ball down on to your stick and then sweep.

The toughest method is the These guys have to be your fastest and best loose ball players. You want your top player on the strong side of the offensive floor. This would be the side you (the draw man) are pulling to the most often if you are wining. The key with these players is to drive through the ball when picking it up and look to the net first. If the drive is not there, find space, preferably to the off-bench side and use your goalie if you need to - very few players can win the clamp and get their own loose ball in the pros. The wingers are fast and the draw man you are facing is usually as good if not stronger. When you do win the loose ball, you do not have very long to find space with 8 players rushing towards you. If you are able to scoop the loose head for open space off bench side or use your goalie for help so that you can get your scorers on the floor.

The last method is the Over & Back - For this technique to work you must lift your stick over the ball and then towards your opponent's stick, blocking his clamp. From this position, you can then pull the ball back to your wingers.

If none of these methods works it is usually because you are facing a faster draw man and you defend this one of two ways. Do what it takes to keep them from winning cleanly - clamp down hard on the stick head, tie the opponent up immediately after the whistle or sweep the ball forward. The other adjustment you can make is change match ups yourself. Some guys are hot against certain players, some are not.

These guys have to be your quickest and smartest defensive players. They usually cover the opposing team's most talented loose ball guys. For success at this position you need to defend your player first, think ball possession second. You need to tie these players up and disallow a clean possession on their part. Ensure you are matched up evenly and line up directly beside them. Try to stand to the center of the floor when lining up beside them. This will help you box them out easier.

These guys have to be your fastest and best loose ball players. You want your top player on the strong side of the offensive floor. This would be the side you (the draw man) are pulling to the most often if you are wining. The key with these players is to drive through the ball when picking it up and look to the net first. If the drive is not there, find space, preferably to the off-bench side and use your goalie if you need to.