Pick Defense: Go or Switch

Verified · checked against Kaley and Donovan, and Belgium’s national team playbook

The play, beat by beat

The screener's defender calls the pick early, by the side it is on ("Pick right!"). Then it is one of these answers: Go or Switch.
Go: if there is room, slide above the pick and stay with your man (Kaley and Donovan).
Switch: if there is contact, switch (Belgium: "the switch is absolutely necessary"). Your teammate takes the man you had and you take the screener (Kaley and Donovan).
Whoever has the screener stays between him and the goal, so there is no pick-and-roll. Belgium's "Zebra" call puts a pole back on the dodger after a switch.
Switch or talk through is a team choice. Kaley and Donovan prefer to talk, since a switch can make a mismatch; Lacrosse For Dummies says most teams switch on off-ball picks.

Two or more independent sources describe every step of it. Verified · checked against Kaley and Donovan, and Belgium’s national team playbook.

3 beats

Settled defense · Man-to-Man

Verified · checked against Kaley and Donovan, and Belgium’s national team playbook

The screener's defender calls the pick early, by the side it is on ("Pick right!"). Then it is one of these answers: Go or Switch.
Go: if there is room, slide above the pick and stay with your man (Kaley and Donovan).
Switch: if there is contact, switch (Belgium: "the switch is absolutely necessary"). Your teammate takes the man you had and you take the screener (Kaley and Donovan).
Whoever has the screener stays between him and the goal, so there is no pick-and-roll. Belgium's "Zebra" call puts a pole back on the dodger after a switch.
Switch or talk through is a team choice. Kaley and Donovan prefer to talk, since a switch can make a mismatch; Lacrosse For Dummies says most teams switch on off-ball picks.

Two or more independent sources describe every step of it. Verified · checked against Kaley and Donovan, and Belgium’s national team playbook.