We have heard it many times: "Defense wins championships". However, some on this site will never get it. Most of the people who do not get it were never competitive athletes and many have daughters who do not play on competitive teams and will not play at a top 10 college program.

The people that know (high level coaches and players) will tell you just how important defense is. You can not hide anyone on defense and you can not put a selfish player or a weak athlete on the defensive end of the field without negative consequences.

Here is a direct quote from Cornell player Joey Coffee from Lacrosse Magazine:

"Going into my junior year, when I struggled with what it means to be black in this sport, I played a lot of defense that year. It continued to chip away at my mental game. It was almost like a demotion. In my coaches’ eyes, it was really a promotion — an opportunity to really hone in on an innate skill I have of being really athletic and having good feet. But because of these experiences and the way I perceived black female lacrosse players in the past, I thought this was a demotion.

I’m sure you’ve seen that a lot of black lacrosse players tend to be on the defensive end. It does send a message about how we ended up here. Was it solely because we were athletic? Or was it because of the entire package? I’d argue it’s the entire package, but perception is everything in life."

I would agree, it is the "entire package". Smart coaches want their best athletes on the defensive end of the field.

Here is another quote, this one from BC Head Coach Acacia Walker:

“A lot of people talk about our offense, but every single person in our program knows that the defense is 100% the backbone of our team,” Walker-W says. “Not only the backbone, but sort of the stabilizer. They have played such a huge role in any and all of the success that we’ve had. Everyone likes to talk about the goal scorers, but the goal scorers will tell you it’s Lauren Daly back there, it’s Carly Bell back there, Elizabeth Miller, Brooke Troy, Hannah Hyatt. We just have so much experience and they are really the heart and soul of our team.”

Even more important than athleticism is the players mental makeup / mindset. The player must be mentally tough and selfless.

I have read on this site that defense is the easiest way to get on the field in college. Nothing could be further from reality.

Newsday (which is a rag), Know nothing parents and foolish youth / HS coaches are the only ones who do not get it.

BTW, my daughters play midfield. Oh, my son, he is a defender. ;-)

Go watch a game with someone who played or coached a high level college sport or played a professional sport and ask them their opinion on defensive players.