You will get to the point where your technique is very sound through execution of all moves and counters. The next step is to start the read, identify, and execute or mental side of facing-off . Before each face-off we talked about lining up the same way every time. This was called our set up. The same stance, same hand placement on the stick, and same head position in relation to the ball before the whistle blows, is essential to successfully masking your move.

While we do everything we can to insure that we mask our move, we also should do everything we can to read our opponents move. All players are readable in some way. The most common changes in a player's set-up are their wrist position and the pressure on the bottom, right sidewall of his stick.

Here are the three most common scenarios:

1.) Our first read is our opponents left wrist. If his wrist is down, he's usually clamping. That is the read. Then we identify the counter to his clamp; the top. Then when the whistle blows, we execute the top for a break or behind us for possession.

2.) If his left wrist is up, then he's doing either a top or a punch rake. We need to make a second read. That's the bottom right sidewall of his stick. If it's up also, then he's topping. That's the read. Then we identify the counter and execute it.

3.) If the sidewall is down then he is raking. That's the read. Then we identify the counter and execute it. It's becomes simple through practice.