¶ 3–3 Formation
¶ Formation Overview
The 3–3 is a wide wall-pressure formation built around structured cycling, layered support, and rapid side switching.
Formation Name: 3–3
Player Layout: 3 Forwards / 3 Backs
Play Style: Wide Wall Pressure / Structured Cycling
The formation is designed to:
- Draw defenders onto the wall
- Open the game to the opposite side
- Maintain continuous support behind the puck
- Create wide attacking opportunities
- Pressure through layered cycling
The structure places high swimming demands on the backs and wings but creates strong scoring opportunities through constant movement and support.
¶ Core Principles
- Protect possession first
- Pull defenders onto the wall
- Drive open space when available
- Maintain support behind the puck
- Keep defensive coverage during attacks
- Win the current engagement
- Do not double engage with backs
¶ Main Strengths
- Strong wall control
- Quick side switching
- Wide attacking structure
- Continuous support behind the puck
- Strong cycling recovery
- Good scoring opportunities for backs and wings
- Strong defensive containment
¶ Main Weaknesses
- Breaks down if backs engage together
- Requires disciplined cycling
- Forward spacing is critical
- Weak-side coverage is demanding
- High swimming workload
- Requires strong communication and awareness
¶ Position Responsibilities
¶ Backs
The backs maintain defensive structure and provide continuous cycling support behind the puck.
¶ Strong + Swing Back
Responsibilities
- Rotate continuously
- Stay tight behind forward support
- Support puck progression
- Protect possession
- Re-engage after recovery
- Prevent direct middle breakouts
- Open switches across the pool
Positioning & Cycling
- One back engages while the other recovers
- Do not double dive
- Stay between puck and goal
- Maintain the cycling structure
The Strong and Swing Back continuously rotate to maintain pressure while protecting defensive depth.
¶ Weak Back
Responsibilities
- Cover and contain
- Protect middle space
- Receive swing passes
- Support cycle breakdowns
- Provide emergency defensive cover
Engagement Rules
The Weak Back should not engage unnecessarily.
The Weak Back may engage if:
- A goal threat exists
- The cycle breaks down
- The Strong or Swing Back is unavailable
If the Weak Back engages:
- The Swing or Center recovers into coverage
¶ Back Wall Cycle
Expand 3-Way Cycle Summary
When defending corners or the back wall:
- Cycle through engagements
- Swim fully to the corner before surfacing
- Do not allow uncontested space
- Maintain pressure between puck and goal
¶ Typical Cycle
- Strong
- Swing
- Weak
After surfacing:
- Recover weak-side
- Reform the structure
¶ Forwards
The forwards provide width, support, and layered pressure ahead of the backs.
¶ General Forward Principles
- Stay reachable for passes
- Support the current engagement
- Create useful passing options
- Maintain width without disconnecting
- Pressure opposite side from the backs during defense
¶ Strong Forward
Responsibilities
- Provide a wide wall option
- Create outside passing lanes
- Create cross-pool opportunities
- Act as the primary wide attacking option
- Back-pick defensively
¶ Center Forward
Responsibilities
- Fill missing forward positions
- Support flexibly around the puck
- Connect wall play to center support
- Stay ahead during attacks
- Support beside or slightly behind the puck carrier
Defense
- Side-pick defensively
- Prevent center passes
- Drive opponents toward the wall
¶ Weak Forward
Responsibilities
- Support and seal the weak side
- Fill missing forward positions
- Seal weak-side space near goal
- Act as last-player-back when needed
- Back-pick defensively
Positioning
- Do not attack the same side as the backs
- Stay connected to weak-side support
- Protect recovery space during switches
¶ Defensive Structure
The 3–3 uses layered defensive pressure from both sides of the play.
¶ Defensive Principles
- Backs pressure from goal-side
- Forwards pressure from the opposite side
- Protect center lanes
- Prevent easy exits and back-swims
- Maintain layered support during recovery
The formation relies heavily on structure and cycling discipline to avoid defensive gaps.
¶ Possession Principles
The 3–3 prioritizes controlled wall pressure and structured side switching.
Players should:
- Protect possession before attacking space
- Use support passes when forward options close
- Recycle through the backs when needed
- Open the opposite side after compressing defenders
- Maintain continuous support behind the puck
The structure works best when cycling remains organized and players avoid isolated engagements.
¶ Common Structural Failures
The structure commonly breaks down when:
- Both backs engage at the same time
- Players stop cycling after recovery
- Forward spacing collapses
- Weak-side support disappears
- Side switches happen too slowly
- Players overcommit individually
- The backs disconnect from support
¶ Additional Information
Read more about the full structure here:
Read Full 3–3 Formation Detail
¶ Demonstration Video
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¶ Real-Life Example Video Clip
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¶ Quick Reference
¶ 3–3
- WALL PRESSURE FORMATION
- PULL DEFENDERS ONTO THE WALL
- SWITCH PLAY ACROSS THE POOL
- BACKS MUST CYCLE CONSTANTLY
- DO NOT DOUBLE ENGAGE WITH BACKS
- MAINTAIN SUPPORT BEHIND THE PUCK
- PROTECT THE MIDDLE FIRST