1-
History & Object
2- The Essentials (Offense
& Defense, Scoring, Etc.)
3- Field Diagram
and Positions
4- Fouls
5- Glossary
of Lacrosse Terms
The Essentials
Game Length
A high school game is 50 minutes
(college is 60 minutes), divided into
25-minute halves and separated by
a 10-minute halftime. Teams switch
playing sides for the second half
and are allowed one time-out per half.
Although games can end with a tied
score, some leagues use sudden
death overtime, in which the
first team to score during overtime
wins the game.
Start of the game
The action begins at the start of
each half and after each goal with
a draw
at the center of the field. The
team that takes possession of the
ball during the draw is on offense.
Offense and Defense
Offense:
Womens lacrosse is a fast-paced
game; since players are spread across
a large field, speed is the key factor
to success. Teamwork is also critical.
Good passing leads to scoring chances
and prevents the opposition from taking
possession of the ball. Field players
run while cradling
the ball and look to pass to open
teammates with the objective of creating
an open shot at the goal. The action
of pushing the head of the stick forward
and pulling the shaft back produces
extremely accurate and fast shots.
Some basic offense strategies include
trailer, stack, motion, back door,
and dart.
Defense:
The defense attempts to stop the
offense from scoring by deflecting
or intercepting passes, taking the
ball from the opponent, or forcing
bad shots. Physical contact is not
permitted; however, when a defender
is at least one step in front of an
attacker, she can check
the opponents crosse to
knock the ball loose. Defenders will
either play man-to-man
defense, in which each player is assigned
to guard a certain opponent, or zone
defense, in which defensive
players guard a specific area of the
field.
Scoring
A goal is awarded every time the
ball enters the goal.
Equipment
The crosse, or stick,
has an aluminum or titanium shaft
that connects to the head of the stick.
The head is usually made of plastic
and has strings or mesh that form
a pocket to aid in catching and throwing
the ball. The pockets of the sticks
in womens lacrosse are relatively
shallow compared to those used in
mens lacrosse, making it more
difficult to maintain control of the
ball. Goalies use a larger stick and
pocket. The ball is solid rubber and
is about the size of a baseball. The
women's game requires very little
protective gear because it is non-contact.
Protective equipment for field players
is limited to a mouth guard and padded
gloves. Some players use shin pads
and protective eyewear. Goalies don
additional padding including helmet,
gloves, and chest pad. Players also
wear skirts, short-sleeved jerseys,
and cleats or sneakers.
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