Men's Lacrosse Positions
Attack:
The attackman's responsibility is to score goals. The attackman
generally restricts his play to the offensive end of the field.
A good attackman
demonstrates excellent stick work with both hands and has quick
feet to maneuver around the goal. Each team should have three
attackmen
on the field during play.
Midfield:
The midfielder's responsibility is to cover the entire field, playing
both offense and defense. The midfielder is a key to the transition
game, and is often called upon to clear the ball from defense
to offense. A good midfielder demonstrates good stick work including
throwing, catching and scooping. Speed and stamina are essential.
Each team should have three midfielders on the field.
Defense:
The defenseman's responsibility is to defend the goal. The defenseman
generally restricts his play to the defensive end of the field.
A good defenseman should be able to react quickly in game situations.
Agility and aggressiveness are necessary, but great stick work
is not essential to be effective. Each team should have three
defensemen on the field.
Goal:
The goalie's responsibility is to protect the goal and stop the
opposing team from scoring. A good goalie also leads the defense
by reading the situation and directing the defensemen to react.
A good goalie should have excellent hand/eye coordination and
a strong voice. Quickness, agility, confidence and the ability
to concentrate are also essential. Each team has one goalie in
the goal during play.
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Men's Lacrosse Equipment
The Crosse:
The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood or
synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. The
crosse must be an overall length of 40 - 42 inches for attackmen
and midfielders,
or 52 - 72 inches for defensemen. The head of the crosse must
be 6.5 - 10 inches wide, except a goalie's crosse which may
be 10
- 12 inches wide. The pocket of a crosse shall be deemed illegal
if the top surface of a lacrosse ball, when placed in the head
of the crosse, is below the bottom edge of the side wall. The Ball:
The ball must be made of solid rubber and can be white, yellow
or orange. The ball is 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and 5
- 5.25 ounces.
The Helmet:
A protective helmet, equipped with face mask, chin pad and a cupped
four point chin strap fastened to all four hookups, must be worn
by all men's players. All helmets and face masks must be NOCSAE
(National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment)
approved.
The Mouthpiece:
The mouthpiece must be a highly visible color and is mandatory.
The Glove:
All players are required to wear protective gloves. The cutting
or altering of gloves is prohibited.
Protective Equipment
All players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, must wear shoulder
pads. Arm pads and rib pads are also strongly recommended and
often required, as are athletic supporters and protective cups
for all players.
The goalkeeper is required to wear a throat protector and chest
protector, in addition to a helmet, mouthpiece and gloves.
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Men's Lacrosse Rules
Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by
ten players: a goalie, three defensemen, three midfielders and
three attackmen. The
object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's
goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.
Each team must keep at least four players, including the goalie,
in its defensive half of the field and three in its offensive half.
Three players (midfielders) may roam the entire field.
Collegiate games are 60 minutes long, with 15-minute quarters.
Generally, high school games are 48 minutes long, with 12-minute
quarters. Likewise, youth games are 32 minutes long, with eight-minute
quarters. Each team is given a two-minute break between the first
and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. Halftime
is ten minutes long.
Teams change sides between periods. Each team is permitted two
timeouts each half. The team winning the coin toss chooses the
end of the field it wants to defend first.
The players take their positions on the field: four in the defensive
clearing area, one at the center, two in the wing areas and three
in their attack goal area.
Men's lacrosse begins with a face-off. The ball is placed between
the sticks of two squatting players at the center of the field.
The official blows the whistle to begin play. Each face-off player
tries to control the ball. The players in the wing areas can run
after the ball when the whistle sounds. The other players must
wait until one player has gained possession of the ball, or the
ball has crossed a goal area line, before they can release.
Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter and
after a goal is scored. Field players must use their crosses to
pass, catch and run with the ball. Only the goalkeeper may touch
the ball with his hands. A player may gain possession of the ball
by dislodging it from an opponent's crosse with a stick check.
A stick check is the controlled poking and slapping of the stick
and gloved hands of the player in possession of the ball.
Body checking is permitted if the opponent has the ball or is
within five yards of a loose ball. All body contact must occur
from the front or side, above the waist and below the shoulders,
and with both hands on the stick. An opponent's crosse may also
be stick checked if it is within five yards of a loose ball or
ball in the air. Aggressive body checking is discouraged.
If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out of
bounds, the other team is awarded possession. If the ball goes
out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot, the player nearest to
the ball when and where it goes out of bounds is awarded possession.
An attacking player cannot enter the crease around the goal, but
may reach in with his stick to scoop a loose ball.
A referee, umpire and field judge supervise field play. A chief
bench official, timekeepers and scorers assist.
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Men's Lacrosse Personal & Technical Fouls
There are personal
fouls and technical fouls in boy's lacrosse. The penalty for
a personal foul results in a one to three minute
suspension from play and possession to the team that was fouled.
Players with five personal fouls are ejected from the game.
The penalty for a technical foul is a thirty-second suspension
if
a team is in possession of the ball when the foul is committed,
or possession of the ball to the team that was fouled if there
was no possession when the foul was committed.
Note: The US Lacrosse Youth Council has developed modified rules
for ages 15 and under play. To get a copy of these rules contact
US Lacrosse at 410.235.6882.
Personal Fouls
Slashing: Occurs when a player's stick viciously
contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or gloved
hand on the stick.
Tripping: Occurs when a player obstructs his
opponent at or below the waist with the crosse, hands, arms,
feet or legs.
Cross Checking: Occurs when a player uses the handle
of his crosse between his hands to make contact with an opponent.
Unsportsmanlike
Conduct: Occurs when any player or coach commits an act which
is considered unsportsmanlike by an official,
including taunting, arguing, or obscene language or gestures.
Unnecessary
Roughness: Occurs when a player strikes an opponent with his
stick or body using excessive or violent
force.
Illegal Crosse: Occurs when a player uses a crosse
that does not conform to required specifications. A crosse
may be found
illegal
if the pocket is too deep or if any other part of the
crosse was altered to gain an advantage.
Illegal Body
Checking: Occurs when any of the following actions takes place:
a. body checking an opponent who is not in possession
of the ball or within five yards of a loose ball.
b. avoidable body check of an opponent after he has
passed or shot the ball.
c. body checking an opponent from the rear or at
or below the waist.
d. body checking an opponent above the shoulders.
A body check must be below the shoulders and above
the
waist,
and both hands
of the player applying the body check must remain
in contact with his crosse.
Illegal Gloves: Occurs
when a player uses gloves that do not conform to required specifications.
A
glove
will be
found illegal
if the
fingers and palms are cut out of the gloves, or
if the glove has been altered in a way that compromises
its
protective features.
Technical Fouls
Holding: Occurs when a player impedes the movement
of an opponent or an opponent's crosse.
Interference: Occurs when
a player interferes in any manner with the free movement of an
opponent, except when that opponent has
possession of the ball, the ball is in flight and within five
yards of the player, or both players are within five yards
of a loose
ball.
Offsides: Occurs when a team does not have at least four
players on its defensive side of the midfield line or at least
three
players on its offensive side of the midfield line.
Pushing:
Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a player from behind.
Screening:
Occurs when an offensive player moves into and makes contact
with a defensive player with the purpose
of blocking
him from the man he is defending.
Stalling: Occurs when
a team intentionally holds the ball, without conducting normal
offensive play, with
the intent
of running
time off the clock.
Warding Off: Occurs when a player
in possession of the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold,
push or
control
the direction
of
an opponent's stick check.
Back to top Men's Lacrosse Skills
Catching: The act of receiving a passed ball
with the crosse.
Checking: The act of attempting to dislodge the
ball from an opponent's stick.
Poke Check: A stick check in which
the player pokes the head of his stick at an opponent's stick
through the top hand by
pushing with the bottom hand.
Slap Check: A stick check in which
a player slaps the head of his stick against his opponent's stick.
Wrap
Check: A one-handed check in which the defender swings his stick
around his opponent's body to dislodge the ball.
(This
check is only legal at the highest level of play.)
Cradling:
The coordinated motion of the arms and wrists that keeps the
ball secure in the pocket and ready to
be passed
or shot when
running.
Cutting: A movement by an offensive player
without the ball, toward the opponent's goal, in anticipation
of
a feed and
shot.
Feeding: Passing the ball to a teammate who
is in position for a shot on goal.
Passing: The act of throwing
the ball to a teammate with the crosse.
Scooping: The act of picking
up a loose ball with the crosse.
Screening: An offensive tactic
in which a player near the crease positions himself so as to
block the goalkeeper's
view of the
ball.
Shooting: The act of throwing the ball
with the crosse toward the goal in an attempt
to score.
Back to top. Glossary of Men's Lacrosse Terms:
Attack Goal Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to
sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the offensive
team crosses the midfield line, it has ten seconds to move the
ball into its attack goal area.
Body Check: Contact with an opponent from the front - between
the shoulders and waist - when the opponent has the ball or is
within five yards of a loose ball.
Box: An area used to hold players who have been served with penalties,
and through which substitutions ""on the fly"" are
permitted directly from the sideline onto the field.
Check-up: A call given by the goalie to tell each defender to
find his man and call out his number.
Clamp: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly pushing the back
of the stick on top of the ball.
Clearing: Running or passing the ball from the defensive half
of the field to the attack goal area.
Crease: A circle around the goal with a radius of nine feet into
which only defensive players may enter.
Crosse (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch and carry the
ball.
Defensive Clearing Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline
to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the defensive
team gains possession of the ball in this area, it has ten seconds
to move the ball across the midfield line.
Extra man Offense (EMO): A man advantage that results from a time-serving
penalty.
Face-Off: A technique used to put the ball in play at the start
of each quarter, or after a goal is scored. The players squat down
and the ball is placed between their crosses.
Fast-Break: A transition scoring opportunity in which the offense
has at least a one-man advantage.
Ground Ball: A loose ball on the playing field.
Handle (Shaft): An aluminum, wooden or composite pole connected
to the head of the crosse.
Head: The plastic or wood part of the stick connected to the handle.
Man Down Defense (MDD): The situation that results from a time-serving
penalty which causes the defense to play with at least a one man
disadvantage.
Midfield Line: The line which bisects the field of play.
On-The-Fly Substitution: A substitution made during play.
Pick: An offensive maneuver in which a stationary player attempts
to block the path of a defender guarding another offensive player.
Pocket: The strung part of the head of the stick which holds the
ball.
Rake: A face-off move in which a player sweeps the ball to the
side.
Riding: The act of trying to prevent a team from clearing the
ball.
Release: The term used by an official to notify a penalized player
in the box that he may re-enter the game.
Unsettled Situation: Any situation in which the defense is not
positioned correctly, usually due to a loose ball or broken clear.
Back to top. Field of Play:
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