If you’re looking for a fast-paced, physical sport to play, look no further than lacrosse. This article will teach you everything you need to know on how to play lacrosse, from the basic rules of the game to scoring points. Lacrosse is a sport that is growing in popularity, so now is the perfect time to learn how to play!
What is lacrosse?
Lacrosse is a fast-paced team sport that is played with a stick and a ball. The basic rules of lacrosse are simple: the objective of the game is to score more points than the other team. To do this, each team must try to advance the ball down the field and into their opponent’s goal. Players have to use the head of the stick to carry, pass, catch and shoot the ball into the goal and they are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands (except for the goalie).
How to play lacrosse? Basic rules explained
A lacrosse game starts with a face-off. During face-off, two players line up against one another, get down on their hands and knees, with the sticks parallel to each other and with the ball placed between them. As soon as the referee blows their whistle, these two players try to gain possession of the ball.
Once a team gets possession of the ball after the faceoff, they try to pass the ball, or run with it, close to the opponent’s goal and try to shoot. In the meantime, the defenders try to keep the attackers from scoring. If the team shoots the ball into the goal, the team is awarded one point.
After a goal is scored, the game is restarted with a face-off at midfield. Face-offs also take place after halftime and after timeouts.
Lacrosse field explained
The lacrosse field is a rectangular field that is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide with goals at either end measuring six feet by six feet. The goal is surrounded by a circular “crease” with a diameter of 18 feet.
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How long is a lacrosse game?
Generally, a lacrosse game lasts for 60 minutes. Lacrosse games are divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes. Similar to the collegiate level, there is a two-minute break between the first and second quarters, and a ten-minute break at halftime. Usually timeouts add up to four minutes, which means that in reality a lacrosse game can take up to 78 minutes.
However, lacrosse games vary in the duration based on the level of play. So to be able to answer how long a lacrosse game is, you need to think about the level the game is played at.
| College | 4x 15min quarters | 60min full match |
|---|---|---|
| High School | 4x 12min quarters | 48min full match |
| Youth | 4x 8min quarters | 32min full match |
How many quarters are in lacrosse?
Although the duration of a lacrosse game and quarters can vary based on the level of play, the format of the game is similar for all levels, with every lacrosse game consisting of 4 quarters.
How long is a college lacrosse game?
A college lacrosse game typically lasts 60 minutes long with 15-minute quarters and a 15-minute halftime. After the first and the third quarter, there is a break lasting two minutes, and the halftime lasts 10 minutes.
How long is a high school lacrosse game?
A high school lacrosse game is not played with the same intensity as is the case for a collegiate case, and so it lasts for 48 minutes, with each quarter lasting only 12 minutes. Similar to the collegiate level, there is also a two-minute break after the first and third quarters and a ten-minute break at halftime.
How long is a youth lacrosse game?
A youth lacrosse game lasts only 32 minutes, with each quarter being eight minutes, to accommodate the small age of the players and their skill levels. Similarly to all other levels, there are two breaks, each of two minutes, and a 10-minute halftime.
How many players in lacrosse?
In lacrosse each team consists of ten players: three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen, and one goalie.
Attackmen
The attackmen are offensive players., who spend their play in the offensive end. Their job is to score goals.
Defensemen
The defenders spend their time in the defensive half and their role is to try to stop the other team from scoring.
Midfielders
They play both offense and defense. They are responsible for carrying the ball up the field and also for stopping the other team from scoring.
Goalie
The goalie is the last line of defense. His/her job is to protect the goal and stop the other team from scoring.
How to score in lacrosse?
Players score goals by shooting the ball into the opposing team’s goal. A goal is worth one point.
In lacrosse, players are not allowed to use their hands to touch the ball (except the goalkeeper). Instead, to get the ball in their offensive side, players have to carry it or passing it to a teammate, only by using the stick.
Players are not allowed to get too close to the opposing net when trying to score. A crease surrounding each goal marks the field to show the offensive players where they are not allowed to enter.
Out of bounds lacrosse rules
When the ball goes out of bounds the game stops. If a player shot the ball out of bounds, then possession of the ball is awarded to the team with a player closest to the end line, where the ball went out bounds. Remember that in lacrosse, the stick is considered an extension of the a player’s body.
If the ball goes out of bounds for other reasons, such as when a player goes out bounds carrying the ball, the team that did not touch the ball last will get possession.
Play resumes with a faceoff at the spot where the ball went out of bounds.
Stick check and body check lacrosse rules
A stick check in lacrosse is when a player uses his or her stick to knock the ball out of an opponent’s stick.
A lacrosse body check is when a player uses his stick to physically push the opponent off of their path, stopping the opponent from having an easy path to the goal. It is important to know a few rules in order to make a legal body check:
- A player can only body check an opponent if that player has the ball and is within five yards of him or her.
- A body check must be initiated from the front or the side, above the waist and below the shoulders.
Lacrosse fouls
There are two types of fouls in lacrosse:
- Personal fouls
Personal fouls are penalized more severely than technical fouls, as they involve contact between players. If a player commits a personal foul, he or she will be given a one to three minutes suspension from play and the possession of the ball is awarded to the team that was fouled. If a player accumulated five personal fouls, he or she are eliminated from the game.
- Technical fouls
Technical fouls are minor penalties that do not involve contact between players. A technical foul results in a suspension of thirty seconds for the player, if his or her team was in possession of the ball when the infraction occurs, or possession of the ball is warded to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when the violation occurred.
Personal Fouls
| Slashing | When a player hits another with his or her stick in any other part of their body, except for the stick or gloved hand on the stick. |
|---|---|
| Tripping | When a player obstructs the opponent below the waist the crosse, hands, arms, feet or legs. |
| Cross-checking | When a player uses the handle of the crosse to push an opponent away. |
| Unsportsmanlike conduct | A catchall for any action that is not considered "gentlemanly" play, such as taunting, gestures, arguing, vulgar language. |
| Unnecessary roughness | When a player uses excessive force to strike an opponent with the stick or body. |
| Illegal body checking | Happens in any of the following situations: when a body check is performed on an opponent who does not have possession of the ball, or within five yards of a loose ball; on an opponent after he shot the ball; body checking from the back, below the waist, or above the shoulders. |
| Illegal crosse | When the crosse is illegal because it gives the player an unfair advantage and does not follow specifications. |
| Illegal gloves | When the player uses gloves which do not conform with the requirements. |
Technical Fouls
| Holding | When a player restricts another player's movement. |
|---|---|
| Interference | When a player impedes the progress of an opponent who does not have the ball by using his or her stick or body. |
| Offsides | In lacrosse team are not allowed to have more than six players on their offensive field half and seven players, including the goalkeeper, on their defensive side. |
| Pushing | When a player uses shoves another from behind. |
| Screening | When a player makes contact with a defensive player, to block him from the man he is defending. |
| Stalling | When a team is holding the ball without making an effort to score, trying to run time off the clock. |
| Warding off | When a player in possession of the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold and push other players in their path. |
Conclusion
Now that you know all the lacrosse rules, you have all the tools you need to learn how to play lacrosse! All you need to do know is go out there and start playing. Remember to always play fair and within the rules of the game, and most important – have fun!
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