Rules About Lacrosse That You Must Know

Lacrosse, a sport popular among native North Americans. played by both genders is a field game. Like every sports game, you have to mind some basic rules about Lacrosse. Only 10 players can play the game on the field at one time and similar to how you need a hockey stick for playing hockey you'll also need a stick called “crosse” to play Lacrosse. Lacrosse is an exciting sport and you’ll feel like you are playing soccer, basketball and hockey all at once. In this guide, you’ll get to know all the basic rules about Lacrosse so you can enjoy your next match.

Basic Lacrosse kit

The basic Lacrosse kit consists of the following equipment:

1.       Stick

2.       Gloves

3.       Elbow pads

4.       Shoulder pads

5.       Helmet

6.       Mouthguard

7.       Ball

A Lacrosse ball is a small ball, that is around 8 inches in diameter and is made up of galvanized rubber. To protect yourself from any injuries caused by the rubber ball, you’ll need to wear a protective helmet, mouthguard and gloves.

There are two types of sticks that are used by the team: long and short. The long stick is around 52 and 72 inches in length while the short one Is around 40 and 42 inches. Except for the goalkeeper Only four players are allowed to use the long sticks.

A Lacrosse team comprises 10 players, and players are divided into the following roles:

1.       3 defenders

2.       3 midfielders

3.       3 attackers

4.       1 goalkeeper

There is a position for each and every player and to be able to play Lacrosse, there are no specific requirements. You should only know what basic rules about lacrosse to follow and how to catch or pass the ball with your stick.

What is the main goal of the game of lacrosse?

Similar to other sports, the goal of the Lacrosse game is to score more than your opponent’s team. To score more, you have to throw the ball into the opponent’s goal. You’ll use your stick to catch, carry and pass the ball to your other team players, aiming to stop the opponent team from gaining more scores than you. The length of the game depends upon your age group, so if you are in a college game it will last for a 4-15 minutes quarter, while for youth games, it will last for a 4-10 minutes quarter.

To gain a score, your team players have to pass the ball with the help of the Lacrosse stick, into the opponent’s goal while keeping in mind to completely cross the goal line. Upon infringement, by not crossing the goal line your goal will not be counted. If your team scored more goals within the given timeframe, then congratulations! You are the winner.

What are the basic rules about Lacrosse?

If you have just started playing or watching Lacrosse then you must be wondering what are the main rules of Lacrosse. It can be confusing for noobs, and to avoid unnecessary confusion here we have explained all the basic rules you must know about lacrosse. this will not only help you play lacrosse but you’ll also enjoy the game.

The field rules:

·         The Lacrosse field is 120 yards long and 65 yards wide, which is the same size as a football field but it is slightly wider.

·         Out of ten members, the attackers are allowed to stay on the offensive side of the field which means they can’t cross the midfield line.  However, the defenders are allowed to stay only on the defensive side of the field and they too can’t cross over the midfield line. Midfielders can cross over either side of the field.

·         A Lacrosse goal is six by six in height and width, guarded by a goalkeeper whose main purpose is to prevent the ball from going into the goal.

The cease rules:

·         Around every Lacrosse goal, there is a circular line called a crease and offensive players are not allowed to enter the crease at any time only they can use their sticks within cease. If someone disobeys this rule and still goes into the crease, it results in a turnover and the opposite team gets the ball now.

·         Every Lacrosse game begins with a faceoff, the ball is placed in between two midfielders squatted down at the centre of the field. Faceoffs are done at the start of every quarter and after every goal.

The quarter’s rules:

·         A Lacrosse game consists of 4 quarters, which generally takes 12 to 15 minutes. After every quarter, teams switch sides. For example, if team A defended goal X in quarter1 then team A will defend goal y in quarter 2. There is also a short break in between each quarter and a longer break at half time after two quarters.

·         There are no ties in Lacrosse, which means if both teams have an equal no of goals after 4 quarters, the team will go into overtime. After getting into overtime, whichever team gets an extra goal is the winner.

The sticks rules:

·         To move the ball around the field, Lacrosse players pass the ball to each other by using their sticks or they run the ball themselves and cradle it. By cradle, it means moving the Lacrosse stick back and forth to keep the ball inside the stick.  Using hands or feet is strictly prohibited.

·         Lacrosse players try to dodge or move around their defenders to get open to score and as a result, the defenders stop players by checking or using their sticks so they can dislodge the ball from their opponent.

·         If a player hits another player from the front, it is allowed but pushing a player from the back is strictly prohibited. in addition to that, you can’t make head-to-head contact with an opponent. You also can’t slash or use your metal stick to hit a player in the head, legs or arms.

The out-of-bounds rules:

·         Lacrosse out-of-bounds rules are similar to most of the other ground sports. If you are the last player to touch a ball when it goes out of bounds, the other team gets the ball. However, there Is an exception, if a team shoots the ball but misses the goal then whoever is close to the ball when it goes out of bounds gets the possession. It means a team who missed the goal can still get the ball back if they’re closest to it when it goes out of bounds. Remember that this rule applies to a shot only if you passed the ball and it gets out of bounds, the other team gets the ball.

·         Area behind the goal is called the X, and similar to hockey, Lacrosse players can freely move behind the goal area. Moreover, at least one offensive player is at x during a game.

The penalty rules:

·         There are several common penalties that you can encounter while playing Lacrosse. The first one being offsides, which means teams must keep four players including the goalkeeper on the defensive side of the ball at all times. In addition, they have to keep three offensive players on the offensive side of the ball at one time. Having too many players on one side of the field, results in offsides and the other team gets possession.

·         The other penalty is crosscheck, which happens when you push a player with your stick and your hands are spread apart. While pushing a player, your hands need to be together, if not it’s considered a crosscheck.

·         Another penalty is the slash, where a defender hits a player in the hand, legs or arms. If a team gets a penalty, then the player who committed the penalty is sent to the penalty box for a certain period.  This penalty gives the opposing team an advantage and they can play with one extra player on the field. This team with the upper hand is called man up while the team at disadvantage is called man down.

The game of Lacrosse can be hell confusing when you first start watching or playing it as you are unaware of most of the rules. But once you understand how the basic rules work, how team players are positioned and what players get the longer stick and what get the shorter one, you’ll easily get the hang of it. Lastly, If you are someone who understands how hockey and basketball are played then you’ll get the rules about Lacrosse in no time.