Lacrosse is a sport popular among native North Americans. Played on the field by both genders. Like every sports game, you must mind some basic Lacrosse rules. From body check to stick check, you need to know everything here today.
Only 10 players can play the game on the field at one time, and similar to how you need a hockey stick, you'll also need a “crosse” to play Lacrosse. Lacrosse is an exciting sport, and you'll feel like playing soccer, basketball, and hockey all at once. In this guide, you'll learn 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:
- Stick
- Gloves
- Elbow pads
- Shoulder pads
- Helmet
- Mouthguard
- Ball
A Lacrosse ball is a small ball around 8 inches in diameter and made up of galvanized rubber. To protect yourself from injuries caused by the rubber ball, you'll need to wear a protective helmet, mouthguard, and gloves. Possession of the ball is also very important for all lacrosse players.
There are two types of sticks that are used by the team: long and short. The long shaft is around 52 and 72 inches, 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:
- 3 defenders
- 3 midfielders
- 3 attackers
- 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. It would help if you threw the ball into the opponent's goal to achieve more.
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 game's length depends on 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 must pass the ball, with the help of the Lacrosse stick, into the opponent's goal while keeping in mind to cross the goal line completely. Upon infringement, your goal will not be counted by not crossing the goal line. 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 the main rules of Lacrosse are. 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 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 remain only on the defensive side of the area, 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 plan.
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 between two midfielders squatted down at the center 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 take 12 to 15 minutes. After every quarter, teams switch sides. For example, if team A defended goal X in quarter1, then team A will protect goal y in quarter 2. There is also a short break between each quarter and a longer half-time break 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 plan 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 shaft.
- 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.
- It is allowed if a player hits another player from the front, 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. The other team gets the ball if you are the last player to touch it when it goes out of bounds. However, there Is an exception: if a team shoots the ball but misses the goal, 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 pass the ball and it gets out of bounds; the other team gets the ball.
- The 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 is 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. Too many players on one side of the field results in offsides, and the other team gets possession.
- The other penalty is crosschecking when you push a player with your stick, and your hands are spread apart. While making 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, 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 the man up, while the team at a disadvantage is called the 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.
So, I hope you may know now all about the rules about lacrosse in 2023 & their hidden things. If you still have anything to ask, do let me know.
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 understand how hockey and basketball are played, you'll get the rules about Lacrosse in no time.
