Field Lacrosse
Field Lacrosse is a full-contact outdoor men's sport played with 10 players on each team (1 goalie, 3 defenders, 3 middies and 3 attackers). This sport has a very rich heritage which we discuss in another section. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the other teams by using the lacrosse stick to pass, catch or shoot the lacrosse ball inside the other team's net. In addition to having a lacrosse stick, each player wears protective equipment which can differ a bit depending the positions. Goalies have a wider head to make saves, while defenders have a stick of up to 1m80 in length.
Lacrosse has its own unique type of "off-sides" which limits the maximum amount of players on each side of the field. This means that Lacrosse is played 6 vs 7 (Offense : 3 middies + 3 middies -&- Defense : 1 goalie + 3 defenders + 3 middies). Typical offensive formations are the "open set", the "2-3-1", the "3-3", the "1-4-1" and the "2-2-2".
Instead of handing yellow or red cards, the officials give out "penalty minutes". This means that a team is penalized after a foul by playing "man-down" for 30 seconds, 1 or 2 minutes. Playing "man-up" in Lacrosse is a huge advantage and it typically results in a goal.
Composed of 4 x 20 minute quarters, a Lacrosse game starts each of these with a "face-off" between two players at the center of the field. The game is also restarted via a "face-off" after every goal. As you can imagine, this opens the door for amazing "comebacks" scenarios as the team which got scored on does not automatically get possession after the goal.
Due its incredibly fast paste, it Lacrosse is often referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet". And interestingly, substitutions are allowed at any point during the game, which we do frequently (almost every other minute) to keep the game at high tempo. If you're tired, get off the field! You'll get back in a minute!
More info on the professional outdoor leagues such as the PLL, the NCAA and the MLL here.
Lacrosse has its own unique type of "off-sides" which limits the maximum amount of players on each side of the field. This means that Lacrosse is played 6 vs 7 (Offense : 3 middies + 3 middies -&- Defense : 1 goalie + 3 defenders + 3 middies). Typical offensive formations are the "open set", the "2-3-1", the "3-3", the "1-4-1" and the "2-2-2".
Instead of handing yellow or red cards, the officials give out "penalty minutes". This means that a team is penalized after a foul by playing "man-down" for 30 seconds, 1 or 2 minutes. Playing "man-up" in Lacrosse is a huge advantage and it typically results in a goal.
Composed of 4 x 20 minute quarters, a Lacrosse game starts each of these with a "face-off" between two players at the center of the field. The game is also restarted via a "face-off" after every goal. As you can imagine, this opens the door for amazing "comebacks" scenarios as the team which got scored on does not automatically get possession after the goal.
Due its incredibly fast paste, it Lacrosse is often referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet". And interestingly, substitutions are allowed at any point during the game, which we do frequently (almost every other minute) to keep the game at high tempo. If you're tired, get off the field! You'll get back in a minute!
More info on the professional outdoor leagues such as the PLL, the NCAA and the MLL here.
Scheme of a field Lacrosse pitch. 10 players per teams (1 goalie, 3 defenders, 3 middies & 3 attackers)
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Whipsnakes against Redwoods in the inaugural 2019 season of the Premier League Lacrosse (PLL)
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A face-off to restart the game between Denver and Air Force during an NCAA game.
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Box Lacrosse
While very similar to the field version, Box Lacrosse (or indoor Lacrosse) is typically played on a smaller surface and with wall such as on an Ice Hockey rink (without the ice of course). Indoor Lacrosse is most popular in Canada where it is the National Summer Sport.
This version of the sport is played 5 vs 5 (+ the goalies) and with a smaller net, which makes scoring very difficult but very rewarding! In this version, the defenders do not have longer crosses but are allowed to cross-check to push away the attacking players. In this very intense game, there are no "out-of-bounce" and stick skills are again very important. While there are not "off-sides", there is an "over & back" rule, meaning that the attacking team cannot return to their defensive half while carrying the ball.
More info on the NLL, or "The National Lacrosse League here".
This version of the sport is played 5 vs 5 (+ the goalies) and with a smaller net, which makes scoring very difficult but very rewarding! In this version, the defenders do not have longer crosses but are allowed to cross-check to push away the attacking players. In this very intense game, there are no "out-of-bounce" and stick skills are again very important. While there are not "off-sides", there is an "over & back" rule, meaning that the attacking team cannot return to their defensive half while carrying the ball.
More info on the NLL, or "The National Lacrosse League here".
Box Lacrosse is played indoor with fewer players and on a smaller net than in Field Lacrosse.
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Mark Matthews playing for the
Saskatchewan Rush in the National Lacrosse League (NLL)
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A box Lacrosse goalie
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