Lacrosse is a fast moving sport which features the goal scoring and checking of hockey, the offensive strategies of basketball, the throwing and catching of baseball, and the running of soccer.
Players
Each team fields 10 players at a time: a goalie, three defensemen (usually with long sticks), three midfielders, and three attackmen. A team may have no more than 6 men in its offensive end of the field, or 7 men (including the goalie) in its defensive end, INCLUDING any players serving penalties. A team failing to do so is OFFSIDE, which is a technical foul. Normally the midfielders are the ones who play at both ends of the field, but any member of the team may cross midfield, provided the number of players does not exceed 6 (O) or 7 (D).
Equipment
All players must have helmets, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves, and mouthpieces. The goalie is exempt from shoulder pads and — only at the Varsity and JV levels — arm pads). Failure to wear any required piece of equipment results in a one minute, non-releasable penalty. (Exception: no mouthguard is a 30-second releasable technical foul.)
The crosses (sticks) must be of the proper dimensions. Failure to have a legal stick results in a two minute non-releasable penalty.
The Field
A regulation lacrosse field is 110 yards long and 60 years wide (high school fields can be 53-1/3 yards wide). The goals are six feet by six feet and are surrounded by a nine foot diameter circle called the crease. The scorer’s table is situated at midfield, just behind the penalty area and substitution area. Lines mark midfield, attack, defense, and wing areas.
Face Off
Though there are exceptions, face offs begin each period and take place after a goal is scored. Two opposing midfielders usually take the face off at center field. During the face off, the other four midfielders are confined to the wing areas and defensemen and attackmen are confined to their respective areas.
For a face off, the two opposing midfielders come to the center field “X” facing each other. The official places the ball on a spot on the midline and says “down”. The two players come down together with their sticks parallel to but not touching the center line with the ball centered in the heads of both crosses, and the top of each head lined up with the stop (throat) of the opposite stick (“tops to stops”). Players must have both hands on their sticks, knuckles resting on the ground, and their entire bodies to the left of the head of the crosse. Once the official is satisfied that the players are lined up properly, he says “set”. The players may not move until the whistle is blown.
At the whistle, the MIDFIELD players are released from the wings and the face off players try to direct the ball or scoop it up. The defensemen and attackmen are confined to their respective areas until possession is called or the ball crosses the defensive area lines.
If a team commits a violation during face off, the ball is awarded to the other team.
The Crease
The crease area is a circle around the goal that signifies protection for the goalie. No offensive player may step on or in the crease area, nor may he interfere with the goalie while the goalie is in the crease. However, offensive players may reach into the crease with their sticks, provided they do not interfere with the goalie.
Advancing the Ball
There are 3 stages of advancing the ball when a team gains possession: 4 seconds to move it out of their crease, 20 seconds to move it into their offensive end of the field, then 10 seconds to move it into the attack box.
When the defense gains possession of the ball in the crease, the official will flip his 20-second timer and begin a four second hand count. The defense must run or pass the ball out of the crease before the 4-count is complete, or possession will go to the other team. If a player has the ball outside his own crease, he may pass it to a teammate in the crease, but may not enter the crease himself while in possession. If, while in the crease, the player unintentionally drops the ball and then picks it up again, the official will begin new 4-count; however, the 20-second timer will continue to run.
When a team gains possession of the ball in its defensive end, it has twenty seconds to move it beyond midfield. Players may run it out or throw it out of the area.
As soon as the offensive team has or gains possession in its offensive end, it has ten seconds to get it into the attack area of the field. They may merely step on the line to satisfy this requirement. Once the ten second count has been satisfied, the team may operate within its offensive half without any counts.
Stalling (Get it in / Keep it in)
If the officials determine that a team is deliberately stalling in its offensive half, they can direct the team to “get it in” and “keep it in”. The “get it in” warning is issued if the ball is possessed outside the attack box, and the offense is given a 10 count to move it into the box. The “keep it in” warning is issued if the ball is already possessed inside the box. In both cases, the offense may not move the ball back out of the box, possessed or loose. Doing so will result in a whistle and turnover to the defense. Exceptions include passes that are deflected by the defense or shots that have deflected off the goal or a defensive player.
End of game Automatic Stall Warning
If in the final two minutes of the game a team is winning by less 4 goals or less and gains possession of the ball then stall warnings will be issued automatically. The “advancing the ball” counts still apply, but a “get it in” is issued when the ball is moved into the offensive end of the field (or if possession is initially gained there), and a “keep it in” accompanies advancement to the attack box.
Over and Back
After a team has advanced the ball into their attack area, they will lose possession if the ball crosses back over the midline, unless (1) it was the result of a shot, or (2) the ball was last touched by a defensive player. The ball may be batted back with a crosse as long as it isn’t beyond the midline or possessed by the player on the other side of it.
Restarts
If the ball goes out of bounds, it is restarted at the spot where it went out. On penalties where there is no time to be served, the ball is put in play where the foul occurred (with the exception of goalie interference). If the foul occurs within the attack area, offensive players must take it outside the box, but defensive players restart wherever they are, including the crease. If a time-serving foul is committed against a team in its defensive end, they will be awarded a “free clear,” meaning the restart will occur at midfield in their offensive end. This also applies to interference on a goalie when he has possession in the crease.
If the ball goes out of bounds on a shot, the team closest to the ball when and where it goes out is awarded the ball on a restart. This is true even if the ball is deflected by another player, provided he does not give it added impetus.
Stick Checking
Players may attempt to dislodge the ball from an opponent by hitting the stick (or the hand on the stick). Players may not swing their sticks recklessly or viciously.
Body Checking
It is legal to body check a player in possession of the ball or within five yards of a loose ball. The check must be delivered below the neck and above the waist and the checking player must have both hands on his stick. The check may be from the front or side only. The player being checked must not be touching the ground with any body part except for his feet.
Stick Inspection
During quarter breaks or timeouts, game officials conduct random inspections of players’ equipment. They select a player from each team and determine if their equipment meets the specifications outlined in the rules. After inspecting players’ helmets, mouthpieces, gloves, and shoulder pads, the officials take the players’ crosses to midfield to test for proper length, dimensions and whether the ball will roll out of the crosse unimpeded.
Coaches may also request an inspection of an opposing player’s equipment at any dead ball.
