An Overview of Lacrosse
Lacrosse a team based sport of Native American origins is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet known as a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting which is used to catch, carry, and pass the lacrosse ball. The purpose of each team is to score by causing the ball to enter the goal of its opponents, and to prevent the other team from securing the ball and scoring. The ball is kept in play by being carried, thrown or batted with the crosse, rolled or kicked in any direction, it may not be touched by the hand, except by a goalkeeper who is within his goal crease.
There are three variations of the sport, men's lacrosse (also known as field lacrosse) , women's lacrosse and box lacrosse.
Player Positions
Attack: The attackman's responsibility is to score goals. The attackman generally restricts his play to the offensive end of the field. A good attackman demonstrates excellent stick work with both hands and has quick feet to maneuver around the goal. Each team should have three attackmen on the field during play.
Midfield: The midfielder's responsibility is to cover the entire field, playing both offense and defense. The midfielder is a key to the transition game, and is often called upon to clear the ball from defense to offense. A good midfielder demonstrates good stick work including throwing, catching and scooping. Speed and stamina are essential. Each team should have three midfielders on the field.
Defense: The defenseman's responsibility is to defend the goal. The defenseman generally restricts his play to the defensive end of the field. A good defenseman should be able to react quickly in game situations. Agility and aggressiveness are necessary, but great stick work is not essential to be effective. Each team should have three defensemen on the field.
Goal: The goalie's responsibility is to protect the goal and stop the opposing team from scoring. A good goalie also leads the defense by reading the situation and directing the defensemen to react. A good goalie should have excellent hand/eye coordination and a strong voice. Quickness, agility, confidence and the ability to concentrate are also essential. Each team has one goalie in the goal during play.
Lacrosse Equipment
The Crosse: The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood or synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. The crosse must be an overall length of 40 - 42 inches for attackmen and midfielders, or 52 - 72 inches for defensemen. The head of the crosse must be 6.5 - 10 inches wide, except a goalie's crosse which may be 10 - 12 inches wide. The pocket of a crosse shall be deemed illegal if the top surface of a lacrosse ball, when placed in the head of the crosse, is below the bottom edge of the side wall.
The Ball: The ball must be made of solid rubber and can be white, yellow or orange. The ball is 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and 5 - 5.25 ounces.
The Helmet: A protective helmet, equipped with face mask, chin pad and a cupped four point chin strap fastened to all four hookups, must be worn by all men's players. All helmets and face masks must be NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) approved.
The Mouthpiece: The mouthpiece must be a highly visible color and is mandatory.
The Glove: All players are required to wear protective gloves. The cutting or altering of gloves is prohibited.
Protective Equipment: All players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, must wear shoulder pads. Arm pads and rib pads are also strongly recommended and often required, as are athletic supporters and protective cups for all players. The goalkeeper is required to wear a throat protector and chest protector, in addition to a helmet, mouthpiece and gloves.
History
Native American tribes played several variations of what we now call lacrosse. Cherokees reffered to the sport as "the little brother of war" because it was seen as great military training, their teams consisted of hundreds of players, often an entire village or tribe would play. The goals were sometimes miles apart and a game could last up to three days, due to the large number of players many couldn't get near the ball, so they simply used their stick to injure opponents.
The first official rules were developed by the Montreal Lacrosse Club around 1856 and were rewritten in 1867 to resemble the rules currently played by today. In the same year Canada's National Lacrosse Association was formed using these rules and a team travelled to England to play a demonstration match, following the interest generated by this event the English Lacrosse Union was formed in 1892.
An indoor version of lacrosse, known as box lacrosse was developed in Canada during the early 1930s. Played in hockey rinks by six man teams, it became popular throughout the country and was the dominant form of the sport in Canada by the end of the decade.
Outdoor lacrosse has made something of a comeback in Canada, spurred in part by the establishment of the International Lacrosse Federation and the world championship tournament in 1967. However, box lacrosse is still far more popular than field lacrosse in Canada.
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) was organized in 1997 as a group of independently owned teams that begun playing the following year.
