<p>I’ve become a college lacrosse fan over the past few years but there are still a lot of the rules that I don’t understand. Is there someone on CC who’s willing to be my lax tutor?</p>
<p>PapaChicken comes to mind. </p>
<p>You might want to repost this in the athletic forum, or check this <a href=“http://www.scribd.com/doc/27017294/Lacrosse-for-Dummies[/url]”>http://www.scribd.com/doc/27017294/Lacrosse-for-Dummies</a></p>
<p>PS Cheat Sheet - Lacrosse </p>
<p>Lacrosse is one of the fastest-growing sports around. But it’s actually three games in one: men’s field lacrosse, women’s field lacrosse, and box lacrosse. The women’s field game differs from men’s field lacrosse in several critical ways. The player positions on a field lacrosse team differ from the box lacrosse positions. Finally, the rules of play are different in each of the three versions of the sport.</p>
<p>How Women’s Field Lacrosse Differs from Men’s Field Lacrosse
Women’s field lacrosse is exploding in popularity — there are three times as many women’s collegiate lacrosse programs today as there were in 1990. The women’s field game differs from the men’s field game in some critical ways:</p>
<p>Physical contact: The main difference between men’s and women’s lacrosse comes down to contact. In the men’s game, body-checking is legal — and encouraged (especially by coaches) — while in the women’s game, it is not. As a result, there is far less protective equipment in the women’s game: Men wear helmets, mouth guards, gloves, shoulder pads, elbow pads, and often ribs pads, whereas women wear mouth guards and protective eyewear, but (with the exception of goalies) no helmets or padding.</p>
<p>Number of players: In the men’s game, ten players are on the field — three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen, and a goaltender. In the women’s game, there are 12 players on the field — offensive players (first home, second home, third home, and two attack wings) and defensive players (center, two defensive wings, point, cover point, third man, and goalie).</p>
<p>Sticks: Unlike men’s lacrosse, mesh is not permitted for the pockets of women’s sticks; the pockets must be strung in the traditional way. Also, the top of the ball must be above the sidewall when it’s in the pocket. As a result, stick handling and shooting are more difficult in the women’s game.</p>
<p>In addition, the standard stick length in men’s field lacrosse is 40 to 42 inches from the end of the head to the end of the handle; sticks for defensive players (as well as one midfielder) can measure 52 to 72 inches in length, and the goalie’s stick can be 40 to 72 inches long. Women’s lacrosse sticks must measure 35½ to 43¼ inches in length; the goalie’s stick must measure 35½ to 48 inches in length.</p>
<p>Field size: In men’s lacrosse, the field measures 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. In women’s lacrosse, the field is a bit bigger: 120 yards long and 70 yards wide.</p>
<p>The Field Lacrosse and Box Lacrosse Positions
The easiest way to know the positions on the field and in the arena is to know the responsibilities that come with them. In a nutshell, players have three main assignments that come with their positions: score goals (attack players), prevent the other team from scoring goals (defenders), and stop the ball from entering the net (goaltenders). In addition, in field lacrosse, one set of players — known as the midfielders — is regularly assigned the task of playing both offense and defense.</p>
<p>That said, the names of the positions and their precise responsibilities do vary in men’s and women’s field lacrosse and box lacrosse.</p>
<p>Here are the men’s field lacrosse positions:
Attackmen: The attackmen are the primary offensive weapons looking to feed and score. They create most of the offense and generally don’t play defense. They’re the three players kept on the opposite side of the midline while the ball is at the other end.</p>
<p>Midfielders: Midfielders play offense and defense, following the flow of the game and getting involved at both ends of the field. Midfielders, or “middies,” are crucial to a team’s transition offense and defense.</p>
<p>Defensemen: The role of the defensemen is generally to stop the opposing attackmen from creating offense or scoring. Occasionally, a defenseman will be dispatched to cover a dominant opposing midfielder.</p>
<p>Goaltender: In addition to stopping shots and getting the ball out of the defensive end, goalies are also responsible for directing the defense. Goalies in field lacrosse have to be more athletic than those in box lacrosse because of the larger goal (6 feet wide by 6 feet high in field, as opposed to just 4 feet wide by 4 feet high in box).</p>
<p>Here are the women’s field lacrosse positions:
Attack: The attack positions are made up of first, second, and third homes, and two attack wings, all of whom are responsible for scoring goals.</p>
<p>Defense: Defensive assignments are broken down into these areas: center, two defensive wings, point, cover point, and third man. Wing players move the ball from defense to offense.</p>
<p>Goaltender: The only player on the field wearing a helmet, her job is to prevent goals from being scored.</p>
<p>In box lacrosse, all five offensive players — the two creasemen, two cornermen, and pointman — also play defense:</p>
<p>Creasemen: These two players are generally the primary goal scorers who have strong one-on-one skills.</p>
<p>Cornermen: These two players trail the creasemen on offensive breaks.</p>
<p>Pointman: This player is a threat to score and usually a strong perimeter shooter, but his main role is to feed the ball to his teammates.</p>
<p>Goaltender: The final line of defense, his job is to keep the ball out of the net.</p>
<p>I used to coach middle school lacrosse and used to reference the US Lacrosse website. [US</a> Lacrosse | National Men?s, Women?s and Youth Lacrosse](<a href=“http://www.uslacrosse.org/]US”>http://www.uslacrosse.org/)</p>
<p>You don’t have to join to read much of the info.</p>
<p>Thanks - Here are a few of my questions:</p>
<p>When a shot on goal misses and goes beyond the end of the field, there’s a footrace for the ball - I assume that the team of the player nearest to the ball when it goes out gets possession. But if a pass is overthrown and goes out behind the goal, it’s a turnover. What’s the rule about possession of an out-of-bounds ball?</p>
<p>What, exactly, can a defender do and not do with his body and his stick to impede an opponent?</p>
<p>When there’s a penalty, the teams may play on for some time before play is stopped. What’s the rule on that?</p>
<p>If a team on offense is cautioned for stalling, they must stay within the box. But as long as they stay within the box, can they stall indefinitely, or is there a point at which continued stalling will result in loss of possession? And what else is the purpose of the box?</p>
<p>^^GaDad</p>
<p>It’s been a few years since my kid played HS Lax but here are come answers for you:</p>
<p>When a **shot on goal **misses and goes beyond the end of the field, there’s a footrace for the ball - I assume that the team of the player nearest to the ball when it goes out gets possession. Yes.</p>
<p>But if a pass is overthrown and goes out behind the goal, it’s a turnover. What’s the rule about possession of an out-of-bounds ball? </p>
<p>If it’s a shot for a goal, closest player wins possession. If it’s a pass that’s not caught, the ball goes to the other team.</p>
<p>What, exactly, can a defender do and not do with his body and his stick to impede an opponent?<br>
Pretty much anything except hit from behind or hit him in the head with his stick. They can hit from the side and front and use his stick in whatever fashion.</p>
<p>When there’s a penalty, the teams may play on for some time before play is stopped. What’s the rule on that? Most of the time, the referee’s are waiting for the ball to hit the ground before they throw the flag.</p>
<p>It may be different for college ball, and I cna’t help you with the last question.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Ahhh - got it. Here are more:</p>
<p>What are typical penalties? Is see that a team can be a man down for some time - generally a minute? Two minutes? Other?</p>
<p>Is there a limit on the number of players who can cross midfield? In the final minute, if you’re down a couple goals, could you send all your players on the attack? (I assume not since I’ve never seen it.)</p>
<p>I’ll just jump in, although I’m sure there are many here with more knowledge. Most penalties for contact are 30 seconds or 1 minute, although for behavior or equipment (illegal stick, missing mouthguard), they can be 2 minutes and are non-releasable. (Most penalties release if the non-offending team scores a goal.) Similar to hockey in a lot of respects.</p>
<p>Three players + goalie must stay back. Also only four long poles on the field at one time. Usually the “close” defenders each have a long stick, plus usually a LSM (“long-stick middie”) who is on the field for face-offs, but will leave the field if his team wins the face-off so a short stick can replace him (more offense-oriented).</p>
<p>You’ll also notice a lot of teams have “FOGOs” (face-off, get off). They specialize in facing off, and leave the field as soon as one team gets possession. </p>
<p>You’re coming into prime viewing season on TV. Lots of conference championships just concluded, and NCAA brackets will be set on Sunday. I believe all three divisions will play their finals on Memorial Day weekend.</p>
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<p>Here is the list of fouls, pretty much covers everything. (had 3 boys play HS, girl gave it up because there was not enough contact in girls :))</p>
<p>Personal Fouls</p>
<ol>
<li><p>SLASHING - 1 Minute suspension from play (Penalty Box)
Hitting another player with your lacrosse stick above his shoulders, below his waist or on his back.</p></li>
<li><p>ILLEGAL CROSS-CHECK - 1 Minute suspension from play (Penalty Box)
Pushing a player with your stick when your hands are wide apart on the stick. A legal cross-check requires your hands must be close together in the stick’s center.</p></li>
<li><p>TRIPPING - 1 Minute suspension from play (Penalty Box)
tripping another player or obstruct him/her at or below the waist with your lacrosse stick, arms, legs, hands or feet.</p></li>
<li><p>ILLEGAL BODY CHECK - 1 Minute suspension from play (Penalty Box)4 illegal body checking occurs when you check an opponent, who doesn’t have ball possession or if he is within five yards of a loose ball, or for checking an opponent above his shoulders or below the waist when you only have one hand on your stick, or for checking an opponent after he/she passes or shoots the ball.</p></li>
<li><p>UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT5 Obtain a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct if you argue, taunt or use obscene language or gestures. Players and coaches may receive penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>Technical Fouls</p>
<ol>
<li><p>OFFSIDES – if your team has less than four players on the defensive side or at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield line. Violation results in possession turnover at midfield.</p></li>
<li><p>WARDING OFF - using your free hand or arm, when cradling the ball with your other hand, to shove, hold or control in any way your opponent’s stick. Violation results in a change of possession penalty.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>3.HOLDING - Impeding your opponent’s movement or his stick mobility.</p>
<p>4.INTERFERENCE - interfering with your opponent’s movement, unless she has ball possession, the ball is in the air within five yards of you, or both you and your opponent are within 5 yards of a loose ball.</p>
<ol>
<li><p>SCREENING - moving into and making contact with a defensive player when you’re on offense with the intent of blocking him/her from the player he/she is guarding.</p></li>
<li><p>STALLING - your team intentionally runs time off the clock by holding the ball and not conducting offensive play.</p></li>
<li><p>CREASE INFRACTION - entering the crease as an offensive player. A defensive crease infraction results from a defensive player entering the crease with the ball or from a goalie re-entering the crease with the ball.</p></li>
</ol>
<p>My answer…No I cannot help you. But when your kid gets a ball in the oppositions net—that is good.</p>
<p>When my DD started playing high school lacrosse…the coach actually handed out a nice short rule sheet to all the parents. We for the most part we were all clueless. That was a smart coach.</p>
<p>As soccer parents, we had a lot to learn. After 3 years…I could fake it…or at least learned to watch the parent on our team who’s D was going to play on scholarship at a big university. When he clapped, I clapped, when he booed, I booed.</p>
<p>I’ve heard it posited that one reason the sport is growing so quickly is that nobody’s mom/dad is coaching from the sidelines.</p>
<p>^^singersmom^^</p>
<p>My daughter signed up for lacrosse after she saw her brother play. Deep disappointment on her side when she found out:
- She had to wear a skirt
- No contact</p>
<p>Of course she had to play the whole season- our rule- we pay money, you play the entire season, no quitting.</p>
<p>That was the end of that sport. In middle school, she found field hockey and loves being the goalie. wierd kid… :)</p>
<p>The postseason of collegiate lacrosse is beginning … May Madness! There will be lots of lacrosse on TV and some of the commentators are very good at explaining what is going on. </p>
<p>I’ve loved being a college lax parent because most the parents (even the moms like me!) know the rules and some of the dads are experts on the rules and the strategy. There is always someone willing to explain. Sometimes no one in the stands quite gets what’s going on – there are lots of obscure rules for specific situations.</p>
<p>The forums on laxpower dot com are full of game time discussion – another good place to pick up the lingo and the gameplan.</p>
<p>I’m starting to prefer May Madness to March Madness.</p>
<p>Whoa! Singersmom should be “Laxmom!” One more stalling question. After being warned for stalling, how long before a technical foul is called? I saw the Navy women take the last fur minutes off the clock in the Patriot League title game this weekend because Colgate wasn’t coming out to challenge the stall. And what is the significance of the “box” other than for stalling deterrence?</p>