Lacrosse Rules

Men’s lacrosse involves 10 players on the field. Each player has a netted stick called a crosse, which is what they used to pass the ball which is made of hard rubber. The purpose of the game is to use the sticks to throw the ball into the other team’s goal. There are two halves that make up one game. The ten players on the field are compose of three defenders, three midfielders, three attackers and a goalie. While in play, there must be at least four players on the defensive side of the field and three on the offensive side. The length of the game varies according to the level and age of the players. For example, college games are 60 minutes, high school games are 48 minutes, and youth games are 32 minutes. There are four quarters and a halftime. In between each quarter is a two minute break with a 10 minute break for halftime. Men’s lacrosse rules are somewhat rougher than women’s in that body checking is allowed under certain circumstances.

Women’s lacrosse rules are very different from men’s lacrosse rules. Women’s lacrosse rules allow much less physical contact. Less physical contact results in less required protective equipment so that only eyeware and a mouthgaurd are necessary. Women’s sticks have shallow pockets in comparison to men’s lacrosse sticks, which makes it more difficult to both catch the ball and shoot it with more speed. Women play with two more midfielders on the field so that there are three defenders, five midfielders, three attackers, and one goalie. Some consider this number to actually make up five attackers and six defenders. Checking is allowed only when the check is done away from the head of the person carrying the ball. Checks can only be done with the side of the stick and if done any other way, the other team gets the ball.

Girls lacrosse rules discourage checking, which is especially important for girls playing lacrosse who are below the seventh grade level. One of the goals of the no checking rule is to encourage beginners to focus on the basics before getting into checking, which is considered more advanced. By seventh and eight grade, modified checking is allowed, meaning a player can check the stick below shoulder level and away, or downward, from the body. Youth leagues have some flexibility in creating divisions wither by age or grade.