|
Men's
Lacrosse 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.
Men's
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.
Men's
Lacrosse Rules
Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players:
a goalie, three defensemen, three midfielders and three
attackmen. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into
the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.
Each team must keep at least four players, including the
goalie, in its defensive half of the field and three in its
offensive half. Three players (midfielders) may roam the
entire field.
Collegiate games are 60 minutes long, with 15-minute
quarters. Generally, high school games are 48 minutes long,
with 12-minute quarters. Likewise, youth games are 32
minutes long, with eight-minute quarters. Each team is given
a two-minute break between the first and second quarters,
and the third and fourth quarters. Halftime is ten minutes
long.
Teams change sides between periods. Each team is permitted
two timeouts each half. The team winning the coin toss
chooses the end of the field it wants to defend first.
The players take their positions on the field: four in the
defensive clearing area, one at the center, two in the wing
areas and three in their attack goal area.
Men's lacrosse begins with a face-off. The ball is placed
between the sticks of two squatting players at the center of
the field. The official blows the whistle to begin play.
Each face-off player tries to control the ball. The players
in the wing areas can run after the ball when the whistle
sounds. The other players must wait until one player has
gained possession of the ball, or the ball has crossed a
goal area line, before they can release.
Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter
and after a goal is scored. Field players must use their
crosses to pass, catch and run with the ball. Only the
goalkeeper may touch the ball with his hands. A player may
gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an
opponent's crosse with a stick check. A stick check is the
controlled poking and slapping of the stick and gloved hands
of the player in possession of the ball.
Body checking is permitted if the opponent has the ball or
is within five yards of a loose ball. All body contact must
occur from the front or side, above the waist and below the
shoulders, and with both hands on the stick. An opponent's
crosse may also be stick checked if it is within five yards
of a loose ball or ball in the air. Aggressive body checking
is discouraged.
If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out
of bounds, the other team is awarded possession. If the ball
goes out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot, the player
nearest to the ball when and where it goes out of bounds is
awarded possession.
An attacking player cannot enter the crease around the goal,
but may reach in with his stick to scoop a loose ball.
A referee, umpire and field judge supervise field play. A
chief bench official, timekeepers and scorers assist.
Men's
Lacrosse Personal & Technical Fouls
There are personal fouls and technical fouls in boy's
lacrosse. The penalty for a personal foul results in a one
to three minute suspension from play and possession to the
team that was fouled. Players with five personal fouls are
ejected from the game. The penalty for a technical foul is a
thirty-second suspension if a team is in possession of the
ball when the foul is committed, or possession of the ball
to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when
the foul was committed.
Personal Fouls
Slashing: Occurs when a player's stick viciously
contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or
gloved hand on the stick.
Tripping: Occurs when a player obstructs his opponent
at or below the waist with the crosse, hands, arms, feet or
legs.
Cross Checking: Occurs when a player uses the handle
of his crosse between his hands to make contact with an
opponent.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Occurs when any player or
coach commits an act which is considered unsportsmanlike by
an official, including taunting, arguing, or obscene
language or gestures.
Unnecessary Roughness: Occurs when a player strikes
an opponent with his stick or body using excessive or
violent force.
Illegal Crosse: Occurs when a player uses a crosse
that does not conform to required specifications. A crosse
may be found illegal if the pocket is too deep or if any
other part of the crosse was altered to gain an advantage.
Illegal Body Checking: Occurs when any of the
following actions takes place:
a. body checking an opponent who is not in possession of the
ball or within five yards of a loose ball.
b. avoidable body check of an opponent after he has passed
or shot the ball.
c. body checking an opponent from the rear or at or below
the waist.
d. body checking an opponent above the shoulders. A body
check must be below the shoulders and above the waist, and
both hands of the player applying the body check must remain
in contact with his crosse.
Illegal Gloves: Occurs when a player uses gloves that
do not conform to required specifications. A glove will be
found illegal if the fingers and palms are cut out of the
gloves, or if the glove has been altered in a way that
compromises its protective features.
Technical Fouls
Holding: Occurs when a player impedes the movement of an
opponent or an opponent's crosse.
Interference: Occurs when a player interferes in any
manner with the free movement of an opponent, except when
that opponent has possession of the ball, the ball is in
flight and within five yards of the player, or both players
are within five yards of a loose ball.
Offsides: Occurs when a team does not have at least
four players on its defensive side of the midfield line or
at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield
line.
Pushing: Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a
player from behind.
Screening: Occurs when an offensive player moves into
and makes contact with a defensive player with the purpose
of blocking him from the man he is defending.
Stalling: Occurs when a team intentionally holds the
ball, without conducting normal offensive play, with the
intent of running time off the clock.
Warding Off: Occurs when a player in possession of
the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold, push or control
the direction of an opponent's stick check.
Men's
Lacrosse Skills
Catching: The act of receiving a passed ball with the
crosse.
Checking: The act of attempting to dislodge the ball
from an opponent's stick.
Poke Check: A stick check in which the player pokes
the head of his stick at an opponent's stick through the top
hand by pushing with the bottom hand.
Slap Check: A stick check in which a player slaps the
head of his stick against his opponent's stick.
Wrap Check: A one-handed check in which the defender
swings his stick around his opponent's body to dislodge the
ball. (This check is only legal at the highest level of
play.)
Cradling: The coordinated motion of the arms and
wrists that keeps the ball secure in the pocket and ready to
be passed or shot when running.
Cutting: A movement by an offensive player without
the ball, toward the opponent's goal, in anticipation of a
feed and shot.
Feeding: Passing the ball to a teammate who is in
position for a shot on goal.
Passing: The act of throwing the ball to a teammate
with the crosse.
Scooping: The act of picking up a loose ball with the
crosse.
Screening: An offensive tactic in which a player near
the crease positions himself so as to block the goalkeeper's
view of the ball.
Shooting: The act of throwing the ball with the
crosse toward the goal in an attempt to score.
Glossary of
Men's Lacrosse Terms
Attack Goal Area: The area defined by a line drawn
sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal.
Once the offensive team crosses the midfield line, it has
ten seconds to move the ball into its attack goal area.
Body Check: Contact with an opponent from the front -
between the shoulders and waist - when the opponent has the
ball or is within five yards of a loose ball.
Box: An area used to hold players who have been
served with penalties, and through which substitutions ""on
the fly"" are permitted directly from the sideline onto the
field.
Check-up: A call given by the goalie to tell each
defender to find his man and call out his number.
Clamp: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly
pushing the back of the stick on top of the ball.
Clearing: Running or passing the ball from the
defensive half of the field to the attack goal area.
Crease: A circle around the goal with a radius of
nine feet into which only defensive players may enter.
Crosse (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch
and carry the ball.
Defensive Clearing Area: The area defined by a line
drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the
goal. Once the defensive team gains possession of the ball
in this area, it has ten seconds to move the ball across the
midfield line.
Extra man Offense (EMO): A man advantage that results
from a time-serving penalty.
Face-Off: A technique used to put the ball in play at
the start of each quarter, or after a goal is scored. The
players squat down and the ball is placed between their
crosses.
Fast-Break: A transition scoring opportunity in which
the offense has at least a one-man advantage.
Ground Ball: A loose ball on the playing field.
Handle (Shaft): An aluminum, wooden or composite pole
connected to the head of the crosse.
Head: The plastic or wood part of the stick connected
to the handle.
Man Down Defense (MDD): The situation that results
from a time-serving penalty which causes the defense to play
with at least a one man disadvantage.
Midfield Line: The line which bisects the field of
play.
On-The-Fly Substitution: A substitution made during
play.
Pick: An offensive maneuver in which a stationary
player attempts to block the path of a defender guarding
another offensive player.
Pocket: The strung part of the head of the stick
which holds the ball.
Rake: A face-off move in which a player sweeps the
ball to the side.
Riding: The act of trying to prevent a team from
clearing the ball.
Release: The term used by an official to notify a
penalized player in the box that he may re-enter the game.
Unsettled Situation: Any situation in which the
defense is not positioned correctly, usually due to a loose
ball or broken clear.
|
