Girls Lacrosse 101

THE BASICS OF GIRLS LACROSSE

The sport of lacrosse is similar to the sports of basketball, soccer and hockey. Anyone can play lacrosse, no matter how big or how small. The game requires and rewards coordination and agility, not brawn. Quickness and speed are two highly prized qualities in lacrosse.

An exhilarating sport, lacrosse is fast-paced and full of action. Long sprints up and down the field with abrupt starts and stops, precision passes, and dodges are routine in girl’s lacrosse. Lacrosse is played with a stick, the crosse, which must be mastered by the player to throw, catch, and scoop the ball.

Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in the United States. Youth membership (ages 15 and under) in US Lacrosse has more than tripled since 1999 from 40,000 to over 125,000. No sport has grown faster at the high school level over the last 10 years and there are now an estimated 169,000 high school players. Lacrosse is also the fastest-growing sport over the last five years at the NCAA level and that's just the tip of the iceberg. There are more than 400 college club programs, the majority of which compete under the umbrella of US Lacrosse and its "intercollegiate associates" level.

GIRL’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. A girl's crosse must be an overall length of 35 1/2 - 43 1/4 inches. The head of the crosse must be seven to nine inches wide. The pocket of the stick must be strung traditionally; no mesh is allowed. The top of the ball when dropped in the pocket must remain even with or above the side walls. The goalkeeper's crosse may be 35 1/2 - 48 inches long. The head of the crosse may be mesh and up to 12 inches wide. Click here to view what sticks are legal.
The Ball: The ball must be yellow and made of solid rubber. The ball must be 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and weigh 5 - 5.25 ounces.
The Mouthpiece: All players must wear colored mouthguards.
Protective Equipment: Eyewear is mandatory. Close-fitting gloves, nose guards, soft head gear are optional, and may be worn by all players.
The Goalkeeper's Equipment: The goalkeeper must wear a face mask and helmet with a mouth guard, throat protector and chest protector. The goalkeeper may wear padding on hands, arms, legs, shoulders and chest which does not excessively increase the size of those body parts.

GIRL’S LACROSSE POSITIONS:

ATTACK:

The main job of these four players is to score goals. Spending the majority of their time in the offensive 2/3rds of the field, these players run the offense. With the help of the midfielders, they work to create scoring opportunities for their team. These players typically like to set themselves up behind the goal along the crease, or at the elbow of the 8-meter arc. However, that is not to say that attackers don't ever drive to goal from the top of the arc. Along with scoring and running the offense, these four players also participate in the re-defend. This means that if the offense turns over the ball, these players work to slow down the opposing defenders and try to prevent them from moving the ball down the field.

DEFENSE:

In contrast to the attackers, the four defenders work with the midfielders to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals. Most elementary level defenses play a man-to-man defense, meaning each defensive player marks one opposing offensive player throughout the whole possession. As well as playing man-to-man defense, more advanced defenses often play a zone defense as well. This means that rather than marking individual players, the defenders rather have a zone to cover. Therefore, any player that enters a defenders' zone is her responsibility. Along with keeping the other team from scoring, the defense also plays a key role in transition. If the opposing offense turns over the ball or the goalie makes a save, the defenders must work to move the ball up the field to their midfielders and attackers.

Midfielders:

Playing with a different type of stick and wearing different gear, the goalie position is much different from any of the field players. The goalie is considered the last line of defense and she is the protector of the goal. Set up inside the crease, something only she is allowed to do, the goalie uses her stick and body to keep the other teams' shots from crossing the goal line. If the goalie does make a save, it is her role to clear the ball out to one of her teammates and initiate the transition. After making a save, the goalie only has ten seconds in the crease, or she must exit the crease, now allowing herself to be guarded by the opposing team. While the goalie is allowed to make her way all the way down the field if she wishes, she is not allowed to score a goal.

Goalie

Playing with a different type of stick and wearing different gear, the goalie position is much different from any of the field players. The goalie is considered the last line of defense and she is the protector of the goal. Set up inside the crease, something only she is allowed to do, the goalie uses her stick and body to keep the other teams' shots from crossing the goal line. If the goalie does make a save, it is her role to clear the ball out to one of her teammates and initiate the transition. After making a save, the goalie only has ten seconds in the crease, or she must exit the crease, now allowing herself to be guarded by the opposing team. While the goalie is allowed to make her way all the way down the field if she wishes, she is not allowed to score a goal.

GIRL’S LACROSSE RULES:

Girl’s lacrosse is a non-contact game played by 12 players: a goalkeeper, five attackers and six defenders. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.
Girl’s lacrosse begins with a draw, which is taken by the center position. The ball is placed between two horizontally held crosses (sticks) at the center of the field. At the sound of the whistle, the ball is flung into the air as the crosses are pulled up and away. A draw is used to start each half and after each goal, and it takes place at the center of the field.
The youth girl's game is 40 minutes long, each half being 20 minutes. Teams are allowed two timeouts per game (including overtime).
There are visual guidelines on the side of the field that are in place to provide a consistent indicator to the officials of what is considered the playing field. The minimum dimensions for a field is 120 yards by 70 yards. Additional markings on the field include a restraining line located 30 yards from each goal line, which creates an area where only a maximum of seven offensive players and eight defensive players (including the goalkeeper) are allowed; a 12-meter fan, which officials use to position players after fouls; and an arc in front of each goal, considered the critical scoring area, where defenders must be at least within a stick's-length of their attacker.
The boundaries are determined by the natural restrictions of the field. An area of 120 yards by 70 yards is desirable.
When a whistle blows, all players must stop in place. When a ball is ruled out of play, the player closest to the ball gets possession when play is resumed. Loss of possession may occur if a player deliberately runs or throws the ball out of play.
Rough checks, and contact to the body with the crosse or body, are not allowed.
Field players may pass, catch or run with the ball in their crosse. A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent's crosse with a check. A check is a controlled tap with a crosse on an opponent's crosse in an attempt to knock the ball free. The player must be one step in front of her opponent in order to check. No player may reach across an opponent's body to check the handle of a crosse when she is even with or behind that opponent. A player may not protect the ball in her crosse by cradling so close to her body or face so as to make a legal, safe check impossible for the opponent.
All legal checks must be directed away from a seven-inch sphere or ""bubble"" around the head of the player. No player is allowed to touch the ball with her hands except the goalkeeper when she is within the goal circle. A change of possession may occur if a player gains a distinct advantage by playing the ball off her body.
Fouls are categorized as major or minor, and the penalty for fouls is a “free position.” For major fouls, the offending player is placed four meters behind the player taking the free position. For a minor foul, the offending player is placed four meters off, in the direction from which she approached her opponent before committing the foul, and play is resumed. When a minor foul is committed in the critical scoring area, the player with the ball has an indirect free position, in which case the player must pass first.
A slow whistle occurs when the offense has entered the critical scoring area and the defense has committed a major foul. A flag is thrown but no whistle is sounded so that the offense has an opportunity to score a goal. A whistle is blown when a goal is scored or the scoring opportunity is over. An immediate whistle is blown when a major foul, obstruction or shooting space occurs, which jeopardizes the safety of a player.

GIRL’S LACROSSE SKILLS:

Cradle: The act of moving the stick from side to side causing the ball to remain in the upper part of the pocket webbing.
Checking: The act of using a controlled tap with a crosse on an opponent's crosse in an attempt to dislodge the ball.
Catching: The act of receiving a passed ball with the crosse.
Cutting: A movement by a player without the ball in anticipation of a pass.
Dodging: The act of suddenly shifting direction in order to avoid an opponent.
Passing: The act of throwing the ball to a teammate with the crosse.
Pick-Ups: The act of scooping a loose ball with a crosse.
Shootings: The act of throwing the ball at the goal with the crosse in an attempt to score.

GIRL’S LACROSSE TERMS:

Clear: Any action taken by a player within the goal circle to pass or carry the ball out of the goal circle.
Critical Scoring Area: An area 15 meters in front of and to each side of the goal and nine meters behind the goal. An eight-meter arc and 12 meter fan are marked in the area.
Cross (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch, check and carry the ball.
Cross Checking: Stick to stick contact consisting of a series of controlled taps in an attempt to dislodge the ball from the crosse.
Deputy: A player who enters the goal circle when the goalie is out of the goal circle and her team is in possession of the ball.
Draw: A technique to start or resume play by which a ball is placed in between the sticks of two standing players and drawn up and away.
Eight-Meter Arc: A semi-circular area in front of the goal used for the administration of major fouls. A defender may not remain in this area for more than three seconds unless she is within a stick's length of her opponent.
Free Position: An opportunity awarded to the offense when a major or minor foul is committed by the defense. All players must move four meters away from the player with the ball. When the whistle sounds to resume play, the player may run, pass or shoot the ball.
Free Space To Goal: A cone-shaped path extending from each side of the goal circle to the attack player with the ball. A defense player may not, for safety reasons, stand alone in this area without closely marking an opponent.
Goal Circle: The circle around the goal with a radius of 2.6 meters (8.5 feet). No player's stick or body may “break” the cylinder of the goal circle.
Grounded: Refers to any part of the goalkeeper's or deputy's body touching the ground for support outside of the goal circle when she attempts to play the ball from inside the goal circle.
Indirect Free Position: An opportunity awarded to the offense when a minor foul is committed by the defense inside the 12 meter fan. When the whistle sounds to resume play, the player may run or pass, but may not shoot until a defender or one of her teammates has played the ball.
Marking: Being within a stick's length of an opponent.
Penalty Lane: The path to the goal that is cleared when a free position is awarded to the attacking team.
Scoring Play: A continuous effort by the attacking team to move the ball toward the goal and to complete a shot on goal.
Stand: All players, except the goalkeeper in her goal circle, must remain stationary following the sound of any whistle.
Sphere: An imaginary area, approximately 18 cm (seven inches) which surrounds a player's head. No stick checks toward the head are allowed to break the sphere.
12 Meter Fan: A semi-circle in front of the goal used for the administration of minor fouls.
Warning Cards: A yellow card presented by an umpire to a player is a warning which indicates that she will next receive a red card and be suspended from further participation if she continues to play dangerously and/or conduct herself in an unsportsmanlike manner. A green card is presented by an umpire to the team captain indicating a team caution for delay of game.