Lacrosse

Lacrosse is an exciting team sport played with a special stick and a small ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America. The indigenous people of North America played it as early as the 12th century. Later, European colonists changed some rules to make the game safer. Now there are several types of lacrosse.

Players use the top of their lacrosse stick to move, pass, catch, and shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal. There are five main types of lacrosse: field lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, box lacrosse, lacrosse sixes, and intercrosse. In some types, players can touch each other and wear helmets and pads. In women’s lacrosse, players cannot hit each other but can tap sticks. Women only need eye protection, though goalies wear more gear. Lacrosse sixes is played on smaller fields and is common in big events. Intercrosse is a mixed-gender game where no body contact is allowed.

World Lacrosse is the group that oversees the sport. They organize big international tournaments like the World Lacrosse Championship, the Women's Lacrosse World Cup, and the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship. Lacrosse was part of the Summer Olympic Games in 1904 and 1908 and will return in 2028.

History

Main article: History of lacrosse

Lacrosse began as a game played by many Native American communities long ago. By the 1600s, it was a popular game in what is now Canada. These games were very large, with many players, and could last for days. They were played for special events or to show strength.

The game changed over time. In 1637, a French missionary named Jean de Brébeuf saw Huron people playing and called it la crosse, meaning "the stick" in French. Later, in 1860, a Canadian man named William George Beers made new rules. He made the games shorter and used fewer players. This helped lacrosse become popular around the world. Women began playing in the late 1800s, and today, lacrosse is played in many places, including the United States.

Versions of lacrosse

Field lacrosse

Main article: Field lacrosse

Field lacrosse is a game played outdoors by men. Each team has ten players: three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders, and one goalie. Players use special sticks to handle the ball. Attackers and midfielders use shorter sticks, while defenders use longer ones. The goalie uses an extra-large stick to block shots.

The field is shaped like a rectangle, measuring 110 by 60 yards. Goals are placed at each end, 80 yards apart. Games last 60 minutes, split into four 15-minute parts. Players start each part and restart after a goal with a face-off, where two players fight for the ball using their sticks.

Box lacrosse

Main article: Box lacrosse

Box lacrosse is played indoors on a smaller space, like an ice rink without the ice. Teams have five runners and a goalie. The goals are smaller, and players wear more protective gear. The game moves faster, and there is a shot clock that forces teams to shoot within 30 seconds.

Women's lacrosse

Main article: Women's lacrosse

Women's lacrosse has different rules than men's. There is less physical contact, and players wear less protective gear. The field has special lines and zones that players must follow. The first women's game was played in Scotland in 1890.

Lacrosse sixes

Lacrosse sixes is a newer version of lacrosse made to be faster and easier to watch. It has six players per side and shorter games. It will be played in the Olympic Games starting in 2028 in Los Angeles.

Intercrosse

Main article: Intercrosse

Intercrosse is a gentle form of lacrosse without rough contact. It uses softer sticks and a bigger ball. It is popular in Quebec and some European countries. It is great for young players learning the sport.

International lacrosse

Further information: List of national lacrosse organizations

Lacrosse is mostly played in Canada and the United States, but small groups of players are also in the United Kingdom and Australia. Lacrosse is now growing around the world, especially in Europe and East Asia.

World Lacrosse

Main article: World Lacrosse

In 2008, the groups that managed men's and women's lacrosse worldwide joined together to form a new organization called the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL). In 2019, this group changed its name to World Lacrosse. Today, World Lacrosse has 62 countries that are members.

Tournaments

World Lacrosse organizes five big tournaments every four years: the World Lacrosse Championship for men, the Women's Lacrosse World Championship for women, the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship, and the Men's Under-20 World Lacrosse Championships and Women's Under-20 World Lacrosse Championships.

The World Lacrosse Championship started in 1968 with just four teams. By 2014, it had grown to include teams from 38 countries. The United States has won most of these tournaments, with Canada winning the others.

The Women's Lacrosse World Championship began in 1982. The United States has won most of these, with Australia winning a few. Canada and England have always been among the top teams.

The first World Indoor Lacrosse Championship was in 2003, with Canada winning. They have won all the tournaments so far.

The Iroquois Nationals are the men's team from the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. They joined international lacrosse in 1987 and have done well in many tournaments.

Olympic Games

Lacrosse was an official sport in the Summer Olympics in 1904 and 1908. In 1904, teams from Canada, the Iroquois Confederacy, and the United States competed, with the Canadian team winning. In 1908, Canada beat a team from England.

Later, lacrosse was shown as a demonstration sport in the Olympics in 1928, 1932, and 1948, but it was not an official medal sport during those years.

There have been efforts to bring lacrosse back to the Olympics. In October 2023, it was approved to be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Other

The European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) started in 1995 and holds tournaments every four years. England has won most of the men's and women's tournaments.

The Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union was founded in 2004 and holds tournaments for both men and women every two years.

Lacrosse was included in the World Games for the first time in 2017, with only women's teams competing. The United States won, with Canada taking silver and Australia taking bronze.

Both men's and women's lacrosse tournaments were held in the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The women's tournament will return in the 2025 World Games.

Lacrosse in the United States

College lacrosse

Main article: College lacrosse

Men's college lacrosse

Collegiate lacrosse in the United States is played at different levels, including NCAA, NAIA, and club levels. Teams are found all over the country, with many in the northeastern United States and others in Canada.

The first U.S. intercollegiate men's lacrosse game was played on November 22, 1877, between New York University and Manhattan College. The NCAA began a men's lacrosse championship in 1971, with Cornell winning the first title.

Women's college lacrosse

There are many women's lacrosse teams at the college level. Some of the successful teams have been from Maryland, Princeton, and Northwestern. The NCAA started a women's lacrosse championship in 1982.

Professional lacrosse

Active leagues

National Lacrosse League

Main article: National Lacrosse League

The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is a men's semi-professional box lacrosse league in North America. It has teams in the United States and Canada, playing in ice rinks during the winter.

Premier Lacrosse League

Main article: Premier Lacrosse League

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) started in 2018. It travels to different cities in the United States with top players. Players earn good salaries and benefits.

Women's Lacrosse League

Main article: Women's Lacrosse League

A new professional women's league called the Women's Lacrosse League will start playing lacrosse sixes in 2025.

Defunct leagues

Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse

Main article: Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse

Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse was a women's lacrosse league that operated from 2021 to 2024.

Major League Lacrosse

Main article: Major League Lacrosse

Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a semi-professional field lacrosse league that started in 2001. It merged with the Premier Lacrosse League in 2020.

United Women's Lacrosse League

Main article: United Women's Lacrosse League

The United Women's Lacrosse League (UWLX) was a women's lacrosse league from 2016 to 2020.

Women's Professional Lacrosse League

Main article: Women's Professional Lacrosse League

The Women's Professional Lacrosse League was a professional women's lacrosse league that started in 2018 and closed in 2020.

Equipment

Stick

A lacrosse stick has two main parts: the head and the shaft. The head has three parts: the scoop, sidewall, and pocket. The scoop is the top part used for picking up the ball, passing, and shooting. The sidewall is the side of the head, and the pocket is where the ball sits. It can be made of leather or nylon mesh. A wider pocket makes catching the ball easier but gives less control. A narrower pocket makes catching harder but helps with accuracy.

Shafts are usually made of hollow metal and are shaped like an octagon (eight-sided) to give a better grip. They can be made from materials like aluminum, titanium, scandium, wood, plastic, carbon fiber, or fiberglass.

Ball

The lacrosse ball is made of solid rubber. For men's lacrosse, it is usually white. For women's lacrosse, it is often yellow. However, the ball can be made in many colors.

Men's field protective equipment

Men's field lacrosse players wear gloves, elbow pads, shoulder pads, a helmet, a mouthguard, and cleats. The size and protection level of the pads depend on the player's position and preference. For example, attack players often wear larger elbow pads for extra protection, while defenders may wear smaller pads. Goalkeepers wear a large chest pad and a plastic neck guard to protect their neck and chest. Male goalkeepers also wear a protective cup.

Men's box protective equipment

Players in men's box lacrosse wear more protective gear than field players because the game has more physical contact. Runners wear larger elbow pads, stronger shoulder pads, and often rib pads. Box goalies wear equipment similar to ice hockey goalies, with smaller leg blockers but bigger shoulder pads.

Women's field protective equipment

Women's field lacrosse players are only required to wear eyewear and a mouthguard. The eyewear is a metal cage that covers the eyes and is attached with a strap around the back of the head. Women goalies wear a helmet, gloves, and a chest protector.

Variants

Lacrosse has many different ways to play it, each with its own rules and style. These are called variants.