MEN'S
LACROSSE RULES
FIELD POSITIONS
- ATTACK: The attackman's
responsibility is to score goals. He generally restricts
his play to the offensive end.
- MIDFIELD: The midfielder's
responsibility is to cover the entire field playing both
offense and defense.
- DEFENSE: The defenseman's
responsibility is to defend the goal. He generally restricts
his play to the defensive end of the field.
- GOAL: The goalie's responsibility
is to protect the goal and stop the opposing team from scoring.
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RULES
Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players: a
goalkeeper, 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.
- Generally, high school
games are 48 minutes long, with 12 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.
- 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 release;
the other players must wait until one player has gained
possession of the ball or the ball has crossed the goal
line.
- Center face-offs are also
used after a goal and at the start of each quarter.
- Players may run with the
ball in the crosse, pass and catch 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, which includes 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. However, all contact must
occur from the front or side, above the waist and below
the shoulders. An opponent's crosse may also be stick checked
if it is within five yards of a loose ball or ball in the
air.
- If the ball or a player
in possession of the ball goes out of bounds, the other
team is awarded possession of the ball. If the ball goes
out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot on goal, 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.
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PERSONAL FOULS The
penalty for a personal foul is 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.
- SLASHING: Occurs when
a player's stick contacts an opponent in any area other
than the stick or gloved hand on the stick.
- TRlPPlNG: 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 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.
obscene language or gestures. and arguing.
- 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 the crosse was altered to gain an advantage.
- ILLEGAL BODY CHECKING:
Occurs when any of the following actions take place: (a)
body checking of 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 alter he has passed or shot the
ball; (c) body checking of an opponent from the rear or
at or below the waist; (d) body checking of an opponent
by a player in which contact is made above the shoulders
of the opponent. A body check must be below the neck, 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.
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TECHNICAL FOULS 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.
- 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 players, or both players are within five yards of
a loose ball.
- OFF SIDES: 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 illegally
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 times
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.
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Lacrosse FAQ
- What is the object of
lacrosse?
- The object is to put
the ball into your opponent's goal.
- How does the game begin?
- A lacrosse game begins
with a face off at the mid-field line at the X spot
in the center of the field.
- What is a face off?
- A face off consists
of the two center players at the mid-field line crouching
down and placing their sticks on the ground so that
the heads of the sticks have their backs to each other.
The official then places the ball on the ground between
the heads of the sticks, steps back and blows a whistle
which signals to the players they can fight for possession
of the ball.
- When are face offs used?
- At the beginning of
a game, at the beginning of each quarter and after each
goal is scored.
- How many men are there
on a lacrosse team?
- Squads range from
25 to 30 men normally.
- How many men are there
on the field for one team?
- There are ten men
consisting of one goaltender, three defense men, three
mid-fielders, and three attack men.
- What are the goaltender's
special privileges?
- He uses the largest
stick on the field with a maximum width of 12 inches.
He is the only one allowed to use a stick this large.
He cannot be checked if he has gained possession of
the ball within the crease are nor is an opponent allowed
in the crease area.
- What is defined as "in
the crease area"?
- A goaltender is considered
in the crease as long as he has one foot on or within
the 18-foot diameter circle. If he lifts his foot up
and puts t back down while in the possession of the
ball, it is called "out and in" and he loses
possession of the ball.
- How long can a goaltender
stay in the crease with the ball?
- A goaltender has four
seconds to step out of the crease or throw the ball
to a teammate. If he does not do this, he loses possession
of the ball.
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