With our first games of the season upon us, we wanted to share with you these helpful notes in the hopes that it helps our new families to better understand the game.
FIELD OF PLAY:
- The goal is 6ft wide by 6 ft tall.
- The circle around the goal is called a crease and measures 18 ft in diameter.
- Only defenders can cross the crease. Attacks may step or fall into the crease only after the ball has crossed the goal line resulting in a point.
- Opposing teams (not in play) are located on the same side of the field with the substitution area lying between the two teams.
PLAYERS:
- There are 10 players on a field at one time (per team).
- 3 Attacks (offense) – may not cross 50 yard line unless a middie swaps positioning (keeping 3 players on the offensive side of the field)
- 3 Middies – may go anywhere on the field
- 3 Defense – may not cross 50 yard line unless a middie swaps positioning (keeping 3 players -plus goalie- on the defensive side of the field)
- 1 Goalie
- At the start of the game and after a point is scored, teams will face-off (FO). Faceoff takes place in the center of the field (X shown above).
- The wing area is for the 2 non-faceoff middies to line up. Once play starts and the faceoff is happening, the middies may advance to the center of the field to assist the FO player.
- One offensive player will typically be located behind the goal. This is called the X. This is the area where the offense typically settles the ball before advancing back out to attempt a shot.
ADDITIONAL:
- Long pole – 4 long poles are allowed on a field at a time. Three (3) defenders and one (1) middie may have a long pole. A middie with a long pole is called a LSM (long stick middie).
- Man up / Man down – the offensive and defensive terms when a player is out for penalty. The man up offense has the advantage with 1 extra player on the field while the man down defense works hard to defend the opponent until their player is released back into the game.
- Sudden death overtime play is called Braveheart. The first team to score wins. At the youth level, this overtime play is at the discretion of the officials.
- If the ball goes out of bounds following a shot on the goal, the ball will be awarded to the team with a player closest to the spot where the ball exits the field.
- GLE (Goal line extended) is the imaginary line from the edge of the goal extended to the sideline.
- When there is a group of players fighting for a ground ball, a player is permitted to kick the ball to clear it from the group.
- Slashing is a penalty where a player hits another player in the head or back.
EQUIPMENT:
- Gear consists of a helmet with chin strap, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves, stick, athletic cup, mouth guard and cleats.
- Athletic cups, chin straps and mouth guards are MUSTS.
Find more helpful tips and information here: https://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/field-diagrams
