Women's Field Lacrosse Basics
Women's field lacrosse is a non-contact sport played by two
teams having 12 players on each side. The team lineup consists
of 5 attack players, 1 centre, 5 defensive players and 1 goalie.
Women's field lacrosse is a fast, free- flowing game which emphasizes
ball movement, body positioning and precise skills. Games are
played in two 25-minute halves on a field defined by natural
boundaries, usually about 10m x 60m in total, and extending
9m behind the goal line at each end. There are no off-sides.
The objective of the game is to score goals by moving the ball
from the defensive to the offensive end of the field through
a combination of running and passing. Game strategy involves
cutting away from the ball to create open space and cutting to
the ball to receive the pass. Players are always aware of their
teammates' positions and are constantly moving to keep the field
balanced, so player fitness and conditioning are essential to
success. To create a change of possession or to prevent a shot
on goal, a player may "check" the opposing ball carrier's
crosse by striking it with her own crosse in a sharp but controlled
manner that does not endanger herself or other players.
Cradling, passing, catching and ground ball pick- ups are
fundamental skills of lacrosse because they enable the player
to control the ball. The women's field lacrosse stick has a very
shallow pocket, so players must rely on their cradling to keep
the ball in the crosse. In the basic cradle the player holds
her stick perpendicular to the ground and moves the stick back
and forth across her body--the upper hand moving in an arc from
shoulder to shoulder and the bottom arm, which supplies the power,
opening and closing across the player's waist.
Players use overhand, underhand and shovel (side) passes to
propel the ball to teammates or to shoot on goal. To catch the
ball, players cushion the catch to make the ball stay in the
pocket. This is done by "giving" slightly the instant
the ball hits the crosse, then immediately beginning to cradle.
Ground balls are retrieved by sliding the crosse under the ball
while the player continues to run. The ball may not be drawn
into the crosse by pulling the crosse backwards over the top
of the ball.
The game begins with a draw at centre field, with the opposing
Centres toeing the centre line and holding their crosses in the
air, above waist level, parallel to the centre line and back-to-back
so that the players' crosses are between the ball and the goal
they are defending. The ball is placed between the crosses by
the umpire. Play begins when the umpire simultaneously blows
her whistle and drops her arm to signal the draw. The Centres
draw up and away with their crosses to propel the ball into the
air. The Centre may catch her own draw.
Women's field lacrosse rules are designed with player safety
in mind. Players wear no protective equipment, other than the
mandatory mouthguard, and the goalie's protective equipment is
minimal (helmet, mask, throat guard, lightly-padded chest and
leg protectors). The ball is "dead" when the umpire
blows her whistle and no player (except the goalie within her
goal circle) may move, unless directed by the umpire, until play
resumes upon the umpire's whistle. Failure to "stand"
results in change of possession.
There are two types of field player fouls which can be called:
minor fouls or major fouls. For both types, the non-offending
player is given a free position (possession of the ball). For
a minor foul, the offending player is placed 4m away from the
player taking the free position, in the direction from which
the foul occurred. For a major foul, the offending player is
placed 4m behind the player taking the free position. Free positions
must be taken no closer than I lm to the goal. Minor fouls include
covered ball, warding off, body ball, empty stick check, deliberate
out-of-bounds. Major fouls include: rough or dangerous check,
check to the body, reaching around or across opponent's body
to check from behind, illegal cradle (making it impossible for
opponent to safely check your crosse), pushing or blocking, detaining,
tripping, setting an illegal pick, dangerous or uncontrolled
shot or pass (e.g., directly at goalie or "through another
player).
There are also goal circle fouls. For field players, the most
common one is following through with their body or crosse into
the goal circle (a minor foul). For the goalie, common fouls
are: allowing the ball to remain within the goal circle for longer
than 10 seconds, and drawing the ball into the goal circle when
any part of her body (usually her foot) is grounded outside the
circle (attack player takes free position 15m to the side on
goal line).
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