The Most Important Rules of Lacrosse (2024)

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Lacrosse is an up-and-coming sport centered mostly in the United States and Canada. In lacrosse, 10 players for each team take the field and attempt to score more goals than their opponent within four quarters. There are many unique rules and regulations that make lacrosse a distinct and exciting sport to watch. Let’s learn more about the most important rules of lacrosse.

What Are the Top 10 Rules of Lacrosse?

1. Lacrosse Equipment
2. The Field
3. Timekeeping
4. Substitutions
5. Faceoffs
6. Checking
7. Offsides
8. Penalties
9. Use of the Free Hand
10. Goalkeeping

1. Lacrosse Equipment

Lacrosse players use sticks to pass and shoot the ball.Aside from the goalkeeper, only four players may use six-foot defender sticks, the other players use three-foot sticks. The pocket of a lacrosse stick cannot be deeper than the diameter of the ball. If a pocket is held 90 degrees facing the ground, and the ball does not fall out, it is illegal. There are also rules governing the overall length, circumference, and head size of a lacrosse stick

All players must wear a helmet, chest protector, and gloves.Elbow pads are optional for goalkeepers and mandatory for all other positions.The lacrosse ball is smooth, rubber, and usually white. It must measure between 7.75 and eight inches in circumference and weigh between five and 5.25 ounces.

2. The Field

The lacrosse field is 110 yards long by 60 yards wide.It consists of three major zones: the attack/defense areas and the midfield. The attack/defense areas are the locations of the two goals; one team's attack area is the other team’s defense area, and vice versa. The midfield contains the faceoff spot where play is restarted at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored.

If a ball goes out of bounds on a pass or loose ball, possession is returned to whichever team did not touch it last. However, if a ball goes out of bounds on a goal-shot, whichever team has a player closest to the ball earns possession.

In the middle of the field, there is a midline separating the two 55-yard halves, and 20 yards from the midline on either side, there is a restraining line, which marks where attackmen and defensem*n cannot cross during a faceoff. Perpendicular to the restraining line, there are two lines, 10 yards inward from each sideline, that run from the restraining line to the end line. This creates the restraining box, in which attackmen and defenders must stay inside until one team gains possession from the faceoff.

3. Timekeeping

Lacrosseis divided into four 15 minute periods.If the game is tied after the four periods, the teams will play a sudden death overtime, repeating four-minute periods until one team scores.

When possession is changed, either by a turnover, save, or penalty, the team with the ball has 20 seconds to advance it over the midline. After that, they have 10 seconds to move the ball into the restraining box. If they fail to do this, it is a dead ball and possession is changed. In college lacrosse, there is an 80-second shot clock; however, in all lower-level leagues, there is no shot clock.

4. Substitutions

The substitution box is 20 yards long and is located between the bench of each team and the field.Substitutions in lacrosse are done “on the fly,” meaning teams are free to substitute whenever they want throughout the game. Any player substituting in or out, dead ball or not, must go through the substitution box. Substitute players must wait for the player they are replacing to step off the field and into the substitution box before entering the field.

Usually, teams begin the faceoff with a long stick midfielder and a faceoff midfielder, with both of them substituting off if they win the faceoff, and staying on if they lose. In transition, players running upfield near the sideline of the substitution box will run out on one side, and the incoming player will sub in from the other side of the substitution box, essentially giving them a 20-yard head start on the fast break.

5. Faceoffs

A faceoff is used to begin play at the beginning of each quarter and overtime period and after every goal.To perform a faceoff, a player from each team gets into an athletic position at the faceoff X in the center of the field, either crouching or kneeling on the ground. The shafts of their sticks must be on the ground and parallel to the centerline.

The players that are facing off must remain still as the referee places the ball on the X.Only when the official blows their whistle may the players begin to compete for the ball. A faceoff is over when one team gains possession of the ball or the ball goes out of bounds.

During a faceoff, the other players on each team must stand in certain positions. There must be at least three players, plus the goaltender, in the defensive area behind the defensive restraining line. There must be at least three players in the attack area, and there must be a player in each wing area. After the whistle, the wing players may release to help with the faceoff, but the players in the defensive and attack areas must remain behind their restraining lines until one team has gained position.

6. Checking

Checking is a defensive technique that lacrosse players use to attempt to dislodge the ball from another player’s stick. Certain types of checks are legal, while others are illegal. Players may use their sticks to check, but only in certain ways.There are a variety of different checks that defensive players use;some examples are:

• Poke Check: Jabbing the head of the stick like a spear at a ball carrier’s stick.
• Slap Check: Swinging the head or shaft of the stick into the head or shaft of the ball carrier’s stick (pictured).
• Lift Check: Using the head of one’s stick to lift up the bottom of the ball carrier's stick, usually used to disrupt a pass or shot.

If a defensive player checks an offensive player in the helmet, or commits a check that the officials deem excessively forceful, they are penalized with a slash, which results with them serving one minute in the penalty box.

Body checks are attempts to hit the ball carrier, either to dislodge the ball or to hinder their path to the goal. Body can either be done by putting the hands together on the stick and shoving the ball carrier, or by hitting the ball carrier with a lowered shoulder.Body checks must be very disciplined, or they will likely result in a penalty. Body checks are very restricted in the modern game, and due to the relatively light protection of lacrosse equipment, penalties are called on most body checks.

7. Offsides

Offsides is an infraction that prevents either side of the field from being too crowded.There are 10 players on the field from each team, but that does not mean that all 10 players can go wherever they want on the field. Out of those 10 players, a team can have a maximum of six players on their offensive side and a maximum of seven players on their defensive side (including the goalie).

If a team commits an offsides penalty with possession, a whistle blows to signal a dead ball and the opposing team receives the ball at midfield. If a team commits offsides without possession, a midfielder must serve 30 seconds in the penalty box for a technical foul.

8. Penalties

In lacrosse, fouls are punished by penalties, which are enforced through time in the penalty box. There are two types of penalties: personal fouls and technical fouls.Personal fouls are fouls that concern a player’s safety, and they result in a minimum of one minute in the penalty box, but can be longer depending on the severity of the penalty. Some examples of personal fouls include:

• Cross-checking: Cross-checking is having the hands spread on the stick and checking the ball carrier with the part of the shaft in between one’s hands
• Illegal Body Checking: A player will be called for an illegal body check if they lower their shoulder and collide with the head or neck of a player on the other team.
• Slashing: Slashing is striking a player with the stick in a slashing motion
• Tripping: Tripping is using the feet or stick to trip a player.
• Spearing: Spearing is a deliberate tackle or check of a player by leading with the head.
• Illegal Crosse: An illegal crosse is any stick that does not conform with lacrosse rules.

Technical fouls are fouls concerning an unfair advantage to one team. These penalties are 30 seconds long. Fouls like this include: too many men on the field, using a free hand to grab a player or the ball, crease violations, delays of game, offsides, pushing, stalling, and warding.

Depending on the severity of the foul committed, the resulting time penalty will be between 30 seconds and three minutes.There are two types of time penalties, releasable and non-releasable penalties. If a player is serving a releasable penalty and a goal is scored, they may return to the field at that time. Non-releasable penalties must be served for their duration, regardless of whether a goal is scored.

While technical fouls result in a mere 30-second releasable penalty, personal fouls result in one to three-minute non-releasable penalties. Especially dangerous or unsporting infractions can result in ejection from the game, as well as suspension from a future game.

9. Use of the Free Hand

The free hand is defined as the hand that is not on the stick.Lacrosse allows a very limited use of the free hand.

A player is only permitted to hold their arm out in a still position that offers them protection from stick checks. A player may not:

• Touch the ball in any way
• Push off of an opposing player or stick
• Use their arm to obstruct or hold another player
• Face guard or hold the arm in any position that is not natural to the running form

If a player violates these rules with possession of the ball, the official will call warding, and give possession to the other team.

10. Goalkeeping

The lacrosse goalkeeper has a very different role than the rest of the team. First of all, their stick must be 52-72 inches long, and the head must be 10-12 inches wide at the widest point, giving them a better chance to save shots.

The lacrosse goalkeeper stands inside, but is not limited to, “the crease.”This circle has a nine-foot radius around the middle of the goal line, and no player from the opposing team may step inside it.

When the goalkeeper makes a save, they have fourseconds to either step out of the crease, or throw the ball out of the crease. If theydo not, possession is awarded to the other team. If he steps out and back in with the ball, possession is awarded to the other team. If any player touches the goalkeeper while they arein the crease, that is a goalie interference and will result in the goalkeeper’s team receiving the ball at the midline.

FAQ

Pages Related to The Most Important Rules of Lacrosse

• Lacrosse Defense
• Lacrosse Defense Types
• What Is the Best Age To Start Lacrosse?
• Lacrosse Types of Shots
• Lacrosse Types of Checks
• Lacrosse Rules and Regulations

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