Answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about Lacrosse

• In Lacrosse, there are four main positions; Attack, Midfielder (Middie), Defense and Goalie.
• Attack: The attackman's responsibility is to score goals. The attackman generally restricts his play to the offensive end of the field. A good attackman demonstrates excellent stick work with both hands and has quick feet to maneuver around the goal. Each team should have three attackmen on the field during play.
  Midfield: The midfielder's responsibility is to cover the entire field, playing both offense and defense. The midfielder is a key to the transition game, and is often called upon to clear the ball from defense to offense. A good midfielder demonstrates good stick work including throwing, catching and scooping. Speed and stamina are essential. Each team should have three midfielders on the field.
  Defense: The defenseman's responsibility is to defend the goal. The defenseman generally restricts his play to the defensive end of the field. A good defenseman should be able to react quickly in game situations. Agility and aggressiveness are necessary, but great stick work is not essential to be effective. Each team should have three defensemen on the field.
  Goal: The goalie's responsibility is to protect the goal and stop the opposing team from scoring. A good goalie also leads the defense by reading the situation and directing the defensemen to react. A good goalie should have excellent hand/eye coordination and a strong voice. Quickness, agility, confidence and the ability to concentrate are also essential. Each team has one goalie in the goal during play.

• The Crosse: The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood or synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. The crosse must be an overall length of 40 - 42 inches for attackmen and midfielders, or 52 - 72 inches for defensemen. The head of the crosse must be 6.5 - 10 inches wide, except a goalie's crosse which may be 10 - 12 inches wide. The pocket of a crosse shall be deemed illegal if the top surface of a lacrosse ball, when placed in the head of the crosse, is below the bottom edge of the side wall.
  The Ball: The ball must be made of solid rubber and can be white, yellow or orange. The ball is 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and 5 - 5.25 ounces.
  The Helmet: A protective helmet, equipped with face mask, chin pad and a cupped four point chin strap fastened to all four hookups, must be worn by all men's players. All helmets and face masks must be NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) approved.
  The Mouthpiece: The mouthpiece must be a highly visible color and is mandatory.
  The Glove: All players are required to wear protective gloves. The cutting or altering of gloves is prohibited.
  Protective Equipment: All players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, must wear shoulder pads. Arm pads and rib pads are also strongly recommended and often required, as are athletic supporters and protective cups for all players. The goalkeeper is required to wear a throat protector and chest protector, in addition to a helmet, mouthpiece and gloves.

• There are two types of fouls, Personal Fouls and Technical Fouls in boy's lacrosse. The penalty for a personal foul results in 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. 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.
• Personal Fouls
  Slashing: Occurs when a player's stick viciously contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or gloved hand on the stick.
  Tripping: 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 between his hands 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, arguing, or obscene language or gestures.
  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 any other part of the crosse was altered to gain an advantage.
  Illegal Body Checking: Occurs when any of the following actions takes place:
  a. body checking 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 after he has passed or shot the ball.
  c. body checking an opponent from the rear or at or below the waist.
  d. body checking an opponent above the shoulders. A body check must be below the shoulders and above the waist, 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.
  
  Technical Fouls
  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 player, or both players are within five yards of a loose ball.
  Offsides: 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 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 time 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.

• Attack Goal Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the offensive team crosses the midfield line, it has ten seconds to move the ball into its attack goal area.
• Body Check: Contact with an opponent from the front - between the shoulders and waist - when the opponent has the ball or is within five yards of a loose ball.
• Box: An area used to hold players who have been served with penalties, and through which substitutions ""on the fly"" are permitted directly from the sideline onto the field.
• Check-up: A call given by the goalie to tell each defender to find his man and call out his number.
• Clamp: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly pushing the back of the stick on top of the ball.
• Clearing: Running or passing the ball from the defensive half of the field to the attack goal area.
• Crease: A circle around the goal with a radius of nine feet into which only defensive players may enter.
• Crosse (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch and carry the ball.
• Defensive Clearing Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the defensive team gains possession of the ball in this area, it has ten seconds to move the ball across the midfield line.
• Extra man Offense (EMO): A man advantage that results from a time-serving penalty.
• Face-Off: A technique used to put the ball in play at the start of each quarter, or after a goal is scored. The players squat down and the ball is placed between their crosses.
• Fast-Break: A transition scoring opportunity in which the offense has at least a one-man advantage.
• Ground Ball: A loose ball on the playing field.
• Handle (Shaft): An aluminum, wooden or composite pole connected to the head of the crosse.
• Head: The plastic or wood part of the stick connected to the handle.
• Man Down Defense (MDD): The situation that results from a time-serving penalty which causes the defense to play with at least a one man disadvantage.
• Midfield Line: The line which bisects the field of play.
• On-The-Fly Substitution: A substitution made during play.
• Pick: An offensive maneuver in which a stationary player attempts to block the path of a defender guarding another offensive player.
• Pocket: The strung part of the head of the stick which holds the ball.
• Rake: A face-off move in which a player sweeps the ball to the side.
• Riding: The act of trying to prevent a team from clearing the ball.
• Release: The term used by an official to notify a penalized player in the box that he may re-enter the game.
• Unsettled Situation: Any situation in which the defense is not positioned correctly, usually due to a loose ball or broken clear.

• Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players: a goalie, three defensemen, three midfielders and three attackmen. In youth lacrosse, there are eight players: a goalie, two defensemen, three midfielders and two 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 (three players at the youth level), including the goalie, in its defensive half of the field and three (two at youth level) in its offensive half. Three players (midfielders) may roam the entire field.
• Collegiate games are 60 minutes long, with 15-minute quarters. Generally, high school games are 48 minutes long, with 12-minute quarters. Likewise, youth games are 32 minutes long, with eight-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.
• The players take their positions on the field: four (Three in youth) in the defensive clearing area, one at the center, two in the wing areas and three (Two in youth) in their attack goal area.
• 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 run after the ball when the whistle sounds. The other players must wait until one player has gained possession of the ball, or the ball has crossed a goal area line, before they can release.
• Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored. Field players must use their crosses to pass, catch and run with 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. A stick check is 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 or is within five yards of a loose ball. All body contact must occur from the front or side, above the waist and below the shoulders, and with both hands on the stick. An opponent's crosse may also be stick checked if it is within five yards of a loose ball or ball in the air. Aggressive body checking is discouraged.
• If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out of bounds, the other team is awarded possession. If the ball goes out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot, 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.
• A referee, umpire and field judge supervise field play. A chief bench official, timekeepers and scorers assist.

6.  What are the different types of Dodges used in Lacrosse?

• The lacrosse dodge is a fundamental skill of lacrosse. Developing good dodging skills is critical to the ability of your team to score. The goal of any dodge is to protect the stick for a pass or shot. All dodges share a common goal which is to keep the stick and ball away from the defender to set up your next move, be it a pass, or a shot.
• There are many different types of dodges, but the thing they all have in common is that when you dodge you are trying to avoid the opponent. The dodge is a an offensive attempt to evade the defense. There are many different Dodges. We will take a look at a few of the most popular:
• Face Dodge: The easiest dodge is probably the Face Dodge. Its just straight forward you draw the defender to you with a fake shot or pass, and then quickly transition the stick across your own face to avoid the defender and then accelerate toward him. to setup a shot or pass once you get by. With the face dodge you are really just moving your stick from a shooting or passing position quickly across the front of your face to the opposite side tucking it close to your ear. When you have the ball as a defender comes out to attack, you fake a shot and then transition from a shot/pass position to protect the stick with your head and body, and you accelerate past the Defender to an opening for a shot on goal, or a pass to another teammate.
• Split Dodge: A Split Dodge is like the Face dodge in that it is a straight ahead dodge (no roll). This time instead of trying to fake the defender into thinking you are going to shoot, you are going to make him think you are trying to blow by him on one side, but instead quick plant your lead foot and switch directions. You switch your stick-side hands in front of your face, and then blow by on the other side of the defender. Basically just getting the defender off balance with the quick change of direction and stick hands, and protecting the stick near your opposite ear as you scoot by on the other side.
• Roll Dodge: The Roll Dodge is one of the most effective dodges especially in the open field, run with the ball and stick in the left hand to your left side lets say that you are stick-side left, stay fairly tight to the defender, get them to commit a little, and then spin to the left keeping your back to the defender basically rolling off of him protecting the stick with your body,while switching to right hand. The goal is to get the defender to over commit and get off balance before you roll. you also have to be very close or touching the defender to make the roll really effective.
• Bull Dodge: The Bull dodge is generally for bigger stronger players. The key to a Bull dodge is that it really isn't a dodge in the true sense of the word. Unlike the previous dodges, the bull dodge is really won by getting close to your opponent, and running him over, always keeping the ball to the free hand side, away from the defender. Make sure you are at full speed when you try a bull dodge.