Basic Rules

Number of players

• 6 players per side
• 1 goaltender
• 5 runners

This game is very similar to hockey and basketball in that players are allowed to go anywhere on the arena floor, however, players are commonly assigned positions such as center, left & right crease, and left & right point. As well, like hockey, players may change during play. The ball is advanced up the floor by running while cradling the ball in the lacrosse stick or by fast-break passes to teammates up the floor. Players shoot at their opponent’s goal, which has an opening measuring 4 feet by 4 feet, with netting or mesh secured to the posts to contain the ball. The game starts with a face-off between two opposing players. A face-off also takes place after each goal and at the beginning of each period. The length of the game is 3 periods of 15 to 20 minutes in duration depending on the age level – teams change ends at the conclusion of each period.

Penalties

Penalties are enforced very similar to hockey with two minutes being the duration of a minor penalty and five minutes for a major penalty to stop time games.

Common penalties include:

Boarding, Charging, Cross Checking, Elbowing, High Sticking, Holding, Hooking, Interference, Slashing, Spearing, Tripping, etc.