Excellent and concise resource to quickly learn the game of lacrosse.
More exhaustive resource on the game and the role of USA Lacrosse.
Guidelines for the lacrosse parent.
ATTACK:
Attackmen generally stay on the offensive half of the field and are often referred to as the quarterbacks of the offense. They have excellent stick skills with both hands.
MIDFIELDERS:
Also referred to as "Middies". The work horses of the team. Midfielders play both offense and defense. Endurance, stick work and athleticism are key attributes.
DEFENSE:
Defensemen first and foremost defend their goal. They also participate in the clearing game. Good footwork, communication and stick skills are important.
GOALIE:
The last line of defense. A goalie is the leader of the defense and should direct the other players while protecting the goal from opponents shots. Good body position, hand eye coordination and communication skills are needed.
FOGO:
A player who takes the Faceoff and then Gets Off the field.
SSDM:
Short Stick Defensive Midfielders specialize in playing defense.
LSM:
The Long Stick Midfielder uses a long stick and replaces one regular midfielder when his team goes on defense.
Personal Fouls - These are infractions of a serious nature which carry the consequence of being "suspended" from the game for various periods of time depending on the number and severity of the personal foul. A player's penalty could be for one minute to three minutes, to possibly being suspended from the game entirely. This decision is at the discretion of the officials.
Cross Check - This is considered a physical act of one player on another with the stick between the player's hands.
Illegal Body Check - This occurs when a player checks another player who is not within 5 yards of the ball, making this a "late hit". Contact from behind or above the shoudlers or beloew the waist are considered illegal contact.
Tripping - Obstructing a player at or below the waist with any part of the stick or body, but this must be an intentional act.
Unnecessary Roughness - This is the deliberate, violent and unnecessary use of force on the field against an opposing player or could be an infraction of the rules by being excessively violent when holding or pushing another player.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Occurring when a person who represents a team attempts to argue with or influence the decision of a game official, using threatening language, profance or abusive speech, offensive lanuage or gestures during the game. This also includes baiting another player, taunting, or the overall act that the official may consider to be unsportsmanlike.
Illegal Crosse - The use of a crosse (stick) which does not conform to rules and league standards.
Holding - When a player impedes or interferes with an opponent's stick movement.
Off-Side - This happens when there are more than six players on the opponents side of the field. It can also occur when a defensive player crosses the center line as the ball is being cleared up the field and all three middies have prgoressed past the center line.
Warding Off - This occurs when a player with the ball uses his/her free hand or any part of his/her body to hold, push or control the stick or body of the opposing player.
Stalling - A team is intentionally holding the ball without any advancement towards the goal.
Screening - An offensive player moves into or makes contact with a defender with the purpose of blocking the defensive player from the opponent being played.
Illegal Procedure - This is a term that includes touching of the ball by a player other than the goalie, playing in the game withouta stick, use of illegal equipment, avoidable latenss of the team, placing the stick in an opponents face, entering the game prior to expiration of a penalty, delay of game, more than 10 players on the field, and illegally playing out of bounds.
Interference - On eplayer obstructs with the free movement of another player. Exceptions are when an opponent has the ball and a player is within 5 feet of the opponent, the ball is loose or on the fly, and when both players are withing 5 feet of the ball.
Pushing - When a player thrusts or shoves another player from behind. Pushing is permitted from the front and sides when an opponent has possession of the ball or is within 5 yards of a loose ball.