Lacrosse rules for beginners

The goal

Lacrosse is a fast, running team sport. Two teams use long sticks with a netted pocket to carry, pass and shoot a small rubber ball. The team that puts the ball into the other team's goal more times wins. Each goal is worth one point, so the final score is simply the number of goals each side scored.

Players may not touch the ball with their hands during normal play (the goalie is the exception inside the crease, the circle around the goal). Everything else happens with the stick: scooping, cradling, passing, catching and shooting.

Boys' and girls' lacrosse are a little different

Most families will notice early that lacrosse is played under two rule sets, often called men's (boys') and women's (girls') lacrosse. The goal and the basic idea are the same, but the games feel different.

• In standard rules, a men's team has 10 players on the field and a women's team has 12. Youth leagues often use smaller numbers, so ask yours.
• Boys' lacrosse allows controlled body contact and stick checks at older levels (many youth programs limit or ban body checking at the youngest ages), which is why those players wear helmets and pads. Girls' lacrosse restricts body contact and limits stick contact, and players typically wear protective eyewear instead of a full helmet.
• The sticks are shaped differently. The pocket on a girls' stick is generally shallower, so the ball is carried and passed differently.
• Restarts, field markings and positioning rules differ. For example, girls' lacrosse has a shooting-space rule that limits where defenders may stand between a shooter and the goal, and boys' lacrosse has offsides.

Contact rules and field sizes at youth levels vary widely, so check your league's rules before the first game.

How play starts and restarts

Play begins at the center of the field. In boys' lacrosse this is a faceoff: two players crouch with their sticks on the ground and the ball between them, and each tries to win control when the whistle blows. In girls' lacrosse it is a draw: two players hold the ball between the heads of their sticks at waist level and, on the whistle, pull their sticks up and away so the ball is released into the air.

The same method is used to start each period and often after a goal. Other stoppages restart with one team being awarded the ball.

How play flows

• A team with the ball tries to pass and move to create a good shot. A player may run with the ball while cradling, a gentle rocking motion that keeps it in the pocket.
• The other team tries to take the ball away by a legal stick check, an interception, or by forcing a bad pass. A ball that rolls free is a ground ball, and players race to scoop it up.
• When a shot goes in, the team scores a goal. A shot that misses the net often goes out of bounds, and the rules decide who gets the ball next.
• The goalie tries to block shots and then starts the team's attack with a clearing pass.

Game length and time

In standard rules, a game is divided into periods (for example four quarters, or two halves in some girls' and women's formats), with a short break between them and a longer break at halftime. Youth leagues use many formats, including shorter periods and running clocks, so the exact length depends on your league and age group. Ask your coach or league for the schedule and any mercy rules.

Fouls and penalties

Fouls are rule breaks. A foul can lead to a change of possession, a free position for the other team, or a short stretch where the offending player sits out and their team plays a player down. Common fouls include:

• Illegal contact, such as checking someone's body where that is not allowed, or hitting a player's head or stick-hand area.
• Holding or pushing an opponent.
• Touching the ball with the hand in play.
• Stepping into the crease in ways the rules do not allow.
• Offsides in boys' lacrosse, which means too few or too many players on one side of the field at a time. Girls' lacrosse has its own positioning rules instead.

Some fouls are small technical ones, and some are more serious. The referee decides which, and the time a player sits out for a serious foul varies by level.

Watching your first game

Start by following the ball and noticing the goalie. After a few minutes you will see the pattern: win the ball, move it quickly, make a shot, clear it back up the field. Learn the position names in lacrosse positions explained and the vocabulary in lacrosse terms for new parents, and your family will quickly feel at home on the sideline. Hub page: lacrosse guides.