How to Play Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a fast game that has been steadily gaining popularity in the last few years. It is a game played between two teams that consist of 10 players each. The players each carry a stick with a pocket at its end. This pocket is use to shoot the ball into the opposing team’s goal and earn points.
Lacrosse is not difficult to play. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to play this game.
Required Equipments
- Lacrosse sticks
- Lacrosse ball
- two goals
Instructions
- Learn the basics of the game.
- The game is played between two teams. Each team is composed of 10 players in the field at a time — a goalie, 3 defensemen, 3 midfielders, and 3 attackers. The attackers and defenders must stay on the respective ends of their field. The midfielders are the only players allowed to roam.
- A goal is set on the opposite side of the field. A player scores by shooting the ball from their stick’s pocket into the opposite team’s goal.
- The game consists of four quarters. The team with the higher score at the end of these quarters wins the game.
- Identify and buy the proper equipment.
- Lacrosse is played with the crosse, which differs in sizes for each position, and a solid rubber ball about the size of a baseball.
- Safety equipment is important for the safety of the players. These include a helmet and mask, gloves, rib pads, shoulder pads, arm pads, and a mouthguard.
- Understand and follow contact rules.
- Body contact must occur from the front side and above the waist. Contact is not allowed above the shoulders.
- The crosse can be used to check your opponent if he is within 5 yards of the ball or when going after a lose ball.
- Practice basic stick handling skills.
- Catching. Face the direction where the ball is coming from. Drop the lacrosse stick head back as you catch the ball to prevent it from popping out of the pocket.
- Passing. To pass the ball, turn slightly sideways from the direction of the receiver. Make eye contact with the receiver before passing the ball.
- Shooting. Lacrosse has four basic shot styles — the overhand long shot, underhand long shot, sidearm long shot, and backhand shot.
- Practice defensive and offensive tactics.
- Control the ball by practicing good cradling. Cradling is holding the ball in the pocket of your stick when you are not passing. Your opponent will try to take the ball by hitting your stick or hitting you with their body. Good cradling prevents these maneuvers from successfully taking the ball away from you.
- Practice outside shooting. Good outside shooting poses a threat to your opponent’s defense.
- Practice different dodges to get pass the defenseman. A few of these dodges are Face dodge, Split dodge and Bull dodge.
