Box Lacrosse

Box lacrosse is an indoor version of lacrosse, and is therefore sometimes known as indoor lacrosse. This type of lacrosse is played primarily in Canada, but it is quickly spreading to the United States.

It is known as Box Lacrosse, because of the enclosed space that you play it in. Usually in a hockey arena, the sport can be played in the summer or winter.

Indoor lacrosse was invented in the 1930's, as a way to promote business for the local ice arenas, and has since grown to be a huge sport.

The Differences Between Indoor and Outdoor Lacrosse

Generally speaking, indoor lacrosse is much rougher, and a lot more "hack-and-whack." There are two different reasons as to why indoor lacrosse is much more physical than outdoor:

• Much smaller playing field - The box lacrosse field (hockey rink size) is much smaller than the outdoor field (football field size). Because of this size difference, the players have less space to move in order to avoid a check.

• Different stick regulations - Field lacrosse and US Lacrosse has very strict regulations on the legality of your stick. This is quite contrary to box lacrosse, where the lacrosse head can be "pinched", in order to prevent the ball from falling out. If you want to get the ball out of the other player's pocket, then you must hit him harder. The harder you hit him, the easier the ball falls out.

Another difference between the two types of lacrosse is the goalie pads. The goalie pads for outdoor lacrosse are almost non-existant. They only wear gloves, chest protector, helmet and throat guard.

The indoor lacrosse goalie pads could rival the biggest hockey pads. They wear: Gloves, helmet, shoulder pads, chest protector, leg pads, and sometimes thigh pads. It is a wonder they can even walk in those things, not to mention save a goal!

The third difference is the size of the goal. Outdoor lacrosse goals are six feet wide and six feet tall. Indoor lacrosse goals are four feet wide and four feet tall.

The National Lacrosse League (known as the NLL) was founded in 1986, and as 14 teams throughout North America.

Box Lacrosse

Now you are probably thinking, "Wait. Box lacrosse goalies have HUGE pads and a smaller goal? What's going on?"

This is true, but you must also remember that the playing field in much smaller, so there are a lot more scoring chances.

The number of players on a field is also a difference. Indoor lacrosse rules state that only six people, including the goalie, can be on the field from each team. This is contrary to outdoor lacrosse, in which ten are allowed on the field from each team.

Most box lacrosse games have a 30 second shot clock. The only outdoor lacrosse league to incorporate a shot clock is the MLL, Major League Lacrosse.

Another difference is that Indoor lacrosse does not have more than one size of a stick. They only play with short sticks. In outdoor lacrosse, every defender has a long-pole.

The box lacrosse field is way to small to have certain players with a long-pole.

The only other major difference between the two types of lacrosse is the switching hands. Almost all indoor lacrosse players will keep the ball in their dominate hand, and not switch for the whole game.

They do this because:

• There is not enough room to perform a dodge where you switch hands.
• The field is always so congested that if you were to switch hands, you would probably get the ball checked out of your stick.

Most of the other differences are minor enough to not effect your lacrosse playing ability.

The National Lacrosse League (known as the NLL) was founded in 1986, and as 14 teams throughout North America.

The National Lacrosse League

Originally known as the MILL (Major Indoor Lacrosse League),the NLL has been met with much adversity, and is constantly dropping and adding teams.

This should change soon, as the current commissioner promises to expand the league into 20 teams by 2011.

It currently has about 292 players, 73% of whom are Canadian.

Regular season games begin in the winter, and are always held on the weekends.

Because the NLL has one of the worst paying salaries for any sport, most players have other full-time jobs.

The National Lacrosse League has endure plenty of hardships, but it will surely grow and prosper in the near future.