Rules of Womens Lacrosse

Womens Lacrosse Rules

Let's start at the beginning and review the game of lacrosse for women where the rules change slightly from the men's game.

THE ATTACK:

First Home: The first home's responsibility is to score. Located in front of the goal, the first home must continually cut toward the goal for a shot, or cut away from the goal to make room for another player. She should have excellent stick work.

Second Home: The second home is considered the play maker. She should be able to shoot well from every angle and distance from the goal.

Third Home: According to the rules of womens lacrosse, the third home's responsibility is to transition the ball from defense to attack. She should be able to feed the ball to other players and fill in wing areas.

Attack Wings: The wings are also responsible for transitioning the ball from defense to attack. Wings should have speed and endurance and be ready to receive the ball from the defense and run or pass the ball.

THE DEFENSE:

Point: The point's responsibility is to mark first home. She should be able to stick check, body check and look to intercept passes.

Coverpoint: The coverpoint's responsibility is to mark second home. She should be able to receive clears, run fast and have good footwork.

Third Man: The third man's responsibility is to mark third home. She should be able to intercept passes, clear the ball, run fast and have good footwork.

Center: The center's responsibility is to control the draw and play both defense and attack. She should have speed and endurance.

Defense Wings: The wings are responsible for marking the attack wings and bringing the ball into the attack area. Wings should have speed and endurance.

Goalkeeper: The goalkeeper's responsibility is to protect the goal. She should have good stick work, courage and confidence.

Women's Lacrosse Equipment: The Rules of Womens Lacrosse

The Crosse: The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood, or synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. A girl's crosse must be an overall length of 35 1/2 - 43 1/4 inches. The head of the crosse must be seven to nine inches wide. Womens lacrosse rules states that the pocket of the stick must be strung traditionally; no mesh is allowed. The top of the ball when dropped in the pocket must remain even with or above the side walls. The goalkeeper's crosse may be 35 1/2 - 48 inches long. The head of the crosse may be mesh and up to 12 inches wide. Click here to view what sticks are legal.

The Ball: The ball must be yellow and made of solid rubber. The ball must be 7.75 - 8 inches in circumference and weigh 5 - 5.25 ounces.

The Mouthpiece: All players must wear mouth guards.

Protective Equipment: Eye wear is mandatory! Click here to view the latest list of tested and approved eye wear. Close-fitting gloves, nose guards, soft head gear are optional, and may be worn by all players.

The Goalkeeper's Equipment: The goalkeeper must wear a face mask and helmet with a mouth guard, throat protector and chest protector. The goalkeeper may wear padding on hands, arms, legs, shoulders and chest which does not excessively increase the size of those body parts.

Womens Lacrosse Rules: The Rules of Womens Lacrosse

Women's lacrosse is a non-contact game played by 12 players: a goalkeeper, five attackers and six defenders. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.

Women's lacrosse begins with a draw, which is taken by the center position. The ball is placed between two horizontally held crosses (sticks) at the center of the field. At the sound of the whistle, the ball is flung into the air as the crosses are pulled up and away. A draw is used to start each half and after each goal, and it takes place at the center of the field.

The rules of womens lacrosse says that the collegiate game is 60 minutes long, each half being 30 minutes. The high school girl's game is 50 minutes long, each half being 25 minutes. In both collegiate and high school play, teams are allowed two timeouts per game (including overtime).

There are visual guidelines on the side of the field that are in place to provide a consistent indicator to the officials of what is considered the playing field. The minimum dimensions for a field is 120 yards by 70 yards. Additional markings on the field include a restraining line located 30 yards from each goal line, which creates an area where only a maximum of seven offensive players and eight defensive players (including the goalkeeper) are allowed; a 12-meter fan, which officials use to position players after fouls; and an arc in front of each goal, considered the critical scoring area, where defenders must be at least within a stick's-length of their attacker.

According to womens lacrosse rules, the boundaries are determined by the natural restrictions of the field. An area of 120 yards by 70 yards is desirable.

When a whistle blows, all players must stop in place. When a ball is ruled out of play, the player closest to the ball gets possession when play is resumed. Loss of possession may occur if a player deliberately runs or throws the ball out of play.

Rough checks, and contact to the body with the crosse or body, are not allowed.

Field players may pass, catch or run with the ball in their crosse. A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent's crosse with a check. A check is a controlled tap with a crosse on an opponent's crosse in an attempt to knock the ball free. The player must be one step in front of her opponent in order to check. Womens lacrosse rules says that no player may reach across an opponent's body to check the handle of a crosse when she is even with or behind that opponent. A player may not protect the ball in her crosse by cradling so close to her body or face so as to make a legal, safe check impossible for the opponent.

All legal checks must be directed away from a seven-inch sphere or ""bubble"" around the head of the player. No player is allowed to touch the ball with her hands except the goalkeeper when she is within the goal circle. A change of possession may occur if a player gains a distinct advantage by playing the ball off her body.

According to the rules of womens lacrosse, fouls are categorized as major or minor, and the penalty for fouls is a “free position.” For major fouls, the offending player is placed four meters behind the player taking the free position. For a minor foul, the offending player is placed four meters off, in the direction from which she approached her opponent before committing the foul, and play is resumed. When a minor foul is committed in the critical scoring area, the player with the ball has an indirect free position, in which case the player must pass first.

A slow whistle occurs when the offense has entered the critical scoring area and the defense has committed a major foul. A flag is thrown but no whistle is sounded so that the offense has an opportunity to score a goal. A whistle is blown when a goal is scored or the scoring opportunity is over. An immediate whistle is blown when a major foul, obstruction or shooting space occurs, which jeopardizes the safety of a player.

Information on the rules of womens lacrosse is courtesy of USLacrosse.com