A brief history of lacrosse:

Lacrosse has a long rich history in North America.  It has been around for centuries, played by close to fifty Native American tribes scattered throughout modern-day Canada and United States. The Ojibwe, Menominee, Potawatomi Cherokee, Choctaw, Seminole, and Iroquois tribes are some of the most well known tribes that played throughout North America.  Although some rules and differences in equipment (such as sticks) varied from tribe to tribe, the uses and popularity were the same. 

Most tribes played with some sort of deerskin-wrapped ball that would take place of today’s modern hard rubber ball. The fields and rules that we know today are nothing like what they played.  Fields could go for miles in any direction, often whole tribes would play at a time, not just ten players.   Sometimes players had one or even two sticks to cradle and play with.  

The most common names that Indians used for Lacrosse were the “creator’s game” and “little brother of war”.  These two names for the game, show how just how important it was to Indian society. Strongly rooted in thier religion, "The Creator's Game" was played to heal the sick and to end disputes.  On the other hand, the name "Little Brother of War" shows, that this was a violent game, and  used  as a way train their young into warriors.  The actual Lacrosse title didn’t come into play until 1636 when the French were exploring Canada. A Missionary by the name of Jean de Brebeuf coined the name because of the way the stick looked.  French settlers than began playing the game in the 1800s and famous dentist W. George Beers standardized the game with a set of rules and field dimensions.

The first women's lacrosse game was played in 1890 at the St. Leonard's School in Scotland. Although an attempt was made to start women's lacrosse at Sweet Briar College in Virginia in 1914, it was not until 1926 that Miss Rosabelle Sinclair established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland.

Men's and women's lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules, with no protective equipment, until the mid-1930s. At that time, men's lacrosse began evolving dramatically, while women's lacrosse continued to remain true to the game's original rules. Men's and women's lacrosse remain derivations of the same game today, but are played under different rules. Women's rules limit stick contact, and prohibit body contact, allowing players to wear little protective equipment. Men's lacrosse rules allow for stick and body contact, which causes them to wear much more protective equipment, including a helmet.

New York University was home to the first college men’s team in 1877, while the girl’s team came in 1926 at Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland. Today there are around 400 collegiate teams, with more each year.  Lacrosse is today’s fastest growing sport, and still the fastest game on two feet.

Lacrosse Equipment:

Each player, excluding goalies, wears the same equipment, whether you play offense or defense.  You are required to wear; some type of protective eye wear (goggles, glasses), mouthpiece (one that is visible), and gloves are optional but help for extra hand protection. All players besides the goalie have the same sized stick and they are not allowed to have pockets in their stick heads. Cleats are also used since the game is played on grass but cannot be metal (soccer cleats are very common).

Goalies are a little different.  They are required to wear a helmet with a mouthpiece, also attached to the helmet is a throat protector.  Goalies also wear a chest protector that covers their whole front (chest and stomach).  They wear gloves that are used in the men's game to protect their hands and some players prefer to wear padded pants. Goalies play with a stick head that is much larger and is allowed to have a pocket. 

Player positions and basic rules:

Women’s Lacrosse is essentially considered a non-contact sport, therefore minimal protective gear is worn. Checking is allowed, as well as minimal body contact.  NO slashing, hitting, elbowing or pushing.  Referees are able to give yellow cards for minor fouls, red cards for major fouls.

12 players from each team are on the field at one time, including the goal keeper. The game starts by what is called a “DRAW”.  Two players from opposite teams will be in the center circle, with the ball placed between their outward facing sticks.  On the whistle, each player will pull up and out, at which point the ball is free to be picked up or caught by any player.  Draws are also taken after each goal. 

Regular duration of a game is 60 minutes, split into two 30 minute halves.

Essentially there are 12 positions, but this can be grouped as 4 attack players (first home, second home, third home, attack wing), 3 midfield players (attack wing, defense wing, center), 4 defense players (point, cover point, third man, defense wing) and a goalkeeper.  
It is important to understand that the midfield players play both offense and defense, while the attack cannot cross over the defensive restraining line, and the defense cannot cross over the offensive restraining line.

Field players are not allowed in the goalie circle.

The 8 meter arc acts like the key in basketball.  On fouls, the girl will line up on a “hash marc” and take an “8 meter shot”, like foul shots in basketball.  Also, the defense cannot be inside the arc for more than 3 seconds without defending anyone (must be within stick length of opposing player).

For more information on rules and regulations, visit: uslacrosse.org

Here is a sample field: