L ACROSSE

L ACROSSE H ISTORY : ONE OF THE OLDEST TEAM GAMES IN AMERICA  Lacrosse originated in the Native American nations of North America, the ball sport was often part of religious ritual, played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, develop strong virile men and prepare for war.  Early lacrosse balls were made of deerskins, clay, and sometimes wood.  The French missionary, Jean de Brebeuf, saw Iroquois tribesmen play in 1637 and was the first European to write about the game, he called it lacrosse. Some say the name originated from the French term for field hockey, le jeu de la Crosse.  In 1856, dr. William Beers founded the Montreal Lacrosse Club. In 1867 he codified the game, shortening the length of each game and reducing the number of players to twelve per team.  The first game played under Beers’ rules was at Upper Canada College in 1867, with Upper Canada College losing to the Toronto Cricket Club by a score of 3-1.

L ACROSSE H ISTORY :  In the United States, lacrosse had primarily been a regional sport centered in and around Maryland, New England, upstate New York, and mid-Atlantic states.  In recent years, its popularity has started to spread south to Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama and Florida, as well as west to Colorado, California, Texas, and the Midwest.  Men’s Lacrosse Championship has the highest attendance of any NCAA Championship, outdrawing the Final Four.  Up until the 1930’s, all lacrosse was played on large fields outdoors. The owners of Canadian hockey arenas invented a reduced version of the game, called box lacrosse, which is played indoors on a smaller field.  In 1987, a professional box lacrosse league was started, called the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. This league changed its name to the Major Indoor Lacrosse League, then later to the National Lacrosse League.

L ACROSSE 2 small goals Lacrosse Crosses (sticks) Balls Eye protection Mouth Piece Addition pads can be worn Standard field is 110 yards by 60 yards, can be reduced for better play Can use a normal size gym for indoor play EquipmentFacilities

S KILLS NEEDED FOR L ACROSSE  Catching: The act of receiving a passed ball with the crosse.  Checking: The act of attempting to dislodge the ball from an opponent’s stick.  Slap Check: A stick check in which a player slaps the head of his stick against his opponent’s stick.  Cutting: A movement by an offensive player without the ball, toward the opponent’s goal, in anticipation of a feed and shot.  Feeding: Passing the ball to a teammate who is in position for a shot on goal.  Passing: The act or throwing the ball to a teammate with the crosse.  Scooping: The act of picking up a loose ball with the crosse.  Shooting: The act of throwing the ball with the crosse toward the goal in an attempt to score.

R ULES OF L ACROSSE  Rules are similar to those of soccer  Men’s lacrosse is a contact game played by 10 players; a goalie, 3 defensemen, 3 midfielders, and 3 attack men. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent’s goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.  Collegiate games are 60 minutes long, with 15 minute quarters. High school games are 48 minutes long, with 12 minute quarters. Youth games are 32 minutes long, with 8 minute quarters. Each team is given a 2 minute break between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. Halftime is ten minutes long.  Men’s lacrosse begins with a face-off. Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored.  Field players must use their crosses to pass, catch and run with the ball. Only the goalkeeper may touch the ball with the hands.  A stick check is the controlled poking and slapping of the stick and gloved hands of the player in possession of the ball.

R ESOURCES puzzles_puzzle_id= &org=weymouthyouthlax.com