Lacrosse is a sport played between teams, quite popular in North America, mainly in the United States and Canada.
The main feature of this sport is the use of sticks with a kind of basket at one end, where players must carry the ball during the game.
The objective of lacrosse is to score as many goals as possible on the opposing team. For this, each team must reach, with the use of the bat (called the cross), a small solid ball towards the inside of the rival goal.
Currently, lacrosse is played by both males and females, but initially it was considered a predominantly male game.
In Canada, one of the countries where lacrosse is most popular, it is now considered the official national summer sport.
There are different types of lacrosse, the main ones being: field lacrosse, lacrosse box, Intercross and Women's Lacrosse.
Lacrosse is an impact sport (mainly in the male version), so it is also essential to wear protective equipment, just like in hockey or football.
Origin of Lacrosse
Lacrosse is considered one of the oldest sports of North American origin that is still practiced.
Originally created by the Iroquois, – an indigenous tribe that inhabited today's North America - the roots of this sport are estimated to have originated around the 12th century.
Known for baaga'adowe among the Iroquois, this sport was initially considered a ritual of bravery and glory among indigenous warriors. O baaga'adowe it was, in many cases, used as a method of settling disputes between tribes.
The lacrosse practiced by the Iroquois did not have a specific set of rules, and teams could have from a dozen warriors to thousands. The dimensions of the field were also irregular and games could last several days.
Baaga'adowe or Baggataway has a similar translation to the expression “hit something”, a reference to the way lacrosse is played.
The contemporary name of this game, however, was created by the French. the French explorer and missionary Jean de Brébeuf, after having had contact with the baaga'adowe, described it as La Croix, an expression that in the French language means “the cross”.
Brébeuf found the bats used by the natives to play the Baaga'adowe quite similar to the staffs used by Catholic bishops. For this reason, the game was called la croix by the French initially.
Lacrosse Rules
Each style of lacrosse has its particular rules, ranging from the dimensions of the field, the minimum number of players, among other situations. For this reason, the competitor must know the specific rules developed by the league or confederation that is participating.
In case of Field Lacrosse, considered the traditional style of this game, the rules are as follows:
- 10 players in each team (in the female version there are 12 players, as a rule);
- The total duration of the game is 80 minutes (4 periods of 20 minutes each);
- At the Field Lacrosse the field measures 100m x 55m, while the goal posts (beams) must be 1.80m x 1.80m;
- In the male version the bodychecking (physical contact), but not in female lacrosse;
- As in other games of the genre, there are three main penalties: technical foul, personal foul and foul of sending-off.
- The ball movement must be exclusively done with the help of the bats (crosses), that is, the hands must not touch the ball.
Remembering that these are the standard rules for the Field Lacrosse. O Lacrosse Box (quite popular in Canada, for example), has distinct norms and standards.
The main feature of the Lacrosse Box is the fact of being played indoor, in a field smaller than the Field Lacrosse, being normally used a hockey arena with synthetic turf.