Women's lacrosse
Encyclopedia
Women's lacrosse, sometimes shortened to wlax or lax, is a sport
played with twelve players on each team. Originally played by the indigenous peoples of the Americas
, the first tribe to play it was the Hauser tribe, of the Great Plains. The modern women's game was introduced in 1890 at the St Leonards School
in Scotland
. The rules of women's lacrosse differ significantly from men's field lacrosse
.
The object of the game is to use a long handled racket, known as a lacrosse stick
or a crosse, to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by ultimately hurling the ball into an opponent's goal. The triangular head of the lacrosse stick has a net strung into it that allows the player to hold the lacrosse ball
. Defensively the object is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body positioning.
At the collegiate level, lacrosse is represented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
. In the United States an NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship
is held each spring. Internationally women's lacrosse has a thirty-one member group called the Federation of International Lacrosse
, which sponsors the Women's Lacrosse World Cup
once every four years.
game which was first witnessed by Europeans when French
Jesuit missionaries
in the St. Lawrence Valley witnessed the game in the 1630s, but a girl named Nichauser brought it to the Americas in the 1630s. These games were sometimes major events that could last several days. As many as 100 to 1,000 men from opposing villages or tribes would participate. Native American lacrosse describes a broad variety of stick and ball games played by the indigenous people. Geography and tribal customs dictate the extent to which women participated in these early games.
The first modern women’s lacrosse game was played in 1890 at the St Leonards School
in Scotland
, where women's lacrosse had been introduced by Louisa Lumsden
. Lumsden brought the game to Scotland after watching a men's lacrosse
game between the Canghuwaya Indians and the Montreal Lacrosse Club
. One of Lumsden's students, Rosabelle Sinclair
, established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States was 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.
From 2005-2009 Northwestern University won the National Championship and had 2 undefeated seasons. They became a dynasty in the lacrosse community.
Women’s lacrosse is played with a team of 12 players; one of the players is usually the goalkeeper. The ball used is typically yellow. But, if both teams agree then the game can be played with a different coloured ball. The duration of the game is 60 minutes, two halves of 30 minutes each. Each team is allowed two 90-second team time-outs per game (two 2-minute timeouts in USA) i . Time-outs may be taken after a goal has been scored. In the USA rules a team with possession of the ball may call a time out, although this rule does not apply to the International game.
The rules of women's lacrosse differ significantly from men's lacrosse. The details which follow are the USA rules. International women's lacrosse rules are slightly different.
The women's lacrosse game saw numerous rule changes in 2000. Modifications include limiting the amount of players allowed between the two restraining lines on the draw to five players per team. Stick modifications have led to offset heads, which allow the women's game to move faster and makes stick moves and tricks easier. In 2002, goggles became mandatory equipment in the United States (but not a requirement in international rules). In 2006, hard boundaries were adopted.
There are two different surroundings around the goal on both sides of the field; the eight meter arc and the 12 meter fan. When committing a major foul inside either of these areas, the offense regains the ball and has a direct opportunity to goal. If outside the 8-meter arc, but inside the fan, a "lane" to goal is cleared of all other players and the person who committed the foul is relocated 4 meters behind the offender. If inside the 8-meter-arc and a defensive foul occurs, all players that were previously inside the surrounding must take the most direct route out. The player who was fouled now moves to the nearest hash mark that is located around the edges of the arc and has a direct lane to goal. The defender who committed the foul is relocated on the 12-meter fan directly behind the shooter.
The shooting space rule in women's lacrosse is very important in keeping the players safe. It occurs when a defender moves into the offender's shooting lane to goal, at an angle that makes the defender at risk of being hit by the ball if the offender were to shoot.
When the referee blows the whistle during play everyone must stop exactly where they are. If the ball goes out of bounds on a shot then the player that is closest to the ball receives the possession. If the ball goes out of bounds not on a shot then the other team is awarded with the possession. For example, if a player threw a bad pass to her teammate and the ball went out of bounds then the other team would receive the ball.
Protecting one's stick from being checked is a very important key in the game of women's lacrosse. In order to protect the stick from being checked, the player must cradle the ball. If the player has a strong "cradle", it would make it much more difficult to recover the ball for the opposing team. "Cradling" is the back and forth movement and twisting of the head of the stick, which keeps the ball in the pocket with centripetal force.
In women's lacrosse, players may only check if the check is directed away from the ball carrier's head. Also, players may only check using the side of their stick. If caught by one of the referees using the flat of the head, it will be called as a "held check" and the opposing team will get the ball.
There are two types of fouls in woman's lacrosse, major and minor. When a minor foul is committed anywhere on the field, the player who fouled is set four meters to whichever side she was guarding the person she obstructed. If a major foul occurs outside of the 12 meter fan or eight meter arc, the fouler must stand four meters behind the player she fouled.
In August 2008, after negotiations lasting four years, the IFWLA and ILF agreed to merge into a single governing body, the Federation of International Lacrosse
(FIL). All tournaments operated by the IFWLA have been taken over by the FIL.
Every four years, the Women's Lacrosse World Cup
is held. It was organized by the IFWLA before its merger with the IFL, and is now organized by the FIL. The most recent edition was held in Prague
in 2009, and saw the fourth consecutive matchup of the United States and Australia in the final. The USA avenged their 2005 defeat by Australia.
Sport
A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
played with twelve players on each team. Originally played by the indigenous peoples of the Americas
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, the first tribe to play it was the Hauser tribe, of the Great Plains. The modern women's game was introduced in 1890 at the St Leonards School
St Leonards School
St Leonards School, formerly St Leonards School for Girls, is an independent school, founded by the University of St Andrews in the nineteenth century....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The rules of women's lacrosse differ significantly from men's field lacrosse
Field lacrosse
Field lacrosse, sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet," is a full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867....
.
The object of the game is to use a long handled racket, known as a lacrosse stick
Lacrosse stick
A lacrosse stick or crosse is a long-handled racket used to play the sport of lacrosse. Players use the lacrosse stick to handle the ball and to strike at opposing players...
or a crosse, to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by ultimately hurling the ball into an opponent's goal. The triangular head of the lacrosse stick has a net strung into it that allows the player to hold the lacrosse ball
Lacrosse ball
A lacrosse ball is the solid rubber ball that is used, in conjunction with a lacrosse stick, to play the sport of lacrosse. It is typically white, but is also produced in a wide range of colors.The old NCAA specifications are:Weight: 140g - 147g...
. Defensively the object is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body positioning.
At the collegiate level, lacrosse is represented by the National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
. In the United States an NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top women's lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
is held each spring. Internationally women's lacrosse has a thirty-one member group called the Federation of International Lacrosse
Federation of International Lacrosse
The Federation of International Lacrosse, shortened to FIL, was established in August 2008 in a merger of both the men's and women's international lacrosse associations. It's located in Wilmington, Delaware in United States...
, which sponsors the Women's Lacrosse World Cup
Women's Lacrosse World Cup
The Women's Lacrosse World Cup, the recognized world championship of international women's lacrosse, is held every four years. From its inception in 1982, it was sponsored by the governing body for women's lacrosse, the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations, until that body...
once every four years.
History
Known as the "fastest sport on two feet," lacrosse is a traditional Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
game which was first witnessed by Europeans when French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Jesuit missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
in the St. Lawrence Valley witnessed the game in the 1630s, but a girl named Nichauser brought it to the Americas in the 1630s. These games were sometimes major events that could last several days. As many as 100 to 1,000 men from opposing villages or tribes would participate. Native American lacrosse describes a broad variety of stick and ball games played by the indigenous people. Geography and tribal customs dictate the extent to which women participated in these early games.
"Lacrosse, as women play it, is an orderly pastime that has little in common with the men's tribal warfare version except the long-handled racket or crosse that gives the sport its name. Its true that the object in both the men's and women's lacrosse is to send a ball through a goal by means of the racket, but whereas men resort to brute strength the women depend solely on skill." Rosabelle SinclairRosabelle SinclairRosabelle Sinclair, known as the affectionately as the "Grand Dame of Lacrosse", established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States. She was the first woman to be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame...
The first modern women’s lacrosse game was played in 1890 at the St Leonards School
St Leonards School
St Leonards School, formerly St Leonards School for Girls, is an independent school, founded by the University of St Andrews in the nineteenth century....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, where women's lacrosse had been introduced by Louisa Lumsden
Louisa Lumsden
Dame Louisa Innes Lumsden, born into a wealthy family in Aberdeen, Scotland DBE was a lecturer in classics at Girton College and the first Headmistress of St Leonards, Fife. She is credited with introducing lacrosse to St...
. Lumsden brought the game to Scotland after watching a men's lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
game between the Canghuwaya Indians and the Montreal Lacrosse Club
Montreal Lacrosse Club
The Montreal Lacrosse Club was a lacrosse club in the Canadian city of Montreal, Quebec. The Club is notable in the history of lacrosse as it was responsible for establishing the first set of written rules of the game....
. One of Lumsden's students, Rosabelle Sinclair
Rosabelle Sinclair
Rosabelle Sinclair, known as the affectionately as the "Grand Dame of Lacrosse", established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States. She was the first woman to be inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame...
, established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States was at the Bryn Mawr School
Bryn Mawr School
The Bryn Mawr School is an independent, nonsectarian, college-preparatory school for girls from preschool through grade twelve. Founded in 1885, BMS is located in the Roland Park community of Baltimore, Maryland, USA at 109 W. Melrose Avenue, Baltimore MD 21210.-The Bryn Mawr School Community:In...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
Men’s and women’s lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules, with no protective equipment, until the mid-1930s.
From 2005-2009 Northwestern University won the National Championship and had 2 undefeated seasons. They became a dynasty in the lacrosse community.
Rules
The women's lacrosse game saw numerous rule changes in 2000. Modifications include limiting the amount of players allowed between the two restraining lines on the draw to five players per team. Stick modifications have led to offset heads, which allow the women's game to move faster and makes stick moves and tricks easier. In 2002, goggles became mandatory equipment in the United States (but not a requirement in international rules). In 2006, hard boundaries were adopted.
Players
Women play with three attackers (starting with the position closest to the net that a team is shooting at, the attack positions are called "first home", "second home", and "third home"), five midfielders (a "right attack wing", a "left attack wing", a "right defensive wing", a "left defensive wing", and a "center"), three defenders (starting from the position closest to the net a team is defending, these positions are called "point", "cover point", and "third man"), and one goalie. Seven players play attack at one time and seven defenders are present. There is a restraining line that keeps the other four players (plus the goalie) from going into the attack. If those players cross the line, they are considered offsides and a penalty is given.Equipment
Women's lacrosse rules are specifically designed to allow less physical contact between players. As a result of the lack of contact, the only protective equipment required is a mouthguard and faceguard/goggles. Players have the option of wearing eye protection, although it is not mandated under international rules. In addition, players may choose to wear gloves. Although these are the only protective equipment, there are still many injuries due to accidental checks to the head and the overall aggressiveness of the sport. The pockets of women's sticks are shallower than those of the men, making the ball harder to catch and more difficult to shoot at high speed. The pockets also make it harder to cradle without dropping the ball.Playing area
The shooting space rule in women's lacrosse is very important in keeping the players safe. It occurs when a defender moves into the offender's shooting lane to goal, at an angle that makes the defender at risk of being hit by the ball if the offender were to shoot.
Duration and tie-breaking methods
Women's games are played in two 30-minute halves (two 25-minute halves for high school varsity). These 30 minutes periods are running time (may be stop-clock after goals in USA rules), except for the last two minutes, during which time stops when the whistle is blown. While the whistle is blown, players must stand in place. In women's lacrosse, players are not allowed to intentionally touch the ball with their body to gain an advantage or cover the ball to protect it from being picked up by an opponent.Ball in and out of play
The "draw" is what starts the game and keeps the game going after a point. The draw is when two girls, one from each team, stand in the center circle with the backs of their sticks facing each other. Then the referee places the ball between the two sticks. Each player has to push their sticks together parallel to the ground to contain the ball. There are allowed four players from each team to stand along the circle surrounding the center circle during the draw. The players’ sticks around the circle cannot break the line until the whistle is blown. The centers must lift and pull their sticks over their heads releasing the ball.When the referee blows the whistle during play everyone must stop exactly where they are. If the ball goes out of bounds on a shot then the player that is closest to the ball receives the possession. If the ball goes out of bounds not on a shot then the other team is awarded with the possession. For example, if a player threw a bad pass to her teammate and the ball went out of bounds then the other team would receive the ball.
Protecting one's stick from being checked is a very important key in the game of women's lacrosse. In order to protect the stick from being checked, the player must cradle the ball. If the player has a strong "cradle", it would make it much more difficult to recover the ball for the opposing team. "Cradling" is the back and forth movement and twisting of the head of the stick, which keeps the ball in the pocket with centripetal force.
In women's lacrosse, players may only check if the check is directed away from the ball carrier's head. Also, players may only check using the side of their stick. If caught by one of the referees using the flat of the head, it will be called as a "held check" and the opposing team will get the ball.
There are two types of fouls in woman's lacrosse, major and minor. When a minor foul is committed anywhere on the field, the player who fouled is set four meters to whichever side she was guarding the person she obstructed. If a major foul occurs outside of the 12 meter fan or eight meter arc, the fouler must stand four meters behind the player she fouled.
Penalties
Penalties for women's lacrosse are assessed with the following cards:- The green card, given to the team captain, is for a delay of game.
- The yellow card is for a first-time penalty and results in the player being removed from the field for three minutes. In USA: any player receiving two yellows sits out the rest of the game and the next game for that team.
- The red card is the result either of two yellow cards or a flagrant foul or extremely unsportsmanlike behavior, and causes the player to be ejected from the game. If the red card is for unsportsmanlike behavior, the player is also not permitted to play in the following game. USA rules differ in that a red card is not the result of two yellow cards and any player receiving a red card sits out the rest of that game and her team's next two games.
- Rough/Dangerous Check
- Check to the Head (Mandatory Card)
- Slash(Mandatory Card)
- Holding
- Crosse in the sphere
- Illegal Contact
- Illegal Use of Crosse
- Hooking
- Reach across the body
- Illegal cradle
- Blocking
- Charging
- Pushing
- Obstruction of the Free Space to Goal (Shooting Space)
- Three Seconds
- Illegal Pick
- Tripping
- Detaining
- Forcing Through
- False Start
- Playing the ball of an opponent
- Dangerous Propelling(Mandatory Card)
- Dangerous Follow-Through(Mandatory Card)
- Dangerous Shot
- Illegal Shot
- Covering
- Empty Stick Check
- Warding off
- Hand Ball
- Squeeze the Head of the Crosse
- Body Ball
- Throwing her crosse in any circumstance.
- Taking part in the game if she is not holding her crosse.
- Illegal Draw
- On the center draw, stepping on or in to the center circle or on or over the restraining line before the whistle.
- Illegal crosse
- Scoring a goal with a crosse that does not meet the field crosse specifications.
- Adjusting the strings/thongs of her crosse after an official inspection of her crosse has been requested during the game. The crosse must be removed.
- Jewelry
- Illegal Uniform
- Illegal Substitution
- Delay of game
- Play from out of bounds
- Illegal re-entry
- Illegal Timeout
International competition
Beginning in 1972, the sport was governed internationally by the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations (IFWLA). The formation of the IFWLA actually predated that of the corresponding body for men's lacrosse, the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF), by two years.In August 2008, after negotiations lasting four years, the IFWLA and ILF agreed to merge into a single governing body, the Federation of International Lacrosse
Federation of International Lacrosse
The Federation of International Lacrosse, shortened to FIL, was established in August 2008 in a merger of both the men's and women's international lacrosse associations. It's located in Wilmington, Delaware in United States...
(FIL). All tournaments operated by the IFWLA have been taken over by the FIL.
Every four years, the Women's Lacrosse World Cup
Women's Lacrosse World Cup
The Women's Lacrosse World Cup, the recognized world championship of international women's lacrosse, is held every four years. From its inception in 1982, it was sponsored by the governing body for women's lacrosse, the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations, until that body...
is held. It was organized by the IFWLA before its merger with the IFL, and is now organized by the FIL. The most recent edition was held in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
in 2009, and saw the fourth consecutive matchup of the United States and Australia in the final. The USA avenged their 2005 defeat by Australia.
Famous players
- Kristen Kjellman, two-time winner (2006, 2007) of the Tewaaraton Trophy.
- Jen AdamsJen AdamsJen Adams is the head women's lacrosse coach at Loyola University Maryland and was an All-American lacrosse player at the University of Maryland from 1998 to 2001, leading the Terrapins to national titles for four straight years, including a perfect 21 and 0 record in 1999, as well as a perfect 23...
, head coach at Loyola University (Md.) and All-American lacrosse player at University of Maryland. - Niicole Hauser, 4 year all American at Northwestern University
External links
- International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations
- US Lacrosse - The National Governing Body
- Women's lacrosse in the United States
- Women's lacrosse in England
- Women's lacrosse in Wales
- Women's field lacrosse in Canada
- Women's lacrosse in Australia
- Women's lacrosse in the Netherlands
- NCAA women's lacrosse stats