All About the Game of Lacrosse

Basics
Women’s lacrosse teams use netted sticks to carry, throw, and shoot a ball along a field in an effort to score goals. A goal counts as one point and is scored when the ball completely crosses the opposing goal line between the posts and under the crossbar. The team scoring the greater number of goals in the allotted time wins the game.

Game Length
Generally, a game is divided into two twenty-five minute halves, with a ten-minute break at halftime. Each half begins at the center circle with a “draw” between two opposing players. Team captains flip a coin to choose playing sides and teams switch sides at halftime. If a game ends with the score even, it is a tie. Some leagues may decide the result of a tie by playing overtime periods of sudden death; the team scoring first wins.

Positions
There are 12 players on each team, including the goalie.
Attack positions are: Center, Right Attack Wing, Left Attack Wing, 3rd Home, 2nd Home, 1st Home
Defense positions are: Right Defense Wing, Left Defense Wing, 3rd Man, Cover Point, Point, Goalie
Each team is spread over the entire field, so that the positions are paired as follows, defense /attack: Center/Center; Right Defense Wing/Left Attack Wing; Left Defense Wing/Right Attack Wing; Point/1st Home; Cover Point/2nd Home; 3rd Man/3rd Home.

Equipment
Stick
Cleats
Mouth guard
Numbered shirt and kilt or shorts
Padded gloves (optional)
Goalie Equipment (As far as I know, the only required equipment is a helmet with face guard and throat protector, chest protector, mouth guard and a stick. The rest is pretty much optional, but recommended.)
    padded gloves
    arm pads
    chest pad
    leg pads
    cup (yes, even for the ladies)
    goalie's lacrosse stick

How To Play
A game begins when the two centers from each team "draw" at the center of the field: a ball is placed between their two sticks pressed together back-to-back. When the umpire calls "draw," the centers attempt to control the ball when they push the ball up and out of the circle -- the area around the face-off. (Think of the tip-off in basketball.)
Then, the players around the circle -- usually the attack wings, defense wings, 3rd Homes and 3rd Men from both teams -- sprint for the descending ball. Once control is attained by a team, it works pretty much like some other sports: players run and pass the ball to push it down field toward the goal.
Cradling is the method by which a player holds the ball in the stick's pocket. Unlike men's lacrosse, women's sticks may not have a deep pocket in which to hold the ball securely; a player "cradles" the ball to keep it in the pocket. Cradling uses centripetal force -- the force generated by moving something in a circle -- to press the ball into the back of the pocket. (You can feel centripetal force at the amusement park when a ride spins and pushes you out from the axis around which you're turning.)
To learn to cradle, hold a pen or pencil with your right fist around the top, and the left hand around the bottom (for lefties, reverse it -- left hand on top.) Now bring both fists and the pen to your right shoulder, keeping the pen vertical. Then bring it to your left shoulder, keeping the pen vertical. Although you won't be able to see the centripetal force at work using this example, very basically, this is cradling.
When a player has an opening to the goal, she shoots the ball by pushing the head of the stick forward, and pulling the the shaft back. The shots can be extremely accurate and fast.
Passing is the fastest way to get the ball down field, but it can also be one of the hardest things to do. Releasing the ball with speed and accuracy can take LOTS of practice to make it effective.
Passing is done in the same manner as shooting, but catching the pass is often the hardest part. Not only does the ball have to land in your stick, but you must also learn to put the catch immediately into a cradle to gain control of the ball and prevent yourself from being checked.
Checking is the technique in which a series of short, sharp, controlled strikes to an opponent's stick is used to force a player carrying the ball to drop it.
A player can check the head or shaft of the stick, or body check.
Body checking sounds like a player would strike an opponent's body, but it's actually accomplished when a defender sticks close to her opponent in an effort to intimidate the player into dropping the ball, or changing the opponent's path towards the goal.

Field
There are four types of demarcation lines around the goal: the circle, the arc, the fan, and hash marks.
The circle envelopes the goal cage and no one but the goalie is allowed in the circle.
The goal is guarded by a single goalie and measures about 6 feet by 6 feet.
The field has no boundaries, but is usually enclosed by existing borders, such a trees, a track or fences.

Umpire
Checks each player's cross for "legality" (that the pocket's not too big, or the shaft too long) before the game.
Uses a whistle to denote a foul.
Can confer a yellow and/or red card on a player who committed a severe foul, or who has repeatedly committed the same foul. When a player receives a yellow card, she is warned that she is in danger of being ejected from the game. If a player is given a red card, she is ejected.
When a foul is committed, the umpire will blow the whistle and determine whether the foul is major or minor. Penalties are more severe for major fouls than minor ones.
If a player commits a minor foul, she must forfeit possession of the ball (if she has it) and move four meters either to the side or in front of the player whom she fouled.
If a player commits a major foul, she must forfeit possession of the ball (if she has it) and move four meters behind the player whom she fouled. umpires can require a longer distance if the foul was reckless.

Rules
The Draw - Takes place between opposing players in the center circle to start each half and after every goal. The two centers stand opposite each other across the center line, holding their sticks waist high with the stick pockets touching back-to-back. The referee places the ball between the netting of the stick pockets. When the signal is given to start, each player pulls her stick upwards and backwards to release the ball into the air. Players then attempt to gain possession of the ball. Prior to the start of the draw, all other players on the field must remain completely outside the center circle. If a violation of the draw occurs twice, a referee will restart play using a “throw.”

Throw - Used in a variety of situations when play has been stopped, such as when two opposing fouls occur simultaneously. On a throw, two opposing players stand side-by-side, three feet apart. The umpire throws the ball up in the air between the two players who then move to gain possession and control of the ball.

Stand - Anytime the whistle is blown to stop action, all players must stop moving and stand where they are on the field. They have to remain standing in their stationary positions until play restarts or is redirected by an official.

Out of Play - Although there are no set boundary lines in women’s lacrosse, the ball can still go out-of-bounds if it either rolls or is carried beyond an agreed upon boundary. When this occurs, the official blows the whistle and players must stand where they are on the field. Regardless of which player sent the ball out of play, the player nearest to the ball (when it went out) gets possession.

Trapped Ball - If the ball gets caught in a goalie’s pads or clothing or in the netting of the goal itself, the ball is placed in the goalie’s stick and play resumes. However, if the ball gets trapped in another fielder’s clothes or her lacrosse stick, a throw is used to restart play.

Free Position - Awarded to a player after a major or minor foul has been committed anywhere on the field. The free position is always taken at least eight meters from the crease. On a major foul all other players must stand at least four meters behind the player taking the free position, while on a minor foul they may stand four meters to the side. The official places the ball in the stick pocket of the player taking the free position, who then passes, shoots, or runs with the ball.

1. Before the game begins, the umpires check every stick for legality. The most common illegality in a stick is that its pocket is too deep. The strings at the bottom of the stick's head can be pulled to tighten the pocket.

2. If a player commits a foul, the umpire blows the whistle and play stops. The player fouled wins or retains the ball, while the player who fouled her is moved several yards behind or to the side of the player she fouled.

3. If a major foul is committed in the arc by the defense, the umpire blows the whistle, and a "free shot" on goal is taken by the player fouled. All of the defense players are required to clear the arc to the border closest to which they were standing when the whistle blew. The attack player who was fouled takes her place at the hash mark closest to which she was standing when she was fouled. The defense must move away at least four meters from the fouled player. When the umpire blows the whistle again, the player can take a shot on goal or pass while the defense moves in.

4. There are no boundaries to the field, but if a ball enters an area that is dangerous, unplayable or not clearly visible to the umpire, the player who retains it or is closest to it (if the ball has been grounded), at the umpire's whistle wins it. The player then waits for the second whistle to begin play again, either by running with or passing the ball.

5. When the umpire blows the whistle because a foul has occurred, or the ball has gone "out of bounds" all players must stop and check all forward movement. Play resumes and the players can move when the umpire blows the whistle again.

6. Checking -- the method by which a player knocks the ball from another's stick -- is prohibited when it is: directed toward the face; uncontrolled; holding down the other's stick,or when the checker's stick is too close to the head or face.

7. Defensmen may not remain in the arc without guarding another player for more than three seconds.

8. When the ball is grounded, covering it with the back of a stick's net, and preventing play by another player is prohibited.

9. No players, other than the goalie, may enter the circle around the goal cage if the goalie is present.
When a foul occurs, the player who was fouled is allowed a free shot at the goal, with the defense pushed to the perimeter around the arc.

Fouls
A violation of the rules results in a major or minor foul, awarding a free position to the fouled player. It is a major foul when a player charges, pushes, trips, blocks, or makes physical contact with an opponent; “slashes” an opposing ballcarrier; commits a “shooting space violation;” or invades the body space of an opposing player, such as touching her stick to that player’s body. A minor foul is called if a player uses her stick or foot to shield a ground ball; if a player kicks the ball or touches it with her hands (except for the goalie inside her crease). Also, no part of a player’s body or stick may enter the crease while the goalie is in her position there.