Lacrosse

Lacrosse is a team sport played with a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse. The objective is to score by shooting the ball into the opponent’s goal. Players cradle, pass, and catch the ball in the stick’s mesh pocket to move and shoot. The sport has Indigenous origins, most prominently among the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) and other Native American communities, where it was played for centuries as a ceremonial and social activity. In the 19th century, Canadian authorities codified the game’s modern rules and equipment; William George Beers standardized the crosse, ball, and protective gear in 1867. The name lacrosse is derived from la crosse, the French for “the stick.”

Two main forms exist: field lacrosse (outdoor) and box lacrosse (indoor). Field lacrosse is played on a natural or artificial turf field with ten players per side; box lacrosse is played indoors on a hockey rink with five players per side and a goaltender. Games are divided into quarters and governed by rules that regulate body contact and stick checks.

Standard protective equipment includes a helmet with face mask, gloves, shoulder and arm pads, and a mouthguard; women’s lacrosse uses different equipment and rules with less contact.

Organizations and competition: World Lacrosse (formerly the Federation of International Lacrosse) oversees international play. In North America, college-level lacrosse is prominent, with professional leagues such as the Premier Lacrosse League (outdoor) and the National Lacrosse League (indoor). International events include the World Lacrosse Championship. Lacrosse’s cultural heritage remains a defining aspect of the sport’s identity.