Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a contact team sport played with a small rubber ball and long-handled sticks featuring mesh nets. Players use the stick head to catch, carry, pass, and shoot the ball into the opponent's goal.
AT A GLANCE
- ERA
- Traditional
- ORIGIN
- North America
- PLAYERS
- 12–20 total on field
- EQUIPMENT
- Stick, ball, pads
- PLAYING AREA
- 100 × 55 m
- DURATION
- 4 × 15 min
- GOVERNING BODY
- World Lacrosse
- OLYMPIC
- Former (1904, 1908)
Key milestones
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| c. 1636 | French missionary Jean de Brébeuf writes earliest recorded account of the game. |
| 1856 | Montreal Lacrosse Club is established to formalize playing rules. |
| 1867 | William George Beers codifies modern field lacrosse rules in Canada. |
| 1904 | Lacrosse makes its official debut as a medal sport at the St. Louis Olympics. |
| 1930 | Box lacrosse is introduced in Canada as an indoor arena adaptation. |
| 2028 | Lacrosse Sixes format scheduled to return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. |
| Format | Players | Surface | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field Lacrosse | 10 vs 10 | Outdoor grass/turf | Off-side rules and specialized long sticks |
| Box Lacrosse | 6 vs 6 | Indoor arena / rink | Enclosed boards with shot clock |
| Sixes | 6 vs 6 | Outdoor field | Fast-paced hybrid format created for Olympics |
How a game works
Players use long sticks with netted heads to pass, catch, and run with a hard rubber ball across an outdoor field or indoor arena. The main objective is to throw the ball into the opponent's net while defending one's own goal. Body contact and stick checking are permitted to dislodge the ball from opponents.
Scoring in one line
Each goal scored by propelling the ball into the net counts as one point.
Where it came from
Lacrosse originated among Indigenous peoples of North America, where matches served ceremonial, community, and military training functions. French observers named it lacrosse in the 17th century after the bishop's crosier staff. Canadian club founder William George Beers standardized modern rules in the mid-19th century.
Lacrosse today
World Lacrosse governs the sport globally across field, box, and sixes disciplines. Box lacrosse remains deeply popular in Canada, while field lacrosse is widely played across North America, Europe, and Asia. A streamlined sixes format will return to the Olympic program at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
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FAQ
Is lacrosse an Olympic sport?
Lacrosse was an official Olympic medal sport in 1904 and 1908 and later appeared as a demonstration sport. The discipline will officially return to the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028 in the Sixes format.
What is the difference between field and box lacrosse?
Field lacrosse is played outdoors on a large grass pitch with 10 players per side. Box lacrosse is played indoors within an enclosed rink setting with 6 players per side, utilizing hockey-style boards.
What do Indigenous peoples call lacrosse?
Indigenous nations have distinct native names for the sport, including Tewaarathon in Mohawk and Baaga'adowe in Ojibwe, often referred to collectively as the Creator's Game.