Field lacrosse
A full-contact outdoor team sport with Native American origins.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Field lacrosse is a full-contact outdoor team sport where two sides of ten players each compete. The game has its origins in Native American traditions, and the first standardized rules were written down by Canadian William George Beers in 1867. It is one of the three main versions of lacrosse played around the world. The men’s game and women’s field lacrosse, which emerged in the 1890s, are so different in their rules that they are frequently treated as separate sports sharing a common origin. Two other notable versions exist: lacrosse sixes, a six-a-side outdoor format officially introduced by World Lacrosse in 2020 with a smaller field and shorter games designed for daily tournaments, and indoor box lacrosse, which began in the 1930s and follows its own set of rules.
The goal of the game is to use a lacrosse stick (or crosse) to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball, ultimately shooting it into the opponent’s goal. The stick’s triangular head features a loose net that allows the player to hold the ball. Players must wear protective gear. On defense, the aim is to prevent the opposing team from scoring and to take the ball away using stick checks and body contact. Rules limit how many players can be in each section of the field at once. The sport is sometimes called the “fastest sport on two feet.”
Internationally, lacrosse is governed by World Lacrosse, which has 62 member nations and organizes the World Lacrosse Championships every four years. In North America, field lacrosse is played professionally by the Premier Lacrosse League. High-level amateur competition includes the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association and the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League in Canada, and the Australian Senior Lacrosse Championship series in Australia.
**History**
Lacrosse originated as a traditional Native American game. In Native American belief, playing lacrosse was a spiritual act used for healing and giving thanks to the Creator. It was also played to settle minor conflicts between tribes that did not warrant war, earning it the name “little brother of war.” These early games could last several days, with 100 to 1,000 men from opposing villages or tribes playing on open plains between goals that ranged from 500 yards to several miles apart.
French Jesuit missionaries in the St.
- origin
- Native American
- codified
- 1867 by William George Beers
- players_per_team
- 10
- field_dimensions
- 110 yards by 60 yards
- governing_body
- World Lacrosse (62 members)
- professional_league
- Premier Lacrosse League (North America)
Lore & Background
Lacrosse is a traditional Native American game, believed to be a spiritual act for healing and giving thanks, and used to resolve minor conflicts between tribes, earning the name 'little brother of war.' Games could last several days with 100 to 1,000 men on open plains between goals up to several miles apart. The first Europeans to observe it were French Jesuit missionaries in the St. Lawrence Valley in the 1630s, who named it 'lacrosse' after the stick resembling a bishop's crosier (la crosse in French). Native American tribes used various names, including dehuntshigwa'es, da-nah-wah'uwsdi, tewaarathon, and baggataway.
Reader's Guide
Field lacrosse is significant as the foundational version of a sport with deep Native American roots, later formalized into a modern international game. Its rules differ markedly from women's field lacrosse, which was established in the 1890s, and from other variants like box lacrosse (1930s) and lacrosse sixes (2021). Governed by World Lacrosse, the sport is played professionally in North America by the Premier Lacrosse League and at high amateur levels by the NCAA in the United States, Canadian university leagues, and the Australian Senior Lacrosse Championship series. The object is to use a lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball to score in the opponent's goal, with defensive play involving stick checking and body contact. The game is sometimes called the 'fastest sport on two feet.' Its legacy includes ongoing evolution in equipment and rules, such as the adoption of optic yellow balls for better visibility.
Did You Know?
- The name 'lacrosse' comes from French Jesuit missionaries who described the sticks as like a bishop's crosier—la crosse in French.
- In the Onondaga language, lacrosse was called dehuntshigwa'es, meaning 'they bump hips' or 'men hit a rounded object.'
- The Premier Lacrosse League has adopted an 'optic yellow' ball for easier visibility on television broadcasts.
- During a face-off, two players lay their sticks horizontally next to the ball, and the other midfielders must stay in designated areas until possession is earned.
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