Lacrosse glossary
Lacrosse terms, explained in plain English
The words you will hear on the sideline, in practice, and from the referee, in 120 short definitions you can read in a few seconds each.
This glossary is for anyone getting into lacrosse: new players picking up a stick for the first time, parents trying to follow a game from the bleachers, and volunteer coaches who need to explain the rules to a young team.
Men's (boys') field lacrosse, women's (girls') lacrosse, and box lacrosse are played under different rules, and the details also change between youth, high school, college, and pro levels. Where a term only applies to one version of the game, or works differently from one to the next, the definition says so.
120 terms, A to Z.
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- 12-meter fan
- In women's lacrosse, the semicircular area that extends about 12 meters out from the goal. Minor fouls inside it can lead to a free position shot taken from its edge. See also: 8-meter arc, Free position
- 3-second rule
- A women's lacrosse rule that stops a defender from standing inside the 8-meter arc for more than three seconds unless she is guarding an opponent within a stick's length. Exact wording and enforcement vary by level.
- 8-meter arc
- In women's lacrosse, the curved line about 8 meters in front of the goal. It marks the main scoring area, and major fouls inside it usually result in a free position from the arc. See also: 12-meter fan, Shooting space
A
- Alley
- The lane along the side of the offensive area, between the top of the box and goal line extended. Midfielders often dodge "down the alley" to get a shot.
- Apple
- Slang for an assist. See also: Assist
- Assist
- A pass that leads directly to a teammate's goal. The passer gets credit for the assist in the stats.
- Attack
- The offensive position group. In men's field lacrosse a team has three attackmen who stay on the offensive side of the field and do most of the scoring and feeding.
B
- Bar down
- Slang for a shot that hits the underside of the crossbar and drops straight down into the goal.
- Boards
- The walls that surround the playing surface in box lacrosse, like those around a hockey rink. The ball stays in play off the boards.
- Body check
- Legal contact with an opponent's body in boys' and men's lacrosse, made from the front or side, above the waist and below the shoulders, against a player with the ball or near a loose ball. Age rules vary, and many youth programs do not allow it at the youngest levels. Body checking is not allowed in women's and girls' lacrosse. See also: Illegal body check, Check
- Bounce shot
- A shot aimed at the ground in front of the goal so it skips up past the goalie. It is hard to judge, especially on grass or wet turf.
- Box
- On a field, the area inside the restraining line at each end, where most offense and defense happen. The word also refers to the penalty or substitution box at the scorer's table.
C
- Cage
- Another word for the goal: the metal frame and net that the goalie defends. A field lacrosse goal is 6 feet by 6 feet.
- Caused turnover
- A stat credited to a defender whose check, interception, or pressure directly makes the other team lose possession.
- Celly
- Slang for a goal celebration.
- Check
- Any legal attempt to knock the ball loose from an opponent's stick, either with your own stick or, in boys' and men's lacrosse, with your body. Women's lacrosse allows only limited stick checks. See also: Poke check, Slap check, Body check
- Clamp
- A common faceoff move in which the player pushes the back of the stick head down over the ball to trap it, then pulls it out.
- Clear
- Moving the ball from the defensive end past the midfield line into the offensive end after a save, turnover, or ground ball. See also: Ride
- Cradle
- The rocking motion of the wrists and arms that keeps the ball in the pocket while a player runs. A good cradle protects the ball from checks.
- Crease
- The circle around each goal, about 9 feet in radius in field lacrosse. Offensive players are not allowed in it, and the goalie has special protection while inside it. See also: Crease violation, Goalie
- Crease attackman
- An attacker who plays close to the crease, usually on the inside, looking for quick passes, rebounds, and short shots.
- Crease violation
- Stepping into the opponent's crease. A goal scored while the shooter is in the crease does not count, and the ball goes to the other team. Landing in the crease after a shot is treated differently by level: college and international rules usually allow the goal if the ball crossed the line before the shooter touched the crease, while many youth and high school rules still wave it off. Women's lacrosse also limits defenders in their own crease. See also: Crease
- Cross-check
- A personal foul for hitting an opponent with the part of the shaft held between the hands.
- Crosse
- The official name for the lacrosse stick, used in rulebooks. See also: Stick
- Cutting
- Running hard toward the goal or into open space without the ball to get open for a pass.
D
- Defense
- The position group that guards the opposing attack. In men's field lacrosse there are three defensemen, who usually carry long poles.
- Dodge
- A move used by the ball carrier to get past a defender, usually by faking or changing direction. Common types include the split, roll, face, and question mark dodges. See also: Split dodge, Roll dodge, Face dodge
- Double team
- When two defenders pressure the same ball carrier at once to force a turnover.
- Draw
- The restart used in women's lacrosse at the start of each period and after every goal. Two players hold their sticks back to back at about waist height with the ball between the heads, and on the whistle they lift up and away, sending the ball into the air. See also: Draw control, Faceoff
- Draw control
- A women's lacrosse stat credited to the player who gains possession after a draw.
E
- End line
- The boundary line at each end of the field, behind the goals.
- Extra-man offense
- The offense a team runs when it has more players on the field because an opponent is serving a penalty. Often shortened to EMO. See also: Man-up, Man-down defense
F
- Face dodge
- A dodge where the ball carrier pulls the stick across the face to the other side of the body, moving it away from the defender's check.
- Faceoff
- The restart used in men's field and box lacrosse at the start of each period and after every goal. Two players crouch at the center with the ball on the ground between their stick heads and battle for it on the whistle. See also: FOGO, Wing area, Draw
- Faceoff percentage
- The share of faceoffs a player or team wins, calculated as faceoffs won divided by faceoffs taken.
- Faceoff specialist
- A player whose main job is to take faceoffs. Faceoff specialists often come off the field right after winning or losing the ball.
- Fast break
- A quick attack where the offense has more players than the defense in front of the goal, usually right after a turnover or a won faceoff.
- Feed
- A pass to a teammate in position to shoot, often from behind the goal to a cutter in front.
- Flag down
- When a referee throws a flag for a foul but play continues because the team that was fouled has a chance to score. The whistle blows once that chance ends. Also called a slow whistle.
- Floor
- The playing surface in box lacrosse, usually turf laid over a hockey rink.
- FOGO
- Short for "face off, get off." A faceoff specialist who takes the faceoff and then heads to the bench once possession is settled. See also: Faceoff, Faceoff specialist
- Free position
- In women's lacrosse, the penalty restart after certain fouls near the goal. The fouled player gets the ball on the 8-meter arc or 12-meter fan with defenders moved away, and can shoot, pass, or run. See also: 8-meter arc, 12-meter fan
G
- Goal
- A point scored when the whole ball crosses the goal line inside the frame. Each goal counts as one, though some pro and box leagues award two points for shots from long range.
- Goal line extended (GLE)
- An imaginary line that runs from the goal line out to each sideline. Coaches use it to describe positions, such as an attackman dodging from GLE.
- Goalie
- The player who defends the goal. Goalies use a stick with a much wider head and wear extra protection, including a chest protector and throat guard.
- Ground ball
- A loose ball on the ground, and the stat credited to the player who scoops it up and gains possession. Winning ground balls is one of the biggest keys to winning games. See also: Scoop
H
- Hat trick
- Three goals scored by one player in a single game.
- Head
- The plastic top part of the stick that holds the pocket. Rules set minimum widths and shapes, which differ between men's, women's, and goalie sticks.
- Holding
- A technical foul for illegally impeding an opponent's movement or stick, such as grabbing the stick or pinning a player.
- Hot
- The defender designated to make the first slide to help a teammate who has been beaten. Coaches call out who is "hot" before the play.
I
- Illegal body check
- A personal foul for body contact outside the rules, such as hitting from behind, above the shoulders, below the waist, after the ball is gone, or against a player too far from the ball. Any body check is illegal in women's lacrosse and in youth divisions that ban checking. See also: Body check, Personal foul
- Invert
- An offensive set where a midfielder dodges from behind the goal, usually to draw a short-stick defender away from his normal spot.
- Isolation
- An offensive set where teammates clear space so one player can dodge a single defender, often shortened to "iso."
L
- Lift check
- A check that pops the opponent's bottom hand or stick upward to knock the ball loose or stop a pass or shot.
- Long pole
- The long stick used by defensemen and long-stick midfielders, usually 52 to 72 inches in men's lacrosse. Teams are limited in how many long poles they can have on the field at once. See also: Short stick, Long-stick midfielder (LSM)
M
- Man-down defense
- The defense a team plays while one or more of its players is serving a penalty. It usually uses a zone and tries to run out the penalty time. See also: Man-up
- Man-to-man
- A defense where each player is responsible for guarding one specific opponent.
- Man-up
- Having more players on the field than the opponent because of a penalty. The team with the advantage runs its extra-man offense. See also: Extra-man offense, Man-down defense
- Mesh
- The woven netting most players use to make the pocket of the stick. It replaced traditional leather and string pockets for most players.
- Middie
- Short for midfielder, a player who covers both ends of the field and plays both offense and defense. See also: Midfield
- Midfield
- The position group that plays both ends of the field. In men's field lacrosse there are three midfielders on at a time, and they are often subbed in lines.
- Midfield line
- The line across the center of the field that divides the offensive and defensive halves. The offside rule is based on it.
N
- Non-releasable penalty
- A penalty the player must serve in full even if the other team scores during it. Serious fouls, such as unsportsmanlike conduct, are usually non-releasable. Which fouls fall into this group depends on the rulebook. See also: Releasable penalty
O
- Offside
- In men's field lacrosse, a technical foul for having too many players on one side of the midfield line. Teams must keep at least four players, including the goalie, on their defensive half and three on their offensive half. See also: Midfield line, Technical foul
- Out of bounds
- When the ball leaves the playing area. On most plays it goes to the team that did not touch it last, but after a missed shot in field lacrosse, possession goes to the team whose player is closest to the ball when and where it goes out.
- Overhand
- Shooting or passing with the stick held high and brought straight over the shoulder. It is the first technique most players learn and the most accurate.
P
- Pass
- Throwing the ball from one stick to a teammate's stick. Good passes are aimed at the receiver's stick side, near the head.
- Penalty box
- The area at the scorer's table where players serve penalty time before returning to play.
- Personal foul
- A more serious foul, such as slashing, cross-checking, or an illegal body check. In men's lacrosse it usually results in a one- to three-minute penalty, depending on how severe it is. See also: Technical foul, Slashing
- Pick
- A play where an offensive player without the ball stands still in a defender's path so a teammate can run past. Moving into the defender makes it an illegal pick.
- The strung part of the stick head where the ball sits. Rules limit how deep it can be, and referees can check sticks during a game.
- Point
- A stat that adds a player's goals and assists together.
- Poke check
- A controlled jab of the stick at the ball carrier's stick or hands, a bit like a pool cue. It is one of the safest checks because it keeps the defender's body in position.
- Possession
- Control of the ball by a team or player. Many rules, from stalling to offside penalties, depend on which team has possession at the time.
- Pushing
- A technical foul for shoving an opponent from behind, or pushing in a way the rules do not allow.
Q
- Question mark dodge
- A dodge from behind the goal where the ball carrier runs up the side, curves around toward the crease, and shoots, tracing the shape of a question mark.
- Quick stick
- Catching and shooting in one motion without cradling, often used close to the goal before the goalie can reset.
R
- Releasable penalty
- A penalty that ends early if the team with the extra player scores, letting the penalized player return. Which fouls are releasable depends on the level and rulebook. See also: Non-releasable penalty, Man-down defense
- Restraining line
- The line across the field in each half that forms the top of the box. In field lacrosse, teams must hold certain players behind it during faceoffs and keep the ball in the box late in some games.
- Ride
- Pressure from the offensive team after it loses the ball, trying to stop the other team from clearing it past midfield. See also: Clear
- Rip
- Slang for a very hard shot, or the act of taking one.
- Roll dodge
- A dodge where the ball carrier plants a foot, turns their back to the defender, and spins away in the other direction.
S
- Sauce
- Slang for style or skill. A "sauce" pass is usually a lofted, curving pass that floats over a defender's stick.
- Save
- A shot on goal stopped by the goalie.
- Save percentage
- The share of shots on goal a goalie stops, calculated as saves divided by saves plus goals allowed. See also: Save
- Scoop
- Picking up a ground ball by running through it with the stick low and the head nearly flat to the ground. See also: Ground ball
- Settled offense
- The half-field offense a team runs once all players are in position, as opposed to fast break or transition play.
- Shaft
- The handle of the stick, usually made of metal or composite material. The head attaches to the top of it.
- Shooting space
- A women's lacrosse foul called when a defender stands in the path to the goal without guarding a player, putting herself in danger from a shot. It is called to protect defenders, and the shooting team is usually awarded a free position. See also: Free position, 8-meter arc
- Shooting strings
- Strings woven across the top of the pocket that control how the ball releases. Rules limit how many can be used and where they can sit.
- Short stick
- The standard-length stick used by attackmen and most midfielders, usually about 40 to 42 inches long in men's lacrosse.
- Short-stick defensive midfielder (SSDM)
- A midfielder who carries a short stick but specializes in defense, coming on when his team loses the ball. See also: Midfield, Long-stick midfielder (LSM)
- Shot
- An attempt to score by throwing the ball at the goal. Shots that would have gone in if not stopped by the goalie count as shots on goal.
- Shot clock
- A timer that limits how long a team can hold the ball before shooting. College and box lacrosse use one, while many high school and youth leagues use a stall warning instead or a clock only in some situations. See also: Stalling, Box lacrosse
- Sidearm
- Shooting or passing with the stick swung from the side at about waist height. It changes the angle on the goalie but is harder to aim.
- Slap check
- A quick tap of the stick on the opponent's stick or gloved top hand to knock the ball loose.
- Slashing
- A personal foul for swinging the stick at an opponent in a reckless way, or hitting anywhere other than the stick or the gloved hand holding it.
- Slide
- When a defender leaves his own player to help stop a ball carrier who has beaten a teammate. The rest of the defense then rotates to cover the open player. See also: Hot
- Split dodge
- A dodge where the ball carrier switches the stick from one hand to the other while changing direction to get past the defender.
- Stalling
- Holding the ball without trying to score. Depending on the level, referees can give a stall warning that forces the team to keep the ball in the box or shoot within a set time. See also: Shot clock, Box
- Stick
- The equipment every player carries, made of a head with a pocket and a shaft. Lengths and pocket rules differ for men's, women's, and goalie sticks. See also: Crosse, Head, Shaft
- Stringing
- Putting the pocket, sidewall strings, and shooting strings into a stick head. Many players learn to string their own sticks or adjust the pocket over time.
- Sudden victory
- Overtime where the first team to score wins. Overtime period length and how many periods are played depend on the level.
T
- Technical foul
- A less serious foul, such as holding, pushing, or offside. If the fouling team has the ball, it loses possession; if not, the player usually serves a 30-second penalty in men's lacrosse. See also: Personal foul, Holding
- Time and room
- Having enough space and time to set your feet and take a full shot without pressure.
- Top cheddar
- Slang for a shot that goes into the top corner of the goal.
- Transition
- The moment after a change of possession when a team moves from defense to offense or the other way, before either side is set up. See also: Fast break, Settled offense
- Tripping
- A personal foul for using the stick, leg, or body to trip an opponent.
- Turnover
- Any time a team loses possession through a bad pass, drop, check, or violation. See also: Caused turnover
- Twig
- Slang for a lacrosse stick.
U
- Underhand
- A shot or pass released from below the waist with an upward motion, often used to change the angle on the goalie.
- Unsportsmanlike conduct
- A personal foul for behavior like arguing with officials, taunting, or using foul language. It is usually non-releasable, and repeated fouls can lead to ejection.
W
- Wall
- A drill where a player passes and catches against a wall, repeating both hands and different release angles. It is one of the best ways to improve stick skills.
- Warding
- A technical foul in men's lacrosse for using the free arm or hand to push away a defender's stick or body while carrying the ball.
- Wheels
- Slang for speed. A player with "wheels" can outrun defenders.
- Wing area
- The areas on both sides of the center of the field where wing players line up for a faceoff, marked by wing lines. Wing players can run in to play the ball on the whistle. See also: Faceoff, Long-stick midfielder (LSM)
X
- X
- The area directly behind the goal. Attackmen often set up there because they can see the whole field and feed cutters in front. See also: Feed, Goal line extended (GLE)
Z
- Zone defense
- A defense where each player covers an area rather than a specific opponent. It is common in man-down situations. See also: Man-to-man, Man-down defense
FAQ
Common questions
What are the positions in lacrosse?
Men's field lacrosse has 10 players per side: three attackmen, three midfielders, three defensemen, and a goalie. Specialist roles include the long-stick midfielder (LSM), short-stick defensive midfielder (SSDM), and faceoff specialist. Women's lacrosse uses 12 players per side with similar attack, midfield, and defense groups, and box lacrosse uses five runners and a goalie.
What is a faceoff in lacrosse?
A faceoff is how play starts each period and restarts after every goal in men's field and box lacrosse. Two players crouch at the center of the field with the ball on the ground between their stick heads, and on the whistle they fight for possession while wing players rush in. Women's lacrosse uses a draw instead, where the ball is lifted into the air from between two raised sticks.
What is the difference between men's and women's lacrosse?
Men's (boys') lacrosse allows body checking at most older levels, uses more protective gear, and has 10 players per side. Women's (girls') lacrosse does not allow body checking, limits stick checks, uses 12 players per side, and starts play with a draw instead of a faceoff. The fields, sticks, and many fouls also differ, so it helps to check which version a rule comes from.
What is the crease in lacrosse?
The crease is the circle around each goal. Offensive players are not allowed to step into it, and a goal scored by a player in the crease does not count. The goalie gets extra protection while inside it, and the exact rules for defenders in their own crease vary between men's, women's, and box lacrosse.
What does FOGO mean?
FOGO stands for "face off, get off." It describes a faceoff specialist who takes the faceoff, helps win possession, and then runs to the bench so an offensive or defensive player can take over.
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