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Oceanside Minor Lacrosse

Home of the Oceanside Sharks and the Oceanside Buccaneers

New to Box Lacrosse?

Start here!  The Canadian Lacrosse Association has a great rule and situation handbook if you are totally new to the sport here.

 

Box Equipment

Since there is no contact for Mini Tyke or Tyke players, players will only require some basic hockey equipment: hockey helmets with facemask, mouth guard, shoulder pads, gloves, athletic support and cup, and elbow pads. A lacrosse stick and running shoes are also required. Knee pads are recommended. Pee Wee, Novice, Bantam and Midget divisions require the same equipment along with lacrosse arm pads and kidney and back protectors. Field/Box lacrosse gloves offer excellent protection and flexibility. Short cuff hockey gloves can be used, but they don’t offer the same grip or flexibility. Boy’s/Men’s Field lacrosse equipment requirements are somewhat similar to box lacrosse. Girl’s/Women’s field lacrosse is a non contact game so equipment is minimal. A mouth guard and stick are all that are required to play.

How the game is played

Some things you might not know about the game of box lacrosse - this will help players and parents new to the sport!  Thank you to the Okotoks Raiders Lacrosse Association for summarising these tips for new players - we found it so helpful, we borrowed it!

  • Lacrosse involves a full team offence.  There are no defensemen in lacrosse (Please don't encourage your player to stand at the blue line like a hockey defenseman).
  • The 5 offensive players are referred to as left creasemen (like left wing in hockey), left comermen (like left defense in hockey), right creasemen (right wing), right cornermen (right defense) and point (centre).
  • Like basketball, there is no offside nor icing. This keeps the pace of the game moving very quickly. There are rules, regulations and features that are unique to lacrosse . Many other rules are the same as in hockey.
  • There is always a face-off after a goal (a goal is counted if the ball goes directly into the net off the goalie's helmet or face mask). After a penalty, or when the ball strikes the goalie in the helmet area, there will be change of possession only, and not a face off.
  • Checking from behind will be dealt with severely as it is one of the leading potential injury factors. Checking is an important part of the game but checking from behind and violent checks into the boards will result in penalties and/or suspensions.
  • High sticking is another area of confusion for parents! "Incidental" contact with the helmet by an opposing player's stick is not automatically a penalty. Remember cross-checking in Lacrosse is both legal and a very important and proper method of checking.
  • Players, or goalies out of their crease, will be penalized if they catch the ball in the hand. If they just contact it with the hand it is possession to the other team.
  • Face-offs are taken with the open face of the stick facing your own net. The ball must come out of the small face-off circle before other players can enter the larger circle.  An offence against this does not cause another face-off as in hockey, it results in immediate possession to the other team.
  • A player with the ball cannot push off with his free hand or arm.  If he does, possession is awarded to the other team. This rule is very misunderstood by new parents.  Remember as well, you can check an offensive player, whether he has the ball or not. However, checking of an offensive player is restricted to the area within the dotted crease (house), and if you are on the offensive team you cannot check back, you must take the checking without responding.  Any response or checking by any member of the team who has possession will result in loss of possession. Many times spectators will not notice freehand or arm pushing (by the way, as long as the player with the ball keeps both hands on his stick he can usually push, or shoulder or resist his checker) and often will miss the checking by offensive players especially action away from the ball.
  • The ball can be kicked, but not for a goal.  Also if the ball is stuck in a stick, the referee will free it and play shall continue.
  • When a team is shorthanded, they have 10 seconds to get the ball over centre and once over cannot go back, or change of possession occurs. When a player is awarded possession by the ref. he must be given at least 9 feet of room by the defending player until the whistle signifies restarting of play.
  • If  2 players are going after a "loose" ball they must play the ball and not check the other player until they have possession. Neither new players nor parents adapt to this rule very quickly.
  • Another big difference between hockey and Lacrosse involves the goalie's crease. If you go into the other team's crease to shoot or cut through it, you lose possession. If you go through the other team's crease to make a check or you touch the goalie while he is in his crease it results in a penalty.  If you are pushed into the crease, you are OK, but you must make every effort to get out ASAP.
  • When defending your own net you can only pass the ball back to your own crease area once during each possession. Your goalie or player has 5 seconds to get the ball out of the crease after stopping and gaining control of it; he must have both feet out to be considered out and once out, he or any other player, cannot go back in or through. You can pass to the goalie as much as you want if he is out of the crease.  The goalie in Lacrosse can function just like any other player (remember, there is no centre red line for off side purposes and a goalie can go anywhere on the floor).
  • Lacrosse is a fast physical game encompassing specific skills, agility, team work, physical conditioning, discipline, trust and respect.  There are inherent risks in participation in any athletic activity.  However, in lacrosse, due to the intensity level of the game there are increased risks of suffering pain, discomfort, fatigue as well as sprains, strains, contusions, fractures and heat stress injuries or illnesses.  All participants need to understand these risks prior to their active participation in any clinic, practice or game session.

We are committed to continually exceed the expectations of our players, parents, coaches, referees and other stakeholders in providing a happy, healthy and safe environment for all participants in our lacrosse program.  It is our ultimate hope that by participating in this great game, our players will become better people, better sportspersons, better team-mates, and better citizens.

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