Lacrosse
by Everett and Nik
Origins of Lacrosse
Invented in North America in the
(approx.)1400’s.
Played by the Onondaga, Eastern
Cherokee, Ojibwe, Mohawk and many
other tribes throughout N. America.
The game served many purposes
including; pleasing the creator, training for
war, and settling land disputes between
tribes.
Games were often violent, without clearly
defined rules or regulations.
The Game might last for days, ending at
sunset and beginning at sunrise.
Played with a ball made from deerskin, wood,
stone, or heads of their enemies. (Geez!)
Fields were 500 yards to over a mile wide with
100 to 1,000 players at one time.
A distinguishing natural object was used for
the goals.
Sticks were used to propel the ball towards
the goal and to injure opponents.
The game was won when one team gave up.
Discovery by Europeans
First discovered by French Jesuit, Jean de
Brebeuf in 1636.
Brebeuf references “Crosse” the then popular
French word for “Stick.” Thus naming the
sport Lacrosse or “The stick.”
Europeans saw the game as savage, but
nonetheless enjoyed placing bets and being
avid spectators.
1736 Fort Michilimackinac revolt catches
spectators off guard. Since dubbed, “The
Conspiracy of Pontiac.”
Late 1700’s, Colonial French try their hand at
Lacrosse, but lose miserably, consistently, to
skilled Native players.
Earliest example 1844, a team of 7
Frenchmen lose horribly to 5 Native men.
The birth of modern Lacrosse
1856 - A dentist from Montreal, Dr. George
Beers creates first Lacrosse club.
1867 - Lacrosse is all the rage in Canada,
with 80 clubs, Beers creates a uniform code
of rules.
Beers publishes book called Lacrosse: The
National Game of Canada, detailing its history
and modern rules.
1867 - First game played under Beers’ rules
at Upper Canada College a success.
1870 - First women’s Lacrosse game in Sctld.
Beers’ modernizing changes
Beers reduced the team number to a
maximum of 10 players each.
A rubber ball, still used today, took the place
of the deerskin or human head.
Beers also shortened the length of the game.
...and how about the Native
Americans?
These new rules did make the game less
violent for everybody, including native tribes.
As tribe numbers dwindled, so did the game,
leading some tribes to quit playing altogether.
Excessive gambling and hooligan-esque
violence made the game increasingly
unpopular in native communities, leading
some tribes to ban it.
However; still very popular with Iroquois tribes
in New York, Ontario and surrounding areas
Popularity in the U.S.
1877 - First collegiate team started at NYU,
and many teams followed suit quickly after.
1879 - John R. Flannery started United States
National Amateur Lacrosse Association
composed of 11 college teams and city clubs.
1879 - 4,000 people show up to see
Ravenswood club beat the Baltimore Athletic
club.
1881 - 1st intercollegiate tournament Harvard
vs. Princeton (3-0 final).
1894 Crescent Athletic Club forms and
becomes celebrated favorite for 40 years.
Lacrosse goes national and
international
1904 - St. Louis. Lacrosse makes a debut in
the Olympics. Canada wins defeating the St.
Louis Athletic club team
1908 - Canada beats England in the Olympics
in London. U.S. team unable to attend.
Lacrosse is given international attention.
However, Lacrosse is not seen in the
Olympics again until 1928.
1932 - L.A. Olympics Largest game turnout
ever at 80,000 to watch Johns Hopkins
University defeat Canada.
1905 emergence of the USILL (United States
Intercollegiate Lacrosse League) more clearly
defines rules and regulations for college
teams.
After first two Olympic appearances, Lacrosse
receives national press and international
attention.
1927 - Reporter from the Baltimore sun calls
the game “The fastest game on two feet.” A
phrase still used today.
1926 - First women’s lacrosse team in Balt.
By 1950 - 200 college, club, and high school
teams.
1959 - Lacrosse finally reaches the west
coast where the California Lacrosse
Association was started.
1959 - The Lacrosse foundation (now U.S.
Lacrosse) and The Lacrosse Hall of Fame set
up as non-profits to keep the sport alive and
honor its celebrities.
1967 - Creation of LWC. in 4y. increments.
1960’s - 1980’s - Lacrosse remains popular
on the east coast of North America, and with
some, mostly English speaking countries
(Scotland, England, Australia, and Wales). But
Lacrosse has been growing fast these past 20
years throughout the world.
Lacrosse in the NCAA
1971 - NCAA Lacrosse championship
created.
Top 12 Division 1 teams compete for
championship.
Gait twins, Paul and Gary compete in 1988-91
NCAA LC for Syracuse U. and give Lacrosse
lots of media exposure. The famous “Air Gait”
which is Lacrosse’s “Slam Dunk.”
Gait brothers brought record crowds to
Lacrosse games.
Modern Lacrosse
•
The modern game of Lacrosse has evolved
into four variations.
•
Field Lacrosse, Indoor Lacrosse, Box
Lacrosse and Women’s Lacrosse.
•
Lacrosse is played with either 6, 10 or 12
people; 6 for Box and Indoor Lacrosse, 10 for
Field Lacrosse and 12 for Women’s.
•
The general rules are the same for all four
types but there are small differences that
make each their own.
Field Lacrosse
•
Field Lacrosse was the first variation
modeled after the Native American
sport, although it has gone through
many changes in the past 200
years.
•
It is played with 10 men to a team, 3
forwards, 3 Mid-fielders, 3
Defenders and a Goalie.
•
The game is played on a 110 yard
by 60 yard field, and the objective is
to put the ball (a through the other
teams goal.
•
The Goal is a 6’ by 6’ net, similar to
the one used in Hockey.
Field Lacrosse
•
The rules of Field Lacrosse are a
mix of Soccer, Football, and Hockey.
•
There is no Holding, Slashing,
Tripping, Cross Checking,
Unsportsmanlike Conduct,
Unnecessary Roughness, Illegal
Body Checking, Illegal Crosse or
Equipment, Off sides, Stalling or
Warding Off.
•
Other than not committing these
Penalties, the goal of Field Lacrosse
is to put the ball in the Other teams
goal.
Box Lacrosse
•
Box Lacrosse is the second variation of Lacrosse, invented in
1930 to offset the costs of hockey stadiums.
•
The pace is faster than Field Lacrosse, has more contact
(players are allowed to use solid core Crosses) and is played
with less people, 6 to a side with 18-24 players on a Team.
•
The Field and Goal are smaller, the fields are hockey rinks that
have been de-iced or converted to accommodate turf. Also the
goals have been sized down to 4’ by 4’.
•
The major rules that differ Box from Field Lacrosse is that the
attacking team must shoot the ball within 30 seconds of gaining
possession of the ball.
•
Another rule variance is that there are 3 twenty minute periods
instead of 4 fifteen minute quarters.
Indoor Lacrosse
•
Indoor Lacrosse is very similar to Box Lacrosse
except that there is less violence, and it is played in 4
fifteen minute quarters.
•
The Equipment is the same as the other types of
Lacrosse except for the sticks which must be hollow
aluminum or Titanium.
•
Indoor Lacrosse is more often played on Turf than
Box Lacrosse which is predominantly concrete.
•
The goal size and field size is the same as Box
Lacrosse and many of the top players in Box
Lacrosse, cross over to play Indoor.
Women’s Lacrosse
•
Women’s Lacrosse was first recorded in 1890 at the
St Leonards School in Scotland, the basic rules are
like Men’s Lacrosse but are more true to the original
native American game.
•
But they have been evolving since the mid-1930s.
The game is played with 12 players on each team, in
two thirty minute halves.
•
Each team is granted a 90 second timeout per half,
which only can be taken after a goal is made.
Women’s Lacrosse
•
The ball is started in the air
instead of on the ground like
men’s.
•
There is almost no contact
allowed with checking only
permitted when it comes in
contact with the persons Crosse.
•
New rules were adopted in 2000,
2003 and then in 2005 to first add
the center line or “Restraining
Line”, in 2003 they adopted eye
protection, and in 2005 they
adopted hard boundaries.
Women’s Lacrosse
•
Penalties for women’s Lacrosse is quite different than
the men’s game. They receive cards to signify the
penalty:
•
A Green card given to the team captain is for delay
of game
•
A Yellow card is for a first time penalty resulting in
a removal from the field for 5 minutes.
•
A Red card is given as a result of either two yellow
cards or one unsportsmanlike behavior ruling.
Equipment
•
In Field, Box, and Indoor
Lacrosse; each player is
required to have a Helmet,
Gloves, Shoulder pads
and a “Crosse” or netted
stick.
•
There is less use of the
protective gear in
women’s Lacrosse, except
for the Goalie who will
often times add shin
guards to the uniform.
Equipment
•
There are 3 types of Crosse’s, the first most common
is the “Short Crosse” which measures 40-42 inches,
the “Long Crosse” measuring 52-72 inches and the
Goal Keeper can have a Crosse ranging from 40-72
inches with a 15 inch net. They are usually
constructed of aluminum or titanium for the shaft and
plastic for the net.
•
It does not matter where the Short or Long Crosse's
are played on the field but there can be no more than
4 Long Crosses on the field at one time.
Lacrosse Looks forward
Canada beat U.S. in this years LWC’s,
breaking U.S. domination of the sport.
Iroquois nation league consisting of 7 teams
is avidly competing in world championships.
They have placed 4th in the past 3 LWC’s(98,
02, and 06)
Some are pushing for a place for Lacrosse in
the Olympics but to no avail. The Olympics
charter states that a game must be played by
national teams in at least 75 countries.
Currently there are only 16.