Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players: a goalie, three defensemen, three midfielders and three attackmen. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.

Each team must keep at least four players, including the goalie, in its defensive half of the field and three in its offensive half. Three players (generally the midfielders) may roam the entire field.

High school games are 48 minutes long, with 12-minute quarters. Likewise, youth games are 32 minutes long, with eight-minute quarters. Each team is given a two-minute break between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. Halftime is ten minutes long.

Teams change sides between periods. Each team is permitted two timeouts each half. The team winning the coin toss chooses the end of the field it wants to defend first.

The players take their positions on the field: four (three defensemen and the goalie) in the defensive clearing area, three (midfielders) in the midfield area (one at the center to face-off and two in the wing areas) and three (attackmen) in the offensive area.

Men's lacrosse begins with a face-off. The face-off takes place at the center of the field with two opposing midfielders squatting and the ball placed between their sticks. The two remaining midfielders line up behind the wing line to the side of the face-off players on either side of the field. The official blows the whistle to begin play. Each face-off player tries to control the ball. The players in the wing areas can run after the ball when the whistle sounds. The remaining players must wait in a restraining area, on their prospective halves of the field, until a midfielder has gained possession of the ball, or the ball has crossed into the restraining area. Players (defensemen & attackman) are free to leave their restrained area once possession is obtained, or the ball passes into the restraining area. Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored.

Field players must use their crosses to pass, catch and run with the ball. Only the goalkeeper may touch the ball with his hands. A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent's crosse with a stick check. A stick check is the controlled poking and slapping of the stick and gloved hands of the player in possession of the ball.

Body checking is permitted if the opponent has the ball or is within five yards of a loose ball. All body contact must occur from the front or side, above the waist and below the shoulders, and with both hands on the stick. An opponent's crosse may also be stick checked if it is within five yards of a loose ball or ball in the air. Aggressive body checking is discouraged.

If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out of bounds, the other team is awarded possession. If the ball goes out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot, the player nearest to the ball when and where it goes out of bounds is awarded possession.

An attacking player cannot enter the crease around the goal, but may reach in with his stick to scoop a loose ball.

A referee, umpire and field judge supervise field play. A chief bench official, timekeepers and scorers assist.

There are personal fouls and technical fouls in boy's lacrosse. The penalty for a personal foul results in a one to three minute suspension from play and possession to the team that was fouled. Players with five personal fouls are ejected from the game. The penalty for a technical foul is a thirty-second suspension if a team is in possession of the ball when the foul is committed, or possession of the ball is granted to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when the foul was committed.

Personal Fouls

Slashing: Occurs when a player's stick viciously contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or gloved hand on the stick.

Tripping: Occurs when a player obstructs his opponent at or below the waist with the crosse, hands, arms, feet or legs.

Cross Checking: Occurs when a player uses the handle of his crosse between his hands to make contact with an opponent.

Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Occurs when any player or coach commits an act which is considered unsportsmanlike by an official, including taunting, arguing, or obscene language or gestures.

Unnecessary Roughness: Occurs when a player strikes an opponent with his stick or body using excessive or violent force.

Illegal Crosse: Occurs when a player uses a crosse that does not conform to required specifications. A crosse may be found illegal if the pocket is too deep or if any other part of the crosse was altered to gain an advantage.

Illegal Body Checking: Occurs when any of the following actions takes place:

1. body checking an opponent who is not in possession of the ball or within five yards of a loose ball; 

2. avoidable body check of an opponent after he has passed or shot the ball; 

3. body checking an opponent from the rear or at or below the waist; d. body checking an opponent above the shoulders. A body check must be below the shoulders and above the waist, and both hands of the player applying the body check must remain in contact with his crosse.

Illegal Gloves: Occurs when a player uses gloves that do not conform to required specifications. A glove will be found illegal if the fingers and/or palms are cut out of the gloves, or if the glove has been altered in a way that compromises its protective features.

Technical Fouls

Holding: Occurs when a player impedes the movement of an opponent or an opponent's crosse.

Interference: Occurs when a player interferes in any manner with the free movement of an opponent, except when that opponent has possession of the ball, the ball is in flight and within five yards of the player, or both players are within five yards of a loose ball.

Offsides: Occurs when a team does not have at least four players on its defensive side of the midfield line or at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield line.

Pushing: Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a player from behind.

Screening: Occurs when an offensive player moves into and makes contact with a defensive player with the purpose of blocking him from the man he is defending.

Stalling: Occurs when a team intentionally holds the ball, without conducting normal offensive play, with the intent of running time off the clock.

Warding Off: Occurs when a player in possession of the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold, push or control the direction of an opponent's stick or body check.

Attack Goal Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the offensive team crosses the midfield line, it has ten seconds to move the ball into its attack goal area.

Body Check: Contact with an opponent from the front - between the shoulders and waist - when the opponent has the ball or is within five yards of a loose ball.

Box: An area used to hold players who have been served with penalties, and through which substitutions "on the fly" are permitted directly from the sideline onto the field.

Catching: The act of receiving a passed ball with the crosse.

Checking: The act of attempting to dislodge the ball from an opponent's stick.

Check-up: A call given by the goalie to tell each defender to find his man and call out his number.

Clamp: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly pushing the back of the stick on top of the ball.

Clearing: Running or passing the ball from the defensive half of the field to the attack goal area.

Cradling: The coordinated motion of the arms and wrists that keeps the ball secure in the pocket and ready to be passed or shot when running.

Crease: A circle around the goal with a radius of nine feet into which only defensive players may enter.

Crosse (Stick): The equipment used to throw, catch and carry the ball.

Cutting: A movement by an offensive player without the ball, toward the opponent's goal, in anticipation of a feed and shot.

Defensive Clearing Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the defensive team gains possession of the ball in this area, it has ten seconds to move the ball across the midfield line.

Extra man Offense (EMO): A man advantage that results from a time-serving penalty.

Face-Off: A technique used to put the ball in play at the start of each quarter, or after a goal is scored. The players squat down and the ball is placed between their crosses.

Fast-Break: A transition scoring opportunity in which the offense has at least a one-man advantage.

Feeding: Passing the ball to a teammate who is in position for a shot on goal.

Ground Ball: A loose ball on the playing field.

Handle (Shaft): An aluminum, wooden or composite pole connected to the head of the crosse.

Head: The plastic or wood part of the stick connected to the handle.

Man Down Defense (MDD): The situation that results from a time-serving penalty which causes the defense to play with at least a one man disadvantage.

Midfield Line: The line which bisects the field of play.

On-The-Fly Substitution: A substitution made during play.

Passing: The act of throwing the ball to a teammate with the crosse.

Pick: An offensive maneuver in which a stationary player attempts to block the path of a defender guarding another offensive player.

Pocket: The strung part of the head of the stick which holds the ball.

Poke Check: A stick check in which the player pokes the head of his stick at an opponent's stick through the top hand by pushing with the bottom hand.

Rake: A face-off move in which a player sweeps the ball to the side.

Release: The term used by an official to notify a penalized player in the box that he may re-enter the game.

Riding: The act of trying to prevent a team from clearing the ball.

Scooping: The act of picking up a loose ball with the crosse.

Screening: An offensive tactic in which a player near the crease positions himself so as to block the goalkeeper's view of the ball.

Shooting: The act of throwing the ball with the crosse toward the goal in an attempt to score.

Slap Check: A stick check in which a player slaps the head of his stick against his opponent's stick.

Unsettled Situation: Any situation in which the defense is not positioned correctly, usually due to a loose ball or broken clear.

Wrap Check: A one-handed check in which the defender swings his stick around his opponent's body to dislodge the ball. This check must be performed without any body contact or it is considered an illegal body check because the defender has only one hand on his stick.