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The founding principles of Lacrosse “Strong Body, Strong Mind and Strong Spirit” are apparent in all versions of this fast-paced, exciting team sport. Most communities have Local Lacrosse Associations that offer recreational and competitive teams for athletes of all ages. School and Provincial Select teams are also available. For more information visit the Canadian Lacrosse Association website at http://www.lacrosse.ca.

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Box Lacrosse is a fast-paced sport played on a hockey rink covered with a synthetic turf playing surface. Boards, a minimum of 3 feet high, must enclose the playing area. Two teams of six players, including a goalie compete against each other attempting to score the most goals by the end of the 60-minute match. Similar to hockey, body contact and checking are permitted and players may be penalized for various infractions.

Box Lacrosse and Men’s Field Lacrosse are very similar in their physical nature and quick style of play. However, field Lacrosse is played outdoors on a 100m by 55m field. Two teams of ten players each, three defensemen, three midfielders, three attackmen and one goalie compete against each other. Each team must keep at least four players, including the goalie in its defensive half of the field, three players in its offensive half and three players, typically the midfielders, can roam the field. The object of the game is to score the most goals by the end of the 48-minute match.

Played on the same size field, the principles of Women’s field Lacrosse are very similar to Box and Men’s Field Lacrosse, in that the team with the most goals at the end of the game wins. However, the major difference between the women’s field game and the men’s game is that women’s field Lacrosse is a non-contact sport. Players are prohibited from checking with either their bodies or their sticks. The elimination of body contact and checking has resulted in a fast-paced game focussing on polished ball control and movement.

Inter-Crosse is the newest Lacrosse discipline. Players compete with a soft, air-filled ball and a moulded plastic stick. This discipline is easy to play and participants quickly learn Lacrosse fundamentals such as carrying, scooping, passing and catching the ball.

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The development of Lacrosse throughout North America can be attributed in large part to the First Nations people of Canada. The Native population has long played earlier forms of the sport - characterized by deep spiritual involvement, which played a significant role in the community and religious lives of tribes across the continent.

In the 1930s, promoters thought to combine the two most popular Canadian sports: Ice Hockey and Lacrosse. The merging of these two sports led to the development of a uniquely Canadian sport, indoor or box Lacrosse. Nowadays, four Lacrosse disciplines are contested: Box, Men’s Field, Women’s Field, and Inter-Lacrosse.

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