Lax Terminology
Attack/Attackmen - The three players who stay on the offensive side of the field and focus on scoring.
Ball Hunt - A ball hunt is when everyone searches for all of the balls after practice (given the many missed shots and poorly aimed passes during beginner and intermediate lacrosse).
Body Check - Hitting opponent with your shoulder. You can only hit an opponent within 5 yards of the ball. You can also only hit him from the front and can only hit your opponent's body below the neck and above the knees. Not legal for young players.
Box Lacrosse - A Canadian lacrosse game played indoors where you can play the ball off the wall. This game is great for learning how to score in very tight spaces and how to protect your stick. A good off-season activity for lacrosse players.
Clamp - Trapping the ball with a lacrosse head during a face-off.
Clear - Getting the ball out from the defensive half of the field to the offensive half (i.e. a goalie clear).
Cradling - A technique used to keep the ball in the lacrosse stick when running, etc.
Crease - The circle around goal that offensive players are not allowed to enter.
Cross Check - An illegal check where a player uses the shaft of his lacrosse stick to check/hit his opponent, results in a 1 minute penalty.
Cut - Offensive players cut towards the goal (trying to elude a defender) in order to receive a pass and hopefully score.
D-Pole - This is the long pole (defensive pole) used by lacrosse defensemen. Not allowed for younger players.
Defender/Defensemen - The three players who stay on the defensive side of the field. They focus on blocking an opponent's shot and working with the goalie.
Dodge - Dodges are where players uses various moves to bypass opposing players in order to pass or score.
Face-Off - To start the game or after each score, the opposing players seek to win the ball in a face-off and control the start of play.
Fast Break - After a penalty, one team has a man advantage for a scoring opportunity.
Feed - This where a player "feeds" an attacker for a score. This is an assist for a goal.
Go To X - A coaching yelling "Go to X" is telling an attacker to take a position behind the goal.
Goal Line Extended - An imaginary line that extends out from the goal line. It is where defenders will try to ride an attacker because they can't shoot on the goal behind the goal line extended and where an attacker will try to pass if he is behind the goal for a chance at a score.
Goalie - The player in the goal who is trying to stop opponents from scoring. You should encourage this player because this is a tough position (i.e. on occasion, he will be scored on a lot and hit by hard rubber lacrosse balls). He is a critical member of the team.
Ground Ball - A ball that is loose on the ground. As they say, ground balls wins games (if you win control of the ground balls).
Head - The plastic portion of a lacrosse stick where a player catches a lacrosse ball.
Hole - A defensive area in front of the goal. You will hear "Get back in the hole!".
Man-To-Man Defense - Where defenders will pick up and stick with individual opponents in order to prevent them from scoring a goal (versus playing a zone defense).
Middie Back - If a defender crosses the midfield line with the ball, a midfielder must stay back in order to maintain three "defenders" plus the goalie in the defensive half of the field. You will hear players yelling "Middie Back" to tell a midfielder to stay on the defensive side of the field in order to avoid an off-sides penalty.
Midfield Line - The line that divides the field in half (into offensive and defensive halves).
Midfielder - The three players who play offense and defense. This is a critical position as midfielders have to be able to score and then hustle back to play defense. You will see frequent substitution at the midfielder position given the amount of running done by these players.
Off-Sides - A penalty where the requisite numbers of players are not on their side of the field (i.e. three defenders and the goalie). Someone has gone "off-sides" and there are now too many players on one half of the field.
Pick - Where player takes a stationary position in order to block an opponent in order to free a teammate for a pass or shot.
Pinnie - A lacrosse practice uniform. Usually reversible with a dark-colored uniform on one side and a light-colored uniform on the other side (so coaches can split the kids into two easily identifiable teams).
Rake - You will hear a lot of coaches yelling "Don't rake!". When raking, kids will stop and pull a ground ball back to them with their lacrosse stick. Rather kids should push through the ball & scoop up the ball on any loose ground balls so they don't lose momentum on a play.
Screening - Where an attacker attempts to block the vision of the goalie (by positioning himself between the goalie and the shooter) so a teammate can score.
Shaft - The metal part of a lacrosse stick where a player grasps the lacrosse stick. The part which is attached to the head of a lacrosse stick. Usually made of aluminum, titanium or composite metals.
Sidearm Shots - This is a shot where a kid fires the ball from the side versus overhand. It tends to be a more powerful lacrosse shot but less accurate than an overhand shot, although another tool to use.
Slashing - A foul where a player's swings his stick and hits another player (i.e. hits their head).
Stick Check - A legal defensive technique where a player uses his stick to stop an opposing player (i.e. poke check).
Tripping - A foul where a player trips an opposing player (i.e. places stick between the legs of an opposing player).
Wall Ball - This is great lacrosse training tool where players use a wall to practice passing, shooting and catches.
Warding - Warding is an illegal technique where a player does a one arm cradle and uses his free arm to block an opposing player's stick.
Zone Defense - Players take defensive positions based on the zones around the goal (i.e. a player plays on the left of the goal, another in the middle and the last on the right) versus playing man-to-man defense.