The lacrosse field is a sacred place for sport with a rich history. In the earliest days of the game, lacrosse fields were free-flowing and without construction or boundaries. These lacrosse fields used by Indigenous cultures could span over many miles and include very intense terrain you would never expect for an athletic field. Today, lacrosse uses regulated fields of grass or turf that all players share for fair and competitive play.
Current lacrosse fields are slightly bigger than football fields and share some marking lines that will be discussed later. The biggest differences between a lacrosse field and a football field are the restraining lines and substitution box, which is explained in depth below. These specific lines on lacrosse fields are very important and play a large role in gameplay due to the rules of lacrosse. Once you understand the rules explained in this article, you will be better equipped with the knowledge to make smart plays on the field, avoid penalties, and improve your lacrosse game. After all, it’s best to work smarter not harder.
Lacrosse Field Dimensions and Rules
The outdoor lacrosse field can be roughly split into three sections for the easiest explanation. There is an offensive zone, defensive zone, and the midfield that need to be worried about. These three zones are divided by the midline and the restraining lines, which will be explained later. Each zone applies to the field’s dimensions and, more importantly, the substitution rules. Learning the size of a lacrosse field and where to go can make all the difference during a game.
How Long is A Lacrosse Field?
The length of a lacrosse field is is 110 yards long. The width of a lacrosse field 60 yards between the sidelines; however, if a game must be played at a location that can not accommodate a 60 yard width due to field restrictions, they may reduce to as low as 53 1/3 yards wide.
NCAA Lacrosse Field Dimensions
An NCAA Men’s Lacrosse College Lacrosse Field Dimensions requires a 60-yard width between sidelines with 110 yards between endings.
How Long is a NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Field?
An NCAA Women’s Lacrosse College Lacrosse Field Dimensions should be 65 yards wide between the sidelines and 120 yards long. If this ideal size can not be accommodated due to field restrictions, the field may be 60-70 yards wide and 110-120 yards long.
How Long is a Youth Lacrosse Field?
A regulation boy’s and girl’s unified lacrosse field is 110 yards long with 53 1/3 to 60 yards in between the sidelines. The difference in the dimensions of a lacrosse field in college lacrosse is it requires a 60-yard width between sidelines with 110 yards between endings.
What is “the Box” on a Lacrosse Field?
You may hear people refer to “the box” on a lacrosse field and not know what they are talking about. Don’t worry, because this can refer to different parts of the field depending on their context.
Men’s and boy’s lacrosse fields use restraining lines for the faceoff that restrict the movement of players until the ball is secured for possession by one of the teams. These restraining lines create a “box” that is 20 yards from the midline and and 10 yards from the sideline. This “box” not only restricts players on the faceoff, but it also is used in boy’s lacrosse as part of the timed transition from defense to offense. Lacrosse teams have 30 seconds to transition from defense to offense once possession changes. This is split into two timeframes: 20 seconds to cross the midline and 10 seconds to have a player with possession of the ball step into “the box” created by the restraining lines. If your team doesn’t get the ball into the box in time, you forfeit possession.
The other box on the lacrosse field is the substitution box, which is a 10 yard area on the sideline where both teams are stationed. This box is directly on the midline, extending 5 yards into each side of the field. In reality, the substitution box is outside of the field of play, which is why it also conveniently serves as the penalty box. Players can freely go in and out of the substitution box so long as they are evenly exchanging spots with another player to keep the correct number of players on the field.
Lining Up on A Lacrosse Field
Each team must start the game with ten players dispersed through the three zones listed above. The defensive zone must have four players from that team in their zone on the face off and no more. The offensive zone and midfield both need three players in them prior to the faceoff.
The defensive four are normally three long sticks, and a goalie. Conversely, your offensive three are normally all short sticks. The midfield normally begins with two short sticks and one long stick, called an LSM, but this free for teams to decide. Lacrosse only allows four long sticks on the field per team, but there is no rule about where they can go. This means you can start with three d-poles in your midfield or offensive zone, just as long as you don’t have more than four. Some teams use this as an advantage and put two d-poles on the faceoff for a better chance of getting the ball, or if the other team has a very strong midfield and they need to defend them more aggressively.
Where to Line Up for a Faceoff?
The two players taking the face meet in the very middle of the field, called the “x” and wait for the referee. Two midfielders, one from each team, then start on each wing on the lacrosse field. The wing is another restraining line 10 yards off of the sideline that extends 20 yards long, 10 yards onto each half. Midfielders must stay behind this wing line until the referee blows their whistle to start the faceoff. Midfielders are free to line up on any part of the wing, so long as they are behind the line prior to the whistle for the faceoff.
Lacrosse Substitutions
Subbing in lacrosse is done “on the fly” like in hockey, which means play doesn’t stop for substitutions like in basketball or soccer. Substitutions in lacrosse must be done through the 10 yard substitution box discussed above, and all players must make an even exchange for another player when subbing in. The only exception is when a player is entering the field from the substitution box after a penalty is released. Once the time for a penalty expires, either the player who was serving the penalty, or any eligible player for the team, may reenter play from the substitution box.
The lacrosse substitution box allows teams to get fresh legs onto the field at any moment or easily transition between defense and offense. This allows for continued and free flowing gameplay with less interruptions and more opportunities for players to get on the field. The substitution box also can be used to help move down the field faster, as you can use the whole 10 yards of the box. A player can run in on one side, while another player runs out the opposite side to transition between offense and defense even faster.
Once you team is comfortable with substitutions, you can really get creative and use it for your advantage. One way is called “subbing through the midline” which involves three players instead of two. Say your team has cleared the ball from defense to offense, but one of your defensemen actually carried the ball into the offensive zone. A midfielder must stay back on defense for your team to remain onside and keep four players in the defensive zone, but they are free to head over to the substitution box and exchange for a fresh offensive midfielder. Once that offensive midfielder is legally on the field in the defensive zone, they can simply walk over the midline and exchange with the defenseman who initially cleared the ball. This can save the defenseman from having to run back to the substitution box and get a new player on the field much quicker.
Tips
Here are some quick tips to help you with boundaries and subbing:
- When stuck behind the restraining line on a faceoff you can reach over for the ball and either grab it or hit it towards a teammate. So long as your body doesn’t touch the ground past the line, you are not offsides.
- There is technically not a penalty for having too few players on the field. There are offsides penalties for not having enough players on your offensive or defensive half, but delaying a midfield sub is technically not a penalty, but a violation. This delayed sub can cause further issue if it was intentional and the player then is involved in the actual play immediately after.
- All players can cross this midline, and that includes goalies. So long as there are four players on the defensive half and three players on the offensive half for each team, their players are free to move about the field.
- Clearing the ball is normally safest on the side of the field opposite the substitution box. You never know when a team may sub and have a player surprise you from out of the box.
- Same principle applies to carrying the ball on the sideline or endline. If you are running with a sideline on one side of you, keep your stick on that side because it is safer and out of reach from players on the field.
- Once possession is gained on a faceoff any player can move to any side as long as 3 are in the offensive zone and four are in the defensive zone.
- Always run when subbing, the slow man loses.
- When subbing off, if someone is trailing you, you can try to trick them by stating and stopping. If you can get them to stay when you go off, or the opposite, it can help your team either get a positive numbers situation or keep a tired player on the field longer.
- When you are guarding someone, you should always know if they are subbing off the field. You need to either follow them and sub for another player or recognize the situation and decide if you are a better fit than a player on your bench.
- You can change sticks mid-game, but not while on the field. You must step off the field, change sticks, and then step back on.
- Listen to your coach, but pay attention. Subbing can get confusing and result in penalties so be aware of what is going on. If your coach tells you to sub, do it. If they are wrong you shouldn’t get in trouble for following orders.