Women’s Lacrosse

Women’s lacrosse, also called wlax or lax, is a limited-contact version of lacrosse. There is also a non-contact version of lacrosse called intercrosse. Lacrosse was derived from an indigenous Native American game, although the modern game of women’s lacrosse was first played in Scotland in 1890 at St. Leonard’s School. Men’s field lacrosse and women’s lacrosse have different teams and very different rules.

The object of the sport is to use a long-handled racket, which is known as a crosse or lacrosse stick, to carry, catch, and pass a rubber ball to score by throwing it into the opposing team’s goal. Defenders prevent the opposing team from scoring by using body position and stick control to strip them of the ball.

Women’s lacrosse is played by two teams with twelve players each (field lacrosse has 10 players on each team). Each team usually consists of three attackers, five midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper.

women’s lacrossea game of women’s lacrosse
Women’s lacrosse rules are specifically designed to limit physical contact between players. Subsequently, the equipment used in women’s lacrosse is also very different from men’s field lacrosse. Women will only wear goggles or lacrosse goggles and a mouth guard, although under international rules, players are not allowed to wear eye protection.