Полевой лакросс: правила, история и современность

Full contact outdoor men's team sport
men's field lacrosse

Field lacrosse is a full contact outdoor sport played with two opposing teams of ten players each. The sport originated among Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initially codified by Canadian William George Beers in 1867. Field lacrosse is one of three major versions of lacrosse played internationally. The rules of men's lacrosse differ significantly from women's field lacrosse (established in the 1890s). The two are often considered to be different sports with a common root. An outdoor six a side version, lacrosse sixes, was established in 2021 and features six players per team, reduced field size, and shorter duration to be conducive for daily tournament play. Another version, indoor box lacrosse (originated in the 1930s), is also played under different rules. The object of the game is to use a lacrosse stick, or crosse, to catch, carry, and pass a solid rubber ball in an effort to score by shooting the ball into the opponent's goal. The triangular head of the lacrosse stick has a loose net strung into it that allows the player to hold the lacrosse ball. In addition to the lacrosse stick, players are required to wear a certain amount of protective equipment. Defensively the object is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact. The rules limit the number of players in each part of the field. It is sometimes referred to as the "fastest sport on two feet". Lacrosse is governed internationally by the 62 member World Lacrosse, which sponsors the World Lacrosse Championships once every four years. Field lacrosse is played professionally in North America by the Premier Lacrosse League. It is also played on a high amateur level by the National Collegiate Athletic Association in the United States, the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association and the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League in Canada, and the Australian Senior Lacrosse Championship series in Australia.

Lacrosse is a traditional Native American game. According to Native American beliefs, playing lacrosse is a spiritual act used for healing and giving thanks to the "Creator". Another reason to play the game is to resolve minor conflicts between tribes that were not worth going to war for, thus the name "little brother of war". These games could last several days and as many as 100 to 1,000 men from opposing villages or tribes played on open plains, between goals ranging from to several miles apart. The first Europeans to observe it were French Jesuit missionaries in the St. Lawrence Valley in the 1630s. Variations in the game were not limited to the name. In the Great Lakes region, players used an entirely wooden stick, while the Iroquois stick was longer and was laced with string, and the Southeastern tribes played with two shorter sticks, one in each hand. In 1867, Montreal Lacrosse Club member William George Beers codified the modern game. He established the Canadian Lacrosse Association and created the first written rules for the game, Lacrosse: The National Game of Canada. The book specified field layout, lacrosse ball dimensions, lacrosse stick length, number of players, and number of goals required to determine the match winner.

The rules presented below are for the men's game, which differs significantly from women's lacrosse. Field lacrosse involves two teams, each competing to shoot a lacrosse ball into the opposing team's goal. A lacrosse ball is made out of solid rubber, measuring 7.75 to 8 inches (19.7–20 cm) in circumference and weighing 5 to 5.25 ounces (140–149 g). Each team plays with ten players on the field: a goalkeeper; three defenders in the defensive end; three midfielders free to roam the whole field; and three attackers attempting to score goals in the offensive end. Players are required to wear some protective equipment, and must carry a lacrosse stick (or crosse) that meets specifications. Rules dictate the length of the game, boundaries, and allowable activity. Penalties are assessed by officials for any transgression of the rules.

A standard lacrosse field is in length from each endline, and in width from the sidelines. Field lacrosse goals are centered between each sideline, positioned from each endline and apart from one another. Positioning the goals well within the endlines allows play to occur behind them. The goal is 6 feet (2 m) wide by 6 feet (2 m) tall, with nets attached in a pyramid shape. Surrounding each goal is a circular area known as the "crease," measuring 18 feet (5 m) in diameter. If an official deems that a team is "stalling," that is not moving with offensive purpose while controlling the ball, the possessing team must keep the ball within the offensive restraining box to avoid a loss of possession penalty. Field markings dictate player positioning during a face off. A face off is how play is started at the beginning of each period and after each goal. During a face off, there are six players (without considering goalkeepers) in each of the areas defined by the restraining lines. Three midfielders from each team occupy the midfield area, while three attackmen and three of the opposing team's defensemen occupy each offensive area. These players must stay in these areas until possession is earned by a midfielder or the ball crosses either restraining line. Wing areas are marked on the field on the midfield line from each sideline. This line indicates where the two nonface off midfielders per team lineup during a face off situation. These players may position themselves on either side of the midfield line. Traditionally players used sticks made by Native American craftsman. These were expensive and, at times, difficult to find. The introduction of the plastic heads in the 1970s gave players an alternative to the wooden stick,

The goalkeeper's responsibility is to prevent the opposition from scoring by directly defending the 6 feet (2 m) by 6 feet (2 m) goal. Goalkeepers have special privileges when they are in the crease, a circular area surrounding each goal with a radius of 9 feet (3 m). Offensive players may not play the ball or make contact with the goalkeeper while he is in the crease. Once a goalkeeper leaves the crease, he loses these privileges. A goalkeeper's equipment differs from other players'. Instead of shoulder pads and elbow pads, the goalkeeper wears a chest protector. He also wears special "goalie gloves" that have extra padding on the thumb to protect from shots. The head of a goalkeeper's crosse may measure up to wide, significantly larger than field players'. Unless a defenseman gets the ball and chooses to run up the field and try to score or pass, by doing this they will need to cross the midfield line and signal one midfielder to stay back. A defenseman carries a long crosse which provides an advantage in reach for intercepting passes and checking. Tactics used by defensemen include body positioning and checking. Checking is attempting to dispossess the opposition of the ball through body or stick contact. A check may include a "poke check", where a defenseman thrusts his crosse at the top hand or crosse of the opponent in possession of the ball (similar to a billiards shot), or a "slap check", where a player applies a short, two handed slap to the hand or crosse of the opponent in possession of the ball. A "body check" is allowed as long as the ball is in possession or a loose ball is within five yards of the opposing player and the contact is made to the front or side of the torso of the opposing player.

Midfielders contribute offensively and defensively and may roam the entire playing area. Each team fields three midfielders at a time. One midfielder per team may use a long crosse, Some teams also designate midfielders as "offensive midfielders" or "defensive midfielders" depending on their strengths and weaknesses.

Each team fields three attackmen at a time, and these players generally remain on the offensive half of the field.

Duration of games depends upon the level of play. In international competition, college lacrosse, and Major League Lacrosse, the total playing time is 60 minutes, composed of four 15 minute quarters, plus a 15 minute intermission at halftime. International lacrosse plays two straight 5 minute overtime periods, and then applies the sudden victory rule if the score is still tied.

Personal fouls (PF) include slashing, tripping, illegal body checking, cross checking, unsportsmanlike conduct, unnecessary roughness, and equipment violations. While a stick check (where a player makes contact with the opposition player's stick in order to knock the ball loose) is legal, a slashing violation is called when a player viciously makes contact with an opposing player or his stick. An illegal body check penalty is called for any contact where the ball is further than for high school and for youth from the contact, the check is from behind, above the shoulders or below the knees, or was avoidable after the player has released the ball. Cross checking, where a player uses the shaft of his stick to push the opposition player off balance, is illegal in field lacrosse. Both unsportsmanlike conduct and unnecessary roughness are subject to the officiating crew's discretion, while equipment violations are governed strictly by regulations. Any deliberate intent to injure opponents risks immediate disqualification. For penalties resulting in a player being suspended from the game, a substitute player must serve the offender's penalty time.

Technical fouls include holding, interference, pushing, illegal offensive screening (usually referred to as a "moving pick"), "warding off", stalling, and off sides. A screen, as employed in basketball strategy, is a blocking move by an offensive player, by standing beside or behind a defender, to free a teammate to shoot, or receive a pass; as in basketball players must remain stationary when screening. Warding off occurs when an offensive player uses his free hand to control the stick of an opposing player. Offside has a unique implementation in field lacrosse. Instituted with rule changes in 1921, it limits the number of players that are allowed on either side of the midfield line. A technical foul requires that the defenseman who fouled a player on the opposing team be placed in the penalty box for 30 seconds. As with a personal foul, until the penalty time expires, no replacement for the player is allowed and the team must play one man short. The player (or a replacement) is allowed to reenter the game once the time in the penalty box is over and the team is thus once again at full strength.

College lacrosse, a spring sport in the United States, saw its earliest program established by New York University in 1877. The first intercollegiate tournament was held in 1881 featuring four teams: New York University, Princeton University, Columbia University, and Harvard University. This tournament was won by Harvard. The United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) was created in 1885, and awarded the inaugural Wingate Memorial Trophy to the University of Maryland as national champions in 1936. The award was presented to the team (or teams) with the best record until the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) instituted a playoff system in 1971. The NCAA sponsored its premier Men's Lacrosse Championship with the 1971 tournament where Cornell University defeated University of Maryland in the final. In addition to the three divisions in the NCAA, college lacrosse in the United States is played by non varsity Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association and National College Lacrosse League club teams. Lacrosse was first witnessed in England, Scotland, Ireland and France in 1867 when a team of Native Americans and Canadians traveled to Europe to showcase the sport. The year after, the English Lacrosse Association was established. Throughout Europe, lacrosse is played by numerous club teams and is overseen by the European Lacrosse Federation. Lacrosse was brought to Australia in 1876. The country sponsors various competitions among its states and territories that culminate in the annual Senior Lacrosse Championship tournament. In 2005, a second Canadian University field lacrosse league, the Maritime University Field Lacrosse League (MUFLL) was founded, with six universities in the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia provinces. Professional field lacrosse made its first appearance in 1988 with the formation of the American Lacrosse League, which folded after five weeks of play. In 2001, professional field lacrosse resurfaced with the inception of Major League Lacrosse (MLL), whose teams, based in the United States and Canada, play during the summer. The MLL modified its rules from the established field lacrosse rules of international, college, and high school programs. To increase scoring, the league employed a sixty second shot clock, a two point goal for shots taken outside a designated perimeter, and reduced the number of long sticks to three rather than the traditional four. Prior to the 2009 MLL season, after eight seasons, the league conformed to traditional field lacrosse rules and allowed a fourth long crosse. In 2018, the Premier Lacrosse League launched with 140 players leaving the MLL to form a league with higher media exposure, salaries, healthcare, licensing access, and other benefits. These 140 players consisted of 86 All Americans, 25 members of the U. S. national team, and 10 former Tewaaraton Award winners. Both leagues merged in 2021, leaving the PLL as the sole men's pro field lacrosse league in North America. The PLL has a variety of rule differences compared to field lacrosse. Like the MLL, the PLL also has two point goals for goals scored outside of a certain perimeter. The field of play is shorter by 10 yards in the PLL. The distance between the goal line and the end line remain the same. The PLL also has a 52 second shot clock on possessions gained from defensive stops and other turnovers. The shot clock is 32 seconds from possessions gained off of face offs and offensive rebounds.

World Lacrosse is the international governing body of lacrosse and it oversees field, women's and box lacrosse competitions. In 2008, the International Lacrosse Federation and the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations merged to form the Federation of International Lacrosse. The former International Lacrosse Federation was founded in 1974 to promote and develop the game of men's lacrosse throughout the world. In May 2019, FIL changed its name to World Lacrosse. World Lacrosse sponsors the World Lacrosse Championship and Under 19 World Lacrosse Championships which are played under field lacrosse rules. It also oversees the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship played under box lacrosse rules, and the Women's Lacrosse World Cup and an under 19 championship under women's lacrosse rules. In 1904, three teams competed in the games held in Saint Louis, Missouri. Two Canadian teams, the Winnipeg Shamrocks and a team of Mohawk people from the Iroquois Confederacy, and an American team represented by the local St. Louis A. A. A. lacrosse club participated, and the Winnipeg Shamrocks captured the gold medal. The 1908 games held in London, England, featured only two teams, representing Canada and Great Britain. The Canadians again won the gold medal in a single championship match by a score of 14–10. In the 1928 Summer Olympics, 1932 Summer Olympics, and the 1948 Summer Olympics, lacrosse was a demonstration sport. The 1928 Olympics featured three teams: the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. The 1932 games featured a three game exhibition between a Canadian All star team and the United States. The United States was represented by Johns Hopkins Blue Jays lacrosse in both the 1928 and 1932 Olympics. In order to qualify, the Blue Jays won tournaments in the Olympic years to represent the United States. There have been obstacles to reestablishing lacrosse as an Olympic sport. One hurdle was resolved in 2008, when the international governing bodies for men's and women's lacrosse merged to form the Federation of International Lacrosse, which was later renamed World Lacrosse. Another obstacle has been insufficient international participation. In the past, in order to be considered as an Olympic sport the game had to be played on four continents, and with at least a total of 75 countries participating. According to one US Lacrosse representative in 2004, "it’ll take 15 20 years for us to get there." However, nowadays numeric criteria about widely practiced sports have been abolished. The International Olympic Committee granted provisional status to World Lacrosse in 2018 and Lacrosse may be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics. In August 2022, It was announced that nine sports had made the shortlist to be included in the games, among them lacrosse, with presentations expected to be made later that month. In October 2023, the LA28 Organizing Committee announced that it had recommended lacrosse as one of five sports that may be added to the program for the 2028 Summer Olympics. On October 16, 2023 the IOC approved lacrosse to be included in the 2028 Olympics. The competition will take place in the lacrosse sixes format.

The World Lacrosse Championship began as a four team invitational tournament in 1967 sanctioned by the International Lacrosse Federation. The Federation of International Lacrosse also sanctions the Under 19 World Lacrosse Championships. The 2008 Under 19 World Lacrosse Championships included twelve countries, with three first time participants: Bermuda, Finland, and Scotland. Other regional international competitions are played including the European Lacrosse Championships, sponsored by the twenty one member European Lacrosse Federation, and the eight team Asian Pacific Lacrosse Tournament.

Men's field lacrosse was played at the 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama using the "Sixes" ruleset. Qualification for the tournament was based on the nations placement at the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship. Initially, the Iroquois Nationals were not included in the qualified teams, however, they were determined to be eligible for the tournament, and Ireland voluntarily withdrew from the tournament to allow them to participate. Canada won gold, the U. S. took silver, and Japan defeated Great Britain for the bronze medal.

Lacrosse attendance has grown with the sport's popularity. The 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship was won by Syracuse University, beating Johns Hopkins University 13–10, in front of a title game record crowd of 48,970 fans at Gillette Stadium. The 2007 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship weekend held at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland, was played in front of a total crowd of 123,225 fans for the three day event. The current attendance record for a regular season lacrosse only event was set by the 2009 Big City Classic, a triple header at Giants Stadium which drew 22,308 spectators. The Denver Outlaws hold the professional field lacrosse single game attendance record by playing July 4, 2015 in front of 31,644 fans. At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, California, over 145,000 spectators watched the three game series between the United States and Canada, including 75,000 people who witnessed the first game of the series while in attendance to watch the final of the marathon.