Enhance your lacrosse vocabulary with our comprehensive guide to common lacrosse terms. Expand your knowledge of lacrosse and improve your gameplay today!
Lacrosse Terms
- Attack: The offensive players who try to score goals.
- Midfield: The players who transition between offense and defense and play in the middle of the field.
- Defense: The players who try to prevent the opposing team from scoring goals.
- Goalie: The player who defends the goal and tries to stop the opposing team from scoring.
- Clear: When the defensive team successfully moves the ball from their own defensive zone to the offensive zone.
- Ride: When the offensive team puts pressure on the defensive team to disrupt their clearing attempts.
- Faceoff: The method used to start each quarter and restart the game after a goal is scored, where two players battle to gain possession of the ball.
- Ground ball: A loose ball on the ground that players try to scoop up.
- Cradle: A technique used to keep the ball in the pocket of the stick while running.
- Stick check: Using a stick to knock or dislodge the ball from an opponent’s stick.
- Check: Using a stick or body to impede an opponent’s progress or dislodge the ball.
- Poke check: Using the stick to poke the ball away from an opponent’s stick.
- Slap Check: Swinging the stick to strike an opponent’s stick, attempting to dislodge the ball.
- Cross-check: Using the stick horizontally across an opponent’s body, is considered a penalty if done illegally.
- Ground ball scrum: A situation where multiple players from both teams are fighting for a loose ball on the ground.
- Fast break: A quick offensive transition where the offensive team has an advantage in numbers against the opposing defense.
- Man-up/Extra man: When one team has a player advantage due to a penalty and has an extra player on the field.
- Man-down: When a team has fewer players on the field due to a penalty and is at a disadvantage.
- Clearing pass: A long pass used to move the ball from the defensive zone to the offensive zone.
- Crease: The circular area around the goal where only the goalie is allowed to enter.
- Crease violation: When an offensive player enters the crease area, resulting in a turnover or a penalty.
- Ride-off: Using body contact to push an opponent away while maintaining possession of the ball.
- Substitution box: A designated area where players can substitute on and off the field during live play.
- Extra attacker: When the goalie is pulled, and an additional offensive player is put on the field in an attempt to score a goal.
- Assist: A pass that leads directly to a goal being scored.
- Off-ball: Refers to the players who are not currently in possession of the ball.
- On-ball: Refers to the player who is currently in possession of the ball.
- Pick: When an offensive player sets a screen on a defender to create space for a teammate.
- Roll dodge: A dodging technique where an offensive player rolls their body to avoid a defender and maintain possession of the ball.
- Split dodge: A dodging technique where an offensive player changes direction by quickly moving the stick from one side to the other.
- Face dodge: A dodging technique where an offensive player fakes in one direction with their body but maintains possession of the ball by quickly changing the stick’s position.
- Swim dodge: A dodging technique where an offensive player sweeps the stick over a defender’s stick to maintain possession of the ball.
- Power play: A situation where one team has a player advantage due to a penalty, similar to a man-up situation.
- Extra-man offense: The offensive strategy used during a power play or man-up situation.
- Zone defense: A defensive strategy where each defender is responsible for a specific area of the field rather than guarding a specific player.
- Man-to-man defense: A defensive strategy where each defender is assigned to guard a specific offensive player.
- Slide: When a defender leaves their assigned player to help defend against an offensive player who is a scoring threat.
- Pick-and-roll: An offensive play where one player sets a pick, and the player with the ball rolls off the pick to create a scoring opportunity.
- Ground ball war: A highly contested situation where multiple players from both teams battle for possession of a loose ball.
- Middie (Midfielder): Short for midfielder, a player who plays in the middle of the field and transitions between offense and defense.
- Long stick midfielder (LSM): A midfielder who uses a longer stick (around 6 feet) to help with defensive plays and clearing.
- Attack wing: The offensive players are positioned on the sides of the goal.
- D-pole (Defense pole): A long stick (around 6 feet) used by defenders.
- Clearing game: The strategies and techniques used by the defensive team to move the ball from their defensive zone to the offensive zone.
- Man ball: A term used to describe a loose ball situation where players aggressively fight for possession.
- Unsettled situation: A situation where the defense is not fully set, and the offense has an opportunity to take advantage of the defense’s vulnerability.
- Faceoff specialist (FOGO): A player who specializes in taking faceoffs and winning possession for their team.
- Sticks up: A call made by coaches or players to remind teammates to hold their sticks up in the defensive zone to disrupt passing lanes.
- Quick restart: When a player quickly restarts play after a whistle, catching the opposing team off guard.
- Backdoor cut: An offensive move where a player cuts behind the defense toward the goal to receive a pass.
- Offside: A penalty is called when a team has more than the allowed number of players on one side of the midfield line.
- Double team: When two defensive players converge on an offensive player to try to dislodge the ball or force a turnover.
- Riding the stick: When a player uses their stick to press against an opponent’s stick to impede their movement or limit their passing options.
- Slide package: A defensive strategy that outlines the rotations and responsibilities of players when sliding to help defend against an offensive player.
- Settled offense: An offensive strategy where the team sets up specific plays and looks for scoring opportunities through ball movement and player positioning.
- Transition: The process of quickly moving the ball from defense to offense or vice versa.
- Ground ball pickup: The act of scooping a loose ball off the ground using the stick’s head.
- Topside: When an offensive player drives toward the top side of the goal, positioning themselves for a shot or a pass.
- Backside: The area of the field opposite to the ball’s movement or where the majority of players are concentrated.
- GLE (Goal Line Extended): An imaginary line that extends from the goal line to the sideline, used as a reference point for offensive and defensive positioning.
- One-handed cradle: A cradling technique where a player uses only one hand to secure and control the ball while running.
- Diving shot: A shot attempt where the shooter jumps and extends their body horizontally toward the goal, releasing the shot mid-air.
- Dead ball: A temporary halt in play, usually due to a penalty or an out-of-bounds violation.
- EMO (Extra Man Offense): Abbreviation for an offensive situation when a team has a player advantage due to a penalty.
- EMD (Extra Man Defense): Abbreviation for a defensive situation when a team is playing with a player disadvantage due to a penalty.
- Invert: When an offensive player, typically an attackman, switches positions with a midfielder to create a mismatch or confusion in the defense.
- Stick side: The side of the goal where the shooter aims the ball based on the goalie’s stick positioning.
- Cage: Slang term for the goal or the net.
- Trail check: A defensive technique where a trailing defender attempts to dislodge the ball from an offensive player’s stick.
- Overhand shot: A shooting technique where the shooter releases the ball over the top of the shoulder, generating power and accuracy.
- Underhand shot: A shooting technique where the shooter releases the ball from below the shoulder, typically used for quick and low shots.
- Ground ball battle: A competitive situation where players aggressively fight for possession of a loose ball on the ground.
- Off-ball movement: The actions and positioning of players without the ball to create scoring opportunities or space for teammates.
- Hitch: A quick change of direction with the ball by pulling it back towards the body, often used to evade defenders.
- X (Behind The Goal): The area directly behind the goal, often used by offensive players to initiate plays or set up passes.
- Clearing the crease: When a defensive player uses their stick or body to prevent offensive players from entering the crease area.
- Transition game: The shift from defense to offense or offense to defense occurs when the possession changes.
- Ground ball scramble: A chaotic situation where multiple players from both teams are aggressively trying to gain possession of a loose ball.
- Set play: A pre-designed offensive play executed by the team to create scoring opportunities.
- Splitting the defense: A technique where an offensive player runs between two defenders to create space or drive toward the goal.
- Pick-and-pop: An offensive play where a player sets a pick and then quickly moves away from the defender to receive a pass.
- On-the-fly substitution: Substituting players during live play without stopping the game.
- Saddle: The area on the goalie’s stick where the ball rests.
- Takeaway: When a defensive player successfully checks the ball away from an opponent to create a turnover.
- Slow break: An offensive transition where the attacking team advances the ball slowly to assess the defensive situation and set up their offense.
- Interference: A penalty called when a player obstructs or impedes the progress of an opponent without playing the ball.
- Wrap Check: A defensive technique where a player uses their stick to wrap around an opponent’s body to dislodge the ball.
- Mismatch: A situation where an offensive player has a significant advantage over their defender, often due to a difference in size, speed, or skill.
- Pickpocketing: When a defensive player quickly and skillfully checks the ball out of an opponent’s stick without them realizing it.
- Quick stick: A shooting or passing technique where the player quickly catches and releases the ball in one fluid motion, without cradling.
- Swim move: A dodging technique where an offensive player uses an arm movement similar to swimming to evade defenders.
- Cutting: The act of an offensive player making a sudden movement or change of direction to get open for a pass.
- Ride the goalie: When an offensive player puts pressure on the opposing goalie to force turnovers or disrupt their clearing attempts.
- Overcarry: A violation that occurs when an offensive player carries the ball across the midfield line for an extended period, resulting in a turnover.
- Loose ball push: A penalty is called when a player uses excessive force to push an opponent during a loose ball situation.
- Over-the-shoulder pass: A pass made by extending the stick over the shoulder and releasing the ball with an overhand motion.
- Quick dodge: A sudden change of direction or burst of speed by an offensive player to get past a defender.
- Riding time: A statistic that measures the amount of time one team maintains pressure on the opposing team after a failed clearing attempt.
- Give-and-go: A passing play where a player passes the ball to a teammate and immediately cuts toward the goal to receive a return pass.
- Zoning up: A defensive strategy where defenders prioritize guarding an area rather than specific players, similar to a zone defense in basketball.