A

• Attack The offensive players who work to score goals.
• Alley An area of the field extending from the sideline toward the goal.

B

• Box Lacrosse A version of lacrosse played indoors in a hockey rink with walls.
• Backdoor Cut A move by an offensive player to get behind a defender for a pass.
• Ball Carrier The player in possession of the ball.
• Body Check Contact with an opponent to dislodge the ball or impede their movement.

C

• Clear The action of moving the ball from the defensive end to the offensive end.
• Composite A type of material used in the shaft of the lacrosse stick.
• Cradling The technique used to keep the ball in the stick’s pocket while moving.
• Crease A circle around the goal designed to protect the goalie; offensive players cannot enter.
• Cross Check A type of body check using the shaft of the lacrosse stick.

D

• Defense The players focused on stopping the opposing team from scoring.
• Dodge A move by a player to get past an opponent.

E

• Ejection A penalty resulting in a player being removed from the game.

F

• Face-off The method used to start play at the beginning and after each goal.
• Fast Break A transition play with an offensive advantage, aiming for a quick score.
• Face Dodge A dodge where the player moves the stick across their face to evade a defender.

G

• Ground Ball A loose ball on the field, which players compete to gain possession of.
• Goal The structure that players aim to send the ball into to score points.
• Goalie The player who defends the goal.

H

• Head The top part of the lacrosse stick where the ball is carried, caught, and thrown.
• Helmet Protective gear worn by players to prevent head injuries.

L

• Lacrosse Stick The equipment used by players to catch, carry, and pass the ball.

M

• Man Down Playing with fewer players on the field due to a penalty.
• Man Up Having an extra player advantage due to an opponent’s penalty.
• Midfielder Players who play both offense and defense and can move the entire field.

O

• Offside A rule violation that occurs when too few players are on one side of the field.

P

• Pass Throwing the ball to a teammate.
• Penalty A punishment for a rule violation, resulting in temporary suspension from the game.
• Pocket The part of the stick’s head where the ball is carried.

R

• Ride The act of trying to prevent a team from clearing the ball.

S

• Scoop The action of picking up a ground ball.
• Shoot Throwing the ball at the goal in an attempt to score.
• Sideline The boundary line on the side of the field.
• Slashing A penalty for hitting an opponent with the stick in an illegal manner.
• Stick Checking Using the stick to try to dislodge the ball from an opponent’s stick.

T

• Transition The shift from defense to offense or vice versa.

U

• Unsettled Situation A play in which the defense is not fully organized, often leading to scoring opportunities.

W

• Warding Off A foul where the player with the ball uses their free hand to push away a defender.
• Wrap Check A defensive technique where a player swings their stick around an opponent to dislodge the ball.

X

• X The area directly behind the goal.