A men’s lacrosse game may attract larger crowds but listen up, boys– there is a lot that can be learned from girls’ lacrosse and by no means should the female version of the game be ignored or downplayed. There are some key differences between boys and girls lacrosse – from the physicality allowed to the sticks used to the rules enforced –that have changed the way girls are playing the game...and in a good way.
To begin with, girls’ lacrosse is a purer form of the game, with a lineage closer to the sport’s early history. In the female version of the game, players abide by rules that are closer to the original regulations, with being “out of bounds” only recently resulting in a stoppage of play. (More info: http://apps.uslacrosse.org/news/2005/hardboundaries.phtml)
The sticks used in girls’ lacrosse have a shallower pocket than the sticks boys use in their games. This lack of pocket depth forces girls to be more aware of where the ball is, since the ball is more likely to fall out of a shallow pocket. For this same reason, girls also must be aware of their body positioning, grip placement, and stick location at all times since any false movement could mean loss of the ball. From this, boys can see how increased awareness makes girls more attentive to the physical aspect of the competition and can learn to increase focus on the mechanics of the game.
Girls are also experts at defensive positioning. Much like in basketball, girls’ lacrosse players are not permitted to openly check each other so girls don’t have the option of knocking another player out of position. Instead, girls are always aware of their location and must be precise about their positioning. If boys can add this additional consciousness to their game, they would be able to improve their method of body-checking while remaining in proper position to defend their goal as necessary.
Teamwork is also hyper-important in girls’ lacrosse. In the girls’ game, each player needs to always be aware of their position on the field and communication plays a huge role in that. When the whistle is blown to stop the game, girls are not permitted to move. Therefore, they must think ahead when they see a ball going out-of-bounds. It can be easier to beat someone one-on-one without the physicality allowed in boy’s lacrosse, so girls rely on their teammates to let them know when their competitors are in their area so they can make the moves necessary to retain ball possession. Enhancing team communication for boys’ lacrosse can make a team stronger and more primed on both the offensive and defensive zones of the field.
To learn more, Lacrosse IQ's blog is available at http://bblax.com/lacrosse_IQ/.
158 comments
Bob your mother would be proud.
I can’t believe I wasted 5 minutes reading this crap. Only thing we can learn from girls is how to cook and clean. Get off the field and back in the kitchen ladies.
Well said!
Really? Have you played it before? Do you know how hard it is? How much skill women’s lacrosse really is?
I couldn’t read all the childish posts but as a guy who played lacrosse in the 70’s and still plays pickup now (sometimes with current MLL players and D1 captains) who has also coached boys and girls lax – I think the boys here don’t understand the girls game at all. As a coach, I didn’t worry if a boy got run over on the field or took a hard shot or a stick to the head because the boy is wearing an excessive amount of modern padding and.a protective helmet (not a bucket). Although the girls are not supposed to check each other – they do wind up running each other over at full speed, taking sticks to the head, and catching lacrosse balls with their faces wearing only eye goggles – and they usually just play on after. Those of us who played playground basketball around new york city (or any other competitive spot) understand that you can get bones broken playing a game even if the rules don’t allow body checking and equipment. the fact is, you have to be tough to play the girl’s game as well s the boy’s game (although some of us oldschooler’s would say you have to be less tough now to play the boy’s game than 30 years ago - unnecessary roughness?? – when did they start calling that one???). I still have a couple of my 1970’s SL2’s and I consider that stick about halfway between a modern boy’s and girl’s pocket. You barely have to know how to cradle with a modern boy’s stick but you definitely need to know how to cradle with a girl’s. I just hope that one day you boy’s grow up and see differences for what they really are instead of what your fragile ego projects them to be – now go play some D without your helmet and pads and have some real fun.