Minnesota Lacrosse Association

Lacrosse is considered the most widely played team sport in North America before European settlement, with regional variations played with either one or two sticks of differing structures. In all its forms the Native version of lacrosse was an athletic contest of great skill, pride and spiritual significance. The indigenous cultures believe the game was given to them by the Creator for his enjoyment. It was considered more than just a game. Native people played to settle disputes, for spiritual development, and to prepare for war. The traditional toss-up included the teams yelling the name of their Creator, with sticks raised to the sky. This was to let the Creator know the people are playing the game and to take notice.

The traditional ball game played by Minnesota's Ojibway and Dakota communities ended by the mid-1900's due to the extensive erosion of traditional culture, the influence of assimilation policies, gambling and harsh play. However, in Upstate N.Y. and Ontario, Canada, the Iroquois have never stopped playing. The Iroquois,  who first introduced the game to European settlers, have also embraced the modern game played with plastic sticks and helmets. Today the Iroquois have highly competitive men's and U19 national teams. The game of lacrosse is still a tremendous source of pride for the Iroquois community. Here in Minnesota and Wisconsin efforts are being made to reintroduce the sport to Native kids at various reservations.

WHAT'S IN A NAME

The name lacrosse, which means “the stick” in French, was given to the game by the French Jesuits, who after watching the Huron play, named it after the similar curved racquets and sticks used in sports like tennis and croquet. The city of La Crosse, Wisconsin, was named after the sport. The city was originally called Prairie de la Crosse by French fur traders because of the many ball games that took place there during the spring and summer. It was later shortened to La Crosse.

In the Ojibway language, lacrosse was called Baa gaa do we, "plays lacrosse". The Dakota word for lacrosse is Ta ka psi ca pi, "ball play." The Mohawk and Cherokee call it, Is ta po li, "Little Brother of War."

RULES

The rules in the original game were simple. The hand cannot touch the ball at any time. At the start of the game and after each goal a face-off happens were the ball is tossed-up in a circle of opposing players. To score, the ball (made of wood or sewn hide wrapped round animal hair) is carried or thrown by a player's stick and must pass through an opponents goal posts at one end of the field. Traditionally, the field was up to three miles long with no boundaries and body and stick checking were allowed. Elders acted as officials and made sure players abided by the rules, played fairly and with honor. Today's game is not much different with the exception of standardized rules, plastic sticks, and modern protective equipment.

TYPES OF LACROSSE

There are three types of lacrosse being played today.

Men's Field Lacrosse is played 10 on 10 on a field 60 yards wide by 110 yards long. It is a NCAA Division I, II, and III and National Federation of High Schools sanctioned sport with programs throughout the United States competing in the spring. The professional outdoor league, Major League Lacrosse, has 6 teams playing a 12 game season from May through August.

Women's Field Lacrosse is played 12 on 12 with its own set of rules and without the protective equipment and body checking of the men's game. Also, the women’s stick has a shallower pocket than the men’s. It is a highly skilled and fast paced game that retains more of the traditional Native game than any other version of the sport. It is a NCAA Division I, II and III and National Federation of High Schools sanctioned sport with programs throughout the United States competing in the spring.

Men’s Box or Indoor Lacrosse was invented in Canada and is played 6 on 6 in cement or turf-covered hockey rinks in the summer. It is the national summer sport of Canada. It allows more stick and body checking than the outdoor version. The goal is smaller and the goalies wear more padding, so it requires pinpoint shooting to score. It stresses the speed and skills of both hockey and basketball with the unique physical demands and skills of lacrosse. The professional indoor league, the National Lacrosse League, has 12 teams in the USA and Canada, including the Minnesota Swarm. The 16 game regular season starts in January.