If you have ever overheard some lacrosse players talking about the game, you may think they are speaking a new language. Words like "check", "cradle", and "quick-sticks" can be confusing to new comers, so I thought I would give you a quick background on what exactly these words mean.
Assist: The pass that to the shooter that sets up a goal.
Bait ("Bait the Shooter"): A technique used by the goalie, leaving part of the goal to look unprotected, tricking the shooter to shoot for that area they are anticipating, making an easy save.
Big Stick: Slang for a defensive player in the men's game, referring to the longer stick they play with.
Body Check: Using your shoulder to hit the upper body of the ball carrier in hopes to dislodge the ball.
Bounce Shot: A shot on goal that is taken that bounces before it crosses the goal line.
Cage: Slang for the goal.
Check: a try to knock the ball from another player's stick by poking or slapping their stick or with either end of your stick, or more often the head.
Clear: an attempt to move the ball from the defensive half of the field to the offensive half after a save or a turnover.
Cradle: the fluid side to side motion of the stick in order to keep the ball in the stick using its own momentum while running at full speed.
Crease: the 9 foot (men's) or 8.5 foot (women's) radius circle that surrounds each goal. Offensive players are not allowed in the crease.
Crosse: the proper name for a stick.
Cross Check: with both hands on the shaft, hitting a player with the section of the shaft between the hands. This move is illegal.
Dodge: Any move that helps the ball carrier get past a defender.
Face-off: Name for the beginning of a game after a goal is scored in the men's game.
Fake: Pretending to take a shot on goal. This may be done to move the goalie or to get a foul called on the other team.
Fast Break: an extra man situation temporarily cause by a quick steal or great outlet pass from the defensive end. The offense uses the extra man to split the defense so that the ball coming quickly down the field, normally resulting in a good chance at scoring a goal.
Feed: A pass to an open team player, sometimes as they are cutting across the field.
Flag: Yellow flag that is held up by the referee to show a penalty occured but does not stop the play.
Ground Ball: A loose ball that is picked up from the ground by using a scooping motion with the crosse.
Hang: Leaving the head or the bottom end hanging when the player is runing down the field, leaving them vulnerable to being checked.
Head: The plastic head of the stick, where the pocket is located to hold the ball.
Head on a swivel: A term for defensive players as a way to tell them to always be looking in all directions.
Hug the Pipe: a goalkeeper allows no space between his body and the goal post closest to the shooter.
Ice Pick: a check where the defender goes over the head of the offensive player in an attempt to put the butt end into the ball carrier's pocket and cause them to drop the ball.
Lax: A slang term for lacrosse.
Legal: A stick that complies with the rules and regulations.
Little Brother of War: The literal translation of the Mohawk word for lacrosse.
NLL: Acronym for the Men's Lacrosse League, the outdoor professional league in the US. Started in 2000.
Number Up: A call from the goal keeper in order to make sure that the defense is picking up their player. It often is followed by the defensive players calling out the numbers of the offensive player they are supposed to be covering.
Phantom Check: the mysterious loss of ball control in the midst of a shot or pass.
Pick: a player stands in a stationery position in the path of a teammate driving with the ball allowing the ball carrier to get loose as he runs by very closely scraping his defender off on the set player's body.
Make sure that you tune in next week to find out the second half of the key lacrosse term alphabet!
5 comments:
This is a lot of information that would be helpful while watching a game. Thanks!
Its really nice to know the terms now...Could you tell me what is the equivalent of Big stick for women's game
In regards to your question, there actually isn't an equivalent in the women's game. They all use the same size stick for all positions, except goalie.
let me take a moment to express my extreme dislike for picking up ground balls. and ground ball drills.. my least favorite part of practice. besides killers.
Post a Comment