What Is Box Lacrosse? Guide for Boulder County Families
If you've been to a Colorado Mammoth game or watched NLL highlights, you've seen box lacrosse. But if you're newer to the sport, you might be wondering how it differs from the outdoor game your kid plays in the spring. Here's a quick breakdown.
The Basics
Box lacrosse is played indoors in an enclosed arena — typically a hockey rink with turf laid over the ice, surrounded by boards. The playing surface is smaller than a field lacrosse field, and the boards keep the ball in play continuously.
Teams: 6 players per side (1 goalie, 5 runners). Field lacrosse has 10 per side.
Equipment: Players wear more protective gear than in field lacrosse — the enclosed boards and tighter space mean more contact. Sticks are shorter with a deeper pocket.
Shot clock: Teams have 30 seconds to get a shot on goal, keeping the pace extremely high.
How It's Different from Field Lacrosse
| Box Lacrosse | Field Lacrosse | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Indoor arena, turf on boards | Grass or turf field |
| Players | 6 per side | 10 per side (men's), 12 (women's) |
| Shot clock | 30 seconds | 60–80 seconds |
| Contact | Full body contact | Stick/body contact within rules |
| Season | Winter / year-round | Spring |
| Pro league | NLL | PLL |
Why Box Makes Better Field Players
This is where it gets interesting for Boulder County families with kids in field lacrosse programs. Box lacrosse is widely regarded as the best off-season training tool available:
- Stick skills under pressure — the smaller space forces players to handle the ball with defenders tight on them constantly
- Quick release — there's no time for a long windup; players develop fast, compact shooting motions
- Weak hand development — you can't hide a weak hand in box; both hands get equal work
- Athleticism and footwork — the boards, transitions, and physical play develop overall athleticism
Most of the best field lacrosse players in the world grew up playing box in Canada. The overlap between the NLL and PLL rosters is significant — the same players compete at the top of both games.
Getting Into Box Lacrosse in Boulder County
Several local clubs offer winter indoor lacrosse programming that borrows heavily from the box game. Check with your current club or school program about indoor sessions during the fall and winter months.
For the full box lacrosse experience, the easiest option is attending a Colorado Mammoth game at Ball Arena in Denver. Seeing the game played at the NLL level gives players and parents a feel for what box lacrosse looks like at its best.
See the Box Lacrosse Programs page for more on local options.