What Is Field Lacrosse? A Beginner's Guide
Field lacrosse is the outdoor version of the game — the one you'll see at BVSD high school games in the spring and on the CU Boulder campus. If your kid just signed up and you've never watched a full game, this guide covers what you need to know.
The Playing Field
Field lacrosse is played on a grass or artificial turf field, similar in size to a soccer field. The standard men's field is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. Women's fields are the same length but slightly wider.
Each end has a goal — a 6×6-foot metal frame with netting — set inside a circular crease (a 9-foot-radius circle for men, 8.5 feet for women). The crease is protected space: attacking players cannot enter it to score or interfere with the goalie.
Players and Positions
Men's field lacrosse plays 10 vs 10: one goalie, three defenders, three midfielders, and three attackers. Midfielders move the full length of the field; defenders and attackers generally stay in their halves.
Women's field lacrosse plays 12 vs 12: one goalie, four defenders, three midfielders (called "center" and "wings"), and four attackers. The extra players reflect the lower-contact nature of the women's game, which spreads the field wider.
USA Lacrosse governs both games in the United States and publishes the official rulebooks for every level from youth through college.
How You Score — and How Play Restarts
A goal is scored when the ball crosses the goal line inside the net. The ball can be carried, passed, or shot — all with the stick.
After a goal, play restarts at the center of the field with a draw (women's) or a faceoff (men's). Faceoffs happen at the start of each quarter and after every goal — two players crouch over the ball at midfield, and possession is contested when the whistle blows.
Out of bounds results in a possession restart. The team that didn't touch the ball last gets it, or — on a missed shot — whichever player is closest to where the ball goes out.
Men's shot clock: Men's field lacrosse at the college and professional level uses a 60–80 second shot clock. Teams must get a shot on goal within that window or turn the ball over. High school rules vary by state; CHSAA sets Colorado-specific rules for varsity play.
Equipment
Men's equipment is built for a contact sport: a helmet with full face mask, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves, and a mouthguard are all required. The stick — called a crosse — has a mesh pocket. Men's pockets run deeper, allowing more ball control but also more physical play around the pocket.
Women's equipment is notably lighter. A hard goggle/face guard and a mouthguard are required; helmets and full pads are not. Women's sticks have a shallower, tighter pocket — a rule designed to reduce contact and focus the game on stick skill and positioning.
Men's vs Women's — Key Differences
The two games share a name and a goal but have meaningfully different rules. Here's a side-by-side comparison:
| Men's Field Lacrosse | Women's Field Lacrosse | |
|---|---|---|
| Players per side | 10 | 12 |
| Contact | Full body and stick contact within rules | Minimal contact; stick checking limited |
| Helmet | Required | Not required (goggle/guard required) |
| Stick pocket | Deep pocket allowed | Shallow/tight pocket required |
| Crease radius | 9 feet | 8.5 feet |
| Shot clock | 60–80 seconds (college/pro) | No shot clock |
| Governing body | USA Lacrosse | USA Lacrosse / World Lacrosse |
World Lacrosse governs the international game for both men and women and sets the framework for the Olympic and World Championship versions of field lacrosse.
Field vs Box Lacrosse at a Glance
If you've read our box lacrosse guide or watched a Colorado Mammoth game, you already know the indoor version. Here's how the two compare:
| Field Lacrosse | Box Lacrosse | |
|---|---|---|
| Surface | Outdoor grass or turf | Indoor arena (turf on boards) |
| Players | 10 per side (men's), 12 (women's) | 6 per side |
| Shot clock | 60–80 sec (men's college/pro) | 30 seconds |
| Season | Spring | Winter / year-round |
| Contact | Men's: full contact; Women's: minimal | Full body contact |
| Pro league | PLL | NLL |
Where to Watch and Play Field Lacrosse in Boulder County
High school: All major BVSD high schools — Boulder, Fairview, Monarch, Broomfield, Centaurus — field boys and girls varsity lacrosse teams in the spring. CHSAA sets the season calendar and playoff structure.
College: CU Boulder fields an NCAA club men's team competing in the MCLA and a women's club team in the WCLA. Games are open to the public at Boulder Lacrosse Turf on campus.
Youth and club: Youth and middle-school programs in Boulder County feed directly into the high school game. The Programs section of this site has details on youth, middle-school, and high-school options.
Full rulebooks: Download the official USA Lacrosse rulebooks for every age group and gender at usalacrosse.com.
If you want to understand the indoor counterpart to everything above, the box lacrosse guide explains the NLL game, the Colorado Mammoth, and why so many field players train indoors in the off-season.