
Lacrosse is a team sport played using a stick and a ball. Players use the head of the lacrosse stick to carry, pass, catch and shoot the ball into a goal. Men’s lacrosse is a contact sport and all players wear protective gear: helmets, gloves, shoulder pads and elbow pads. The women’s game does not allow body contact, but does allow stick-to-stick contact. The only protective gear required for most female players is eye protection, although goalies wear helmets and protective padding. In men’s lacrosse, there are ten players on each team: three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders and a goalkeeper. In women’s lacrosse, there are twelve players: five attackers, six defenders and a goalkeeper. The field is slightly larger in the women’s game.