According to Willowdale Sports Club, the game of lacrosse bears many similarities to basketball. The quickness of the sport, the movement of the ball and the ability of any player to participate in both offense and defense make the sport appealing to individuals that play soccer, hockey and basketball. Lacrosse does require athletes to hone specific hand-eye coordination skills, so slight modifications to the game may help kids adjust more easily to the sport.
Field Size
While according to the U.S. Lacrosse organization the regulation lacrosse field measures 110 yards by 60 yards, the Bantam Division of youth ages 9 and under is a noncompetitive league and can be played on a smaller field size. The smaller field will compact the play, requiring players to make shorter passes, play more defense and have more opportunities to shoot on goal. The more opportunities that players have to practice basic skills, the better they will become.
Touching the Ball
Similar to soccer, players may not touch the ball with their hands during a lacrosse game. For kids, this rule sometimes seems hard to follow, Players must catch, throw and pick up the ball from the ground while only using their crosse. It takes a lot of practice to perform these skills well, so remind your child about the rule before playing. If your child chooses to play goalie, he may then touch the ball with his hands. If the ball makes contact with other parts of your child's body---the foot, elbow, back or other body part---the ball will remain in play without a penalty. A ball kicked into the goal will not count as a goal.
Personal and Technical Fouls
Ten young girls or boys running around on a field while wielding sticks has the propensity to get out of hand. Remind your child that the crosse shouldn't function as a weapon; keep the crosse under control at all times. Slashing and cross checking, fouls occurring when a child uses her crosse to contact an opposing player's body with the head or the stick of the crosse, will result in a penalty. Other actions like pushing, holding and tripping also result in penalties. Like any other sport, teach your child the importance of good sportsmanship during lacrosse games.
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