Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports in the United States, according to a US Lacrosse report. Usually an outdoor sport played at a variety of levels -- youth, high school, club, collegiate and professional -- lacrosse also is played indoors. Commonly referred to as box lacrosse, the basics of the indoor game -- passing, shooting and running -- are the same, but some indoor rules differ from those of the outdoor game.
Players
Each team plays six players at a time in indoor lacrosse, including the team's goalie. Twenty-three players are allowed on a team's roster, but only 17 can dress and play in a match.
Timing
Like football or basketball, indoor lacrosse is played for four quarters. Each quarter lasts for 15 minutes; a match is 60 minutes. Indoor lacrosse utilizes a shot clock. When a team gains possession of the ball, it has 30 seconds to shoot. If a team fails to take a shot on goal within 30 seconds, it loses possession of the ball.
Substitutions
Similar to hockey, indoor lacrosse allows teams to substitute at any time during the game. Players from the bench can't enter the field as a substitute until the player they are replacing enters the marked substitution area.
Winning
The team that successfully scores the most goals during the game wins the match. In the case of a tie, the teams continue play in 5-minute sudden death periods. Sudden death means the match ends as soon as one team scores a goal; the opposing team does not get a chance to tie the game.
Field of Play
According to Lax Rules, indoor lacrosse fields are hockey rinks with an artificial grass covering. The dimensions are 200 feet long by 85 feet wide. The field of play is lined with boards that must be at least 3 feet high. Goals are 4 feet by 4 feet, 6 inches.
Penalties
Common indoor lacrosse penalties include slashing, tripping and cross checking. Players committing a penalty are removed from play for two minutes, according to Lax Rules. A more serious foul, such as fighting, results in a five-minute penalty. A five-minute penalty will be shortened if the opposing team scores two goals. No more than two players can be in the penalty box at a time. If a penalty is called on a team with two players in the penalty box, the referee will award the other team a penalty shot.
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