Lacrosse Laxicon
"A"
Stick \ n. \ a player's best or number 1 stick. Also called a Game Stick.
ALL \ org. \ the American Lacrosse League is the nation's
largest men's post-collegiate club lacrosse league.
Air Gait \ n. \ a move invented by lacrosse legend Gary Gait
while in college at Syracuse University in the 1980's. Gait would literally
dive from the rear of the crease upward and out over the goal side while
slapping the ball into the goal one-handed. The move was made illegal very soon
after. It was said that goalie safety was the reason. Many still think it was
because only Gait could do it.
Ankle breaker \ adj. \ Slang for an extremely quick turn or
split dodge.
All-American \ n. \ national award given in
boys' and girls' high school lacrosse for excellence within their state.
Also a national award given to men and women at the top of
their position in each division of NCAA lacrosse. There are 1st, 2nd,
3rd and honorable mention All-American Teams. 2: \ adj. \ the appropriate title
for a winner of the award (ie. and All-American
Defenseman).
All Right (All Left) \ adj. \ term for a
player who has a dramatically dominant hand.
Armadillo (The Armadillo play) \ n. \ Jack Emmer's 1983
Washington & Lee team used this infamous play, almost to success, against a
far superior North Carolina team. Five players
locked arms with one player in the middle with the ball in a sawed-off goalie
stick with a very deep pocket so that the ball could not banned immediately.
See Picture 30.
Around The World \ n. \ like a behind
the back shot except the stick is wrapped around the opposite directon and the shot comes from over the shoulder of the
shooting hand.
Assist \ n. \ a pass to the shooter. A pass
that sets up a goal. Two assists can be awarded in Box Lacrosse.
Attack \ n. \ the player position in the
game that is stationed in the offensive end and is responsible for offense
primarily. These players are called Attackers or Attackmen.
Attacker \ n. \ a player at the Attack
position.
Attackman \ n. \ a player at the Attack position.
"B" Stick \ n. \ a player's backup
stick or extra Stick. An additional stick brought out to a game, but
thrown on the sideline during warm-ups and neglected until the end of the game
unless needed.
Backbreaker \ n. \ a trick shot where the stick is held by
both hands above the head and the ball is shot underhand and behind the back
AND between the legs.
Back
Door \ n. \ an offensive player without the ball sneaks in, close to
the goal behind the defense, where the ball carrier zips a pass to him or her
for an easy score. 2: \ v. \ sneak behind the defense
to receive a feed and get an easy scoring opportunity.
Backup (Back up the goal) \ n. \ an
offensive player close to the endline and ready to
run full speed toward the line to regain the possession of the ball on a missed
shot. The man closest to the ball on as it goes out of bounds gets the
ball back, so never shoot unless you know you can score OR you have a good
backup. 2: \ n. \ a player "extra Stick". An additional stick brought
out to a game, but thrown on the sideline during warm-ups and neglected until
the end of the game unless needed. Immortalized in a song at Goucher College during the warm up lap, "Extra Sticks,
Extra Sticks, You throw them on the sideline because their Extra Sticks!"
Bag \ n. \ slang for a pocket, usually a
very deep one.
Baggataway \ n. \ Ojibwe word for lacrosse (derived
from an Algonquian verb meaning "to hit with [something]"), and more
particularly the Midwestern/Great Lakes variant of the game. Alternate
spelling (preferred by ethnographers) is baaga'adowe.
Bake \ v. \ molding the empty stick head to a custom shape in
any number of ways.
Ball ("Ball") \ n. \ a white, orange or yellow solid
rubber orb between 7 3/4 and 8 inches in circumference, between 5 and 5 1/4
ounces in weight and a 2/3 bounce ratio by NCAA rules. Was made of woven
leather and then covered leather before 1890 when a low quality rubber was used
until sometime in the 1930's or 40's Coincidentally, "Indian Rubber"
became the standard until the 1990's when each brand began independent
production and the materials are unknown but referred to as solid rubber. 2: \
term \ used by a player to another player to let him know that he will gather
the ground ball while his teammate takes a man, shouting "Man" and keeping
the opponent away from the ball until his team has possession. Once the ball is
in possession, "Release" is yelled to stop the aggression of the
player taking the man to avoid a moving pick.
Ball Dog \ n. \ a dog that chases balls for
you when you miss the goal.
Ball Hunt \ n. \ players in the tall grass or woods behind the
goal looking for balls using their sticks like scythes.
Ball Stop \ n. \ the small piece of foam or
rubber that is used at the base of the stick head to soften the surface and
lessen the bounce off the plastic. also called
a stop or stopper.
Baller \ n. \ slang for an extremely
good lacrosse player
Baltimore Crab \ n. \ a method of picking up a ball by rolling
the top inside of the scoop over the ball, starting it moving in that
direction, while turning the head under the ball quickly to collect it in one
motion. Also called the Indian Pick-up, because the early
Iroquois versions or the Huron, Cherokee and Choctaw versions of the game
featured sticks with no scoops.
BCLA \ org. \ the
Bait (Bait the Shooter) \ n. \ the goal keeper intentionally
tries to influence the shooter's shot selection by "underprotecting"
one side of the goal and showing an open net. This allows the goal keeper to
anticipate the ball flight and move early to make the "easy" save.
Behind the back \ adj. \ any shot or pass that passes behind
you, the more spectacular, the better but don't blow it, showboat.
Behind the back fake \ n. \ a behind the back motion that does
not produce a shot but moves the goalie in that direction making a forward shot
available.
Bible (The Bible) \ n. \ slang for Bob Scott's book Lacrosse,
Technique and Tradition. It is the book most turn of the century coaches
were taught with. See Picture 9.
Big stick \ n. \ 1. slang for a defenseman. 2. slang
for the defensive stick. Also see long pole.
Black Hole \ n. \ slang for a teammate who
never gives the ball up once he has it. A ball hog.
Board (Boards) \ n. \ the sideline wall in a box arena. 2: \
v. \ to hit someone into or even hold them onto the
boards in a box lacrosse arena which is legal.
Boarding \ n. \ hitting or checking someone
into the boards in a box lacrosse arena. It is even legal to hold the
player against the boards.
Body Check \ n. \ a check using the shoulder
to hit a ball carrier's upper frontal body.
Bomb \ n. \ the goalie heaves the ball randomly into the
offensive end from the crease area of the defensive end. Also see Gilman Clear
Bounce Pass \ n. \ a pass that is targeted downward and
bounces before redirecting t the intended player.
Bounce Shot \ n. \ a shot on goal that is
targeted downward and bounces before the goal line.
Box (the Box) \ n. \ the penalty box, where time assessed for
fouls is served. 2: the coaches box. See Picture 11.
3: refers to an outdoor facility specifically used for box lacrosse. It has no
roof, just the boards, with players benches. There are
very few left in Ontario and Victoria B.C. has perhaps 9 “boxes” at the turn of
the century.
Boxla \ n. \ Slang term for Box Lacrosse.
Box Lacrosse \ n. \ the indoor version of the game played
predominantly in Canada. A much more physical game which is
encased with walls that can be used to check a ball carrier into. Cross
Checks are legal in Box Lacrosse.
Break \ n. \ an extra man situation
temporarily cause by a quick steal or great outlet pass from the
defensive end. The offense uses the extra man to split the defense so that the
ball coming quickly down the field can find an easy path from undefended player
to undefended player until a very high percentage shot is taken.
Broken \ adj. \ to be scored on off of a
face-off.
Bucket \ n. \ a really deep pocket or good goalie pocket. Also
slang for a helmet.
Buddy Pass \ n. \ a pass that is lobbed high and/or slowly
through the air such that the recipient is blind sided and rocked by defenders
as he receives it.
Bull Dodge \ n. \ protecting the stick by holding it in the
outside hand behind the body, the ball carrier basically runs through the
defenseman, bulling past toward the goal.
Bullet \ n. \ 1. slang
for a ball. 2. slang for a hard shot or pass.
Butt \ n. \ the end of the stick without the head. The cap
that covers the end of the stick, usually made of
plastic.
Butthead \ n. \ permanent end cap that is
made of protruding rubber with a soft interior to allow for maximum grip and
torque.
Cage \ n. \ slang for the goal
Canadian egg roll \ n. \ slang for a shot where the ball is
caught and in one downward motion shoots behind the shooter. The ball is
released near the knees and is usually performed when on the crease with the
shooter's back to the goalie.
Cannon \ n. \ slang for an extremely hard shot, adjective used
to describe a player's shot, ie "he's got a
cannon!"
Carry the Pizza \ v. \ when a player runs down the field
carrying the ball in their stick way out in front of them in one hand with
their arm extended, and holding the bottom of the shaft. This keeps the ball in
the head of the stick without needing to cradle or worry about what's behind
you, sorta. Also known as Walking
the Dog.
Cheap it (Cheap the ball) \ v. \ clearing the ball
from the defensive end with a long random pass into the offensive end. see Gilman Clear.
Check \ n. \ an attempt to dislodge the ball from another
player's stick by poking or slapping their stick or arms with either end of
your stick, though most often the head. 2: v. \ the act of
attempting to dislodge the ball in this manner.
Check Up \ v. \ term shouted by goalkeepers
to begin a defensive practice of claiming who each defensive player is assigned
to.
Cherry-picker \ n. \ a player who stays in open space in their
attacking half while their side is defending, hoping for a long pass from the defence in the event of a turnover. More
prevalent in box lacrosse.
Cherokee Ball (Cherokee Stickball) \ n. \ Cherokee version of
the game played with two smaller sticks and a woven leather ball. Still played in areas of
Chicklets \ n.\ slang term in box lacrosse for teeth.
Clamp \ v. \ a move by a face off player pushing the back of the
head over the ball and pulling the ball towards him.
Clear
\ n. \ a play designed to move the ball from the defensive end to the offensive
end after a save or turnover. 2: \ v. \ moving the ball from the defensive end
to the offensive end of the field after a turnover or
save.
Cookie \ n. \ slang for the ball.
Cole Thompson \ n. \ a fictitious character
in Brine ads and E-Lacrosse stories in 2003.
Copter \ n. \ slang for a stick checked out of one's hands so
that it flies into the air spinning like a helicopter rotor.
Cover, The \ n \ lacrosse's largest outside exposure in the
20th century was a 1962 Sports Illustrated cover. See Picture 23.
Cradle \ v. \ the fluid side to side motion of the stick in
order to maintain possession of the ball using its own gravity and inertia
while running at full speed.
Crank \ n. \ a hard shot accentuated by an extended wind up by
a stationary shooter or full extension of the shot by a sprinting shooter.
Crease
\ n. \ the 9 foot (men's) or 8.5 foot (women's) diameter circle that surrounds
each goal. Offensive players are not allowed in the crease.
Crosse \ n. \ proper name for a stick.
From the French word "Crossier" or curved
staff. Refers to the head and shaft together or more appropriately to the one
piece wooden stick used before 1970 and still used by some box players and
Native Americans, who, of course, invented them. See picture 2.
Cross Check \ n. \ with both hands on the
shaft, hitting a player with the section of the shaft between the hands.
Illegal in field lacrosse but legal in Box Lacrosse.
2: \ v. \ the act of checking in this manner.
Cup Check \ noun \ 1. tapping on a protective cup to prove that it is there. 2. slang for a shot that hits the defender or goalie in the
groin.
Cuse ('Cuse) \ abbrev.
\ for
Custom Pocket \ n. \ a pocket designed by a stringer or strung
yourself.
Cut Back \ v. \ a quick turn back in the direction from which
the ball carrier cam, in order to shake free a defender and get a shot on goal.
D \ n. \ slang for defense or the group of
defensive players.
D- Up \ term \ slang for recognizing and taking a man
defensively. Yelled by the Goalkeeper to his defensive unit
after an unsettled situation.
D-pole \ n. \ slang for defense crosse. : .
Defense \ n. \ the player position that is responsible for
defense primarily and are stationed in the defensive end near their goal. They
use long poles and are sometimes even called "longpoles".
Defender \ n. \ a player at the defense
position. See Defense.
Defenseman \ n. \ a player at the defense
position. See Defense.
De- stick \ v. \ to check a player
resulting in his or her losing possession of the ball and their stick.
Deuce \ n. \ slang for a Major League
Lacrosse (MLL) two-point goal.
Dehuntshigwa'es \ n. \ Iroquois (or,
more specifically, Onondaga) word for lacrosse. Often translated as "they
bump hips", but at least one source indicates the correct translation is
"they hit a round object" or "they hit a ball".
Dinger \ n. \ a hard shot that scores,
usually hitting a high corner.
Dip
and dunk \ n. \ a fake performed by a player that is in tight next to
the goal. The fake is low making the goalie drop. Then the shooter finishes up
high in an almost empty net.
Dive (The Dive) \ n. \ A move made
illegal in college and high school lacrosse in the 1990's. The player could,
before the ruling, dive into the crease while shooting and as long as the ball
crossed the face of the goal before the shooter touched the ground, goal or keeper.
Goalie safety was the reason cited.
Dominant Hand \ n. \ a favored top hand on
the stick. Most players have a dominant hand and defenders should
exploit that if it is that obvious.
Dodge \ n. \ any move that gets a ball carrier by a defender.
2: \ v. \ evading and passing a defender while driving with the ball.
D.O.F. \ n. \ Accronym for the
statistical reporting of how many "Dogs On
Field" for a particular lacrosse game. This lacrosse-only statistic was
kept by some Baltimore referees for years and was printed unwittingly in the
Baltimore newspapers with the rest of the called-in high school and college
game stats for years.
Dye \ v. \ changing the color of the empty stick head or
string usually using a dye wash with Rit brand dye.
Dye Job \ n. \ A stick head which has
had the color changed by dying. See Dye.
Egg \ n. \ a soft shot.
Egg Hunt \ n. \ slang for the search for
balls after a practice.
E-Lacrosse \ n. \ online store, free web resource and e-zine devoted to the whole game of lacrosse! The publisher of The Official Lacrosse Dictionary.
E-Laxerata \ n. \ sportsmanship poem
adapted for lacrosse from Max Ehrman's Disiderata.
Elevator \ n. \ a low to high shot.
EMO \ n. \ Accronym
for Extra Man Offense. Offensive scheme geared toward taking advantage
of man-up situations after penalties on opposing players. 2: the group of
players assigned to play in extra man situations.
End Cap \ n. \ a plastic cap that covers the
butt end of the shaft.
Extension \ n. \ the distance between your hands and your body
on a hard running shot. A fully extended shot will be much harder than one
close in to the body.
Extra \ n. \ a player's backup or 2nd Stick. An additional
stick brought out to a game, but thrown on the sideline during warm-ups and
neglected until the end of the game unless needed. Immortalized in a song at Goucher College during the warm up lap, "Extra Sticks,
Extra Sticks, You throw them on the sideline because their Extra Sticks!"
2: \ adj. \ slang for Man Up.
4
hole (four hole) \ n. \ a shot that gets to the goal taking a path
past the goalies upper left side .
5 hole (five hole) \ n. \ a shot that gets to the goal taking
a path between the legs of the goalkeeper.
5 x 5 (Five by five) \ n. \ the perfect area to shoot the ball
on a lacrosse field - the 5 meter by 5 meter imaginary box that begins with the
goal line (UK).
Face off (Face-off) \ n. \ term borrowed from the canadian box game and hockey replacing the term
"draw" for the men's game in the 1940's. To start each quarter and to
resume play after a goal is scored the ball is placed at the center of the
field. Two players are set equally with their
stick heads facing each other and touching the ground with the ball in between.
When the whistle is blown, the two move to control the
ball and play begins.
Face Dodge \ n. \ while running at the defenseman, just before
any contact, the stick is brought around the face to the side of the body while
the feet pivot the same way and a burst of speed loses the defender. Works best
with a lunging defender.
Factory Pocket \ n. \ a pocket put on the head by the
manufacturer or the store but sold off the shelf. Usually mesh or straight
traditional.
Fake \ v. \ feigning the intention to shoot or pulling a shot
back without letting the ball go in order to fool a defender or goalie out of
position. Can be done with any combination of stick movement,
shoulder movement (shoulder fake), eye movement, etc.
Fast Break \ n. \ an extra man situation
temporarily cause by a quick steal or great outlet pass from the defensive
end. The offense uses the extra man to split the defense so that the ball
coming quickly down the field can find an easy path from
undefended player to undefended player until a very high percentage shot is
taken.
Feed \ n. \ a pass that finds a teammate
cutting to the goal. An assist.
Field \ n. \ playing surface for outdoor
lacrosse.
Final Four \ n \ term used for the NCAA setting for the
lacrosse national semi-finals and championship games in men's and women's
lacrosse held every year on Memorial Day (men). The term is actually
trademarked by the NCAA commercially as the NCAA Final Four in Basketball is
one of the biggest events in all of sports. The NCAA Men's lacrosse Final Four
is the second most attended college championship event. The 2005 and 2006
Lacrosse Final Four men's events will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Finalizer \ n. \ a move popularized
just after the turn of the century by lacrosse great Ryan Powell. The
attacker uses very quick turns and short sprints behind the cage to fool the
defender into becoming entangled in the goal and net just inside the rear of
the crease.
Fish \ n. \ slang and derogatory term for a
bad defenseman.
Flag \ n. \ a piece of yellow cloth with a soft but weighted
ball sewn or banded into it. The referee throws this into the air on a penalty
that does not stop action..
Floor \ n. \ playing surface for outdoor
lacrosse.
Foul
\ n. \ a call by the referee that punishes a rules infraction and awards either
penalty time or a turnover of possession. 2: \ v. \ to act outside of the
rules.
Foul Out \ v. \ accumulating 5 personal
fouls in any game. The player must sit for the remainder of the game
just like in basketball. Little known rule.
Full Strength \ n. \ term indicating that no
players on a team are serving penalties.
Frozen Rope \ n. \ a very hard shot which
doesn't deviate in strenth or direction from stick to
net. See Lazer or Rope.
Frying pan \ n. \ a player who's not a good cradler and just
runs down the floor/field like their carrying a frying pan. Origins of the word
come from
GLE \ n. \ acronym for Goal line extended, the imaginary line
of the goal extended to the sidelines for the purposes of planning plays and
describing positioning on the field. One would not likely shoot from behind the
GLE. See Picture 6.
Game Stick \ n. \ a player's best stick.
Also called a Primary or Number 1.
Garbage \ n. \ see Garbage Goal.
Garbage Goal \ n. \ a goal that is most often easily scored on
the crease as a result of the ball becoming loose in the crease area after a
shot rebounds off the goalkeeper.
Gilman (Gilman the ball) \ v. \ clearing the
ball from the defensive end with a long random pass into the offensive end.
See Gilman Clear.
Gilman Clear \ n. \ the goalie heaves the ball randomly into
the offensive end from the crease area of the defensive end.
Glass \ n. \ the plexiglass
that sits on top of the boards in professional box arenas completely
surrounding the playing surface.
Goal \ n. \ a steel 6 foot square opening enclosed with a net.
Goals are smaller in box and inside lacrosse. 2: \ n. \ term for when a ball
evades the goalkeeper and scores by crossing the goal face.
Goal Face \ n. \ the open front of the goal.
Goal
Line \ n. \ a 6 foot line across the
face of the goal. The ball must cross
this line to score. The line is shorter in box lacrosse.
Goal Plane \ n. \ term for the Goal Face extended, the
imaginary plane of the goal extended to the sidelines for the purposes
differentiating between a pass and a shot. A missed shot must cross the goal
plane.
Goalie \ n. \ see Goal Keeper.
Goal Keeper \ n. \ player position
responsible for protecting the actual goal. Very rarely leaves the
defending goal area and uses a larger stick head to block shots. Also called a Goalie or Keeper.
Gobble (Gobble up) \ n. \ to take a ground ball quickly and
expertly.
Goose (Goose it) \ v. \ slang for a flipping the ball from the
ground to a teammate.
Great Lakes Stick \ n. \ a rounded wooden head
about 4 or 5 inches in diameter on a thin handle from 3 to 4 feet long.
Ground Ball \ n. \ a loose ball picked up with the crosse from the ground.
Groundball Machine \ n. \ A player
that is especially good at getting ground balls all the time. See Hoover.
Gumball \ n. \ a shot that goes directly
into the keeper's stick.
Gun \ n. \ a great shooter. 2:
description of a great shooters shot (ie. "He's
got a gun.").
Hack \ n. \ a player that tries to hurt people with checks or just
checks randomly instead of pointedly.
Half-field \ n. \ Also called sixes
or 6 on 6. A regular staple at lacrosse practice, especially when working
settled offense & defense.
Hall of Fame \ org. \ the US National Hall of Fame
Hang \ v. \ leaving the stick head exposed behind the body on
a shot or the butt exposed behind the body when running with the
ball.
Head \ n. \ the top portion of a lacrosse stick which houses
the stringing or mesh and, with some skill, the ball. Most are plastic and screw
onto a shaft made of a composite metal but sometimes wood (old style). See
Picture 6.
Head on a Swivel \ n. \ a defensive term for
keeping aware of everything around you. Peripheral vision is important
for a sliding defender in order to cover all potential cutters or passes and
see the whole field.
Helicopter \ n. \ slang for a stick checked out of one's hands
so that it flies into the air spinning like a helicopter rotor.
High to low \ adj. \ a shot that is taken
overhand but hits the net low.
Hole (the hole) \ n.
\ area within 5 yards of a player's defensive crease. It is important in a
transition situation from offense to defense that players get to "the
hole", find their man coming toward the goal and pick him up.
Hook \ n. \ part of the mens
pocket, usually just under the shooting strings where the ball nestles in the
pocket. See also whip or lip.
Hoover \ n. \ A player that is
especially good at getting ground balls all the time. See groundball machine.
Hop (The Hop) \ abbrev. \ for
Hot (Who's hot, I'm hot, you're hot) \ adj. \ slang for
defenseman responsible for the first slide. Used by defenses to communicate.
Hotbed \ n. \ slang for the college lacrosse and recruiting
industry for an area of the country from which great lacrosse players hail. Before 1990 there were only two hotbeds in the
US: Baltimore and Long Island. Upstate New York emerged in the 1990's and after
the turn of the century small areas of excellence existed all over the country.
The "Hotbed Era" was ending.
Hug the Pipe \ v. \ a goalkeeper allows no space between his
body and the goal post closest to the shooter.
Ice Pick \ n. \ a check where the defender goes over the head
of the offensive player in an attempt to put the butt end into the ball
carrier's pocket and cause them to drop the ball.
IFWLA \ org. \ the International Federation of Women's
Lacrosse Associations was formed in 1972 to promote and develop the game of
women’s lacrosse throughout the world.
Indian Pick-up \ n. \ a method of picking up a ball by rolling
the top inside of the scoop over the ball, starting it moving in that
direction, while turning the head under the ball quickly to collect it in one
motion. The name comes from watching early Iroquois versions or the Huron,
Cherokee and Choctaw versions of the game where this is the only way to pick up
the ball because the sticks have no scoops. Also called the Baltimore Crab in
the preppier circle, it's called cupping by many
Native Americans.
Indoor Lacrosse \ n. \ the indoor version of the game played
predominantly in Canada. A much more physical game which is
encased with walls that can be used to check a ball carrier into. Cross
Checks are legal. Also called Box Lacrosse.
Inside Roll \ n. \ When sensing a defender's overplay on the
GLE, the attackman plants his lead foot and rolls
back and around the defender with his outside leg, leaving him in a one-on-one
with the goalkeeper or an easy goal.
Intercrosse \ n. \ a european version of soft lacrosse.
Iroquois Stick \ n. \ a one piece wooden curved crossier style stick the size of a modern day stick. In
fact they are still played with today. See
Picture 19.
ISO (Isolation play) \ n. \ pronounced ice-oh \ offensive
one-on-one play made possible by the drawing of defensive players away from an
area for the ball carrier to do his or her thing.
IWLCA \ org. \ the Intercollegiate Women's
Lacrosse Coaches Association.
Juke \ n. \ 1: slang for a pump fake close in to the
goalkeeper that makes him move, opening the opportunity for a better shot. 2:
slang for any running fake that moves a defender out of your path.
Keep \ n. \ slang for Goal Keeper.
Keeper \ n. \ See Goal Keeper.
Keepers \ n. \ the
aboriginal people of
Kapucha \ n. \ The
stick used in toli, or Choctaw lacrosse. Shorter than
either the Northeastern or Midwestern/Great Lakes stick, with a much smaller
pocket, and used in pairs (one in each hand). See entry for Southeastern Stick.
Kapucha Toli \ n. \ Alternate
form of toli, or Choctaw lacrosse. Translates as, essentially, "stick ball". Still played in areas of to
LSM \ n. \ acronym for Long Stick Midfielder.
See Specialization.
Lacrosse \ n. \ The sport of lacrosse
is a combination of basketball, soccer and hockey. Anyone can play lacrosse —
the big or the small. The game requires and rewards coordination and agility,
not brawn. Quickness and speed are two highly prized qualities in lacrosse. An
exhilarating sport, lacrosse is fast-paced and full of action. Long sprints up
and down the field with abrupt starts and stops, precision passes and dodges
are routine in men's and women's lacrosse. Lacrosse is played with a stick, the
crosse, which must be mastered by the player to
throw, catch and scoop the ball (from US Lacrosse).
Lacrosse Country \ n. \ many will claim the title but the game
was originated and played religiously for hundreds of years in only one place.
Lacrosse Foundation \ org. \ changed name to US Lacrosse at
the turn of the century. The governing body of the
Lax \ n. \ slang for lacrosse.
Laxabunga \ exclam. \ an
exclamation of delight and laxifaction (don't even
look). Used by laxers at the United States Naval
Academy.
Laxaholic \ n. \ Someone
who loves all aspects of lacrosse and cannot get enough.
Laxer \ n. \ slang for lacrosse player.
Laxhead \ n. \ someone who devotes all their time and life to the great
sport of Lacrosse.
Lax Rat \ n. \ slang for a kid that is never seen without a
stick in his / her hand, goes to all the local college and high school games
and wears mostly lacrosse apparel.
Lazer \ n. \ a very hard shot which doesn't deviate in strenth or direction from stick to net.
Leather \ n. \ a string, usually made of
leather, which runs up and down through the middle of a traditional style
pocket (usually 4 of them).
Legal
\ adj. \ refers to a stick that complies to the rules.
Line Drill \ n \ practice drill where two lines of players are
formed about 30 yards from each other. A player from one line run to the other
line passing the ball to a player from the other line who will end up passing
to the next player and switching lines as well. This continues until the pass
becomes a left hand pass and then a ground ball, etc. Very
common practice and game warm-up.
Little Brother of War \ n \ translation of Tewaarathon, the Mohawk word for Lacrosse. The game
was used by native americans
for centuries to prepare for battle and honor the Creator. See Picture 17.
Little Help ("Lil' help?")
\ exclam. \
asking another player to assist in returning a missed ball when practicing.
The common method of announcing that a stray ball is approaching another and
you'd like it back.
Lift Check \ n. \ a check where the defender settles his stick
under the arm or stick of the ball carrier and lifts until they lose control or
have to adjust allowing another check.
Lip \ n. \ part of the mens
pocket, usually just under the shooting strings where the ball nestles in the
pocket. See also whip or hook.
Longpole \ n. \ 1. slang for a defenseman.
2. slang for the defensive stick.
Low to high \ adj. \ a shot that is taken underhand but hits
the top of the net.
Lumber (Lay some lumber) \ n. \ slang for
the shaft and the impact of defensive checks.
Lumberjack \ n. \ a player that hacks
unsuccessfully at opponents with a chopping motion as they run down the field (
MILL \ n. \ acronym for Major Indoor
Lacrosse League, the indoor professional league that existed in the late 20th
century. The league suffered a devastating player
strike, division and were forced to merge with the brand new NLL or
National Lacrosse League just after the turn of the century.
MLL \ n. \ acronym for Major League
Lacrosse, the outdoor professional league in the
Man ("Man") \ n. \ any opposing player to be covered
(ie. my man, your man). 2: \ term \ used by a player
to another player to let him know that he will keep the opponent away from the
ball until his counterpart has possession. The teammate shouts "Ball"
and takes up the ground ball and shouts "Release" to let the other
know to stop taking the "man".
Man Ball ("Man- Ball Situation") \ n. \ when two
teammates approach a ground ball along with one opponent the one closest to the
opponent will yell "Man" and engage the opponent head on to keep them
away while the other yells "Ball and gets the ball. The rules say that a
player on a team with the ball cannot hit someone so after gaining possession
the ball carrier immediately yells "Release" turning off the
aggression by the teammate and they both go on offense with the ball.
Man D \ n. \ see Man to Man.
Man Down D (Man Down Defense) \ n. \ a unit that practices and
has speific plans for defending the goal with one or
more players out of the game with penalties.
Man on Man \ n. \ see Man to Man.
Man to Man (Man to Man Defense) \ n. \ a defensive scheme
where the defending players stick to a specific man rather than an area of the
field. Also called Man on Man or Man D.
Man Up (Man Up Offense) \ n. \ slang
for Extra Man Offense. Offensive scheme geared toward taking advantage of
man-up situations after penalties on opposing players. 2: The group of players
assigned to play in extra man situations.
Mary Gait \ n. \ slang for a flashy player that screws up
while showboating
Mesh \ n. \ a pre manufactured piece of nylon meshing that is
commonly used to string lacrosse sticks.
Midfield \ n. \ the line bisecting the
field, separating the teams' offensive and defensive ends. 2: a player
position that covers the whole field. Each team has three on the field and they
start the game and face offs at the midfield line. players
called Midfielders and Middies.
Midfielder \ n. \ a player position that
covers the whole field. Each team has three on the field and they start
the game and face offs at the midfield line. Also called a Middie.
Midfield Line \ n. \ the line bisecting the
field, separating the teams' offensive and defensive ends. 2: a group of
three midfielders that play together in games. Usually a team will have a few
lines of midfielders which are rotated. Also called Middie Line.
Middie \ n. \ slang for a Midfielder.
"Middie Back" \ n. \ Call
made by a coach, attackman or defenseman to remind a middie to stay in the defensive half to avoid an offside
penalty call when another long stick defensive player is clearing the ball and
the chance of a fast break exists. A midfielder should stay behind the mid-line
yelling "I'm Staying!" or "I'm back!" and raising his stick
to be seen by the officials and letting the ball carrier know he can cross the
mid line safely.
Middie Line \ n. \
See Midfield Line (def. 2).
Mid- line \ n. \ the line bisecting the field, separating the
teams' offensive and defensive ends. See Midfield Line.
Mini- Break \ n. \ a fast break that evolves in a game,
usually from an unsettled situation like a steal, that results in an uneven
player advantage in the direction of the goal. The remaining defenders will be
split by the right passes and one of the ball-possessing majority
will get a very good shot if the mini- break is executed properly.
Mini- Mesh \ n. \ stick meshing with
a more narrow weave of smaller diamonds.
Mini- Stick \ n. \ a stick that is made at about 1/2 to 1/3
scale for very young children and all ages to fool around with. They are not
allowed in even youth leagues.
Mod Lacrosse \ n. \ Popular
methodology for teaching lacrosse to female youth players in the
Monster Mesh \ n. \ stick meshing
with a wider weave of larger diamonds.
Moving Pick \ n. \ an offensive player actively interferes
with a defensivese player's advancement while
pursuing the ball carrier. A stationary pick is allowed but even a lean toward
the player to be screened or picked is illegal. A pick must be firm.
NCLL \ org. \ the National College Lacrosse League features
over 80 college club teams in 10 states.
NLL \ n. \ acronym for National Lacrosse
League, the indoor professional league in the
Naked \ adj. \ when a player is very open for a pass or
uncovered by a defender. See Wide Open.
No angle (No Angle Shot) \ n. \ a very low percentage shot
from behind the GLE.
No Threat Line \n.\ an imaginary line across the face of the
goal extended to the sideline. A reference for defenders to
know that a player is behind the goal and is not a shooting threat. In
some defensive packages an offensive player behind the goal will not be
considered a threat and not truly defended with or without the ball (most
likely a zone).
Number 1 \ n. \ a player's best stick. Also
called a Game Stick or A stick.
Number 2 \ n. \ a player's backup, B stick or extra Stick. An additional stick brought out to a game, but thrown
on the sideline during warm-ups and neglected until the end of the game unless
needed.
Number Up \ v. \ Goalie command alerting
defensemen to pick up a man. Often followed by defensemen calling the numbers
of the man each is taking.
Nut \ n. \ slang for a ball.
OLA \ org. \ the
One Hander \ n. \ a goal score with only one hand on the
stick.
1 hole (one hole) \ n. \ a shot that gets to the goal taking a
path past the goalies lower right side .
Offside (Offsides) \ n. \ rule that
requires 3 players for each team are always on the offensive side of the
midline and that each has 4 players on their defensive end. 2: the penalty
which ensues when less than the required players are on either side of the
field. 3: \adj. \ when a penalty is called against a player he is Offside.
On the Fly \ adv. \ making substitutions while the play is
still on. Before this rule change in the 1980's teams would have to wait for a
stop in play before making a player change and a horn would be blown to signify
the change.
On the hop \ adv. \ Common lacrosse term used to signify that
players are to move into huddles and drills with at least a brisk jog; no
walking!
Outside Roll \ n. \ When sensing a defender's underplay on the
GLE, the attackman steps past the GLE, plants his
inside foot and rolls back outside the defender, shooting at a narrow target,
but hopefully one on one with the goalkeeper if executed properly like John
Tavares in the video clip.
Over The Head Check \ n. \ a check where the defender, from
behind the ball carrier, with both hands holding the bottom of the shaft, fully
extended their arms upward turning the stick head downward and sweeps across
the front of the ball carrier's body hitting the stick.
Pass \ v. \ throwing the ball with the stick to another
player. 2: \ n. \ a throw to another player.
Phantom Check \ n. \ the mysterious loss of
ball control in the midst of a shot or pass.
Pick \ n. \ a player stands in a stationery position in the
path of a teammate driving with the ball allowing the ball carrier to get loose
as he runs by very closely scraping his defender off on the set player's body.
2: \ v. \ the act of setting a pick. See also screen.
Pill \ n. \ slang for a ball.
Pinwheel \ n. \ slang for a stick checked out of one's hands
so that it flies into the air spinning like a pinwheel. See also helicopter and
copter.
Platoon \ v. \ using two goalies in each game by design, splitting
time usually in halves.
Playing catch with the goalie \ v. \
shooting directly into the keeper's stick.
Play On \ n. \ a loose ball penalty that is noticed by the
referee but, if called immediately, would stop the advancement of the team that
was fouled. A flag is thrown and the referee shouts "Play on" and
continuation is allowed. At the next loose ball, turnover or score the whistle
is blown and the penalty is assessed. If a goal were scored, it would count and
the face off would ensue with the penalty in force.
Plunger \ n. \ a Face-off move where you half clamp the ball
(45 degrees) then keeping right hand on ground raise left hand and butt end of
stick. This distorts the sidewalls of the head of the stick trapping the ball
like a plunger. You can then drag the ball to an open area or even flip the
ball over opponents stick for fastbreak.
Pocket \ n. \ the stringing or mesh in the head of the stick
that catches, holds and directs the ball when passing or shooting.
Poke Check \ n. \ a check where the defender
literally pokes at the stick or arm of the ball carrier in order to dislodge
the ball.
Point (the Point) \ n. \ the forward attack
position on a fast break. This player splits his man with the man on the
break who has the ball. He shouts "Point" or "I've got
Point" and moves toward to restraining line and the ball to split men and
is usually the first attackman to touch the ball on
the break and usually has a great pass open to them on the crease as they
receive the ball from the breaking man.
Pole \ n. \ slang for a defenseman.
Popcorn \ n. \ a shot put right into the goalies stick.
Post \ n. \ the upright metal side-pipes of a goal. 2: \ v. \
a goal keeper plays directly against the side pipe while the ball is to that
side of the goal. 3: \ v. \ an attempted shot on goal that hits the upright
post on either side of the net. Usually hits the pipe with much force and is
accompanied by a loud noise of ricochet which impresses the crowd. 4: \ v. \
slang for just showing up at a game or event. 5: \ v. \ a comment submitted on
a lacrosse website bulletin board.
Power Play \ n. \ Box lacrosse term for extra man offense
while one or more opposing players serves a penalty.
Primary \ n. \ a player's best stick. Also
called a Game Stick or Number 1.
Quickstick \ v. \ catching the ball
from a pass while in the shooting or passing motion or the moment before the
forward thrust of the shot or pass.
Rack \ n.\ slang for the goal.
Ragging \ v. \ running down the clock by either passing the
ball around the out-side in a non-attacking manner, or having a player hold
onto the ball and run around keeping it away from the defense.
Rail \ n. \ two vertical strings in a custom
pocket that allow the ball to ride smoothly out of the pocket.
Rake \ v. \ using the backside of the stick to pull the ball
back, then positioning the head in front of the ball
as it rolls in. Not a good fundamental skill to develop but OK for old coaches
with bad backs.
Release ("Release") \ v. \ term used by a player to
let a teammate know to stop taking the "man" in a "man - ball
situation". When two teammates approach a ground ball along with one
opponent the one closest to the opponent will yell "Man" and engage
the opponent head on to keep them away while the other yells "Ball and
gets the ball. The rules say that a player on a team with the ball cannot hit
someone so the "Release" call turns off the aggression by the
teammate and they both go on offense with the ball.
Restraining Box \ n. \ area in offensive end of the field
marked by one solid like and two hashed lines. Offensive players can only allow
the ball outside of the box for ten seconds (referee's count), and defensive
players have ten seconds to clear the ball or get called with failure to
advance, and once out the clearing team cannot bring the ball back in the box
or receive the in and out infraction. Also used to "restrain" attack
and defensive players during face offs until possession is whistled.
Reverse Gait \ n. \ A behind-the-back pass or shot (similar to
'around the world') except done at waist level or below the shoulder. A move that was perfected, frequently used and popularized by Paul
Gait at around the turn of the century.
Ride \ n. \ a play that is designed to stop the defensive unit
of the team with the ball from "Clearing the ball" or moving it up
field to their offensive end. 2: \ v. \ covering a defensive player in the
attempt to prevent advancement to the offensive end.
Rig \ n. \ slang for a a pocket or a stick, especially a fancy or customized one.
Rip (Take a rip) \ n. \ slang for a shot attempt on the goal.
Rock \ n. \ slang for a ball (NY).
Rock-It Pocket \ n. \ A popular type
of stringing for your lacrosse head. The
first commercially successful independant custom
pocket maker, founded in the 1980's and located in
Roll Dodge \ n. \ a dodge around a defensive player where the
ball carrier plants a foot in front of the defender and rolls to the outside
without changing speed or losing the ball until he is beyond the defender and
on his way.
Rope \ n. \ a very hard shot which doesn't
deviate in strenth or direction from stick to net.
See Lazer or Frozen Rope.
Run Out \ n. \ the sprint for the endline
after a missed shot. The closest to the ball when it goes out of bounds on a
shot gets the ball.
Rusty Gate (Rusty gate check) \ n. \ slang for check in which
the defender holds his crosse with his bottom hand
and in one motion swings his crosse behind his back
and around his defender to dislodge the ball from his opponent’s crosse.
6 x 6 (Six by six) \ n. \ slang for the field lacrosse goal
which is 6 feet by 6 feet at the goal face by regulation. Popularized
in the many television broadcasting appearances by lacrosse commentator and
show host Lief Elsmo from
the 1980's through the turn of the century.
Sack \ n. \ slang for a pocket, usually a very deep one.
Save \ n. \ official name for when a goalkeeper stops a shot
on goal. 2: \ v. \ to stop a shot on goal.
Scoop \ n. \ the top part of the lacrosse head used to
"scoop" up the ball. 2: \ v. \ bending the knees and lowering the
stick to the ground to pick up the ball in one fluid forward running motion.
Screen \ n. \ a player stands in a stationery position in the
path of a teammate driving with the ball allowing the ball carrier to get loose
as he runs by very closely scraping his defender off on the set player's body.
2: a player stands in the face of the goal blocking the goalkeeper's view of
the incoming shot. 3: \ v. \ the act of setting a pick or screen. See also
Pick.
Seal the Corner \ n. \ to get in the way of
an offensive teammate by not clearing through as he moves from X to the GLE.
By failing to clear out of his way you seal the corner and allow an easy double
team.
Shaft \ n. \ the pole or handle part of a lacrosse stick. The
plastic head fits over the end of the shaft and a screw holds it in place. An
end cap or tape usually covers the butt end of the shaft.
Shorthanded \ n. \ slang for being man down
due to penalties.
Shot \ n. \ a ball thrown with the cross at the goal with the
intent of scoring.
Shoot \ v. \ throwing the ball at the goal in an attempt to
score.
Shooter \ n. \ slang for a shooting string.
2: \ term \ a defensive call for the person likely to shoot the ball. Yelled when that person takes possession.
Side-arm \ adj. \ Shooting the ball
from an angle at the side of the body, as opposed to the traditional over-hand
shot.
Sideline \ n. \ the lines bordering the field longer
dimensions. The area beyond this line is out of bounds.
Sidewall \ n. \ the string that runs down the sides of the
stick head holding the mesh or strung pocket to the head. An
important adjustable string for pocket configuration. 2: either side of
a lacrosse stick head.
Slap Check \ n. \ a check where a player
uses the head of his stick to slap an opposing player in the arm, hand, or
stick to dislodge the ball.
Slow Whistle \ n. \ a penalty with possession is noticed by
the referee but, if called immediately, would stop the advancement of the ball
carrier who was fouled. A flag is thrown and the
continuation is allowed. At the next loose ball, turnover or score the whistle
is blown and the penalty is assessed. If a goal were scored, it would count and
the face off would ensue with the penalized team down a man.000000000000
Soak (Soak up) \ v. \ knocking down the shot with one's body
intentionally.
Soft Lacrosse \ n. \ a version of lacrosse
that can be played cheaply indoors in a gym class setting. Uses soft
rubber-like balls and stick heads. See Intercrosse.
Southeastern
Stick \ n. \ an oval wooden head about 4 or 5 inches long on a thin
handle from about 3 feet long. See Picture 18.
Specialization \ n. \ trend beginning in the 1990's, using
substitution rules to change players for very specific tasks like face offs,
man down situations, etc. Brought about primarily by a rule allowing free substitutions
"on the fly" and the ensuing "transition game".
Split Dodge \ n. \ a move similar to a
crossover in basketball. While running one direction, a player with the
ball quickly steps in the opposite direction and changes hands leaving the
defender going the other way.
Squib \ v. \ to kick the ball or knock the ball away from a
huge pile of people to one of your teammates (CNY).
Stack \ v. \ to amass two or more offensive player on the
crease for the purposes of screening, picking or cutting in an offensive play.
2: \ n. \ the group of offensive player on the crease.
Stall \ v. \ to hold the ball, running around and passing from
teammate to teammate in order to kill time and not to score.
Stay (Stay Back) \ v. \ to avoid an offside penalty call when
a defensive player is running down field with the ball and the chance of a fast
break exists. A midfielder will "stay" or "Stay back"
yelling "I'm Staying" and ball carrier knows he can cross the mid
line safely.
Step In \ v. \ knocking down the shot with one's body
intentionally.
Stick \ n. \ a lacrosse stick. Usually refers to the head and
shaft combined.
Stick \ v. \ slang for check or hit on an offensive player.
Stick Bending \ v. \ the craft of bending and carving wood
into lacrosse sticks as was done for hundreds of years and to this day by some
Native American craftsmen. See Picture 15. 2: banging a shaft against a goal
post or something hard over and over to give the shaft a slight backward bend.
This will lessen the strength in any shaft but is a popular box lacrosse
customization.
Stick Check \ n. \ a defensive check that hits the ball
carriers stick in an attempt to dislodge the ball. 2: \ n. \
a referee examines a stick from each team to check for legality, usually at
halftime. 3: \ n. \ a coach calls for am
opposing player stick to be checked for legality. If the stick is illegal, a
penalty is called. If the stick turns out to be legal after all a time out is
charged to the team that requested the stick check.
Stick Doctor \ n. \ a person known for his
stringing abilities. Usually there is at least one Stick Doctor per
team. Some are well known throughout the lacrosse community.
Stick Head \ n. \ a lacrosse junkie.
2: \ n. \ the top of a lacrosse stick. See Head.
Stick Making \ n. \ the craft of bending and carving wood into
lacrosse sticks as was done for hundreds of years and to this day by some
Native American craftsmen. See Picture 15.
Stick Save \ n. \ a save made by the goalkeeper with the
stick.
Stick Wizard \ n. \ a player who isn't necessarily the best
athlete but has amazing stick skills and uses them to his advantage while
playing.
Strip \ v. \ to check a ball from a players
stick or a players stick from his hands.
Stop \ n. \ the small piece of foam or rubber that is used at
the base of the stick head to soften the surface and lessen the bounce off the
plastic. also called a Ball Stop or Stopper. 2: \ n. \
slang for a save. 3: \ v. \ slang for save.
Stopper \ n. \ the small piece of foam or rubber that is used
at the base of the stick head to soften the surface and lessen the bounce off
the plastic. also called a Stop or Ball Stop.
Stuff \ v. \ a close range stick to stick
save by a goalkeeper.
Submarine \ n. \ Underhand shot.
Swag \ n. \ any item or gear that a player gets free while
playing for a team.
2 hole (two hole) \ n. \ a shot that gets to the goal taking a
path past the goalies lower left side . See 5-hole and
Picture 31.
3 hole (three hole) \ n. \ a shot that gets to the goal taking
a path past the goalies upper right side . See 5-hole and Picture 31.
Tadpole \ n. \ slang for a youth defender
who is dwarfed by his long defense stick (NC).
Takeaway \ n. \ a defenseman takes the ball from a driving
ball carrier.
Tewaarathon \ n. \ Akwesasne or Mohawk name for the game of lacrosse.
Tewaarathon Award \
n. \ National college player of the Year awards for men and women. Ceremony is
held in Washington, DC.
Throat
\ n. \ the part of the stick head that meets the shaft.
Thumbing (Thumbing the ball) \ v. \ Holding
the ball in the stick with the thumb. If caught this will
result in a withholding call.
Time & Space \ negative term \ perhaps coined by turn of
the century legendary Princeton coach Bill Teirney,
referring to the act of hanging the stick back to wind up on a shot and the
need to do so with certain head or pocket styles. A time & space shot, he
insisted, was not often available at the top levels of the game.
Traditional \ adj. \ pocket style with 4 leather strips
running top to bottom and nylon cords woven between each. Transition \
n. \ when a team goes from offense to defense or from defense to offense.
Transition Game \ n. \ concept of substitution on the change
of possession to get a team's best offensive or defensive players on the field
for that purpose. Popularly adapted in college lacrosse in
the 1990's along with the idea of specialization.
Triple Digits \ n. \ Slang for when a player shoots and
his/her shot is clocked on a speedometer at or over 100 mph.
Toli \ n. \ Choctaw lacrosse. Like
other Southeastern lacrosse games (Cherokee stickball, for example), it is a
double-stick game: players carry a stick in each hand, and the ball (or towa) is carried between the two sticks. Because it is
difficult to dislodge the ball with a stick check, toli
and other forms of Southeastern lacrosse are more physical than the
Northeastern game: tackling the ball carrier is permitted. Toli
is played primarily on the Choctaw reservation near Philadelphia, Mississippi,
but there is at least one college club team.
Topside \ n. \ the position a defender takes with the stick
and body extended in order to force a ball carrier to go another direction,
preferably away from the goal.
Towa \ n. \ the ball used in toli or
Choctaw lacrosse. Smaller than a standard lacrosse ball (roughly the size of a
golf ball) and made of woven deerskin or other leather.
Turf Monster \ n. \ the intangible, unseen force that grabs a
players foot sending them sprawling to the ground when no other player was
anywhere near them, usually when they are driving toward an offensive
opportunity, with the ball and the full attention of the crowd.
Twig \ n. \ slang for stick.
Two (Who's Two?) \
n. \ the second defensive slide. "Who's Two" replaces the
"Hot" slide .
U- (U-19, U-15...) \ abbrev. \ for
"Under-", as in the Under-19
Unsettled Situation \ n. \ usually diriving
from an opponents mistake or a steal, the ball is in
the offenses hands without a set defense. The goal in an unsettled situation is
to find the open mad in front of the goal. See Fast Break or Mini- Break.
USCLA \ org. \ the elite post-collegiate club league for mens.
US Lacrosse \ org. \ the governing body of
the
USLIA \ org. \ the United States Lacrosse Intercollegiate
Associates - the largest collegiate club league for mens'
and womens' lacrosse.
V-Cut \ n. \ Running in at one angle,
then immediate breaking back into another direction to receive the pass. The
Path resembles the letter V.
V-Pocket \ n. \ any pocket that has at least one shooting
string strung in an upside-down V. Sometimes called the Casey
Powell Pocket.
Walk the Dog \ v. \ when a player runs down the field carrying
the ball in their stick way out in front of them in one hand with their arm
extended, and holding the bottom of the shaft. This keeps the ball in the head
of the stick without needing to cradle or worry about what's behind you, sorta. Also known as Carrying the
Pizza.
Walk Off Winner \ n. \ a shot that
ends a game, usually with little fanfare and lots of attitude.
Walk Through \ n. \ a light practice with no contact, mostly
to go over plays.
Walking Turnover \ n. \ a new player who seems
to turn the ball over every time they touch the ball.
Wall Ball \ n. \ a very popular practice
method involving throwing against a wall to one's self with both hands. Also called Wall Drills.
Wall Drill \ n. \ a very popular practice
method involving throwing against a wall to one's self with both hands. Also called Wall Ball.
Wand \ n. \ slang for stick
Ward \ n. \ penalty called on a ball carrier while holding the
stick with one hand, using or moving the other hand or arm to move, block or interfere
with a defenders stick. A stationary arm in place can be held in position and
block anything in it's path (see Paul Gait video clip)
but the moment it changes it's position relative to the body while in contact
with the opponent a Ward will be called.
Washed \adj.\ the name given to a player known to be a
superstar whether it be in local youth leagues, summer camps or highschool but never panned out in College.
Wheels \ exclam.
\ motivational yell to a player running down field
with the ball that, loosely translated, means "you're running fast. Good
Job. Run faster".
Whip \ n. \ part of the mens
pocket, usually just under the shooting strings where the ball nestles in the
pocket. See also lip or hook. 2: the amount of downward direction in the
balls path coming out of the stick on an overhad shot
as a result of contact with the shooting strings. 3: the amount of loose mesh
or stringing below the shooting strings causing a downward thrust of the ball
on overhand shots.
Winner's Sprint \ n. \ a shot that ends a game, the shooter
runs in a full speed craze down the field, off the field, into the woods, to
the bus, into the locker room or anywhere really.
Wide Open \ adj. \ when a player is very
open for a pass or uncovered by a defender.
Withholding \ n. \ a penalty called for keeping the ball from
play. 2: \ v. \ to keep the ball from play by laying on it, covering it with
any part of your body or even the stick if no itent
to pick the ball up is shown. Holding the ball in the stick against your body
or with your thumb is a withholding call, as well.
Wizard \ n. \ a player who isn't necessarily
the best athlete but has amazing stick skills and uses them to his advantage
while playing.
World Cup \ n. \ the women's adult world championships, held
every four years. The 2005 World Cup is in Annapolis, Maryland at the United
States Naval Academy.
Wormburner \ n. \ a shot that starts
low and ends low, sneaking under the keeper's stick as he anticipates a bounce
that never happens.
Worked \ adj. \ getting beaten by good
footwork or speed. 2: to be beaten buy your man abundantly in a game.
Wrap Around Shot \ n. \ A shot
screened from the goalkeeper by the defender by shooting literally around the
close defender. See Video Clip.
Wrap Check \ n. \ check in which the defender holds his crosse in one hand and “wraps” his stick around the
opponent in an attempt to hit the opponent’s crosse
and dislodge the ball.
X (The X, at X) \ n. \ the area on the field
behind the goal or the player at that point who usually starts the play on
offense. 2: the point at which a play is started.
Yard Sale \ n. \ slang for when a ball carrier has the ball
and stick completely knocked out of their hands by a check. 2: when a player
hangs his butt end out and a defensemen cracks the
stick right out of his hands without him even suspecting the check was coming.
Yahtzee \ n. \ See yardsale. Slang used throughout Long Island, NY.
Yoke \ n. \ slang for a pump fake close in to the goalkeeper
that makes him move, opening the opportunity for a better shot (Hudson Valley,
NY).
Zebra \ n. \ slang for referee.
Zingo \ exclam. \ used when a player
hits a shot with some velocity from some distance. Coined by
Major League lacrosse (MLL) outdoor pro league Commentator Quint
Kessinich just after the turn of the century.
Zone (Zone defense) \ n. \ defensive scheme
where players are responsible for areas of the field rather than certain players.
