Can You Hit Someone with a Stick in Lacrosse? – Lacrosse Pack
The sport of lacrosse is comprised of some rather unconventional rules that can be a bit puzzling to incoming players. One specific rule that new players want to understand in particular is whether or not they can hit someone with their stick in lacrosse.
Lacrosse defenders are allowed to hit an opponent’s stick or an opponent’s gloves with their own lacrosse stick in an attempt to dislodge the ball. However, a slashing penalty can be called on the lacrosse defender if they swing their stick at an opponent with vicious intent or reckless abandon.
But what constitutes vicious intent or reckless abandon? This is a grey area that even lacrosse referees occasionally have trouble defining. To help you better understand the rules regarding when you can hit someone with a stick in lacrosse, I will run through the explicit rules concerning defensive stick checks and provide some clear cut examples of what a fundamental defensive stick check looks like.
The Rules Concerning the Legality of Defensive Stick Checks in Lacrosse
Over the years, the lacrosse community has become more and more stringent with the rules surrounding defenders hitting opposing players with their lacrosse stick, otherwise known as defensive stick checks.
It is in the best interest of players, coaches, and fans to promote player safety above all else. For this reason, the lacrosse higher-ups have outlined explicit rules for referees to help them differentiate between a legal defensive check and an illegal slash.
Contact Must Be Limited to the Opponent’s Stick and Gloves
When people are first exposed to the game of lacrosse and see defenders whacking opposing ball carriers with their lacrosse stick, they mistakenly assume that defenders can rain down unlimited checks on the opposing team with no consequences. This is not the case.
Although forceful contact of the lacrosse stick is legal, this contact is primarily limited to the opponent’s stick and gloves.
This is because the purpose of a defensive stick check is to disrupt the stick handling ability of the opposing ball carrier, not to maim the other player. By attacking the opponent’s stick and gloves, defenders are still able to generate turnovers without risking severe harm to the other player.
However, there are certain exceptions to this rule. There are certain cases where the opposing ball carrier utilizes some part of their body (other than the head or neck) to protect their stick from the defender. Under these circumstances, a defender may accidentally strike the opposing ball carrier in some place other than the stick or gloves because of this protective maneuver.
This incidental contact is not deemed a penalty. The fault lies with the ball carrier for attempting to ward off the oncoming defensive stick check. Incidental contact with forearms and upper arm area is common in lacrosse since ball carriers will go to extreme lengths to protect the ball from defensive pressure.
This is the main contributing factor as to why many lacrosse newcomers are under the false impression that they can assail an opponent’s arms with stick checks with little to no regard for the other player’s safety. Recently, the lacrosse community has done a much better job of communicating these facts to incoming players.
No Stick Checks to the Head or Neck Area Under ANY Circumstances
The number one way to draw a flag for a slashing penalty is landing a forceful blow on the opponent’s head or neck area.
Referees are real sticklers about this particular aspect of defensive checks. Even though lacrosse players wear helmets, the lacrosse community wants to eliminate unnecessary head contact wherever possible.
It may seem like a given to avoid the head and neck area of the opponent, but you would be surprised at how easy it is for a defender to strike the opponent’s head or neck if they aren’t careful. Even the most experienced lacrosse defenders fall victim to negligence every so often.
The rate at which slashes to the head and neck area occur has dropped significantly in recent years as penalties have been more rigidly enforced.
It is worth noting that not all lacrosse stick contact with the head or neck area may warrant a penalty. In order for a slashing penalty to be called, the contact must be forceful and significant. If a defender lightly brushes their stick on an opponent’s helmet, a slashing penalty will not be issued.
Checks Performed with Malicious Intent or Reckless Abandon are Strictly Forbidden
A lacrosse defender can adhere to the previous guidelines of limiting their contact to the opponent’s stick and gloves and may still be called for a slashing penalty. How can this be?
It all has to do with the additional rules put in place regarding slashing. The NCAA Rulebook for men’s lacrosse said it best by outlining the illegal act of slashing with the following statement:
Slashing is defined as “swinging a crosse at an opponent’s crosse or body with deliberate viciousness or reckless abandon, regardless of whether the opponent’s crosse or body is struck.
”(source)
The key components here are deliberate viciousness and reckless abandon.
As far as deliberate viciousness, it is blatantly obvious when a defender strictly intends to maim the opponent and carries no real intention of dislodging the ball. Once a referee sees that a defender is simply trying to injure the ball carrier, they will issue a slashing penalty immediately. There is no room in the sport of lacrosse for these kinds of spiteful actions.
Reckless abandon
I have been a part of games where defenders pillaged opposing ball carriers with brutal stick checks play after play without any repercussions. On the other hand, I have also participated in games where it seemed like a defender couldn’t touch the opposing ball carrier with their lacrosse stick without warranting a penalty from the officials./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63160745/e1R5A3155.0.jpg)
Generally, a telltale sign of a brash, uncontrolled stick check is if the defender winds up their lacrosse stick like they are prepping for a baseball swing. As soon as a referee witnesses a defender torque their lacrosse stick back with full extension, they will throw the flag as soon as the check is thrown.
Another solid indicator of a reckless stick check is if a defender only uses one hand to wind up and strike the opponent’s crosse. At the collegiate level, this check is legal. But at the youth and high school level, this sort of check is frowned upon and typically warrants a slashing penalty from the referees.
Although the subjectivity of slashing calls can be a bit perplexing for defenders, it can be overcome. If you are a lacrosse defender yourself, I would recommend trying to get a feel for how the referees are calling the game prior to pushing the envelope of what’s legal versus illegal.
How Illegal Defensive Stick Checks are Penalized
Although there are plenty of rules in place to dissuade lacrosse players from performing illegal stick checks, they do still happen every so often.
These violations cannot go unpunished. For this reason, there is a fixed process by which referees go about penalizing players that violate the defensive stick checking rules.
As aforementioned,
The player responsible for the slashing penalty must sit in the penalty box for an allotted time before they are able to step back onto the field again. The specific amount of time they have to sit out for is determined by the referee.
A player may have to sit out for 1 minute, 2 minutes, or 3 minutes depending on the severity of the penalty.
In addition, the penalty may be deemed releasable or non-releasable. With a releasable penalty, the player that committed the foul can be released from the penalty box if the opposing team scores.
The majority of slashes are one minute releasable penalties. However, there are cases where a defender may have been extremely reckless or vicious with their defensive check. Under these circumstances, it is not uncommon for a player to be issued a two minute or three minute unreleasable penalty.
It is important to note that the lacrosse stick does not need to make contact with the opponent for a slashing penalty to be called. This phenomenon is much more prevalent at the youth level where both coaches and officials are trying to instill good habits into young players.
For example, if a youth player swings their lacrosse stick at another player like a baseball bat, they may receive a slashing penalty even if they completely whiff.
Examples of What a Fundamental Defensive Stick Check Looks Like
To really get a glimpse of how to conduct a proper defensive stick check, I provided some film on Chris Sabia.
Chris Sabia was an All-American defender at Penn State for the 2019 D1 Men’s Lacrosse Season. His on ball defense is a marvel to witness. The stick checks he throws are precise and under control, yet they still carry a significant amount of force to strip the ball carrier of possession. Click the video below to see for yourself!
Note how Sabia always keeps constant pressure on the exposed bottom hand of the ball carrier every time they decide to press the issue and attack the cage. Rather than trying to go for the home run check, Sabia always maintains solid defensive positioning and picks his spots on when to time his stick checks.
When the opposing ball carrier has a momentary lapse of stick protection, Sabia jumps on the opportunity. If the situation does not call for a stick check, Sabia stays disciplined and relies on his defensive footwork to keep the ball carrier at bay.
Example of What a Slashing Penalty Looks Like
The video shown below is a blatant example of a slashing penalty. The defender checks the helmet of the opponent and makes no contact whatsoever with the opponent’s crosse.
This video below is yet another example of a slash. This time, the defender winds up and contacts the knee of the defender without checking any part of the opponent’s crosse.
10. Akil Thomas’s winning goal in the final
Let’s start with the most unpleasant moment for all Russian fans – the winning goal of Akil Thomas in the final. Of course, this is the main goal of the entire tournament and the main goal in the career of Thomas himself. True, he came out a little blurry: a series of shortcomings of field players and Miftakhov, who played at the wrong time with a stick.
Goal from 6:06
9.Decisive mistake of Justus Annunen in the match for 3rd place
Next, let’s go through the curiosities: in 9th place is the winning goal of the Swedes in the match for 3rd place. I think this is the main goalkeeper fail of the tournament. Justus Annunen had a good championship, but, alas, he will be remembered for this very mistake.
Moment from 3:00
8. Alexander Khovanov’s goal in a group match with Canada
Further, no less funny, but still not so offensive goal – we are talking about the first goal of the Russian national team in a group match with Canada.Khovanov’s simple throw turned into a good three meters rebound from the Canadian goalkeeper’s pancake, and the puck went down just behind the goal line. Just like in a circus.
Goal from 0:10
7. Barrett Hayton’s goal in the final
In seventh position, the best shot of the tournament, in our opinion, is the goal of Canadians captain Barrett Hayton in the final. After this puck, the score became 3-3, and what happened next – you yourself know. But Hayton should be given credit: just look at this shot!
Goal from 5:26
6.Ivan Morozov’s winning goal in the semifinals with Sweden
The sixth line is behind our Ivan Morozov and his winning goal in the semifinal overtime with Sweden. Our striker jumped out of the shift as if already loaded on a goal – look how insistently he demanded to give him the puck. And he was right! A steep pass and a great shot that took us to the final.
Goal from 7:52
5. US goal against Czech Republic
Place number five behind the tough puck against the Czechs.Of course, this goal was made by the best Stars and Stripes player in this tournament – Trevor Zegras. He did not score a single goal, but he gave 9 assists – and among them is such a “candy”.
Goal from 5:28
4. Tennis goal from Swiss Gillian Köhler
Fourth place behind Switzerland striker Jillian Köhler and his coolest goal against the Swedes. The Swiss of course lost outright that match, but Kohler’s goal is a real masterpiece. Just watch how he hit the puck – just like a tennis racket!
Goal from 5:20
3.Save Hugo Alnefelt in the match with the Finns
And the entire podium for the Swedish national team. “Bronze” goes to the goalkeeper of “tre krunur” Hugo Alnefelt and his unreal rescue in the match with the Finns. It’s incomprehensible how Lassie Thomson managed not to score, but the scorpion save performed by Alnefelt is also luxurious.
Save from 2:50
2. Save Ugo Alnefelt in the match with Russia
“Silver” still belongs to the same Ugo Alnefelt and his save in the match against the Russian national team.We played the majority perfectly, and Kirill Marchenko had only to get into an empty net, but the Swedish goalkeeper managed to repulse this throw with his stick. Wow!
Save from 5:10
1. Niels Höglander’s lacrosse goal
And the first – of course the same goal by Niels Höglander. Perhaps in terms of execution, this is the most technical lacrosse goal that I have ever seen. Höglander did it at a decent speed, and he lifted the puck onto the hook with the help of pressure.Forgive me Andrei Svechnikov, but Höglander’s goal this season is unrivaled. Enjoy.
Goal from 1:40
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