What are the basic rules of lacrosse. How is the game played. What equipment is needed for lacrosse. How does scoring work in lacrosse. What are the key differences between men’s and women’s lacrosse.
The Fundamentals of Lacrosse: Understanding the Game’s Objective
Lacrosse, a sport with deep roots in Native American culture, has evolved into a popular competitive game across North America and beyond. At its core, the objective of lacrosse is straightforward: score more points than the opposing team within a set time frame. Points are earned by successfully shooting a lacrosse ball into the opponent’s goal without committing penalties or entering the restricted area known as the crease.
Teams are divided into offensive and defensive units, each with distinct roles. The offense works to create scoring opportunities, while the defense aims to thwart these attempts and protect their own goal. This dynamic creates a fast-paced, strategic game that requires skill, teamwork, and quick thinking.
Key Elements of Lacrosse Gameplay
- Scoring: Goals are worth one point in most leagues
- Field Play: The ball is primarily handled using lacrosse sticks
- Physical Contact: Regulated checking is allowed, with specific rules varying between men’s and women’s games
- Time: Games are typically divided into quarters
- Player Positions: Include attackers, midfielders, defenders, and a goalie
Essential Rules and Regulations in Lacrosse
To maintain fair play and ensure player safety, lacrosse adheres to a set of fundamental rules. These regulations govern various aspects of the game, from scoring to player conduct on the field.
Scoring in Lacrosse
How does a goal count in lacrosse? A goal is considered valid when the ball completely crosses the goal line after being shot from a player’s lacrosse stick. However, the shooting player must not enter the crease area in front of the goal, and the ball must not touch the goalie before entering the goal.
Checking and Physical Contact
Checking is a crucial defensive technique in lacrosse, but it comes with strict guidelines. Players may use their sticks or bodies to push or impede opponents, but they must avoid striking with the stick or using excessive force. All checks must be directed below the opponent’s shoulders to prevent injury.
Player Numbers and Positions
In men’s lacrosse, each team fields ten players: three attackers, three midfielders, three defenders, and one goalie. Women’s lacrosse features twelve players per side, with an additional attacker and defender.
Out of Bounds and Possession Rules
When the ball exits the field of play, it’s considered out of bounds. The team that last touched the ball loses possession, except in cases where the ball goes out following a shot. In such instances, possession is awarded to the team closest to where the ball crossed the endline.
The Lacrosse Field: Layout and Dimensions
Understanding the lacrosse field’s layout is crucial for players and spectators alike. The field’s design influences gameplay strategies and impacts the flow of the match.
Men’s Lacrosse Field Specifications
What are the dimensions of a standard men’s lacrosse field? A regulation men’s lacrosse field measures 110 yards in length and 60 yards in width. The playing surface is typically grass or artificial turf, with goals positioned 15 yards from each end line.
Field Zones and Their Significance
The lacrosse field is divided into three primary zones:
- Midfield: The central area where face-offs occur and transition play unfolds
- Defensive Box: The area surrounding each team’s goal, where defenders concentrate their efforts
- Attacking Box: The zone where offensive players orchestrate their scoring attempts
These divisions create natural boundaries that influence player positioning and strategic decision-making throughout the game.
Essential Lacrosse Equipment: Gearing Up for the Game
Proper equipment is vital in lacrosse, not only for effective play but also for player safety. The gear required varies depending on the version of the game being played and the player’s position on the field.
Standard Equipment for Men’s Lacrosse
- Lacrosse Stick: The primary tool for handling the ball
- Helmet: Provides crucial head protection
- Gloves: Offer grip and protect hands from checks
- Elbow Pads: Shield elbows from impacts
- Chest Protector: Guards against body checks and errant shots
- Lacrosse Ball: The official game ball
Specialized Equipment by Position
How does equipment differ for various positions in lacrosse? Defenders often use longer sticks, known as poles, which provide an extended reach for checking and intercepting passes. Goalies wear additional protective gear, including throat guards and larger gloves, to defend against high-velocity shots.
Women’s Lacrosse Equipment Variations
Women’s lacrosse equipment differs significantly from men’s, reflecting the game’s unique rules and reduced physical contact. Key differences include:
- Goggles instead of full helmets
- Absence of body padding
- Shorter sticks with shallower pockets
Men’s Lacrosse: Exploring the Original Form of the Sport
Men’s lacrosse is often considered the original version of the sport, with roots tracing back to Native American traditions. This form of lacrosse is characterized by its physical nature and fast-paced gameplay.
Game Structure and Duration
How long does a men’s lacrosse game last? A standard men’s lacrosse game is divided into four quarters, each lasting 15 minutes. The game also features an 80-second shot clock, ensuring continuous action and preventing stalling tactics.
Physical Contact and Checking Rules
Men’s lacrosse allows for a higher degree of physical contact compared to the women’s game. Body checking is permitted, though it must be executed safely and within the rules. This aspect of the game requires players to be physically prepared and adds an element of intensity to matches.
Strategic Elements in Men’s Lacrosse
The combination of physical play, rapid transitions, and specialized positions creates a complex strategic environment in men’s lacrosse. Teams must balance offensive aggression with defensive solidity, often relying on fast breaks and creative play-making to gain advantages.
Women’s Lacrosse: A Distinct and Dynamic Version of the Game
While sharing many similarities with men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse has evolved into a unique sport with its own set of rules, equipment, and playing style. This version of the game emphasizes skill, speed, and finesse over physical contact.
Field Dimensions and Player Numbers
How does the women’s lacrosse field differ from men’s? Women’s lacrosse is played on a larger field, measuring 120 yards in length. Additionally, each team fields 12 players, including an extra attacker and defender compared to the men’s game.
Restrictions on Physical Contact
One of the most significant differences in women’s lacrosse is the limitation on physical contact. Body checking is prohibited, and stick checking is more strictly regulated. These rules promote a game focused on stick skills, positioning, and strategic movement.
Unique Aspects of Women’s Lacrosse
- No physical body checking
- Stick checking must be controlled and away from the head
- Players cannot block shots with their bodies
- Draw controls replace face-offs at the start of each half and after goals
These distinctive features create a game that requires precise stick work, quick decision-making, and teamwork to outmaneuver opponents and create scoring opportunities.
Scoring System and Strategies in Lacrosse
The scoring system in lacrosse is straightforward, but the strategies employed to achieve goals can be complex and varied. Understanding how points are awarded and the tactics used to score them is crucial for players and fans alike.
Point System in Lacrosse
In most lacrosse leagues, including college and high school, all goals are worth one point. However, professional leagues like the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) have introduced a two-point line, adding an extra layer of strategy to the game.
Scoring Techniques and Strategies
How do players typically score in lacrosse? Scoring in lacrosse often involves a combination of individual skill and team play. Common scoring techniques include:
- Quick-stick shots: Shooting immediately upon receiving a pass
- Dodge and shoot: Using agility to evade defenders before taking a shot
- Crease rolls: Attacking from behind the goal and rolling to the front for a shot
- Outside shots: Long-range attempts, often used when defenses are packed in tight
Offensive Formations and Plays
Teams employ various formations and set plays to create scoring opportunities. These may include:
- 1-4-1 Formation: One player behind the goal, four across the middle, and one up top
- Pick and Roll: Setting screens to free up shooters
- Fast Breaks: Quickly transitioning from defense to offense to catch the opposing team off-guard
The diversity of scoring strategies in lacrosse contributes to the sport’s excitement and unpredictability, making each game a unique tactical challenge.
Basic Rules of Lacrosse
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Lacrosse is a traditional Native American sport endemic to the Northeastern United States and eastern Canada. The game is a contact sport with the goal of scoring more points than the opposing side. What are the rules of lacrosse? Keep reading to find out.
Table of Contents
- The Objective
- Basic Rules
- The Field and Equipment
- Men’s Lacrosse
- Women’s Lacrosse
- Scoring
- FAQ
The Objective
The objective of lacrosse is to score more points than the opposing team in a set period of time. Points are scored when a player shoots a lacrosse ball into the opposing team’s goal without enacting any penalties or stepping into the area in front of the goal known as the crease. The goal of a team’s defense is to prevent the opposing team from scoring on the goal they are protecting, while the offensive component of a team actively tries to score.
Basic Rules
Below are the basic rules of lacrosse:
- Scoring: A goal is scored when the ball enters into the goal after being shot from a players lacrosse stick without entering the crease area or touching the goalie.
- Checking: Checking is the legal form of making contact with opposing players by using the lacrosse stick or body to push or move opposing players. The player may not strike others with the stick, or use unnecessary roughness when checking, and must stay below the opponent’s shoulders.
- Number of players: There are nine field players and a goalie per team.
- Out of bounds: When the ball leaves the field of play, it is considered out of bounds and possession is lost by the team who last touched the ball. When the ball goes out of bounds following a shot, possession is awarded to the closest team to where the ball crossed the endline.
- Goal crease: The crease is the area in front of the goal where only goalies and defenders are permitted to enter. Offense players cannot enter the crease.
- Handling the ball: The ball must be handled only by the player’s stick. Players are not permitted to use their hands.
The Field and Equipment
The basic dimensions of a men’s lacrosse field is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. The field is made of grass or turf, with goals in the center of the field placed 15 yards away from the end line. The field is divided into the midfield, defensive box, and attacking box. The basic equipment required for men’s lacrosse is a lacrosse stick, a helmet, gloves, elbow pads, chest pads, and a ball. Equipment varies between positions with some defenders possessing longer sticks called poles, and goalies wearing extra protective equipment. Men’s and women’s lacrosse equipment differs, with women’s lacrosse requiring goggles instead of a helmet and not using any protective padding.
Men’s Lacrosse
Men’s lacrosse is the original form of lacrosse and is played on the universal 110 by 60 yard field, with 10 players from each team on the field at a time. The men’s game of lacrosse is split into four quarters of 15 minutes, and has a 80 second shot clock. Men’s lacrosse equipment includes a helmet, a stick, gloves, and protective equipment. Men’s lacrosse is noted for a higher level of physical contact than women’s lacrosse.
Women’s Lacrosse
Women’s lacrosse is very similar to men’s lacrosse with a few key differences. Firstly, the women’s lacrosse field is longer than the men’s field, with a length of 120 yards. Women’s lacrosse games also have an additional attacker and defender per team, with 12 players on the field per team. Women’s lacrosse utilizes less protective gear and because of this there are more strict rules on checking than in the men’s version of the sport. In women’s lacrosse, body checking and shot blocking are illegal.
Scoring
Scoring in lacrosse is based on points, awarded for putting the ball into the opposing team’s goal. With the exception of professional lacrosse, all goals are worth one point. In the PLL, shots behind the two point line are worth two points. In order for a goal to count, the player who is shooting the ball must not enter the crease area in front of the goal. The team with more points at the end of regulation time is determined to be the winner of the game.
FAQ
What are the basic rules of lacrosse?
The basic rules of lacrosse are related to checking, scoring, and the number of players on the field. To score in lacrosse, the ball must enter the goal without the shooting player entering the crease. On defense, players use their sticks to check opponents in possession of the ball. The number of players on the field are 10 per side for men’s lacrosse and 12 per side for women’s lacrosse.
How do you play lacrosse?
Lacrosse is played by using a lacrosse stick to transport, pass, and shoot a ball into a goal on a designated lacrosse field. The game is played in four quarters, and the winner is determined by assessing who has more goals at the end of regulation time. Players cannot use their hands to move the ball, and are not permitted into the area around the goal called the crease when on offense. In order to defend, players are expected to make physical contact through checking.
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Pages Related to Basic Rules of Lacrosse
- What Is The Fogo Lacrosse Player Position?
- Lacrosse Boundary Rules
- Lacrosse Basic Rules For Kids
- Lacrosse Positions List
- Lacrosse Offenses
- Lacrosse Checking Rules
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Rules – Field Lacrosse – LUG Sports
GAME LENGTH | 50 minutes |
GAME BREAKDOWN | Warm up: 3 minutes 1st half: 22 minutes running time Halftime break: 3 minutes 2nd half: 22 minutes running time (Stop time for final 2 minutes of 2nd half) Overtime: There is no overtime during regular season – the game will end in a tie. For playoffs, a game cannot end in a tie and a winner will be determined in the following manner:
Timeouts: Each team is granted one (1) 30 second timeout per game. The game clock will stop for charged timeouts. Timeouts MUST be called by a player on the field. Unused timeouts do NOT carry over. Shot clock: No shot clock will be used. |
ON THE FIELD | 8 on 8 Field Lacrosse. 2 Attackers, 3 Midfield, 2 Defenders and 1 Goalie. |
HOME & AWAY BENCHES | Use your assigned bench or sideline area at all times as outlined in your team’s home or away designation. |
RINGERS / EXTRA PLAYERS DURING REGULAR SEASON | LUG Permits the use of extra players during the regular season in order to maintain a competitive level of play. All extras should be of similar skill level to the league they are playing. Teams should follow the How to Call up a player process when doing so. |
RINGERS / EXTRA PLAYERS DURING PLAYOFFS | Ringers / Substitute Players are NOT permitted in playoffs. If a team is deemed to have players that are not on their official roster during playoffs, the game will be considered default for the accused team. Teams can request an ID check of a player to confirm that player is on their opponent’s registered LUG roster. If a request is made, it must be done either before the game, during the game, or within 10 minutes after the game has ended. After this time, it is no longer valid. Punishment for using illegal players may include but is not limited to one or more of the following; suspension of the player(s), removal of any goals scored or assisted goals, forfeit of the game, suspension of the Captain of record, and turning over of the final game score. Ultimately, it is up to the league to make the final discretionary judgement call on how to rule it. |
JERSEY NUMBERS / STATS | Teams are given LUG jerseys for the season. All players must update their player number on their HockeyShift profile in order to receive stats for their games. Click here for information on how to update your jersey number. Every player must wear a readable number on their jersey at all times. Only one player per number per team. All player numbers must correspond with the scoresheet. Captains are ultimately responsible for ensuring that all game statistics are accurate, and must address LUG Management with any questions. |
HELMET AND CAGE | Proper fitting helmet with a full cage is required. |
WEATHER PROTOCOL | Games are played in the rain, snow or shine. Games will be suspended when there is reasonable threat of lightning. Further information on weather suspensions can be found in the LUG Weather Policy. |
CREASE VIOLATION | Attacking players are subject to crease violation if the player steps in or on the crease line. Defending players are permitted to step in or on the crease line. Goalies must clear the ball within 4 seconds of a shot. |
OUT OF BOUNDS | Possession changes when a player steps on the line or beyond or when the ball exits the playing field. The opposing team then takes possession nearest to the exit point for a quick restart. After a shot on goal, if the ball leaves boundary possession is awarded to the player closest to where the ball exits the field at the time it crosses the boundary. |
AFTER SCORING | After a goal is scored, the goalie will clear the ball out of the crease. Once the opposing players have moved beyond the touch line, the referee blows the whistle to re-start play. |
SUBSTITUTIONS | During the game, all substitutions are on the fly; players must step completely off of the field before a teammate enters the playing field. Changes must be made at half. |
OFFSIDES | Onside Rules are in effect – min. 2 players on offense and 3 on defense at all times. (Including goalie) |
FACE OFFS | 2 face offs, 1 at the beginning of each half. All players aside from the draw taker will stand beyond the restraining line and will be allowed to challenge once the whistle is blown. |
# OF PLAYERS | See the LUG Minimum Number of Players Required Policy. |
LONG POLES | Three (3) long poles maximum on the field. |
CHECKING | One handed check are allowed, but not if a slash. No body checking permitted. |
PENALTY TIME | 30 second technical foul or change of possesion. NOT 45 RUNNING 60 second personal foul. NOT 90 RUNNING Penalty time starts on the restart whistle. The timekeeper releases penalized players when their served time has expired. |
GAME FORFEITS/ DEFAULTS | We take forfeits very seriously at LUG. Registration is a commitment and we expect teams to play all of their scheduled games and be respectful of their opponent’s commitment and expectations. Failure to attend a scheduled game deprives other teams a portion of their season and is frustrating to everyone who traveled and took time from their personal schedules to be there. Refer to the Forfeits & Defaults policy for further information and applicable sanctions. |
DIVISIONAL STRUCTURE | Teams/Free Agents will be placed into divisions initially based upon their submitted registration, skill level, and position. League administration reserves the right to move a team (or player) to a higher or lower division based on; This rule is applicable at any time during the season. |
STANDINGS | Win = 2 points Tie/Shootout/OT Loss = 1 point Loss = 0 points |
TIE BREAKERS |
In the event more than two teams are tied, the above process is followed until one or more teams are removed and the process begins again with the remaining teams. This is followed until only one team is remaining. |
PAYMENT POLICY | LUG holds the right to take disciplinary action on teams that have not fulfilled the full balance of team fees 2 weeks after the first game is played. LUG Teams are expected to pay the full amount designated to each league regardless of rostered players. |
SKILL LEVEL – PLAYERS | Players are rated based on their experience in basketball as per the online registration guidelines: Women’s Division (Tiered into divisions after teams are formed) Based on these categories, each team by division should contain a majority of players (51% or more) at these individual skill levels. |
EXPECTATION AT ALL LUG EVENTS (GAME AND NON-GAME RELATED) | All participants are expected to live up to a standard Code of Conduct. The LUG Code of Conduct includes some basic rules for participating in the league and being present at games and LUG events. These common sense rules are extremely important and any violation or failure to follow these rules will result in player or team suspension and/or expulsion from LUG sports. |
FACILITY BEHAVIOR | All players/coaches/fans/LUG affiliates are expected to respect all facility rules.
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FAN BEHAVIOR | Team captains are responsible for the actions of their fans. Fans must stay behind the team bench in the bleachers and may not enter the court during the game, including halftime. Penalty: technical foul or forfeiture. |
DISCIPLINARY ACTION | LUG Sports reserves the right to impose disciplinary action against any player deemed to have broken the rules and regulations of the league including but not limited to suspension and expulsion with ZERO refund. |
SUSPENDED PLAYERS / TEAMS | No one is allowed to play on any team in the league while on suspension from another team. Captains are ultimately responsible for notifying their players of any suspensions. Suspension from the regular season will carry over to the playoffs and future seasons. Suspended players are not permitted on the Player’s bench. Any player knowingly participating in a League game while under suspension will automatically have their teams’ points removed for that game and the suspension length will be doubled (at minimum). If the Team Rep knowingly permits a suspended or ineligible Player to participate in a League game, the Team Rep and the team will face disciplinary action. |
SUSPENSIONS – GAME PLAY INFRACTIONS | Any penalty incurred that carries an automatic suspension cannot be appealed. LUG Management will work with the Game Officials to determine any suspensions administered from actions in game play. |
SUSPENSIONS – NON-GAME PLAY INFRACTIONS | Any infractions to the LUG Code of Conduct that occur away from the field of play will receive an automatic suspension with potential further action taken by LUG Management: Alcohol: All alcohol is prohibited from being brought into facilities. This includes change rooms, the parking lot, benches, stands, and any other not mentioned facility premises. Any alcohol seen on benches will result in an additional suspension due to the complete disregard for the rules. Player with Alcohol = 1 game suspension. 2nd infraction results in removal from league. Team with Alcohol – 1 game team suspension. 2nd infraction results in removal from league. Benches – 2 game team suspension. 2nd infraction results in removal from league. Vaping & Smoking: Smoking or vaping is prohibited inside facilities. Abusive Behaviour: LUG has a zero tolerance for any abuse or harassment towards or by any LUG participant, game official or spectator. All incidents should be reported to LUG Management by completing an Incident form. Submitted incidents will be assessed using the Discipline and Complaints Policy and a minimum of a two game suspension will be applied. Any player determined to have been involved in an act of racism or hate will be removed from the league. Facility Damage: Any team found to have damaged the facility in any way will receive an automatic 3 game suspension. If there is damage to the facility that you are made aware of, please take photos and complete a LUG Incident Form. Fan Behavior: All actions of the fans are attributed to the teams on the ice. Please ensure your guests behave and follow the above rules. Any incidents created by fans may result in a Fan Ban for your division. Teams found to have brought fans to the rink to party or drink will receive suspensions. |
FIGHTING FULL TIME PLAYER | Fighting is NOT permitted in LUG Lacrosse and carries the following automatic suspensions. These suspensions are not eligible for appeal. FIRST INFRACTION * Fighting offences will be reviewed and may result in subsequent suspensions or disciplinary actions. ** Any call up player that is assessed a fighting infraction will be ineligible for any further games in the season. SECOND INFRACTION |
FIGHTING CALL UP PLAYER NOT REGISTERED IN LEAGUE | Any call up player that is not a full time registered player with LUG in the current season will automatically be ineligible for all future games for the remainder of the season. |
BENCH BRAWLS | Any team involved in a bench brawl or line brawl will receive an automatic 1 game suspension. The situation will also be reviewed for further suspensions to individuals and the team above this. Both teams will receive a default for the game in which the brawl took place. |
APPEAL PROCESS | A Team Captain, on behalf of the suspended player, may appeal a suspension of three (3) games or more by filing a written submission to LUG Management and paying a $75 review fee. The appeal letter must be submitted to LUG Management within three (3) days of the suspension’s issue and the fee must be received before any appeal will be considered. A suspension appeal may only be made by the Team Captain. The letter must outline the basis for the appeal (eg Player’s penalty history, comparable suspension length for similar infraction, etc). Upon receipt of the appeal letter and review fee, the appeal will be reviewed by LUG Management. The following information may be considered relevant to any review: |
Innovation expert Louis Foreman on turning an idea into a profitable business
February 2023
Author: Katherine Jewell 900 14 , Information and Digital Content Dissemination Division, WIPO
Successful entrepreneur Louis Foreman, Founder and CEO of Enventys Partners, a U. S. integrated products developer and marketer, shares insightful tips on intellectual property (IP) and entrepreneurship. Over the past three decades, Foreman has created several successful startups. He owns over 10 US patents, and his firm is responsible for the development and commercialization of over 700 other patents. Foreman was recently inducted into the IP Hall of Fame.
“I am extremely passionate about IP and business and
believe it is very important to benefit others
so for the past 30 years I have been sharing my knowledge of IP and
entrepreneurship by teaching at various
universities,” stated Louis Foreman.
(Photo credit: Louis Foreman)
How did your entrepreneurial journey begin?
I made my first steps in business while at university, selling lacrosse equipment right in my room. I then switched to selling clothing as teams needing equipment also needed shirts, uniforms, hats, jackets and bags. By the time I graduated from college, I had built the 24th largest screen printing company in the US with about 300 employees and 80,000 square feet of manufacturing space.
What was your first exposure to intellectual property?
After I graduated from college, the popularity of the NASCAR racing series became more and more popular, and I opened a company that sells clothes with the official symbols of this series. In less than two years, the revenue of this enterprise has grown to 20 million dollars. This was my first exposure to IP in the form of trademarks and copyrights associated with sportswear. I then moved on to creating custom football shin guards designed to prevent injury; I patented them and almost every major football brand in the world started using them under license. Later, I founded Enventys, a full-service product development and marketing agency. I am extremely passionate about IP and business and I believe it is very important to benefit others, so for the past 30 years I have been sharing my knowledge of IP and entrepreneurship by teaching at various universities, which gives me a great sense of satisfaction.
What does Enventys do?
We handle all aspects of product development and launch. Our staff of approximately 80 includes industrial designers, mechanical, electrical and medical engineers, as well as brand and marketing specialists, all working under one roof. To date, we have commercialized nearly 3,000 consumer products and medical devices and have helped our clients raise hundreds of millions of dollars of capital to grow their companies.
We work with both small and large companies to help them bring their products to market. There are various options for cooperation. Clients can come with a problem and ask for our help in solving it, or come with an idea and ask us to turn it into a product, or with an existing product and ask us to improve it. Our business model ensures accountability at every stage of product development and time to market. Customers can pay us for the effort put into developing a product, or we can take over the full life cycle of a product and tie our compensation to the commercial success of that product.
What are the main challenges in turning an idea into a profitable business?
It’s easy to come up with something, but the market rewards the performance, not the idea. At some point, you must turn your idea into a product or service. You can do it yourself, or you can license the IP to someone else. The value of your idea is revealed in its implementation.
“Before you invest time and money in an idea, you need to determine whether it is feasible,” says Louis Foreman. (Photo: mapodile / E+ / Getty Images)
What are the first steps that aspiring entrepreneurs need to think about?
Before you invest time and money in an idea, you need to determine whether it is feasible. Sometimes entrepreneurs and inventors get so carried away with their idea that they forget to think about where to get the capital needed to develop it. It is at this stage that they fail. Before you start realizing your idea and founding a business, you need to answer five questions.
- What is your product and what makes it unique? In other words, why would someone want to buy your product or service?
- Who is your ideal client? This will allow you to quantify the size of your market.
- Is there a demand for your product? Talk to your customers, find out if they need your product and how much they are willing to pay for it.
- How much money do you need? Don’t take the path of entrepreneurship until you know how much capital you need to build a successful business.
Many businesses are having difficulty raising the finance they need to grow. What is it connected with?
When people say they’re having a hard time finding money for their startup, it usually means they’re not good enough at explaining to investors how they can get their investment back (ROI). To attract investment, you need to clearly describe why someone should invest in your business and what will be available in return. It’s a matter of communication and a matter of trust. Raising capital is a promise of profit, and it is important to have successful past experience as confirmation. It’s hard, but there’s always someone willing to support a great idea.
Crowdfunding is a good way to get confirmation from market participants and proof that there is demand for the product, which means it can attract investors, but this is not enough to run a business, says Louis Foreman. (Photo: metamorworks / iStock / Getty Images Plus)
Can crowdfunding be a way to start a business?
Crowdfunding is a good way to get confirmation from market participants and proof that there is demand for the product, which means it can attract investors. Typically, before launching a product, you do market research and ask people if they are ready to buy your product. However, these testimonials usually do not translate into actual sales. With crowdfunding, the buyer purchases your product even before its production, which allows you to predict the likelihood of its success when introduced into commercial circulation and attract investors.
Crowdfunding is a good way to get confirmation from market participants and proof that there is demand for the product, which means it can attract investors.
Although this is a way to raise seed money, using the crowdfunding model alone is not enough to run a business. With a crowdfunding campaign, you are pre-selling your product, so you are obligated to use the funds raised to manufacture and deliver it. The resulting small profit will not be enough to maintain the company’s activities.
Should businesses be able to use their IP assets as collateral to raise capital?
Yes, small businesses would welcome the possibility of attracting financing against IP. This can greatly contribute to business growth. Large companies with established brands and experience in generating revenue from their IP can take the more difficult route and approach a bank or investor groups using their IP. They can use the IP as an asset and borrow money knowing that it has value. Currently, this method is not available for startups and small businesses.
Small businesses would welcome the possibility of attracting financing against IP. This can greatly contribute to the growth of ‘s business.
Why is IP so important to the long-term success of companies?
IP is our incentive to innovate. When you look at the risks involved in starting a company and bringing a new product to market, you need to be able to prevent others from copying what you’ve created. Without IP, the formula by which entrepreneurs determine ROI changes to the point where there is no reason to invest. IP is the underlying asset that we use to build a company, to invest our own time and capital in building a business, hiring employees, launching new products and services. Without this incentive, the authorities would have to subsidize inventive activity, and the government is not a great innovator.
What are the common IP mistakes companies make?
It is a big mistake to destroy the novelty of an invention before you apply for protection. Many entrepreneurs and inventors do not understand what IP is, they simply cannot know what they do not know. They create a prototype and offer it for sale. Then, a few years later, after raising capital, they try to patent their idea, only to find that it is no longer patentable. Or they rush to get a patent without doing a prior art search and spend a lot of money to file a patent on something that already exists. Today, patent information is readily available, and finding out if someone else has had your idea before is pretty easy.
What is the key to achieving a greater understanding of IP?
The key to filling the IP knowledge gap is education. Today, most universities offer courses in entrepreneurship, but few of them include an in-depth study of IP. We need to introduce the subject of IP into the curricula of high schools and middle schools, because IP is incredibly important and affects so many activities. IP is extremely important to society, but many have a misconception about it. We must raise awareness about IP and encourage people to learn more about it.
The key to filling the IP knowledge gap is education .
We also need to change society’s attitude towards failure. Nobody likes to fail, but that’s part of inventing. Take a look at the example of James Dyson, the inventor of the bagless vacuum cleaner, he developed 5,127 prototypes, but were they all failures? No, because each prototype showed that this or that innovation was better or worse than the previous one. If you are not willing to fail in the process of creating an invention, you will never develop a revolutionary technology. Great innovators view failure as a learning experience.
If you are not willing to fail in the process of creating an invention, you will never develop a revolutionary technology. Great innovators view failure as a learning experience .
What is your advice on developing an IP strategy?
Think about IP before you decide to start your own company. Surround yourself with people who already have relevant experience. Build a team that complements the skills you already have. If you are a visionary inventor, focus on the invention and let others protect it. If you’re a great salesperson but not great at product development, find people who can do it for you.
What changes do you see in the innovation landscape?
Today, innovation is happening faster than at any time in the history of the world. Technology is getting better, which in turn leads to more and more new technologies. We as consumers have an insatiable demand for something new and better, and this is what fuels the current trend.
How can IP offices make life easier for SMEs?
There are always ways to improve the customer experience. I served on the USPTO Patent Advisory Committee for seven years, during which time the office was able to simplify the direct interaction of examiners with applicants. This has fundamentally changed the situation, because most inventors do not understand how the procedure for obtaining a patent works, and do not realize how useful the patent system can be to them. They do not understand that the search for prior art is intended to help applicants amend claims in order to obtain protection. Obtaining a patent is a procedure; you just need to understand its rules. This will reduce the chance of failure because you will know exactly how to proceed. We need to clarify the role of the patent office. The activity of the patent office is aimed at encouraging innovation, the office is interested in you obtaining patents, and it is ready to provide all the necessary support in this.
We need to clarify the role of the patent office. The Patent Office is committed to encouraging innovation, it is interested in you obtaining patents, and it is ready to provide all the necessary support in this .
Are you optimistic about the future?
Yes, I am optimistic about the future. Materials science, 5G technologies – all this will allow creating many more devices within the framework of the Internet of Things (IoT) concept, since the data processing speed will be higher, and the chips will be much cheaper. Everything we do will be connected and more efficient. There are so many new technologies that will be commercialized due to the technological innovations being created.
What advice would you like to give young people ?
Look at everything you do in life and ask yourself why you do it the way you do it. Once you understand that there is a better way for something, this is the first step to finding it.
Louis Foreman’s Eight Essential Tips
- The value of your idea is revealed in its execution.
- Before investing time and money in an idea, determine if it is feasible. Answer the following questions: what makes your product unique? Who is your ideal client? Is there a demand for your product? How much money do you need? Where can funding come from?
- To attract investment, you need to clearly describe why someone should invest in your business and what will be available in return.
- For an entrepreneur, IP is an incentive to innovate. Without IP, the formula by which entrepreneurs determine ROI changes to the point where there is no reason to invest.
- Today, patent information is readily available, and finding out if someone else has had your idea before is pretty easy.
- Think about IP before you decide to start your own company. Surround yourself with people who already have relevant experience
Sports for children: team or individual
Team or individual – which sport for children should you choose in your case? What to be guided by? What are the pros and cons of these categories? Is it generally correct to build on just such a division of sports disciplines when choosing? This is what we are going to talk seriously about now.
Before considering each of the categories, we will make only one reservation: this article is about team sports. In other words, we will not compare, for example, football with athletics: this is rather pointless.
Contents (click to collapse)
- Team sports
- What are the advantages of team sports
- But of course there are some disadvantages:
- Individual sports
- Combination
- The choice is up to the child
Team sports
Team sports are those games in which several athletes achieve results together. Most team sports are team sports, and the most popular in the world also belong to this category.
There are a lot of examples: football, hockey, basketball, volleyball, and so on – up to relative exotics like handball or water polo, and ending with sports that are practically unfamiliar to Russians, but popular abroad (for example, lacrosse or baseball).
What are the advantages of team sports
- Team sports involve a lot of communication with peers. For a child, this is a great way to find new friends who share his hobbies.
- Children in the process of training and performances learn to work in a team, to achieve results together. An understanding of the principles of successful interaction between people, mutual assistance, delimitation of personal and public interests is being formed.
- There is a chance to instill strong leadership qualities in a child if he shows a tendency to lead.
- As already mentioned, team games are the most popular sports: children willingly start playing them.
But, of course, there are some disadvantages:
- Less, in comparison with individual sports, the dependence of the result on the personal athletic qualities and efforts of your child. Both the team and the coach determine a lot. It’s not always good.
- As a result of the above, there is less sense of personal success and vague criteria for such, especially at the beginning of the sports path. Team sports for children are not always motivating enough, especially if the child does not play a prominent role in the team (for example, a striker or goalkeeper).
- Relations within a team are not always good, and this can negatively affect your child’s sports life. And for life outside of sports, too.
- The popularity of team sports sometimes plays a cruel joke: faced with a hard training routine instead of what he saw on TV, a child can quickly lose motivation.
Team sport for children can be recommended in some cases. For example, if there are not enough children around your child who share his interests. Or when you see leadership inclinations in a child: there is no better way to develop such qualities.
Individual sports
As you might guess, in individual sports they compete alone, as a rule, one on one. There are not as many individual sports games as there are team games. Perhaps the only truly widely popular among them is tennis, as well as similar sports (squash, table tennis, badminton).
The main advantages of individual sports are as follows:
- The ability to rely on oneself and achieve results on one’s own is developed.
- Direct confrontation with an opponent has a great effect on the child’s volitional qualities.
- In individual sports, there are transparent criteria for progress, it is easy to compare yourself with other athletes by results, to determine benchmarks and achievement levels.
- Sports achievements (ranks, titles, awards) in individual sports are informally valued much higher than in team sports.
Let’s list the main shortcomings of individual sports:
- Without a team, it is often more difficult for children to motivate themselves to systematic training: doing “for themselves” reduces the degree of responsibility. Although there are a number of organizational techniques to avoid this effect.
- Due to the competitive spirit within the sports section, friendships may not develop. Peer support may be absent or weakened, as a result of which only a coach can help in overcoming difficulties.
- It often turns out to be more difficult to “join” an individual sports game, the first steps will be more difficult than in team sports.
Individual games can be recommended for those children who have a strong personal ambition. They are suitable for disciplines in which the result depends only on them, and success is also not shared with anyone.
Find out more about online sports insurance.
Combination
Of course, some sports involve the possibility of both team and individual play – and this should also be taken into account when choosing. The clearest example here is, of course, tennis and similar games: they are played both one-on-one and in pairs.
But this is not the only example. Let’s say there are unofficial (at least for now) versions of basketball that are individual games. By the way, formally, such a peculiar discipline as chess can be attributed to both team and individual sports.
The choice is up to the child
As you can see, the recommendations “who is more suitable for this or that look” are rather vague. Yes, and with pluses and minuses, everything is not easy: the same factors, in relation to team and individual sports, can be considered in different ways. Why is this happening?
Because, in fact, the question of whether a child should play a team sport or an individual sport is by no means the most important one. When choosing a section for your children, a very large number of factors should be taken into account (including, not least, their hobbies and wishes). Playing in a team or on your own is far from a defining issue, among all others.
And most importantly, no one bothers you and your child to try different options.