A contact sport is any sport where physical contact between competitors, or their environment, is an integral part of the game. For example, gridiron football . Contact may come about as the result of intentional or incidental actions by the players in the course of play. This is in contrast to noncontact sports where players often have no opportunity to make contact with each other and the laws of the game may expressly forbid contact. In contact sports some forms of contact are encouraged as a critical aspect of the game such as tackling , while others are incidental such as when shielding the ball or contesting an aerial challenge. As the types of contact between players is not equal between all sports they define the types of contact that is deemed acceptable and fall within the laws of the game, while outlawing other types of physical contact that might be considered expressly dangerous or risky such as a high tackle or spear tackle , or against the spirit of the game such as striking below the belt or other unsportsmanlike conduct . Where there is a limit as to how much contact is acceptable most sports have a mechanism to call a foul by the referee, umpire or similar official when an offence is deemed to have occurred.
133-466: Lacrosse is a contact team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball . It is the oldest organized sport in North America , with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively modified by European colonists , reducing the violence, to create its current collegiate and professional form. Players use the head of
266-623: A World Championship bi-annually. Soft stick lacrosse is a popular way to introduce youth to the sport. It can be played outdoors or indoors and has a developed curriculum for physical education classes. Lacrosse has historically been played for the most part in Canada and the United States , with small but dedicated lacrosse communities in the United Kingdom and Australia . Recently, however, lacrosse has begun to flourish at
399-499: A lacrosse stick . A short stick measures between 40 and 42 inches (100 and 110 cm) long and is used by attackmen and midfielders. A maximum of four players on the field per team may carry a long stick which is between 52 and 72 inches (130 and 180 cm) long and is used by the three defensemen and sometimes one defensive midfielder. The goalie uses a stick with a head as wide as 12 inches (30 cm) that can be between 40 and 72 inches (100 and 180 cm) long. The field of play
532-455: A protective cup to protect their genitalia. There has been an increasing medical, academic, and media focus on sports involving rapid contact in the late 20th to early 21st century and their relationship with sports injuries. Several sports' governing bodies began changing their rules in order to decrease the incidence of serious injuries and avoid lawsuits. In some countries, new laws have been passed, particularly in regard to concussions. At
665-724: A Canadian dentist, founded the Montreal Lacrosse Club . In 1860, Beers codified the game, shortening the length of each game and reducing the number of players to 12 per team. The first game played under Beers's rules was at Upper Canada College in 1867; they lost to the Toronto Cricket Club by a score of 3–1. The new sport proved to be very popular and spread across the English-speaking world; by 1900 there were dozens of men's clubs in Canada,
798-535: A backboard, which stand 50 cm (20 in) from the ground. The backboard runs the full 3.66 m (12.0 ft) width of the goal, while the sideboards are 1.2 m (3 ft 11 in) deep. Historically the game developed on natural grass turf. In the early 1970s, synthetic grass fields began to be used for hockey, with the first Olympic Games on this surface being held at Montreal in 1976 . Synthetic pitches are now mandatory for all international tournaments and for most national competitions. While hockey
931-501: A ball. Researchers disagree over how to interpret this image. It could have been a team or one-on-one activity (the depiction shows two active players, and other figures who may be team-mates awaiting a face-off, or non-players waiting for their turn at play). Billiards historians Stein and Rubino believe it was among the games ancestral to lawn-and-field games like hockey and ground billiards , and near-identical depictions appear in later European illuminated manuscripts and other works of
1064-399: A defender comes between the player with possession and the ball in order to prevent them tackling; when a defender's stick comes between the attacker's stick and the ball or makes contact with the attacker's stick or body; and also when blocking the opposition's attempt to tackle a teammate with the ball (called third party obstruction ). When the ball passes completely over the sidelines (on
1197-459: A defender out of the way. Field players may not play the ball with their feet, but if the ball accidentally hits the feet, and the player gains no benefit from the contact, then the contact is not penalised. Although there has been a change in the wording of this rule from 1 January 2007, the current FIH umpires' briefing instructs umpires not to change the way they interpret this rule. Obstruction typically occurs in three circumstances – when
1330-705: A five-minute major penalty is given. Box lacrosse is played at the highest level in the National Lacrosse League and by the Senior A divisions of the Canadian Lacrosse Association . The National Lacrosse League (NLL) employs some minor rule changes from the Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) rules. Notably, the goals are 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) wide instead of 4 feet (1.2 m) and
1463-443: A flag from a belt worn by the opponent or outlawing specific actions entirely such as in walking football . Current medical terminology in the United States uses the term contact sport and collision sport to refer to sports like rugby , American football , professional wrestling , ice hockey , lacrosse and roller derby . The term limited-contact sport is used to refer to sports such as soccer , baseball and handball , and
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#17327728821111596-404: A free hit. (In previous versions of the rules, hits in the area outside the circle in open play have been permitted but lifting one direction from a free hit was prohibited). Opponents must move 5 m (5.5 yd) from the ball when a free hit is awarded. A free hit must be taken from within playing distance of the place of the offence for which it was awarded and the ball must be stationary when
1729-441: A game being played in 1757 by Mohawk people "wherein now they used a wooden ball, about 3 inches (7.6 cm) in diameter, and the instrument they moved it with was a strong staff about 5 feet (1.5 m) long, with a hoop net on the end of it, large enough to contain the ball." English-speaking people from Montreal noticed Mohawk people playing the game and started playing themselves in the 1830s. In 1856, William George Beers ,
1862-474: A goal is scored by the opposing team during the duration of the penalty. Non-releasable penalties do not allow this and the player must serve the entire duration. In conjunction with the offsides rule, the opponent may play with six attackers versus the penalized team's five defenders and goalie. The team that has taken the penalty is said to be playing man down , while the other team is man up . Teams will use various lacrosse strategies to attack and defend while
1995-425: A hybrid variety which require less watering. This is due to the negative ecological effects of the high water requirements of water-based synthetic fields. It has also been stated that the decision to make artificial surfaces mandatory greatly favoured more affluent countries who could afford these new pitches. The game is played between two teams of eleven; 10 field players and one goal keeper are permitted to be on
2128-507: A kind of symbolic warfare, or to give thanks to the Creator or Master. Lacrosse played a significant role in the community and religious life of tribes across the continent for many years. Early lacrosse was characterized by deep spiritual involvement, befitting the spirit of combat in which it was undertaken. Those who took part did so in the role of warriors , with the goal of bringing glory and honour to themselves and their tribes. The game
2261-451: A long distance When the ball is outside the circle they are defending, goalkeepers or players with goalkeeping privileges are only permitted to play the ball with their stick. Further, a goalkeeper, or player with goalkeeping privileges who is wearing a helmet, must not take part in the match outside the 23m area they are defending, except when taking a penalty stroke. A goalkeeper must wear protective headgear at all times, except when taking
2394-405: A manner which is dangerous to other players by taking advantage of the protective equipment they wear. Neither goalkeepers or players with goalkeeping privileges may lie on the ball, however, they are permitted to use arms, hands and any other part of their body to push the ball away. Lying on the ball deliberately will result in a penalty stroke, whereas if an umpire deems a goalkeeper has lain on
2527-644: A particular local variant), was regularly played in France and southern Britain between villages or parishes. Throughout the Middle Ages to the Early Modern era , such games often involved the local clergy or secular aristocracy , and in some periods were limited to them by various anti-gaming edicts, or even banned altogether. Stein and Rubino, among others, ultimately trace aspects of these games both to rituals in antiquity involving orbs and sceptres (on
2660-457: A penalty stroke. For the purposes of the rules, all players on the team in possession of the ball are attackers, and those on the team without the ball are defenders, yet throughout the game being played you are always "defending" your goal and "attacking" the opposite goal. The match is officiated by two field umpires . Traditionally each umpire generally controls half of the field, divided roughly diagonally. These umpires are often assisted by
2793-422: A player can exit the field, but you must wait until after the penalty corner is complete. Play is not stopped for a substitution (except of a goalkeeper), the players leave and rejoin the match simultaneously at the half-way line. Players are permitted to play the ball with the flat of the 'face side' and with the edges of the head and handle of the field hockey stick with the exception that, for reasons of safety,
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#17327728821112926-547: A player from the other team taking a free shot against the goalie. If you are an attacker trying to shoot the ball into the goal, you are not supposed to take a shot while a defender is in "shooting space". To make sure that you, the defender, are being safe, you want to lead with your lacrosse stick and once you are a sticks-length away, you can be in front of her. Lacrosse sixes is a variant of lacrosse played outdoors with six players on each side. The game follows similar rules to traditional field lacrosse, with modifications and
3059-426: A player is being penalized. There are two classes of rule violations that result in penalties: technical fouls and personal fouls. Technical fouls, such as offsides, pushing, and holding, result in either a loss of possession or a 30-second penalty, depending on which team has the ball. Personal fouls, such as cross-checking, illegal body checking, or slashing, concern actions that endanger player safety. Cross-checking
3192-570: A shorter game time. It was created in 2021 by World Lacrosse in a bid to achieve lacrosse's participation in the Olympic Games , and will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 edition in Los Angeles. Lacrosse sixes has similar rules for men and women but preserves some differences, such as the amount of contact allowed. The major rule differences as compared to traditional field lacrosse are as follows: Intercrosse, or soft stick lacrosse,
3325-633: A shot on goal within 30 seconds of gaining possession of the ball. Box lacrosse is also a much more physical game. Since cross checking is legal in box lacrosse, players wear rib pads and the shoulder and elbow pads are bigger and stronger than what field lacrosse players wear. Box lacrosse players wear a hockey helmet with a box lacrosse cage. There is no offsides in box lacrosse, the players substitute freely from their bench areas as in hockey. However, most players specialize in offense or defense, so usually all five runners substitute for teammates as their team transitions between offense and defense. For penalties,
3458-751: A softer ball. The modern sport is governed by World Lacrosse and is the only international sport organization to recognize First Nations bands and Native American tribes as sovereign nations. The organization hosts the World Lacrosse Championship for men, the Women's Lacrosse World Cup , the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship for box lacrosse, and the Under-19 World Lacrosse Championships for both men and women. Each
3591-429: A technical bench including a timekeeper and record keeper. Prior to the start of the game, a coin is tossed and the winning captain can choose a starting end or whether to start with the ball. Since 2017 the game consists of four periods of 15 minutes with a 2-minute break after every period, and a 15-minute intermission at half time before changing ends. At the start of each period, as well as after goals are scored, play
3724-433: A very dynamic style of play, it is difficult to simplify positions to the static formations which are common in association football . Although positions will typically be categorised as either fullback, halfback, midfield/inner or striker, it is important for players to have an understanding of every position on the field. For example, it is not uncommon to see a halfback overlap and end up in either attacking position, with
3857-407: Is 110 by 60 yards (101 by 55 m). The goals are 6 by 6 ft (1.8 by 1.8 m) and are 80 yd (73 m) apart. Each goal sits inside a circular "crease", measuring 18 ft (5.5 m) in diameter. The goalie has special privileges within the crease to avoid opponents' stick checks. Offensive players or their sticks may not enter into the crease at any time. The mid-field line separates
3990-462: Is a team sport structured in standard hockey format, in which each team plays with 11 players in total, made up of 10 field players and a goalkeeper. Teams must move a hockey ball around a field by hitting it with a hockey stick towards the rival team's shooting circle and then into the goal . The match is won by the team that scores the most goals. Matches are played on grass, watered turf, artificial turf , or indoor boarded surface. The stick
4123-401: Is a non-contact form of lacrosse with a standardized set of rules using modified lacrosse equipment. An intercrosse stick is different from a normal lacrosse stick, the head is made completely of plastic instead of leather or nylon pockets in traditional lacrosse sticks. The ball is larger, softer and hollow, unlike a lacrosse ball, which is solid rubber. Intercrosse as a competitive adult sport
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4256-410: Is also awarded for offences committed by the attacking side within 15 m of the end of the pitch they are attacking. Set plays are often utilised for specific situations such as a penalty corner or free hit. For instance, many teams have penalty corner variations that they can use to beat the defensive team. The coach may have plays that sends the ball between two defenders and lets the player attack
4389-590: Is also responsible for organizing the Hockey Rules Board and developing the sport's rules . The sport is known simply as hockey in countries where it is the more common form of hockey. The term field hockey is used primarily in Canada and the United States, where hockey more often refers to ice hockey . In Sweden and Finland, the term landhockey and maahockey respectively are used, translating to "ground" hockey in opposition to
4522-494: Is awarded against the team that touched it last. The exception is when the ball is shot towards the goal. Missed shots that go out of bounds are awarded to the team that has the player who is the closest to the ball when and where the ball goes out. During play, teams may substitute players in and out if they leave and enter the field through the substitution area, sometimes referred to as "on the fly". After penalties and goals, players may freely substitute and do not have to go through
4655-473: Is based on modern translations of the proclamation, which was originally in Latin and explicitly forbade the games "Pilam Manualem, Pedivam, & Bacularem: & ad Canibucam & Gallorum Pugnam". The word baculum is the Latin for ' stick ' , so the reference would appear to be to a game played with sticks. The English historian and biographer John Strype did not use the word hockey when he translated
4788-405: Is called a box, in contrast to the open playing field of the traditional game. This version of the game was introduced in Canada in the 1930s to promote business for hockey arenas outside of the ice hockey season. Within several years it had nearly supplanted field lacrosse in Canada. The goals in box lacrosse are smaller than field lacrosse, traditionally 4 ft (1.2 m) wide and tall. Also,
4921-502: Is considered third party and the ball automatically goes to the team who only had one player involved in the third party. A match ordinarily consists of two periods of 35 minutes and a halftime interval of 5 minutes. Other periods and interval may be agreed by both teams except as specified in regulations for particular competitions. Since 2014, some international games have four 15-minute quarters with 2 minutes break between each quarter and 5 minutes break between quarter two and three. At
5054-553: Is held every four years. Lacrosse at the Summer Olympics has been contested at two editions of the Summer Olympic Games , 1904 and 1908 . It will be contested at the 2028 Olympic Games in the lacrosse sixes format. It was also held as a demonstration event at the 1928 , 1932 , and 1948 Summer Olympics. Lacrosse is based on games played by various Native American communities as early as 1100 AD. By
5187-476: Is infrequent or inadvertent. A full contact sport is primarily any combat sport that allows the competitor to attempt to knock-out or otherwise defeat their opponent by physically incapacitating them. Examples of this would include most professional martial arts such as Mixed Martial Arts , Boxing and some forms of Karate and Taekwondo . Defeating an opponent generally takes place using in isolation or combination actions such as striking and grappling depending on
5320-406: Is made of wood, carbon fibre , fibreglass and carbon, or a combination of carbon fibre and fibreglass in different quantities. The stick has two sides; one rounded and one flat; only the flat face of the stick is allowed to progress the ball. During play, goalkeepers are the only players allowed to touch the ball with any part of their body. A player's hand is considered part of the stick if holding
5453-425: Is not permitted to gain control and continue dribbling. The rules do not allow the person who kicked the ball to gain advantage from the kick, so the ball will automatically be passed on to the opposing team. Conversely, if no advantage is gained from kicking the ball, play should continue. Players may not obstruct another's chance of hitting the ball in any way. No shoving/using your body/stick to prevent advancement in
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5586-420: Is now more commonly referred to as the "forehand sweep" where the ball is hit with the flat side or "natural" side of the stick and not the rounded edge. Other rules include; no foot-to-ball contact, no use of hands, no obstructing other players, no high back swing, no hacking, and no third party. If a player is dribbling the ball and either loses control and kicks the ball or another player interferes that player
5719-649: Is now played globally. The governing body is the International Hockey Federation (FIH), called the Fédération Internationale de Hockey in French. Men and women are represented internationally in competitions including the Olympic Games , World Cup , FIH Pro League , Junior World Cup and in past also World League , Champions Trophy . Many countries run extensive junior, senior, and masters club competitions. The FIH
5852-438: Is offsides and either loses possession of the ball if they have it or incurs a technical foul if they do not. The regulation playing time of a game is 60 minutes, divided into four periods of 15 minutes each. Play is started at the beginning of each quarter and after each goal with a face-off . During a face-off, two players lay their sticks on the ground parallel to the mid-line, the two heads of their sticks on opposite sides of
5985-427: Is permitted in the women's game, but only in certain levels of play and within strict rules. Women's lacrosse also does not allow players to have a pocket, or loose net, on the lacrosse stick. Women start the game with a "draw" instead of a face-off. The two players stand up and the ball is placed between their stick heads while their sticks are horizontal at waist-height. At the whistle, the players lift their sticks into
6118-407: Is played outdoors and does not allow body contact but does allow stick to stick contact. The only protective gear required for women players is eyegear, while goalies wear helmets and protective pads. Lacrosse sixes is played by both men and women on a smaller field, and is the most common version at multi-sport events . Intercrosse is a mixed-gender non-contact sport that uses an all-plastic stick and
6251-620: Is popular in Quebec, Canada, as well as in many European countries, particularly in the Czech Republic. Generally, teams consist of five players per side, and the field size is 20 m (66 ft) wide and 40 m (130 ft) long. Goals for adults are the same size as box lacrosse , 4 ft or 1.2 m in height and width. The international governing body, the Fédération Internationale d'Inter-Crosse, hosts
6384-400: Is started with a pass from the centre of the field. All players must start in their defensive half (apart from the player making the pass), but the ball may be played in any direction along the floor. Each team starts with the ball in one half, and the team that conceded the goal has possession for the restart. Teams trade sides at halftime. Field players may only play the ball with the face of
6517-476: Is still played on traditional grass fields at some local levels and lesser national divisions, it has been replaced by synthetic surfaces almost everywhere in the western world. There are three main types of artificial hockey surface: Since the 1970s, sand-based pitches have been favoured as they dramatically speed up the game. However, in recent years there has been a massive increase in the number of "water-based" artificial turfs. Water-based synthetic turfs enable
6650-485: Is when a player strikes another player with the shaft of the stick between his hands. A slash is when a player strikes another player with the end of the stick anywhere besides the gloves. These fouls draw 1-minute or longer penalties; the offending player must leave the field. Box lacrosse is played by teams of five runners plus a goalie on an ice hockey rink where the ice has been removed or covered by artificial turf, or in an indoor soccer field. The enclosed playing area
6783-520: The 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia , but they were not successful. An obstacle for lacrosse to return to the Olympics has been insufficient international participation. To be considered for the Olympics, a sport had to be played on four continents and by at least 75 countries. Lacrosse is played on all six continents, but as of August 2019 when Ghana joined, there are only 63 countries playing
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#17327728821116916-644: The 2022 World Games in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. Collegiate lacrosse in the United States is played at the NCAA , NAIA and club levels. There are currently 71 NCAA Division I men's lacrosse teams, 93 Division II teams, and 236 Division III teams. Thirty-two schools participate at the NAIA level. 184 men's club teams compete in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association , including most universities and colleges outside
7049-551: The Beighton Cup and the Aga Khan tournament commenced within ten years. Entering the Olympics in 1928, India won all five games without conceding a goal, and won from 1932 until 1956 and then in 1964 and 1980. Pakistan won Olympics gold in men's hockey in 1960, 1968 and 1984. In fact, all but three of Pakistan's 11 Olympics medals so far have been in field hockey, including three gold, three silver and two bronze medals. In
7182-504: The Irish Hockey Association reported that the gender split among its players was approximately 65% female and 35% male. In its 2008 census, Hockey Australia reported 40,534 male club players and 41,542 female. Most hockey field dimensions were originally fixed using whole numbers of imperial measures . Metric measurements are now the official dimensions as laid down by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) in
7315-699: The Onondaga Nation included 13 teams. Canada has dominated the competition, winning all five gold medals and never losing a game. The Iroquois Nationals are the men's national team representing the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy in international field lacrosse competition. The team was admitted to the FIL in 1987. It is the only First Nations team sanctioned for international competition in any sport. The Nationals placed fourth in
7448-490: The Rules of Hockey . The pitch is a 91.4 m × 55 m (100.0 yd × 60.1 yd) rectangular field. At each end is a goal 2.14 m (7 ft) high and 3.66 m (12 ft) wide, as well as lines across the field 22.90 m (25 yd) from each end-line (generally referred to as the 23-metre lines or the 25-yard lines) and in the center of the field. A spot 0.15 m (6 in) in diameter, called
7581-415: The World Lacrosse Championship for men's field, the Women's Lacrosse World Championship for women's, the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship for box lacrosse, as well as the Men's Under-20 World Lacrosse Championships and Women's Under-20 World Lacrosse Championships . Each is held every four years. The World Lacrosse Championship (WLC) began in 1968 as a four-team invitational tournament sponsored by
7714-414: The goaltender wears much more protective padding, including a massive chest protector and armguard combination known as "uppers", large shin guards known as leg pads (both of which must follow strict measurement guidelines), and ice hockey-style goalie masks. The style of the game is quick, accelerated by the close confines of the floor and a shot clock . The shot clock requires the attacking team to take
7847-606: The 11 titles, with Australia winning the other two. Canada and England have always finished in the top five. The 2017 tournament was held in England and featured 25 countries. The first World Indoor Lacrosse Championship (WILC) was held in 2003 and contested by six nations at four sites in Ontario . Canada won the championship by beating the Iroquois Nationals 21–4 in the final. The 2007 championship hosted by
7980-458: The 14th through 17th centuries, showing contemporary courtly and clerical life. In East Asia , a similar game was entertained, using a carved wooden stick and ball, prior to 300 BC. In Inner Mongolia , China , the Daur people have for about 1,000 years been playing beikou , a game with some similarities to field hockey. A similar field hockey or ground billiards variant, called suigan ,
8113-412: The 17th century, a version of lacrosse was well-established and was documented by Jesuit missionary priests in the territory of present-day Canada . In the traditional aboriginal Canadian version, each team consisted of about 100 to 1,000 men on a field several miles/kilometers long. These games lasted from sunup to sundown for two to three days straight and were played as part of ceremonial ritual,
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#17327728821118246-527: The 1928 and 1932 Olympics. The 1948 games featured an exhibition by an "All-England" team organized by the English Lacrosse Union and the collegiate lacrosse team from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute representing the United States. This exhibition match ended in a 5–5 tie. Efforts were made to include lacrosse as an exhibition sport at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia , and
8379-557: The 1998, 2002 and 2006 World Lacrosse Championships and third in 2014. The indoor team won the silver medal in all four World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. In 2008, the Iroquois women's team was admitted to the FIL as the Haudenosaunee Nationals . They placed 7th at the 2013 Women's Lacrosse World Cup . Field lacrosse was a medal sport in the 1904 and the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1904, three teams competed in
8512-570: The 2018 Commonwealth Games, held on the Gold Coast in Brisbane , the hockey games for both men and women were played in four 15-minute quarters. In December 2018, the FIH announced rule changes that would make 15-minute quarters universal from January 2019. England Hockey confirmed that while no changes would be made to the domestic game mid-season, the new rules would be implemented at the start of
8645-667: The 2019–20 season. However, in July 2019 England Hockey announced that 17.5-minute quarters would only be implemented in elite domestic club games. The game begins with a pass back from the centre-forward usually to the centre-half back from the halfway line. The opposing team cannot try to tackle this play until the ball has been pushed back. The team consists of eleven players, usually aligned as follows: goalkeeper, right fullback, left fullback, three half-backs and five forwards who are right wing, right inner, centre forward, left inner and left wing. These positions can change and adapt throughout
8778-423: The 8-meter fan, and the draw circle in the center of the field, which is used for draws to start quarters and after goals. The goal circle is also positioned slightly closer to the end line in women's lacrosse compared to men's. In women's lacrosse on either the offensive or defensive end, the players besides the goaltender are not able to step inside the goal circle; this becomes a "goal-circle violation". However, at
8911-454: The AAP have further defined contact sports as containing some element of intentional collision between players. They define such collision sports as being where: "athletes purposely hit or collide with each other or with inanimate objects (including the ground) with great force", while in limited-contact sports such impacts are often "infrequent and inadvertent". While contact sports are considered
9044-567: The AAP. The AAP notes Martial arts can be subclassified as judo, jujitsu, karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do; some forms are contact sports and others are limited-contact sports. As defined by the AAP. As a result of the risk of injury, some sports require the use of protective equipment , for example American football protective equipment or the gloves and helmets needed for underwater hockey . Some sports are also played on soft ground and have padding on physical obstacles, such as goal posts . Most contact sports require any male players to wear
9177-714: The East Coast, specifically the Mid-Atlantic in states such as New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. In recent years, it has become increasingly played on the West Coast and in the Midwest. In other countries, participation is fairly evenly balanced between men and women. For example, in the 2008–09 season, England Hockey reported 2,488 registered men's teams, 1,969 women's teams, 1,042 boys' teams, 966 girls' teams and 274 mixed teams. In 2006,
9310-480: The International Federation of Women's Hockey Association (IFWHA) in 1927, though this did not include many continental European countries where women played as sections of men's associations and were affiliated to the FIH. The IFWHA held conferences every three years, and tournaments associated with these were the primary IFWHA competitions. These tournaments were non-competitive until 1975. By
9443-541: The International Lacrosse Federation. Until 1990, only the United States, Canada, England, and Australia had entered. With the expansion of the game internationally, the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship was contested by 38 countries. The WLC has been dominated by the United States. Team USA has won 11 of the 14 titles, with Canada winning the other three. The Women's Lacrosse World Cup (WLWC) began in 1982. The United States has won 9 of
9576-676: The Netherlands, and Germany have dominated at the Olympics and World Cup stages. Women's field hockey was first played at British universities and schools. The first club, the Molesey Ladies, was founded in 1887. The first national association was the Irish Ladies Hockey Union in 1894, and though rebuffed by the Hockey Association, women's field hockey grew rapidly around the world. This led to
9709-520: The Olympic games from 1980 where, as in the men's game, the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia have been consistently strong. Argentina has emerged as a team to be reckoned with since 2000, winning the world championship in 2002 and 2010 and medals at the last three Olympics. In the United States, field hockey is played predominantly by girls and women. There are few field hockey clubs, most play taking place between high school or college sides. The sport
9842-527: The US and all other countries, who play by the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) rules. Women's lacrosse does not allow physical contact, the only protective equipment worn is a mouth guard and eye-guard. In the early part of the 21st century, there have been discussions of requiring headgear to prevent concussions. In 2008, Florida was the first state to mandate headgear in women's lacrosse. Stick checking
9975-467: The United States where hockey more often refers to ice hockey . In Sweden, the term landhockey is used, and to some degree in Norway , where the game is governed by Norges Bandyforbund . The first known club was formed in 1849 at Blackheath in south-east London , but the modern rules grew out of a version played by Middlesex cricket clubs as a winter activity. Teddington Hockey Club formed
10108-564: The United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand. The women's game was introduced by Louisa Lumsden in Scotland in 1890. The first women's club in the United States was started by Rosabelle Sinclair at Bryn Mawr School in 1926. In the United States, lacrosse during the late 1800s and first half of the 1900s was primarily a regional sport centered around the Mid-Atlantic states , especially New York and Maryland . However, in
10241-472: The air, trying to control where the ball goes. The first modern women's lacrosse game was held at St Leonards School in Scotland in 1890. It was introduced by the school's headmistress Louisa Lumsden after a visit to Quebec , where she saw it played. The first women's lacrosse team in the United States was established at Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland in 1926. Both the number of players and
10374-559: The ancient Greeks, Romans and Aztecs all played hockey-like games. In Ancient Egypt , there is a depiction of two figures playing with sticks and ball in the Beni Hasan tomb of Khety, an administrator of Dynasty XI . In Ancient Greece , there is a similar image dated c. 510 BC , which may have been called Κερητίζειν ( kerētízein ) because it was played with a horn ( κέρας , kéras in Ancient Greek ) and
10507-698: The aristocratic and clerical side), and to ancient military training exercises (on the popular side); polo (essentially hockey on horseback) was devised by the Ancient Persians for cavalry training, based on the local proto-hockey foot game of the region. The word hockey itself has no clear origin. One belief is that it was recorded in 1363 when Edward III of England issued the proclamation: "Moreover we ordain that you prohibit under penalty of imprisonment all and sundry from such stone, wood and iron throwing; handball, football, or hockey; coursing and cock-fighting, or other such idle games". The belief
10640-509: The athletes from injury. Examples of semi-contact sports include karate , kalaripayattu , Kenpo , various Korean martial arts that incorporate contact rules sparring, kendo , some types of historical European martial arts , fencing and taekwondo . As defined by the AAP, and also considered collision sports. The AAP notes Martial arts can be subclassified as judo, jujitsu, karate, kung fu, and tae kwon do; some forms are contact sports and others are limited-contact sports. As defined by
10773-403: The ball accidentally (e.g. it gets stuck in their protective equipment), a penalty corner is awarded. * The action above is permitted only as part of a goal saving action or to move the ball away from the possibility of a goal scoring action by opponents. It does not permit a goalkeeper or player with goalkeeping privileges to propel the ball forcefully with arms, hands or body so that it travels
10906-478: The ball and to use their stick, feet, kickers, leg guards or any other part of their body to stop the ball or deflect it in any direction including over the back line. Similarly, field players are permitted to use their stick. They are not allowed to use their feet and legs to propel the ball, stop the ball or deflect it in any direction including over the back line. However, neither goalkeepers, or players with goalkeeping privileges are permitted to conduct themselves in
11039-402: The ball may not be struck 'hard' with a forehand edge stroke, because of the difficulty of controlling the height and direction of the ball from that stroke. The flat side is always on the "natural" side for a right-handed person swinging the stick at the ball from right to left. Left-handed sticks are rare, as International Hockey Federation rules forbid their use in a game. To make a strike at
11172-433: The ball to be transferred more quickly than on sand-based surfaces. It is this characteristic that has made them the surface of choice for international and national league competitions. Water-based surfaces are also less abrasive than sand-based surfaces and reduce the level of injury to players when they come into contact with the surface. Following the 2018 FIH Congress it was decided that new surfaces being laid should be of
11305-431: The ball with a left-to-right swing the player must present the flat of the 'face' of the stick to the ball by 'reversing' the stick head, i.e. by turning the handle through approximately 180° (while a reverse edge hit would turn the stick head through approximately 90° from the position of an upright forehand stroke with the 'face' of the stick head). Edge hitting of the ball underwent a two-year "experimental period", twice
11438-416: The ball. At the whistle, the face-off-men scrap for the ball, often by "clamping" it under their stick and flicking it out to their teammates. When one of the teams has possession of the ball, they bring it into their offensive zone and try to score a goal. Due to the offsides rule, settled play involves six offensive players versus six defensive players and a goalie. If the ball goes out of bounds, possession
11571-617: The best college lacrosse team each year. The NCAA began sponsoring a men's lacrosse championship in 1971, when Cornell took the first title over Maryland , 12–6. Syracuse has 10 Division I titles, Johns Hopkins 9, and Princeton 6. The NCAA national championship weekend tournament draws over 80,000 fans. Contact sport Contact sports are categorised by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) into three main categories: contact, limited-contact and noncontact. In attempting to define relative risk for competitors in sports
11704-491: The concept of full contact, semi-contact and noncontact (or other definitions) for both training and competitive sparring. Some categories of contact may or may not be combined with other methods of scoring, but full contact is generally considered to include the potential for victory by knockout or submission depending on the form of combat. An example of this is full contact karate and taekwondo where competitors are allowed to attempt to knock out an opponent through strikes to
11837-440: The course of the game depending on the attacking and defensive style of the opposition. When hockey positions are discussed, notions of fluidity are very common. Each team can be fielded with a maximum of 11 players and will typically arrange themselves into forwards, midfielders, and defensive players (fullbacks) with players frequently moving between these lines with the flow of play. Each team may also play with: As hockey has
11970-451: The early 1970s, artificial turf began to be used. Synthetic pitches changed most aspects of field hockey, gaining speed. New tactics and techniques such as the Indian dribble developed, followed by new rules to take account. The switch to synthetic surfaces ended Indian and Pakistani domination because artificial turf was too expensive in developing countries . Since the 1970s, Australia,
12103-460: The early 1970s, there were 22 associations with women's sections in the FIH and 36 associations in the IFWHA. Discussions started about a common rule book. The FIH introduced competitive tournaments in 1974, forcing the acceptance of the principle of competitive field hockey by the IFWHA in 1973. It took until 1982 for the two bodies to merge, but this allowed the introduction of women's field hockey to
12236-441: The field into an offensive and defensive zone for each team. Each team must keep four players in its defensive zone and three players in its offensive zone at all times. It does not matter which positional players satisfy the requirement, although usually the three attackmen stay in the offensive zone, the three defensemen and the goalie stay in the defensive zone, and the three middies play in both zones. A team that violates this rule
12369-428: The free hit is taken. As mentioned above, a 15 m hit is awarded if an attacking player commits a foul forward of that line, or if the ball passes over the back line off an attacker. These free hits are taken in-line with where the foul was committed (taking a line parallel with the sideline between where the offence was committed, or the ball went out of play). When an attacking free hit is awarded within 5 m of
12502-501: The games are played during the winter. The NLL games consist of four fifteen-minute quarters compared with three periods of twenty minutes each in CLA games. NLL players may only use sticks with hollow shafts, while CLA permits solid wooden sticks. The rules of women's lacrosse differ significantly from men's lacrosse, most notably by equipment and the degree of allowable physical contact. Women's lacrosse rules also differ significantly between
12635-586: The games held in St. Louis . Two Canadian teams, the Winnipeg Shamrocks and a team of Mohawk people from the Iroquois Confederacy , plus the local St. Louis Amateur Athletic Association team representing the United States participated. The Winnipeg Shamrocks captured the gold medal. The 1908 games held in London , England, featured only two teams, representing Canada and Great Britain. The Canadians again won
12768-477: The games of hurling ( Ireland ) and knattleikr ( Iceland ), both team ball games involving sticks to drive a ball to the opponents' goal, date at least as far back as the Early Middle Ages . By the 12th century, a team ball game called la soule or choule , akin to a chaotic and sometimes long-distance version of hockey or rugby football (depending on whether sticks were used in
12901-497: The gold medal in a single championship match by a score of 14–10. In the 1928 , 1932 , and the 1948 Summer Olympics, lacrosse was a demonstration sport . The 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam featured three teams: the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. The 1932 games in Los Angeles featured a three-game exhibition between a Canadian all-star team and the United States. The United States was represented by Johns Hopkins in both
13034-702: The head or otherwise bringing the opponent to the floor. Full contact rules differentiate from other forms of the same sports that may otherwise restrict blows to the head and the use of elbows or knees. Such full contact sports may be defined as combat sports and require a of change equipment, alter or omit rules, and are generally differentiated from contact sports by their explicit intent of defeating an opponent in physical combat. Some contact sports have limited-contact or noncontact variations (such as flag football for American football ) which attempt to replace tackling and other forms of contact with alternative methods of interacting with an opponent, such as removing
13167-628: The international level, with teams being established around the world, particularly in Europe and East Asia. In August 2008, the men's international governing body, the International Lacrosse Federation, merged with the women's, the International Federation of Women's Lacrosse Associations, to form the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL). The FIL changed its name to World Lacrosse in May 2019. There are currently 62 member nations of World Lacrosse. World Lacrosse sponsors five world championship tournaments:
13300-444: The lacrosse stick to carry, pass, catch, and shoot the ball into the goal. The sport has five versions that have different sticks, fields, rules and equipment: field lacrosse , women's lacrosse , box lacrosse , lacrosse sixes and intercrosse . The men's games, field lacrosse (outdoor) and box lacrosse (indoor), are contact sports and all players wear protective gear: helmet , gloves , shoulder pads, and elbow pads. The women's game
13433-509: The last half of the 20th century, the sport spread outside this region, and can be currently found in most of the United States. According to a survey conducted by US Lacrosse in 2016, there are over 825,000 lacrosse participants nationwide and lacrosse is the fastest-growing team sport among NFHS member schools. Field lacrosse is the men's outdoor version of the sport. There are ten players on each team: three attackmen, three midfielders , three defensemen, and one goalie . Each player carries
13566-440: The lines on the field differ from men's lacrosse. There are 12 players in women's lacrosse and players must abide by certain boundaries that do not exist in men's play. The three specific boundaries are the 8-meter (26 ft 3 in) "fan" in front of the goal (11 m [36 ft 1 in] internationally), the 12-meter (39 ft 4 in) (8 m [26 ft 3 in] internationally) half circle that surrounds
13699-494: The midfield and strikers being responsible for re-adjusting to fill the space they left. Movement between lines like this is particularly common across all positions. This fluid Australian culture of hockey has been responsible for developing an international trend towards players occupying spaces on the field, not having assigned positions. Although they may have particular spaces on the field which they are more comfortable and effective as players, they are responsible for occupying
13832-574: The modern game by introducing the striking circle and changing the ball to a sphere from a rubber cube. The Hockey Association was founded in 1876. It lasted just six years, before being revived by nine founding members. The first international competition took place in 1895 (Ireland 3, Wales 0), and the International Rules Board was founded in 1900. Field hockey was played at the Summer Olympics in 1908 and 1920. It
13965-579: The more standard ice hockey variant. A popular variant is indoor field hockey , which differs in a number of respects while embodying the primary principles of hockey. According to the International Hockey Federation (FIH), "the roots of hockey are buried deep in antiquity". There are historical records which suggest early forms of hockey were played in Egypt and Persia c. 2000 BC , and in Ethiopia c. 1000 BC . Later evidence suggest that
14098-497: The most high risk for injury, in some sports being a major feature (such as boxing or other martial arts), limited-contact and noncontact sports are not without risk as injury or contact may come about as a result of a fall or collision with the playing area, or a piece of sporting equipment , such as being struck by a hockey stick or football or even a piece of protective wear worn by a teammate or opposition player. Some definitions of contact sports, particularly martial arts, have
14231-547: The northeastern United States. The National College Lacrosse League and Great Lakes Lacrosse League are two other lower-division club leagues. In Canada, 14 teams from Ontario and Quebec play field lacrosse in the fall in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association . The first U. S. intercollegiate men's lacrosse game was played on November 22, 1877, between New York University and Manhattan College . An organizing body for
14364-443: The offending player is sent to the penalty box and his team has to play without him, or man-down , for the length of the penalty. Most fouls are minor penalties and last for two minutes, major penalties for serious offenses last five minutes. What separates box lacrosse (and ice hockey) from other sports is that at the top levels of professional and junior lacrosse, participating in a fight does not automatically cause an ejection, but
14497-418: The opposing team's goal. There are no set plays unless your team has them. Free hits are awarded when offences are committed outside the scoring circles (the term 'free hit' is standard usage but the ball need not be hit). The ball may be hit, pushed or lifted in any direction by the team offended against. The ball can be lifted from a free hit but not by hitting, the ball must be flicked or scooped to lift from
14630-432: The other team. Penalty for this is the opposing team receives the ball and if the problem continues, the player can be carded. While a player is taking a free hit or starting a corner the back swing of their hit cannot be too high for this is considered dangerous. Finally there may not be three players touching the ball at one time. Two players from opposing teams can battle for the ball, however if another player interferes it
14763-546: The penalty spot or stroke mark, is placed with its centre 6.40 m (7 yd) from the centre of each goal. The shooting circle is 15 m (16 yd) from the base line. Field hockey goals are made of two upright posts, joined at the top by a horizontal crossbar, with a net positioned to catch the ball when it passes through the goalposts. The goalposts and crossbar must be white and rectangular in shape, and should be 2 in (51 mm) wide and 2–3 in (51–76 mm) deep. Field hockey goals also include sideboards and
14896-405: The pitch at any one time. The remaining players may be substituted in any combination. There is an unlimited number of times a team can sub in and out. Substitutions are permitted at any point in the game, apart from between the award and end of a penalty corner; two exceptions to this rule is for injury or suspension of the defending goalkeeper, which is not allowed when playing with a field keep, or
15029-421: The proclamation in 1720, and the word hockey remains of unknown origin. The modern game developed at public schools in 19th century England. It is now played globally, particularly in parts of Western Europe, South Asia, Southern Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, and parts of the United States, primarily New England and the mid-Atlantic states. The term field hockey is used primarily in Canada and
15162-671: The professional level, America's professional football league, the National Football League , implemented The Concussion Protocol in 2011, banning concussed players from re-entering the same game in which they were injured in order to reduce the risk of further injury and damage. In Canada in 2018, Rowan's Law was passed after the death of a young Canadian female athlete. Rowan Stringer died in 2013 of second-impact syndrome , "...the result of suffering multiple concussions playing rugby three times in six days." Field hockey Field hockey (or simply hockey )
15295-629: The program for the 2028 Summer Olympics . On October 16, 2023, lacrosse received approval from the International Olympic Committee for inclusion in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles . The European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) was established in 1995 and held the first European Lacrosse Championships that year. Originally an annual event, it is now held every four years, in between FIL's men's and women's championships. In 2004, 12 men's and 6 women's teams played in
15428-444: The rules of the sport. Full-contact martial arts include: A semi-contact sport is typically a combat sport involving striking and containing physical contact between the combatants simulating full-power techniques. The techniques are restricted to limited power, and rendering the opponent unconscious is forbidden. Some semi-contact sports use a point system to determine the winner and use extensive protective gear to protect
15561-422: The sideline is still in), it is returned to play with a sideline hit, taken by a member of the team whose players were not the last to touch the ball before crossing the sideline. The ball must be placed on the sideline, with the hit taken from as near the place the ball went out of play as possible. If it crosses the back line after last touched by an attacker, a 15 m (16 yd) hit is awarded. A 15 m hit
15694-424: The space nearest them. This fluid approach to hockey and player movement has made it easy for teams to transition between formations such as: "3 at the back" , "5 midfields" , "2 at the front" , and more. When the ball is inside the circle, they are defending and they have their stick in their hand, goalkeepers wearing full protective equipment are permitted to use their stick, feet, kickers or leg guards to propel
15827-616: The sport, the U. S. National Lacrosse Association, was founded in 1879 and the first intercollegiate lacrosse tournament was held in 1881, with Harvard beating Princeton 3–0 in the championship game. Annual post-season championships were awarded by a variety of early lacrosse associations through the 1930s. From 1936 to 1972, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association awarded the Wingate Memorial Trophy to
15960-582: The sport. However, nowadays numeric criteria about widely practiced sports have been abolished. The International Olympic Committee granted provisional status to World Lacrosse in 2018. In August 2022, it was announced that nine sports had made the shortlist to be included in the games, among them lacrosse, with presentations expected to be made later that month. In October 2023, the LA28 Organizing Committee announced that it had recommended lacrosse as one of five sports that may be added to
16093-439: The stick. If the back side of the stick is used, it is a penalty and the other team will get the ball back. Tackling is permitted as long as the tackler does not make contact with the attacker or the other person's stick before playing the ball (contact after the tackle may also be penalised if the tackle was made from a position where contact was inevitable). Further, the player with the ball may not deliberately use his body to push
16226-415: The stick. If the ball is "played" with the rounded part of the stick (i.e., deliberately stopped or hit), it will result in a penalty (accidental touches are not an offence if they do not materially affect play). Goalkeepers often have a different design of stick; they also cannot play the ball with the round side of their stick. The modern game was developed at public schools in 19th-century England and it
16359-437: The substitution area. Penalties are awarded for rule violations and result in the offending team losing possession (loss of possession) or temporarily losing a player (time serving). During time serving penalties, the penalized team plays with one fewer player for the duration of the penalty. Time serving penalties are either releasable or non-releasable. When serving a releasable penalty, the offending player may re-enter play if
16492-678: The term noncontact sport to sports like badminton , running and swimming . The American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement was revised in 2008 to include the following definition: In collision sports (e.g. boxing , ice hockey, American football, lacrosse, and rodeo ), athletes purposely hit or collide with each other or with inanimate objects (including the ground) with great force. In contact sports (e.g. basketball), athletes routinely make contact with each other or with inanimate objects but usually with less force than in collision sports. In limited-contact sports (e.g. softball and squash), contact with other athletes or with inanimate objects
16625-447: The tournament, making it the largest international lacrosse event of the year. The last men's tournament was in 2016 , when 24 countries participated. England won its ninth gold medal out of the ten tournaments played. 2015 was the last women's tournament, when 17 teams participated in the Czech Republic. England won its sixth gold medal, with Wales earning silver and Scotland bronze. These three countries from Great Britain have dominated
16758-478: The usual length of an "experimental trial" and is still a matter of some controversy within the game. Ric Charlesworth, the former Australian coach, has been a strong critic of the unrestricted use of the reverse edge hit. The 'hard' forehand edge hit was banned after similar concerns were expressed about the ability of players to direct the ball accurately, but the reverse edge hit does appear to be more predictable and controllable than its counterpart. This type of hit
16891-542: The women's championships, earning all but three medals since the tournament began in 1996. There are currently 29 members of the ELF, they make up the majority of nations in the FIL. The Asia Pacific Lacrosse Union was founded in 2004 by Australia, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. It currently has 12 members and holds the Asia Pacific Championship for both men's and women's teams every two years. Lacrosse
17024-447: The women's collegiate level, a new rule has been established that allows defenders to pass through the goal circle. The 8-meter fan that is in front of the goal circle has a few restrictions in it. Defenders cannot stand inside the 8-meter fan longer than 3 seconds without being a stick-length away from the offensive player they are guarding. This is very similar to the three-second rule in basketball. A three seconds violation results in
17157-664: Was dropped in 1924, leading to the foundation of the Fédération Internationale de Hockey sur Gazon (FIH) as an international governing body by seven continental European nations; and hockey was reinstated as an Olympic game in 1928. Men's hockey united under the FIH in 1970. The two oldest trophies are the Irish Senior Cup , which dates back to 1894, and the Irish Junior Cup , a second XI-only competition instituted in 1895. In India,
17290-411: Was largely introduced in the U.S. by Constance Applebee , starting with a tour of Seven Sisters colleges in 1901 and continuing through Applebee's 24-year tenure as athletic director of Bryn Mawr College . The strength of college field hockey reflects the impact of Title IX , which mandated that colleges should fund men's and women's games programmes comparably. Hockey has been predominantly played on
17423-809: Was played in China during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644, post-dating the Mongol-led Yuan dynasty ). A game similar to field hockey was played in the 17th century in Punjab state in India under name khido khundi ( khido refers to the woolen ball, and khundi to the stick). In South America, most specifically in Chile , the local natives of the 16th century used to play a game called chueca , which also shares common elements with hockey. In Northern Europe ,
17556-538: Was played in the World Games for the first time at the 2017 World Games held in Poland. Only women's teams took part in the competition. The United States won the gold medal defeating Canada in the finals. Australia won the bronze medal match. The Haudenosaunee Nationals women's lacrosse team could not participate. Both men and women tournaments consisting of the 6v6 version played on smaller fields were held in
17689-454: Was said to be played "for the Creator" or was referred to as "The Creator's Game", and a version of the game was called "baggataway". The French Jesuit missionary Jean de Brébeuf saw Huron tribesmen play the game during 1637 in present-day Ontario . He called it la crosse , "the stick" in French. The name seems to be originated from the French term for field hockey , le jeu de la crosse . James Smith described in some detail
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