Free Sample
The Complete Guide to Lacrosse
What it really costs, what you really need, and how to know if this sport is worth your time before you buy a single stick
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: What Is Lacrosse and Why People Love It
Let's start with what you're actually looking at when you watch lacrosse for the first time. There's a field about a hundred yards long, and at each end there's a net goal that looks like a small soccer goal with something missing. Ten players per side are sprinting around with long sticks that have a mesh pocket at the top, which is called the head. That pocket is the whole point: the ball is smaller than a baseball, about the size of a tennis ball but heavier, and the mesh is strung loose enough to catch and cradle it.
The word "cradle" isn't jargon for the sake of it - it's exactly what it sounds like. When you have the ball in your pocket, you rock the stick back and forth in a motion like you're gently rocking a baby. This physics trick uses centrifugal force to keep the ball glued in the pocket so you can run at full sprint without losing it. The first time you pull this off, it feels like a small magic trick. You'll be running, maybe with a defender closing on you, and you'll realize the ball isn't falling out. That sensation is one of the first things that hooks people.
Now let's be honest about the day-to-day. A typical beginner session - whether it's a pickup group on a weekend morning or a Thursday-evening clinic - runs about ninety minutes to two hours.