Box lacrosse

A box lacrosse goaltender
Highest governing body	Federation of International Lacrosse
Nickname(s)	Lax, Boxla
First played	1930s, Canada
Characteristics
Contact	Collision
Team members	6 at a time

Box lacrosse, also known as indoor lacrosse and sometimes shortened to boxla, LAX or simply box, is an indoor version of lacrosse played mostly in North America. The game originated in Canada, where it is the most popular version of the game played in contrast to the traditional field lacrosse game. It is played between two teams of six players each, and is traditionally played on an ice hockey rink once the ice has been removed or covered. The playing area is called a box, in contrast to the open playing field of field lacrosse. The object of the game is to use a long handled racket, known as a lacrosse stick, to catch, carry, and pass the ball in an effort to score by ultimately hurling a solid rubber lacrosse ball into an opponent's goal.

At the highest level box lacrosse is represented by the Senior A divisions of the Canadian Lacrosse Association (Western Lacrosse Association of the British Columbia Lacrosse Association and Major Series Lacrosse of the Ontario Lacrosse Association), and the National Lacrosse League.

While there are thirty-one total members of the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL), only eight nations have competed in international box lacrosse competition. Only Canada, Iroquois Nationals and the United States have finished in the top three places at the ILF World Indoor Lacrosse Championships.

History[link]

Lacrosse is a traditional Native American game which was first encountered by Europeans when French Jesuit missionaries in the St. Lawrence Valley witnessed the game in the 1630s.^[1] Box lacrosse is a modern version of the game that was invented in Canada during the 1930s as a way to promote business for ice hockey arenas during the summer months. Joseph Cattarinich and Leo Dandurand, owners of the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens in the 1920s, led the participating ice hockey arena owners to introduce the new sport.^[2] Canadians adopted the new version of the sport quickly. Eventually it became the more popular version of the sport in Canada, supplanting field lacrosse.^[3] However, many field lacrosse enthusiasts viewed the new version of the sport with negativity.^[4] Lacrosse was officially declared Canada's National Summer Sport with the passage of the National Sports Act (Bill C-212) on May 12, 1994.^[5][6]

Lacrosse for centuries was seen a key element of cultural identity and spiritual healing to Native Americans. It originated as a field game and was adopted first by Canadian, American, and English athletes as a field game, eventually settling on a 10 v 10 format. In the 1930s, 6 v 6 indoor lacrosse, played in the summer in unused hockey rinks, became popular in Canada. This "Box" form of was also adopted as the primary version of the game played on Native American reservations in the US and Canada by Iroquois and other Native peoples.,^[7][8] It is the only sport in which the American indigenous people are sanctioned to compete internationally, participating as the Iroquois Nationals.^[9]

The first professional box lacrosse games were held in 1931. That summer the arena owners formed the International Lacrosse League featuring four teams: the Montreal Canadiens, Montreal Maroons, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Cornwall Colts.^[10] The league only lasted two seasons.^[11] In the wake of the original International Lacrosse League opened the American Box Lacrosse League featuring six teams: two in New York City, and one each in Brooklyn, Toronto, Boston, and Baltimore. The league played to small crowds on outdoor fields such as Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, before closing midway through its inaugural season.^[12]

The Canadian Lacrosse Association began sponsoring more and more box lacrosse. In 1935, the Mann Cup, the most prestigious lacrosse trophy in Canada,^[13] was contended for under box lacrosse rules for the first time. Previously, the national senior men's lacrosse championship, awarded since 1901, was competed for under field lacrosse rules. The Mann Cup is an annual tournament that presents the champion of the Western Lacrosse Association and Major Series Lacrosse in a best of seven national championship.^[14][15] A few years later, in 1937, the Minto Cup, began being awarded under box lacrosse rules to the junior men's champions. Currently the Canadian Lacrosse Association oversees the Mann Cup, the Minto Cup, the Presidents Cup (Senior B national championship) the Founders Cup (Junior B national championship) all under box lacrosse rules.^[16]

Briefly in 1939, a professional box lacrosse league started up in California, called the Pacific Coast Lacrosse Association. This four team league league also folded shortly after opening.^[17] Professional box lacrosse did not return to the United States again until 1968 when the Coquitlam Adanacs franchise played one Western Lacrosse Association season in Portland, Oregon.^[18]

National Lacrosse League action during an All-Star Game in 2005

A new professional indoor lacrosse league was created in the 1970s with the formation of the National Lacrosse League (this league is not related to the National Lacrosse League created in 1986). This league opened in 1974 with teams in Montreal, Toronto, Rochester, Syracuse, Philadelphia, and Maryland. For the 1975 season, Rochester moved to Boston, Syracuse moved to Quebec City, and Toronto moved to Long Island. Thus, by its second year, the original NLL was playing in all major league arenas: The Quebec Colliseum, Montreal Forum, Boston Garden, Long Island Arena, Philadelphia Forum, and Capital Centre. When the two wealthier '75 NLL franchises, Philadelphia and Maryland, finished out of the playoffs, and with Montreal losing access to the fabled Montreal Forum in the upcoming season due to the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games, the league folded after two seasons due to financial uncertainty.^[19][20]

The rebirth of professional box lacrosse in the United States came on March 13, 1986, with the formation of the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League, which was incorporated by Russ Cline and Chris Fritz.^[21] The league originated with four teams: the Philadelphia Wings, New Jersey Saints, Washington Wave, and Baltimore Thunder, and unlike box lacrosse generally, was played during the winter.^[22] The league rebranded itself as the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) immediately after its second season, and in 1998 renamed itself again, this time to the National Lacrosse League. In 1998, the National Lacrosse League entered into the Canadian market for the first time with the Ontario Raiders.^[21] Although 6 of the league's 9 teams are based in American cities, more than two-thirds of the players are Canadian.^[23] Indoor facilities such as South Shore Sports Complex offer box lacrosse leagues. ^[24]

Rules[link]

Players, equipment and officials[link]

During play, a team consists of six players: a goalkeeper and five "runners". A runner is any non-goalkeeper position player, including forwards, transition players, and defenders. When the sport originated teams played with six runners.^[2] However, in 1953 the sixth runner, a position called rover, was eliminated.^[25] Team rosters are typically a total of as many players as a team can carry. The goalkeeper can be replaced by another runner (often when a penalty has been signaled by the referee or at the end of a quarter).^[22][26]

A player's lacrosse stick must be between 40 inches (1.0 m) and 46 inches (1.2 m) in length (youth levels may use shorter sticks). In most box lacrosse leagues, the use of a traditional wooden stick is allowed. However, almost no lacrosse players use wooden sticks anymore, preferring aluminum or another metal, and a plastic head.^[27] In the National Lacrosse League, wooden lacrosse sticks are not allowed.^[22] Besides a lacrosse stick, each player must also wear a certain amount of protective equipment, including a lacrosse helmet with facemask, lacrosse gloves, arm and shoulder pads, and back/kidney pads (rib pads, optional in some leagues).^[28]

During a typical game the number of officials can range from one to three, depending on the league and level of play. In most games there are at least two referees: a lead official and a trail official.^[29] In National Lacrosse League games there are three officials per game.^[22]

Goaltender[link]

The goaltender's responsibility is to prevent the opposition from scoring goals by directly defending the net. Box lacrosse goaltenders equipment includes upper body gear (measuring no more than 3 inches (7.6 cm) up and 5 inches (13 cm) out off the shoulder—much larger than similar gear for field lacrosse or ice hockey goaltenders), large shin guards that must measure no more than 11 inches (28 cm) at the knee, 9 inches (23 cm) at the top of the shin and 7 inches (18 cm) at the ankle, and a field lacrosse helmet or ice hockey goalie mask according to the rules set by the CLA for the 2012 season.^{[citation needed]}

The 9 feet (2.7 m) to 9 feet 3 inches (2.82 m) diameter area surrounding the net is called the "crease". Players except for the goaltender may not enter the crease while playing the ball. Punishments for crease infractions include a change of possession, resetting of the time-clock, or a possible two minute penalty depending on the infraction. Opposing players may not make contact with the goaltender while he is in the crease. Once he leaves the crease, however, he loses all goaltender privileges.^[22]

Even as box lacrosse grows in the United States, the American goalkeeper is a rarity. The skills required to be a successful field lacrosse goaltender and a successful box lacrosse goaltender are very different and do not lend well to one another.^[30]

Defenders[link]

A defender is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring. Unlike in field lacrosse where some defensive players carry "long poles" (a lacrosse stick with a 5 feet (1.5 m) shaft or handle), all box lacrosse defenders play with a maximum 46 inches (1.2 m) long stick.^[31] Defensive tactics include cross checking (where a player uses the shaft of his stick to push the opposition player off balance), body checking (where a player makes contact with the opposition player in order to slow him down), and stick checking (where a player makes contact with the opposition player's stick in order to knock the ball loose).^[32]

Transition[link]

A transition player is a player whose responsibility is primarily to play during defensive situations with an offensive mindset. The goal of this player is to create fastbreaks and scoring opportunities.^[31][33]

Forwards[link]

A forward is a player position on the field whose responsibility is primarily offensive. Typically, a forward is dominant throwing with one hand or the other, and will primarily play on that side of the floor. Some players, known as creasemen, do not focus on one side or the other. These players instead focus their offensive attention near the crease area in front of the goaltender.^[31]

Playing area[link]

Detailed diagram illustrating the differences and similarities between Canadian Lacrosse Association and National Lacrosse League box lacrosse playing areas

The playing area of box lacrosse is typically an ice hockey rink during the summer months. The playing surface is usually the concrete floor underneath the melted ice. Generally the playing area is 180 feet (55 m) to 200 feet (61 m) in length and 80 feet (24 m) to 90 feet (27 m) in width.^[34] The National Lacrosse League plays on artificial turf placed on top of the ice.^[22] Some leagues, and teams that have dedicated box lacrosse arenas (such as the Iroquois), have outfitted their playing surface with artificial turf similar to the National Lacrosse League.^[8]

Box lacrosse goals are dimensions are traditionally 4 feet (1.2 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall. In the National Lacrosse League, the dimensions are slightly larger at 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) wide by 4 feet (1.2 m) tall.^[22] These nets are significantly smaller than in field lacrosse nets which measure 6 feet (1.8 m) wide by 6 feet (1.8 m) tall.^[35]

Duration and tie-breaking methods[link]

A traditional game played under the rules of the Canadian Lacrosse Association consists of three periods of 20 minutes each (similar to ice hockey), with the teams changing ends each period. The National Lacrosse League plays four 15-minute quarters rather than three periods.^[22] If the game is tied at the end of regulation play, overtime can be played. Overtime may or may not be sudden victory, depending on the league.^[22][36]

Ball in and out of play[link]

Each period, and after each goal scored, play is restarted with a face-off. If a ball travels over the boards and outside of the playing area, play is restarted by possession being awarded to the opposing team to that which last touched the ball.^[22]

During play, teams may substitute players in and out freely. Sometimes this is referred to as "on the fly" substitution. Substitution must occur within the designated exchange area in front of the players bench in order to be legal. The sport utilizes a shot clock and the attacking team must take a shot on goal within 30 seconds of gaining possession of the ball. In additional, players must advance the ball from their own defensive end to the offensive half of the floor within 10 seconds.^[22][26]

Penalties[link]

A fight during a lacrosse game between two players on the Toronto Rock and Calgary Roughnecks

For most penalties, the offending player is sent to the penalty box and his team has to play without him and with one less player for a short amount of time. Most penalties last for two minutes unless a major penalty has been assessed. The team that has taken the penalty is said to be playing shorthanded while the other team is on the power play.^[31]

A two-minute minor penalty is often called for lesser infractions such as slashing, tripping, elbowing, roughing, too many players, illegal equipment, holding, or interference. Five-minute major penalties are called for especially violent instances of most minor infractions that result in intentional injury to an opponent, as well as for fighting. Players are released from the penalty box when either the penalty time expires, or the opposition scores a goal (or two goals for the instance of a major penalty).^[22]

At the officials' discretion a ten-minute misconduct penalty may be assessed. These are served in full by the penalized player, but his team may immediately substitute another player on the playing area unless a minor or major penalty is assessed in conjunction with the misconduct (a "two-and-ten" or "five-and-ten"). In that case, the team designates another player to serve the minor or major; both players go to the penalty box, but only the designee may not be replaced, and he is released upon the expiration of the two or five minutes. In addition, game misconducts are assessed for deliberate intent to inflict severe injury on an opponent. A player who receives a game misconduct is ejected and may not return to play. Receiving two major penalties in a game will result in a game misconduct.^[22]

A penalty shot, where a player from the non-offending team is given an attempt to score a goal without opposition from any defending players except the goaltender, may be awarded under certain circumstances. By rule, teams must have at least three runners in play. If a team commits a third penalty resulting in a "three man down" situation a penalty shot is awarded in favor of having the offending player serve in the penalty box. A penalty shot may also be awarded, at the referee's discretion, if a defensive player causes a foul to prevent a goal (by throwing his stick, holding, tripping, or by deliberately displacing the goal, or a defensive player intentionally falls and covers a ball in his own team's crease).^[22]

Fighting[link]

Similar to fighting in ice hockey, fighting is illegal in box lacrosse. However, what separates box lacrosse and ice hockey from other sports is that at the top levels of professional and junior lacrosse, a five-minute major penalty is given and the players are not ejected for participating in a fight.^[37]

Fighting in youth or club level box lacrosse is typically penalized with expulsion and suspensions. In 1990, when the Six Nations created the new Mohawk lacrosse league, fighting was specifically targeted as unacceptable. Violators were ejected from the game in which the altercation occurred and given a minimum three game suspension.^[38]

International competition[link]

Box lacrosse is the most popular version of the sport in the Czech Republic.^[39] It is also played to a marginal degree in Australia, primarily by players who have played field lacrosse.^[40] Club level box lacrosse leagues in the United States have increased the number of players exposed to the sport, including the: Baltimore Indoor Lacrosse League,^[41] the Philadelphia Box Lacrosse Association,^[42] and the Metro Area Box Lacrosse League.^[43]

The first ever world championship of box lacrosse, "The Nations in 1980", was staged in several arenas in British Columbia, Canada in July 1980 involving teams representing the United States, Australia, Canada East, Canada West and the Iroquois Nationals. Canada West (Coquitlam Adanacs) defeated the Iroquois in the nationally televised world championship game from Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver. This was the first time in history that Indigenous peoples of the Americas people represented themselves in an athletic world championship competition.^[18] In a spirited contest at the other end of the bracket, the USA defeated Australia for bragging rights.

The second international box lacrosse tournament was held in 2003, with the inaugural World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. The competitors were national teams from Australia, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Iroquois Nation, Scotland, and the United States.^[44] The 2007 Championships had eight nations participating, the previous competitors plus England and Ireland. Canada, Iroquois Nationals and the United States have won gold, silver, and bronze respectively in each of the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships held.

Other international tournaments have been played. Annually, the European Lacrosse Federation holds the Aleš Hřebeský Memorial tournament in Prague. This is the largest European box lacrosse tournament.^[39] In 2002 and 2004, the Heritage Cup was played between the United States and Canada featuring mostly players that were members of National Lacrosse League teams.^[45][46]

Women[link]

Historically, box lacrosse has been exclusively a men's sport. Women who played the sport of lacrosse typically played the more genteel women's field lacrosse version.^[47] Recently, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia have established girls' and women's box lacrosse leagues.^[48][49]

During the 2003 NLL season, goaltender Ginny Capicchioni appeared in two preseason and one regular season game to become the only woman to make an appearance in the National Lacrosse League.^[30][50]

References[link]

Footnotes[link]

Bibliography[link]

• Fisher, Donald M. (2002). Lacrosse: A History of the Game. JHU Press. ISBN 0-8018-6938-2. http://books.google.com/?id=N8dQ11uQxrQC. 
• Vennum, Thomas; Vennum, Jr., Thomas (2008). American Indian Lacrosse: Little Brother of War. JHU Press. ISBN 0-8018-8764-X. http://books.google.com/?id=ySIIyex5nboC. 
• "Thistles Lacrosse History". Bible of Lacrosse. Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. http://web.archive.org/web/20091022231349/http://geocities.com/thistlesforever/index.html. Retrieved 2009-02-27. 
• "1931 Video First Box Lacrosse Game - Toronto at Montreal". Bible of Lacrosse. http://www.bible-of-lacrosse.com/video/index.html. Retrieved 2009-02-27. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Box lacrosse

• Box Lacrosse at Lacrosse-Information.com
• Box Lacrosse Rules at LaxRules.com
• Rules Overview at Lacrosse 2.0

v t e Lacrosse Overview History Terminology Strategy Years Types Box Field Women's Equipment Ball Glove Helmet Stick Regions Australia Canada England India Scotland United States Iroquois Confederacy Teams Canada Europe United States National People Players Goaltender Coaches Players by nationality Major League players National Lacrosse League players National Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductees Variants Intercrosse Polocrosse Category Commons WikiProject Lacrosse

Brodie Merrill
Born	(1981-11-05) November 5, 1981 (age 30) Orangeville, ON, CAN
Position	Defense
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
MSL Team	Brampton Excelsiors
NLL Team F. Teams	Philadelphia Wings Edmonton Rush Portland LumberJax
MLL Team F. Teams	Hamilton Nationals Rochester Rattlers Baltimore Bayhawks
Nationality	Canada
Pro Career	2005–present
Shoots	Left

Brodie Merrill (born November 5, 1981 in Orangeville, Ontario) is a Canadian lacrosse player. He currently plays in the National Lacrosse League for the Philadelphia Wings and Major League Lacrosse for the Hamilton Nationals.

High school career[link]

Merrill attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut. While attending Salisbury, he was a standout lacrosse player, and was named the New England Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the All-New England team, and was selected as a First Team High School All-American.

College career[link]

Merrill attended Georgetown University from 2002 to 2005. During his final two years, he was a First-team All-American, and won the Schmeisser Award in his senior year for defensive player of the year.

Professional career[link]

Merrill (left) in 2009

NLL[link]

Merrill was also the first player taken overall in the 2005 National Lacrosse League Draft by the Portland LumberJax, and in 2006 was named both the NLL's Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. During the 2009 NLL season, he was named a starter to the All-Star Game.^[1]

When the LumberJax left Portland at the end of the 2009 season, the league held a dispersal draft. Merrill was selected with the first overall pick in the draft by the Edmonton Rush.

On August 9, 2011, he was traded to the Philadelphia Wings, along with Rush forwards Dean Hill, Mike McLellan, and Edmonton's 41st selection in the 2011 entry draft, and the 4th round selection in 2013. In return, Philadelphia sent Athan Iannucci with teammates Alex Turner and Brodie McDonald, along with Philadelphia's first round draft picks in 2012, 2013 and 2014.^[2]

MLL[link]

He was the MLL Rookie of the Year in 2005 as a member of the Baltimore Bayhawks. From 2006 to 2007, he played for the Rochester Rattlers. For four consecutive years he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Awards.^[3] He then helped the Toronto Nationals win their first MLL championship in their inaugural season, and won the defensive player of the year award for a record fourth consecutive year.

Canadian Box career[link]

Junior[link]

Merrill played his junior lacrosse with the Orangeville Northmen of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2000, Merrill lead the Northmen to a league championship. In 2001, Merrill was awarded the "John McCauley Award" for Best Defesive Player, and shared the "B.W. Evans Award" for Top Graduating Player with Dan Bowman the following year.^[4]

Senior[link]

Merrill began his senior career with the Coquitlam Adanacs of the Western Lacrosse Association, and later the Brampton Excelsiors of Major Series Lacrosse, winning two consecutive Mann Cup championships (2008–2009). Merrill is currently playing for the Kahnawake Mohawks in the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League.

International career[link]

In 2006, he helped the Canadian national lacrosse team to an historic win at the World Lacrosse Championship in London, Ontario. He had an outstanding tournament, being named Best Defender and earning All-World honours.

Personal[link]

Brodie's brother Patrick is a member of the Toronto Rock. Both Brodie and Patrick are members of the Brampton Excelsiors in the Major Series Lacrosse as well as the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. He was named by Inside Lacrosse as "The Best Player in the World."-Inside Lacrosse.^[5] He is also the Dean of Students and head men's lacrosse coach at The Hill Academy in Vaughan, Ontario. At a very young age, he was best friends with lacrosse player Kyle Miller. Both loved the game but went into different colleges. Kyle Miller was also in the Canadian roster for the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships but retired very early because of a knee surgery.

Statistics[link]

National Lacrosse League[link]