Reading this page as a parent or new player? Boys' and girls' lacrosse are structurally different sports — different sticks, different contact, different fouls. Toggle between the two below.
Boys' high school lacrosse — NFHS rules
Boys' HS lacrosse in the United States is played under the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Boys Lacrosse Rules Book. NFHS publishes an updated rulebook every year; state associations (in Alabama that's AHSAA) adopt the rulebook and layer on state-specific policies (playing calendar, roster, transfer, sanctioning).
Field & equipment
Field
110 yards long × 60 yards wide. Center-X faceoff spot, two goals inside 9-foot-diameter creases, restraining lines 20 yards on either side of midfield.
Team on field
10 per side: 1 goalie, 3 defensemen (long poles), 3 midfielders, 3 attackmen. Three players must remain in the offensive half and four in the defensive half unless a midfielder crosses (offside rule).
Sticks
Short crosse (attack/midfield): 40–42 in. Long crosse (defense, up to 4 per team): 52–72 in. Goalie stick: 40–72 in with a wider head.
Ball
Solid rubber, ~5 oz, white for boys.
Required protection
NOCSAE-certified helmet with chin strap, mouthguard (colored / non-clear), shoulder pads, arm pads, protective gloves, and athletic supporter. Goalies also wear a chest protector and throat guard.
Game timing
Length
Four 12-minute quarters (most state associations). Some states use 10-minute quarters at sub-varsity.
Halftime
10 minutes.
Overtime
Sudden-victory four-minute periods.
Shot clock
NFHS added an 80-second shot clock at the boys' HS level starting in the 2022 season (30-second "get-it-in" once the offense crosses midfield, followed by 60 seconds to attempt a shot on cage — implementation varies by state; check AHSAA for Alabama).
Faceoff
At the start of each quarter and after every goal. Wing midfielders stand on the wing lines.
Contact & fouls
Boys' lacrosse is a full-contact sport. Legal contact includes body checks (shoulder-to-shoulder within 5 yards of a loose ball or a player possessing/attempting to possess the ball) and stick checks with the crosse. But there are big limits.
- Personal fouls (typically 1-, 2-, or 3-minute penalties, releasable or non-releasable):
- Slashing — striking an opponent with the stick outside the legal target areas (gloves and stick).
- Cross-check — checking with the shaft of the stick between the hands.
- Illegal body check — check from behind, above the shoulders, below the waist, or when the player is defenseless.
- Unnecessary roughness / unsportsmanlike conduct — late hits, fighting, taunting, targeting a defenseless player.
- Illegal crosse / illegal equipment.
- Technical fouls (30-second penalty or loss of possession):
- Holding, pushing, warding off, illegal screen.
- Offside — fewer than three attackers in the offensive half or fewer than four in the defensive half.
- Crease violation — offensive player entering the goalie's crease.
- Interference, illegal procedure, delay of game.
- Concussion & targeting rules — automatic ejection for any hit targeting a defenseless player's head/neck area; suspended-player return protocols are set by the NFHS concussion rule and state law.
Where to read the official rulebook
- NFHS.org — buy the current-year Boys Lacrosse Rules Book and Case Book.
- AHSAA.com — Alabama-specific adoptions, playing calendar, and sanctioning bulletins.
- USA Lacrosse — Rules & Officiating — plain-English rule interpretations and video examples.
Girls' high school lacrosse — USA Lacrosse Women's rules
Girls' HS lacrosse in the United States uses USA Lacrosse Women's Rules (updated annually). NFHS also publishes a girls' rulebook; many states adopt one or the other or a hybrid. Alabama uses USA Lacrosse Women's Rules with AHSAA-specific modifications for regular-season play — verify with your school's athletic director each season.
Field & equipment
Field
Boundaries are typically 110 × 60–70 yards but adjustable. Marked with a center circle, two 12-meter fans (arcs) in front of each goal, and an 8-meter arc and 15-meter free-position markings.
Team on field
12 per side: 1 goalie, 5 defenders, 5 attackers, plus a center. Position count reduced from 12 to a shortened game count in some states.
Sticks
All field-player sticks: 35.5–43.25 in with a shallower pocket than boys'. The ball must be visible above the sidewall when held horizontally. Goalie stick: up to 52 in with a wider head.
Ball
Solid rubber, ~5 oz. Typically yellow at the girls' HS level.
Required protection
ASTM-certified women's headgear (mandatory in most states since 2022 for HS), goggles (mandatory), mouthguard, and gloves optional but recommended. Goalies wear helmet with facemask, throat guard, chest protector, gloves, and shin guards.
Game timing
Length
Two 25-minute halves (running time with stops in the last two minutes) — many states have moved to four 12-minute quarters with a shot clock. Confirm your state's variant.
Halftime
10 minutes.
Overtime
Sudden-victory three- or four-minute periods.
Shot clock
USA Lacrosse Women's Rules introduced a 90-second shot clock and quarter format that many states have now adopted at the HS level.
Draw
Instead of a faceoff, the game starts each half (or quarter, depending on format) with a "draw" at midfield — two centers hold sticks back-to-back at hip height and the ball is released upward.
Contact, fouls & free positions
Women's lacrosse is designed as a limited-contact sport. Legal contact is confined to controlled stick checks with the crosse when done safely and only when the checker's stick can be delivered without endangering the head. Body checks and cross-checks are illegal.
- Major fouls (award the fouled player a free position on the 8-meter arc):
- Illegal body / rough check — dangerous, aggressive contact.
- Slashing / illegal check to the head — automatic yellow-card ejection for a period of play.
- Dangerous shot — shot toward a player without a clear lane.
- Shooting space — defender takes a position in the path of a shooter that would force the ball at the defender.
- Charging / obstruction of free space.
- Minor fouls (award possession at the spot with a 4-meter "backing off" advantage):
- Empty stick check — checking a player's stick when they don't have possession.
- Warding, guarding the stick, ball-under-stick.
- Offside, illegal draw, delay of game.
- Cards — Yellow: temporary suspension; Green: team warning for delay; Red: ejection.
Where to read the official rulebook
- USA Lacrosse — Women's Rules.
- NFHS.org — Girls Lacrosse Rules Book (used by some states).
- AHSAA.com — Alabama-specific adoptions and modifications.
Want to see how these compare with college rules? Read our companion page: HS vs College Lacrosse Rules →