Chris Driscoll
A 15 year veteran of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). Click here
Anybody can play lacrosse - boys or girls, big or small. The game requires agility and coordination, not size. Lacrosse is fast-paced and action-packed.
It's a great team sport with a focus on individual skills. There's lots of running, quick stops and starts, dekes and dodges. Precision passes followed by pinpoint shots. It doesn't get much more exciting than lacrosse!
ABOUT LACROSSE
Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing team sports in Ontario. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into your opponents' goal using a lacrosse stick. The ball is made of solid rubber, about 150 grams in mass and is yellow, orange or white in colour. The stick is made of wood or plastic and has a shaped net pocket at its end to carry the ball. There are four separate categories of lacrosse.
“Fun Fact: In 1994, the Government of Canada passed a law recognizing lacrosse as Canada's national summer sport.”
COMPETITIVE EVENTS
BOX LACROSSE A uniquely Canadian innovation, box lacrosse is a combination of lacrosse and hockey. It is played on a hockey arena floor and features a goalie plus five runners. Also known as indoor lacrosse or boxla, it is a game of speed and reaction. A 30-second shot clock cranks up the excitement factor even more making it as fun to watch as it is to play.
Males and females 6 to 65 play box lacrosse in leagues across Canada.
“Fun Fact: The Minto Cup is the 'Stanley Cup' of lacrosse and it's almost as old! Donated in 1901 by Lord Minto, the Governor General of Canada, the silver cup is awarded annually to the best junior box lacrosse team in Canada.”
MEN'S FIELD LACROSSE This outdoor version of lacrosse is played on a
100 m x 55 m field. That's a lot of territory to cover, so passing is key to a successful field lacrosse team. Ten players are on the field, consisting of goaltender, attack, midfielders and defence. Field lacrosse is more strategic and relies more on possession and ball control. In the last few years, minor field lacrosse has become more popular with kids 10 to 16-years-old competing.
“Fun Fact: One hundred years ago, thousands of Canadians would flock to lacrosse games. The 1910 Canadian Championship held in New Westminster, B.C. was attended by 15,000 fans even though the population of New Westminster was less than 12,000.”
WOMEN'S FIELD LACROSSE A quick, free-flowing game with 12 players aside, played on a 100 m x 55 m field. Unlike men's field or box lacrosse, there is no body contact or aggressive checking. This results in a game that is fast-paced and emphasizes passing skills and ball movement - making it very entertaining to watch! Participation in Canada continues to grow, while internationally Canada consistently places in the top four at the world championships.
“Fun Fact: Two famous prime ministers were also known for their lacrosse playing. Pierre Trudeau played the game during his school days in Quebec, and Lester Pearson played and starred with his Oxford University team.”
INTER-LACROSSE Also called inter-crosse, this is the newest form of lacrosse and anyone can play it! It is non-contact and is designed to be adaptable to the various ages and skill levels of the participants. Players use a molded plastic stick and a soft, air-filled ball. The game is easy to play and participants quickly learn the fundamental lacrosse skills of scooping, carrying, passing, and catching the ball. More skills-oriented in nature, this versatile form of lacrosse has become one of the fastest growing sports in the world.
“Fun Fact: The Mann Cup was donated by Sir Donald Mann in 1901, to be awarded to the national amateur senior champion. Today the gold cup is awarded to the best senior team in box lacrosse in Canada.”
THE SKILLS
Catching
Receiving the ball with the lacrosse stick.
Checking
Dislodging the ball from the opponent's stick.
Cradling
The motion of arms and hands working together to keep the ball secure in the pocket of the stick.
Cutting
A movement by the offensive player without the ball toward the opponents' goal to be ready for a feed and a shot.
Feeding
Passing the ball to a teammate who's in position for a good shot on goal.
Passing
Throwing the ball with the lacrosse stick to a teammate.
Scooping
Picking up a loose ball with the lacrosse stick.
Shooting
Throwing the ball with the lacrosse stick toward the goal, attempting to score.
A SEASONED PRO
Chris Driscoll has a pretty cool part-time job. He's a professional lacrosse player with the Toronto Rock. A 15-year veteran of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), Chris' style of play epitomizes the concept of teamwork. Nicknamed 'The Pistol', Chris specializes in playmaking and setting up others to score. His stellar 298 assists in 126 games makes Chris the 7th overall assist leader in league history. Along the way Chris has also won the NLL Sportsman Award. His #1 career highlight was winning the 2003 National Lacrosse League Championship as a member of the Toronto Rock. Chris is also a successful coach at the amateur level. In August 2004, he coached the Ontario Peewee National Lacrosse Team to a gold medal. Chris believes that "working hard and making sports fun" is what counts when playing or coaching a sport. It's a philosophy that has certainly worked well for him!
WHEN DID IT ALL START?
“Fun Fact: The earliest European record of lacrosse dates back to 1636 when the French missionary, Jean de Brébeuf wrote of seeing a game played with sticks and a ball in southeastern Ontario. He called it "la crosse" because the sticks reminded him of a bishop's crozier or Acrosse.”
Lacrosse was first played centuries ago by Canada's First Nations people. With roots in native religion, it was often played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick and prepare men for war. During the 1800s, French pioneers began playing the game for fun. In 1867, Dr. George Beers, the father of modern lacrosse, formalized the first set of playing rules for the Montreal Lacrosse Club. By the early 1900s, lacrosse was actually Canada's most popular sport with lots of amateur and professional leagues across the country. Men's and women's lacrosse were played under the same rules, with no protective equipment until the 1930s. The men's game then evolved into more of a contact game while the women's game stayed true to the original rules of the game. In recent years, lacrosse has enjoyed an amazing revival in popularity with over 35,000 registered players in Ontario alone.
“Fun Fact: Lacrosse was part of the Olympics Games of 1904 and 1908. Records show that the first Olympic medal won by Canada ever was a gold medal in lacrosse in the 1904 Games in St. Louis.”
