Cradling is a technique of moving the wrists and arms in a semi-circular motion to keep the ball in the pocket of the stick's head using centripetal force.

[2] The head of the lacrosse stick has a mesh or leather net strung into it that allows the player to hold the ball.

Defensively, the object is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body positioning.

In the United States, women are only required to wear eyewear or lacrosse goggles and a mouth guard.

The stick has restrictions too, as it must be a certain length and the pocket must be shallow enough to show the ball above the side when held at eye level.

[6] Geography and tribal customs dictated the extent to which women participated in these early games: "Lacrosse, as women play it, is an orderly pastime that has little in common with the men's tribal warfare version except the long-handled racket or crosse (stick) that gives the sport its name.

[9] One of Lumsden's students, Rosabelle Sinclair, established the first women's lacrosse team in the United States at the Bryn Mawr School in Baltimore, Maryland in 1926.

[11] Until the mid-1930s, women's and men's field lacrosse were played under virtually the same rules,[citation needed] with no protective equipment.

With the addition of free-movement to both U.S. Lacrosse and NCAA rule codes, players are no longer required to drop their sticks in place during a timeout.

In international women's lacrosse, 10 players constitute a full team, and its rules differ slightly from the U.S.

The shooting lane can be visualized by imagining two lines extending from the ball carrier, one going to the left side of the goal circle, and the other going to the right.

When their team does not possess the ball, players in their defending end of the field may run through any portion of the 8-meter arc for as long as three seconds without marking an attacker.

Before moving forward, one must stand still in an athletic stance before self-starting to let the referee know the player is ready to continue with game play.

Free movement was implemented, meaning upon the whistle for a foul, play does not stop unless for halftime or the end of the game.

Today, under North American rules, seven players play attack at one time and seven defenders are present.

If those players cross the line and participate in the play, they are considered offside and a major foul is called.

[29] As of the 2024 spring season, mouthguards that are white, clear, or feature a design that is meant to imitate the appearance of teeth/fangs are permitted at all levels of play.

There are exceptions to this, as hair ties and other soft/non-abrasive accessories on the arm are permitted, but earrings (unless the piercings are recent and covered by tape), rings, and necklaces are completely prohibited.

Religious or cosmetic headwear is also permitted under the same conditions, any protective head coverings worn for medical reasons must be approved by the officials.

[30] Although the rules specify these types of protection, injuries still occur from accidental checks to the head and the overall nature of the sport.

The pockets of women's sticks are shallower than those of the men, making the ball more difficult to catch and to shoot at high speed.

Women's lacrosse rules mandate that only composite and aluminum shafts can be used, due to accidental checks and hitting that can happen during the duration of the games.

[32] There are different mesh types made from materials which affect the shot accuracy and handling of the ball.

The player who was fouled, must move to the nearest hash mark that is located around the edges of the arc and has a direct lane to goal.

Under USA college rules, the two different areas around the goal on both sides of the field are the 8-meter arc and the 12-meter fan.

When committing a major foul inside either of these areas, the offense regains the ball and has a direct opportunity to shoot at the goal.

If outside the 8-meter arc, but inside the fan, a "lane" to goal is cleared of all other players and the person who committed the foul is relocated 4 meters behind the offender.

The player who was fouled, now moves to the nearest hash mark that is located around the edges of the arc and has a direct lane to goal.

"Cradling" is the back and forth movement and twisting of the head of the stick, which keeps the ball in the pocket with centripetal force.

In August 2008, after negotiations lasting four years, the IFWLA and ILF agreed to merge into a single governing body, the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL).