Sacred Heart goalie making save against Wagner

field lacrosse Field lacrosse is a full contact sport, full contact outdoor men's sport played with ten players on each team. The sport originated among indigenous peoples of the Americas, Native Americans, and the modern rules of field lacrosse were initiall ...

, the goaltender (goalie, goalkeeper, or the keeper) is the most important and last line of

defense Defense or defence may refer to: Tactical, martial, and political acts or groups * Defense (military), forces primarily intended for warfare * Civil defense, the organizing of civilians to deal with emergencies or enemy attacks * Defense industr ...

between the opposing offense and the

goal A goal is an idea of the future or desired result that a person or a group of people envision, plan and commit to achieve. People endeavour to reach goals within a finite time by setting deadlines. A goal is roughly similar to a purpose or ai ...

. The goaltender's primary roles are to defend the opposing team's shots on goal and to direct the defense.

Rules

Goaltenders are the only ones on the field who can touch the ball with their hands. However, they are not allowed to pick up or control the ball with their hands. Hand touches are legal only when in the crease. Each team has a goaltender on the field at all times. If the goaltender stops a shot by the opposing team, or picks the ball up any other way, the goaltender has 4 seconds in the crease to pass the ball or run with the ball. If the goaltender fails to do so, the ball will be awarded to the opposing team. After those 4 seconds, the goaltender must leave the crease. After the goaltender leaves the crease, they are given 20 seconds to "clear" the ball past the half of the field; if the goaltender fails to do so, the ball will be awarded to the opposing team.

Equipment

A goaltender is required to wear certain protective gear. Every goaltender must wear

gloves A glove is a garment covering the hand. Gloves usually have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb. If there is an opening but no (or a short) covering sheath for each finger they are called fingerless gloves. Fingerless glov ...

, a chest protector, a

helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...

, a throat guard, a

mouth guard A mouthguard is a protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums. An effective mouthguard is like a crash helmet for teeth and jaws. It also prevents the jaws co ...

, and a

protective cup A jockstrap, also a jock (male), jill (female), strap, cup, groin guard, pelvic protector (female), supporter, or athletic supporter, is an undergarment for protecting the testes and penis or vulva during contact sports or other vigorous physi ...

. They optionally wear a padded girdle covering the waist to the thigh and elbow pads. Goaltenders'

lacrosse stick A lacrosse stick or crosse is used to play the sport of lacrosse. Players use the lacrosse stick to handle the ball and to strike or "check" opposing players' sticks, causing them to drop the ball. The head of a lacrosse stick is roughly triangular ...

can vary between the length of the short and long sticks of field players depending on age and preference. The head of the goalie's stick can be up to 12 inches at its widest point.

Role

The goaltender's role is to prevent the

ball A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with several uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used f ...

from going into the goal. Primarily, goalies use their stick to block shots. However, many saves are off the goalie's body or helmet.

Penalties

The goaltender is treated like a field player for all technical and personal fouls. In addition, upon controlling the ball in his stick within the crease, the goalie has four seconds to either pass or run the ball outside of the crease. No player may carry the ball into the crease, but a goalie in the crease can receive a pass, at which point a four-second count begins. Outside the crease, the goaltender has no special protections, and may bring the ball into the offensive zone and even score.

Notable field lacrosse goaltenders

Jim Beardmore Jim Beardmore is a former All-American lacrosse goalie, and coach. He was formerly the head coach for the Hamburg Warriors B-Team. He is the son of former University of Maryland coach and Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee Clayton "Buddy" Beardmore ...

Trevor Tierney Trevor R. Tierney is a current National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men's lacrosse assistant coach, former Major League Lacrosse (MLL) defensive coordinator and retired lacrosse goaltender who has played professional box lacrosse in t ...

Jesse Schwartzman Jesse Schwartzman (born November 14, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland) is a professional lacrosse player for the Denver Outlaws of Major League Lacrosse. Prior to playing professionally, he played his collegiate lacrosse at the Johns Hopkins Universit ...

Greg Cattrano Greg "The Cat" Cattrano (born August 6, 1975) is a retired lacrosse goaltender, who is recognized as one of the most successful and accomplished goaltenders in the history of the sport. High school career Cattrano played for Ward Melville High ...

Brian Dougherty Brian "Doc" Dougherty (born December 10, 1973) is a retired Hall of Fame American lacrosse goaltender. He attended The Episcopal Academy before attending University of Maryland. He is currently the head coach at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy. ...

Chris Garrity Chris Garrity (born June 18, 1981) was a professional lacrosse goaltender with the Chesapeake Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He retired from MLL on 19 January 2012. Coming out of high school, Chris' best sport was soccer where he exce ...

* CJ Kemp *

Quint Kessenich Quint Elroy Kessenich ( ; born November 22, 1967) is an American Sports commentator, sportscaster for ESPN on ABC, ABC and ESPN television covering lacrosse, basketball, football, hockey, wrestling and Thoroughbred Racing on ESPN, horse racing si ...

Sal LoCascio Sal LoCascio (born April 6, 1967) is an American former professional lacrosse goaltender and coach who played the majority of his career for the New York Saints of the National Lacrosse League. He also played one season with the Long Island Lizar ...

* Daniel R. Mackesey *

Tillman Johnson Tillman Davis Johnson (January 8, 1858 – November 1, 1953) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Utah. Education and career Born in Rutherford County, Tennessee, Johnson attended Cumberlan ...

Doc Schneider Jonathan David "Doc" Schneider (born April 25, 1987, in Massapequa, New York) is a goaltender formerly of the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. Early life Schneider, who is Jewish, acquired the nickname 'Doc' from his family. He is ...

Drew Adams Drew Adams (born August 19, 1986 in Springfield, Pennsylvania) is a former professional lacrosse player who played for the Archers Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League and the Long Island/New York Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. Adams p ...

Chris Sanderson Chris Sanderson was a lacrosse coach and member of the Canadian team defending their world championship. Sanderson was an assistant coach for the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League from 2005 to 2007 season. Sanderson played for pa ...

Brett Queener Brett Queener (born September 30, 1984 in Penn Yan, New York) is an American lacrosse player. He is currently a member of the Chrome Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League and was selected by the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacro ...

* John Galloway *

Scott Rodgers Scott may refer to: Places Canada * Scott, Quebec, municipality in the Nouvelle-Beauce regional municipality in Quebec * Scott, Saskatchewan, a town in the Rural Municipality of Tramping Lake No. 380 * Rural Municipality of Scott No. 98, Sask ...

* Jack Kelly * Blaze Riorden * Jd Colarusso * Adam Ghitelman * Dillion Ward *

Jack Starr Jack Starr (born 1951) is an American heavy metal and blues guitarist and songwriter, born of a French mother and American father. Biography He learned to play guitar by ear, copying the riffs of R&B records. His first semi-professional ban ...

* Mike Adler * Colby Kneese * Turner Uppgreen * Jacob Stover * Chayse Ierlan *

Scott Bacigalupo Scott S. Bacigalupo is a former lacrosse goaltender. He was a high school All-American, four-time collegiate United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American, three-time National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) goa ...

Larry Quinn Lawrence J. Quinn (born March 9, 1963) was an All-American lacrosse goaltender at the Johns Hopkins University from 1982 to 1985, leading the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship in 1984 and 1985, and two additional ...

* Cookie Krongard

Records

holds the NCAA record for most goals scored by a goaltender with 5 career goals. Greg Cattrano and Brian Dougherty hold the record as three time

Major League Lacrosse Goaltender of the Year Award Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a professional men's field lacrosse league consisting of nine teams in the United States. Since the league's first season in 2001, the MLL gave several annual awards to players and coaches. Most Valuable Player ...

winners. Cattrano is the only goaltender to have won the

Major League Lacrosse MVP Award Major League Lacrosse (MLL) was a professional men's field lacrosse league consisting of nine teams in the United States. Since the league's first season in 2001, the MLL gave several annual awards to players and coaches. Most Valuable Player ...

External links

NCAA Men's Lacrosse 2017 and 2018 Rules
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References

{{Lacrosse topics Goalkeeping Lacrosse terminology