Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a "crosse" or lacrosse stick and is mainly played in the United States and Canada. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh designed to catch and hold the lacrosse ball and can also be strung with hard mesh. Offensively, the objective of the game is to score by shooting the ball into an opponent's goal, using the lacrosse stick to catch, carry, and pass the ball to do so. Defensively, the objective is to keep the opposing team from scoring and to dispossess them of the ball through the use of stick checking and body contact or positioning. The Mens and Womens lacrosse, while similar in objective, are different sports with a differing sets of rules and equipment. Mens Lacorosse is a full contact sport requiring protective gear and padding. Womens Lacrosse is not a contact sport but still requires a certain protective gear.
