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Major League Lacrosse

The Major League Lacrosse is the primary lacrosse league in the United States and some parts of Canada . It is one of the large reasons that lacrosse is so rapidly expanding in North America . It was first started in 1999, but play first began in 2001. It was founded by Jake Steinfeld, the creator of “Body by Jake” fitness equipment. Dave Morrow is a previous All- American lacrosse player. He is also the president of Warrior Lacrosse.

The season starts in May and then ends in August. The teams include the Baltimore Bayhawks, Boston Cannons, Long Island Lizards, New Jersey Pride, Philadelphia Barrage and Rochester Rattlers. A Los Angeles team is also being added.  Rumors that teams from San Francisco , Denver , and Chicago will be added have been circulating. There are 12 games played by each team during the season. However, this doesn’t include the All-Star games and other competitions. 

 MLL has significantly changed the game from how it has been played in the past. A two point scoring line has been added 15 yards out from each goal. MLL has also introduced a 60 second shot clock. This only allows players 60 seconds in the attack area before they must take a shot on goal. Failure to do this will result in a turnover. They have also eliminated the restraining box and they set a limit of three long pole defenseman.

MLL has become more and more popular due to the large sponsorships and media deals that have introduced the game to more people. Companies like Anheuser-Busch, New Balance, Tommy Hilfiger and Warrior Lacrosse. There are also bigger sponsors like Cascade, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Gatorade, Great Atlantic Lacrosse Company, Starbucks and Under Armour have become sponsors. These companies have helped lacrosse develop and become more popular by selling lacrosse products and spreading the name. The MLL continues to remain one of the largest lacrosse leagues and it is still growing and becoming more popular.

National League Lacrosse

 The Nation League Lacrosse is very similar to Major League lacrosse. However, unlike the MLL, NLL is an indoor lacrosse league. Instead of playing outdoor, the NLL is played inside during the winter.  It is a very popular league among North American lacrosse players.

The NLL rules are based off of the rules of box lacrosse, a game played in the early 1930’s. Box lacrosse only allows for hollow wooden sticks, but indoor lacrosse allows hollow metal sticks. Also, contrary to box lacrosse, NLL is played during the winter, where box lacrosse was originally played in summer in Canada .  The National Lacrosse League was formed when the Major Indoor Lacrosse League disbanded in 1997. Five teams from the MILL joined the newly formed NLL.

There currently 10 teams in the NLL. The teams are split into two divisions, the east and the west. Teams in the east include

• Buffalo Bandits
• Minnesota Swarm
• Philadelphia Wings
• Rochester Knighthawks
• Toronto Rock

In the west division the teams are the:

• Arizona Sting
• Calgary Roughnecks
• Colorado Mammoth
• Portland Lumberjax
• San Jose Stealth

The NLL has also decided that the Ottawa Rebel are being bought and moved. They will become the Edmonton Rush. All of these teams compete to make it to the playoffs. The playoff teams then compete for the Champion’s Cup, which is the championship of the NLL.

Paul and Gary Gaits led the Philadelphia Wings to the Championship in 1994. Les Bartley coached the Buffalo Bandits at the start of his career. He later coached the Toronto Rock. Gary Gait served as a player/coach for the Colorado Mammoth until the end of the 2005 season when he retired.         

The National Lacrosse league has greatly influenced the game of lacrosse. It has provided a league where players can play all year ‘round, and not be limited by the weather. It built off of the MILL and added on to the great lacrosse styles that it brought. With its unique mix between outdoor and box lacrosse, the NLL has become one of the most influential lacrosse leagues that has produced many of the stars we know today.

International Lacrosse Federation

The International Lacrosse Federation, though it is not as popular as the other leagues, plays a large role in lacrosse. It has a goal of spreading lacrosse throughout the world. It also plans to act as the primary governing body for all lacrosse. IFL is similar to a much younger version of FIFA, the soccer organization.

It began in 1972. The IFL was formed in an attempt to spread lacrosse around the world and to regulate rules and conduct of play across the world. There are 14 full member nations that support the IFL. These countries are Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, England, Germany; Ireland, Iroquois Nationals, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Scotland, Sweden, United States, and, Wales. The IFL also has several affiliate members including Argentina , Denmark , Hong Kong , Finland , Italy , and Tonga .

The very first IFL Championship game was located in Melbourne , Australia , in 1974, which the United States won. The four years later, the US was overpowered in the championship game by Canada , though the US had beaten them earlier in the tourney. Since suffering the Canadian defeat, the United States has won ever year since then. They claimed the title in ’82, ’86, ’90, ’94, ’98, and 2002. The next championship is scheduled for mid-June of 2006.

            In May of 2003, indoor lacrosse was brought to an international level. In Ontario , the first indoor championship game was held. In the final, the Canadians beat out the Iroquois Nation.  

In 2000, the International Lacrosse Development Committee became recognized as a joint committee of the ILF and the IFWLA. The committee coordinates assistance for developing both men's and women's lacrosse throughout the world. It continues to try to develop places like Argentina, Austria, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Korea, Lithuania, New Zealand, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, and Tonga .