Lax Talk: Field Manual of Lacrosse Terms
Volume 2
Here’s the continuation of terms to recognize next time you pad up.
Lumberjack: A player the consistently but unsuccessfully whacks at the carrier while running down the field.
Murder Pass: A lobbed pass that leaves the recipient vulnerable to a check when catching the ball or shortly thereafter. Also called a ‘Hospital Pass’ or a ‘Buddy Pass.’
Naked: When a player is wide open for a pass.
Number Up: Command given, usually from the goalie, calling defenders to cover attackers man-to-man.
On The Fly: When a substitution is made in the middle of play without the play stopping.
Overload: Strategy moving one or two players into an area to gain advantage.
Over-the-Head Check: A check from behind where the defender reaches up over the head, both hands on the end of the stick, and sweeps across the ball carriers front in an attempt to dislodge the ball.
Phantom Check: When the ball carrier somehow loses control and drops the ball when no one is around.
Pick: Maneuver where a player stops and stands still in order to create an obstruction that the ball carrier can use to evade a defender.
Platoon: Intentionally using two goalies each game.
Poke Check: Check where the defender stabs at the ball carriers stick in an attempt to dislodge it.
Quickstick: Fast action catch and shoot, usually in one motion.
Ragging: Running down the clock by passing the ball around or simply running around with the ball in a non-attack manner.
Raking: Placing the stick head over in front of the ball, usually during face-off, and dragging or sweeping it back. In general, a bad habit unless done by a goalie.
Ride: After an attacker misses a shot or otherwise loses the ball, they should harass the defender and try to regain possession of the ball.
Roll Dodge: A dodge where the ball carrier, as the come close to a defender, plants a foot, pivots, and spins around the outside of the defender and continues without changing speed.
Run Out: After a missed shot, a mad dash to the end line. The player closest to the balls when it exits the field of play gets the ball.
Rusty Gate: A check where the defender swings one-handed around his back to hit the ball carrier’s crosse and dislodge the ball.
Screen: When a player stands in front of the goalie to inhibit the goalie’s view of the play. Can also be used synonymously with ‘Pick.’
Skip Pass: A pass intentionally bounced off the ground.
Slap Check: A sloppy check where the defender merely hacks at the ball carrier’s stick, hands, or arms.
Soak Up: To block a shot with the body. Can be painful and dangerous.
Submarine: An underhand shot.
Thumbing: Using the thumb to keep the ball in the crosse head. This is illegal.
Turf Monster: Invisible creature that resides underneath the turf or grass who occasionally attacks a ball carrier, tripping them up, usually in open field with no one around.
V-Cut: When an offensive player feints one way, causing the defender to move in that direction, and then steps in another direction to become open for a pass.
Wormburner: Very low, hard shot that almost skims the ground.
Yard Sale: When a ball carrier gets checked and loses control of both the ball and the stick, the items being strewn across the field.
