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PCYLO 7's 

Why Play 7's Lacrosse

At the youth level, playing on a smaller field with fewer players offers significant benefits compared to the traditional full-field game. In fact, lacrosse at the next Summer Olympics will be played in this small-sided format—with just 12 players on the field: 1 goalie and 5 field players per team. So, what makes this style of play so effective for young athletes?

  • More touches

  • Increased Space to Operate

  • Faster Pace of Play

  • Improved Decision Making

  • Balanced Participation

  • Improved environment for learning/coaching

I’ve been fortunate to coach several 7’s teams over the years, and it’s been rewarding to see many of those players now competing at the JV and Varsity levels.

General Rules

  • 14 players on the field at a time (as opposed to 20 with regular lacrosse)

  • 1 Goalie and 6 field players per team (2 Defense / 2 Middies / 2 Attackman / 1 Goalie)

  • Field is 80 yards long by 40 yards wide (shorter than a regulation field)

  • When playing offense there can only be 4 players on the offensive side of the field

    • 2 middies / 2 attackman

  • When playing defense there can be 5 players on the field 

    • 2 middies / 2 defensemen / 1 goalie

  • All other traditional rules apply (penalties, faceoffs, offsides, etc.)​

  • Understanding Offsides: Offsides is tricky especially for beginners. Here is a good video to explain it. Remember, you need to subtract one because we are playing with 2 defenseman, 2 middies and 2 attackmen, not 3. 

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