Skill specific instruction
Position specific skills instruction will cover all critical elements of the game for midfielders, attackmen, defensemen, goalies, and face-off specialists.
Midfielders
Midfielders contribute offensively and defensively and may roam the entire playing area. Each team fields three midfielders at a time. One midfielder per team may use a long crosse, and in this case is referred to as a "long-stick midfielder."
Over time, the midfield position has developed into a position of specialties. During play, teams may substitute players in and out freely, a practice known as "on the fly" substitution. The rules state that substitution must occur within the designated exchange area in front of the players' bench. Teams frequently rotate the midfielder specialists off and on the field depending on the ball possession. Some teams have a designated face-off midfielder, referred to as a "fogo" midfielder (an acronym for "face-off and get-off"), who takes the majority of face-offs and is quickly substituted after the face-off.
Attackmen
Each team fields three attackmen at a time, and these players generally remain on the offensive half of the field. An attackman uses a short crosse and generally demonstrates good stick-handling with both hands. These are the players who score most of the goals.
Defensemen
A defensemen is a player position whose responsibility is to assist the goalkeeper in preventing the opposing team from scoring. Each team fields three defensemen. These players generally remain on the defensive half of the field. A defensemen carries a long crosse which provides an advantage in reach for intercepting passes and checking.
Tactics used by a defensemen include body positioning and checking. Checking means attempting to dispossess the opposition of the ball through body or stick contact. A check may include a "poke check", where a defensemen thrusts his crosse at the top hand or crosse of the opponent (similar to a billiards shot), or a "slap check", where a player applies a short, two-handed slap to the hand or crosse of the opponent. A "body check" is allowed as long as the ball is within a certain distance of the contact and is made to the torso of the opposing player.
Goalies
The goalkeeper's responsibility is to prevent the opposition from scoring by directly defending the 6 feet (1.8 m) wide by 6 feet (1.8 m) tall goal. A goalkeeper needs to stop shots that are capable of reaching over 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), and is responsible for directing the team's defense.
Goalkeepers have special privileges when they are in the crease, a circular area surrounding each goal with a radius of 9 feet (2.7 m). Offensive players may not play the ball or make contact with the goalkeeper while he is in the crease. Once a goalkeeper leaves the crease, he loses these privileges.
A goalkeeper's equipment differs from other players'. Instead of shoulder pads and elbow pads, the goalkeeper wears a chest protector. He also wears special "goalie gloves" that have extra padding on the thumb to protect from shots. The head of a goalkeeper's crosse may measure up to 15 inches (38 cm) wide, significantly larger than field players'.
Face-off specialists
Teams frequently rotate the midfielder specialists off and on the field depending on the ball possession. Some teams have a designated face-off midfielder, referred to as a "fogo" midfielder (an acronym for "face-off and get-off"), who takes the majority of face-offs and is quickly substituted after the face-off.
