Even the casual observer can see the woman's game is markedly different from the men's. Of course, checking is banned in the women's game, but anyone who has played will tell you, it's still a contact sport. Like the Native game, women's playing fields have no defined boundaries, which means a player can technically run clear to Flagstaff to avoid another. The refs generally keep things reasonable, however. But perhaps the most notable difference between the games is the speed of play.
Men often resort to zones and half-court sets while the women's action is fast and furious.
Because it is so much more difficult to cradle with a woman's stick, the women's game is more dependent on quick passes and women are generally more accomplished ballhandlers as well. We were soundly trounced. To date, the Phoenix Youth Lacrosse League offers only men's rules. But founder Carl Johnson hopes to add a women's league at the start of the next millennium. For guys, the sport provides a combination of speed, scoring and heavy contact, but it is relatively easy to pick up.