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What a lacrosse scrimmage is
A lacrosse scrimmage is a game between two club teams, played in an arena box or on an outdoor field, that sits outside league results. Coaches use it to run new offensive sets, give backup goalies minutes, and practice faceoffs, clears and rides at game speed. Both clubs agree the format, the clock and any rule changes first.
How to find a lacrosse scrimmage in 4 steps
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Describe your team
Pick lacrosse, then set your birth year, gender (boys, girls or co-ed) and level: recreational, development, competitive or premier. Set your travel radius. If you are open to playing an older or younger group, list how many birth years you will play up or down, and Next Play flags teams whose range overlaps yours.
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Search, or post your open slot
Look through lacrosse teams near you that match. If you already hold a box booking or a field permit, post an open game with the date, the time window and the venue, and matching teams can claim it. Say whether it is box or field.
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Send the friendly invite
Choose your team, the date, the start time and who hosts. The other club accepts, suggests another time, or declines with a reason. Want a club not on Play 2 Earn Sports? Invite it by name and we email that club an invite with one reminder.
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Play it, then confirm the score
Once the game has started, either club can enter the score, and the other confirms or disputes it within 48 hours. Confirmed games go on your team's schedule and build each team's record, kept apart from league tables.
How long is a lacrosse scrimmage?
Most lacrosse scrimmages are played in quarters, and the booking decides how much time you have, so many coaches work backward from the end time. General patterns:
- Younger players (roughly 10U and under): short quarters on a running clock, small-sided play on part of the field, and frequent restarts so more kids touch the ball. Some coaches skip faceoffs and restart with the goalie.
- Middle ages (roughly 12U to 14U): four quarters, often a little shorter than league play, with a running clock except in the last minutes. Box teams may relax the shot clock while players are still building their offense.
- High school age and older: close to full-length quarters, with a stop clock in parts of the game. Coaches often add man-up and man-down possessions at the end.
A one-hour box slot may hold a warm-up plus three or four short quarters. Treat these as examples and agree your own times with the other coach.
What to agree before the game
- Box or field: the discipline, the venue, and for field, how much of the field you use for younger groups.
- Format: number and length of quarters, running or stop clock, and whether a shot clock is used in box.
- Restarts: faceoffs (or draws in girls' lacrosse) after every goal, or the goalie restarts to save time.
- Contact rules: the checking rules for the age group and discipline, especially if boys' and girls' teams or mixed-age groups are involved.
- Equipment: helmets, gloves, pads and mouthguards for boys' and box players, eyewear and mouthguards for girls' field players, and full goalie gear.
- Officials: whether you want one referee or a full crew, and who books them.
- Score and subs: whether you keep score, and whether line changes or subs are unlimited.
- Medical: who brings the first aid kit and who handles a suspected head injury, plus contrasting jerseys for each side.
Why clubs use Next Play for lacrosse scrimmages
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Matching that respects age and level
Search lacrosse teams by birth year, gender and level within your radius. Play-up and play-down ranges show when an older or younger team is a realistic opponent.
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Open games fill your booking
Holding box time or a field permit with no opponent? Post an open game and matching teams can claim it.
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One staff thread per game
Confirm box or field, the clock and the checking rules in a chat for the two clubs' staff only. Players and parents can't read it, and report and block are built in.
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Officials and a trusted record
Request one referee or a full crew; the host club and the referee agree the fee, and Next Play doesn't charge for this. Every number in a team's record comes from friendlies both clubs confirmed, including late cancels and no-shows. Next Play is free for clubs to use.
Questions
Set up your team in Next Play with lacrosse as the sport, plus your birth year, gender, level and travel radius. The app lists matching clubs within that distance. Send a friendly invite with the date, start time and host venue, or post an open game if you already have a box booking or field permit and want a team to claim it.
Box lacrosse is played indoors in an arena with a smaller playing area, fewer players per side, frequent line changes and often a shot clock. Field lacrosse is played outdoors on a large field with more players and set positions at attack, midfield and defense. Gear and checking rules differ, so state the discipline in your invite.
Most scrimmages use four quarters, but nothing stops two clubs from agreeing three, or a set amount of time with a running clock. Younger groups often play shorter quarters on a running clock with goalie restarts instead of faceoffs. Older teams usually play closer to full length. Agree the format in the staff chat before game day.
Boys' and girls' lacrosse use different rules for checking, sticks and protective gear, so most clubs scrimmage within the same game. For a mixed or co-ed scrimmage, agree in writing which rules and equipment apply. Next Play lets you search by gender, including co-ed teams.
They don't count in league standings. Next Play keeps friendlies separate from league tables. They do count toward your team's record in the app: games, wins-losses-draws, late cancels and no-shows, all from games both clubs confirmed. After 5 confirmed games with no no-shows and no more than 1 late cancel in 12 months, a team gets a Reliable badge.
Adult club staff: owners, club managers, team managers and coaches the club allows. Players and parents do not use Next Play. The two clubs' staff talk in a private chat for each game, can request a referee or full crew, and confirmed games go on your team's schedule.
