Lacrosse and STEM With just a few seconds left in the lacrosse game the score is tied The attacker cradles the ball close to the goal She sees an opening in the defense With both hands gripping her stick she shoots the ball hard It zips through the air The ball flies past the goalie into the top corner of the net Score The attacker scored because of her strong shot but she had some help from STEM too SCIENCE From shooting on goal to facing off against an opponent the game of lacrosse plays out according to the rules of physics TECHNOLOGY Discover how wearable tech and radar guns tell us more about the game ENGINEERING The latest lacrosse stick ball and field designs help teams play better than ever MATH Information about teams and players is gathered as numbers called stats A winning score is just the beginning
After a goal it's time for a celebration
SCIENCE Holding onto the Ball The midfielder sprints down the field with the ball in her stick's pocket She cradles the ball in the pocket by twisting the stick back and forth in her hands Even as she runs through the defense the ball does not fly out How does it stay put The Perfect Twist As a player runs with a lacrosse ball a force called inertia causes the ball to move in a straight line Cradling keeps the ball in the netted pocket When the player twists the stick the stick's motion around the ball holds the ball in the pocket Cradling also keeps the ball in the perfect position to fire an accurate shot
Contact between players is allowed in men's lacrosse so defenders can slam into opponents with body checks For this reason men's lacrosse sticks have deeper pockets to help them hold onto the ball Women's lacrosse sticks have shallower pockets which helps players make quick passes
