NCAA

Don't cheap-shot a player away from the ball

Stick checks and body checks on players who clearly do not have possession and are not an immediate threat are viewed as cowardly and unsportsmanlike. The culture distinguishes hard, competitive physical play from gratuitous hits designed to injure or intimidate rather than compete.

This norm underpins much of lacrosse's self-policing culture; peer judgment and team response (not just officiating) enforces it.

Do not target the head with stick checks

Even in an era before targeting rules were tightened, the lacrosse culture has long held that deliberately slashing at an opponent's head or neck — rather than the gloves, hands, or shaft — is outside the bounds of legitimate physical play. This is treated as a character issue, not merely a rules question.

Rule changes at the NCAA level have formalized penalties, but the cultural condemnation predates the modern rulebook emphasis on head safety.

Honor the game's Native American origins

Lacrosse is widely called 'The Creator's Game' in Haudenosaunee tradition. Players and programs are culturally expected to acknowledge the game's Indigenous roots — through pre-game ceremonies, education, or simple acknowledgment — and to play with the reverence that heritage demands. Dismissiveness toward this history is considered a serious breach of the game's spirit.

The Haudenosaunee Nationals are the most visible embodiment of this living cultural legacy; many programs host Native awareness nights or invite tribal representatives.

Do not recklessly crash into the opposing goalie

The crease is the goalie's sanctuary. Even when a goal-front scramble is legal, deliberately barreling into or running over a stationary goalie is seen as cheap and dangerous. Opponents expect attackers to pull up or go around once possession is lost, rather than using body weight to punish the goalie.

NCAA rules penalize crease violations and goalie interference, but the cultural norm extends beyond what referees flag — incidental contact that could have been avoided is still judged harshly by peers.

The post-game handshake line must be sincere

Shaking hands after a game — win or lose — is a deep-seated expectation at all levels of lacrosse. Refusing to participate, phoning it in with limp handshakes, or making disrespectful comments during the line is considered one of the worst breaches of sportsmanship. Emotions are expected to be set aside the moment the final whistle blows.

Incidents where handshake lines devolve into confrontations are treated as significant scandals and often result in formal consequences beyond the cultural censure.