Why is lacrosse called the Medicine Game?

Lacrosse is a sacred gift from the Creator, rooted in the traditions of the Indigenous Peoples of North America. It has been played for centuries not just as a sport, but as a spiritual expression of gratitude, healing, and community.  To Native Americans, lacrosse symbolizes a spiritual ritual to honor, heal, and celebrate individuals and communities which is why it is referred to as the "Medicine Game".

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For more on the Story of Lacrosse, click here!

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What is Counter Strike? It's 3v3 Lacrosse!​

• Players can create their own roster or are placed on teams of 5-6 players and play 3 on 3, in a non-contact, short-field lacrosse mini-tournament. All players use a short stick, with helmets & gloves. Each game is 8 minutes, where all players play all positions and sub on the fly. 

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• This is a “non-contact” league. Though players may incidentally bump into one another - stick checking is ok but no body checking is allowed. Intentional contact will be a time-serving penalty. ​

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Do I have to have lacrosse experience to play Counter Strike?

No, but it certainly helps.  The more aggressive the player and the better their stick skills, the faster the ball moves, the easier it is to dodge, pass, shoot and score!  The fastest way for a player to improve their stick skills is to spend time on the Wall with a ball.  CLICK HERE for a sample Wall Ball routine.

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DIVISIONS & REQUIRED GEAR:

• 3rd through 6th grade players

• 10U and 14U Divisions

• 4 Teams per Division

• Max roster size: 6

• Full Equipment

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How are the Hotshot Crews formed?

Hotshots Directors either place the players onto teams of 5-6 players to maximize competition for the day or the players can form their own teams.  Max players per team is 6.  Players can register as free agents if they don't have a team.

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Why is 3v3 Lacrosse beneficial to play?

3 vs 3 lacrosse teaches kids of all ability levels how to play in transition and forces them to have soft hands in order to catch a much lighter ball than they are used to.  In addition, they are running almost non-stop for 60 minutes and getting many valuable touches on the ball in a short period of time.  We want the kids to learn to react to situations quickly, whether it be on offense or defense.  

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What are the rules?

There are no body checks, however controlled stick checks are allowed. Substitutions are on the fly.  There are more rules but we'll explain them to the players.  It's very easy to pick up.​​

 

Can I borrow equipment from Hotshots?

Players are expected to provide their own lacrosse equipment but if you need to borrow something from us, please let us know.

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What does 3V3 lacrosse teach?

• Quick ball movement

• Playing with soft hands

• Spacing

• Creativity

• Thinking fast/adapting/making good decisions

• Draw and Dump Offense

• Understanding and learning what "early offense" is

• "Man Up" and "Man Down" core concepts

• Playing in transition

• Resiliency

• Off ball movement