National Lacrosse League

Imagine a super-fast game played inside a building, like hockey but with a different stick and ball. That's the National Lacrosse League, or NLL! It's a professional league where the best box lacrosse players in North America show off their skills.

There are 14 teams, with half playing in the United States and half in Canada. These athletes are incredibly fast and strong, making every game exciting to watch.

Unlike some other lacrosse games played when it's sunny and warm, the NLL has its games when it's cold outside! The season starts in December, right around the holidays, and goes all the way until June. That means you can watch thrilling indoor games during winter and spring. The teams play hard all season long to win the big prize: the National Lacrosse League Cup!

The NLL is super popular! It's the third most popular indoor sport in the world when it comes to how many people come to watch the games. That's more popular than many other sports you might know! On average, between 8,900 and 10,700 fans pack the arenas for each game. That's like filling up a big school stadium with cheering fans for every single match!

Box lacrosse is played inside a hockey rink, which is smaller than a soccer field. Players use a stick with a net at the end to catch, carry, and throw a hard rubber ball. They wear lots of protective gear, like helmets and pads, because the game is very fast and physical. The goal is to shoot the ball into the other team's net to score points.