Goaltender (box lacrosse) long passes to teammates that are attempting to breakaway on unsuspecting defenders. Box lacrosse goaltenders are also encouraged to be aggressive stick checkers around the ball and ferocious cross-checkers when needed (cross-checking is legal in box lacrosse). If a goaltender leaves the crease with possession of the ball, opponents are allowed to cross-check the goaltender as long as there is no attempt to injure. Box lacrosse goalies play in front of a four by four foot net at most levels, unlike a field goalie who plays in front of a six by six net. At the National Lacrosse League, Major,
Lacrosse in Canada the Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Lacrosse in Canada Modern lacrosse in Canada has been a popular sport since the mid 1800s. Only field lacrosse was played until the 1930s, when box lacrosse was invented. In 1994 Parliament passed the "National Sports of Canada Act" which declared lacrosse to be "Canada's National Summer Sport", with ice hockey as the National Winter Sport. Lacrosse was played by First Nations peoples before the arrival of European colonists. The first documented description of the game was in 1637. The game was called "baggataway" and "tewaarathon", which was played by two teams with 100