A defender is a player position whose primary responsibility is to
prevent the opposing team from scoring. Unlike in field lacrosse where
some defensive players carry "long poles" (a lacrosse stick with a 5
feet (1.5 m) shaft or handle), all box lacrosse defenders play with a
maximum 46 inches (1.2 m) long stick.
Defensive tactics include cross checking (where a player uses the shaft
of his stick to push the opposition player off balance), body checking
(where a player makes contact with the opposition player in order to
slow him down), and stick checking (where a player makes contact with
the opposition player's stick in order to knock the ball loose).