Lacrosse

Rules of the Game

Lacrosse Rules

• Field Layout • Player Positions• Player Equipment• “Offsides” and “Out of Bounds” rules• Substitution rules• Fouls• Game Situations• Different Rules for Youth Lacrosse

Lacrosse Field

Defensive

Zone

Offensive

Zone(“Box”)

Face O

ff

Area

Wing Area

Wing Area

“X”

Substitution Area “Box”Team A Sideline Team B Sideline

Crease(9 ft radius)

110 yds

15 yds20 yds 20 yds

60 yds

40 yds

Player Positions• 10 players max.

– 3 Attack (typically on the offensive side of the field)– 3 Midfielders (typically run the whole field)– 3 Defenders (typically on the defensive side of the field)– 1 Goalie

• All players may run the entire length of the field (note “offsides” rule)

• Up to 4 long sticks can be on the field at any time

• Players may serve time penalties, requiring a team to play with less players on the field – “Man-up” or “Extra-Man”– vs. “Man-down”

Goalie’s Crease• Offensive players are not allowed in the crease (sticks are)

• Defensive players can be in the crease, but cannot carry the ball from outside the crease back into it (results in possession change). This includes the goalie.

• The ball can be passed back to the goalie in the crease

• Goalie is protected as long as he is in the crease (as long as one foot remains in the crease)– When in the crease and in possession of the ball, the Goalie’s stick

can not be interfered with (results in ‘free clear”)

• Goalie has 4 seconds to get the ball out of the crease (pass it or run it out)

Equipment – Stick Lengths

Age Short Stick Long Stick

U9 37” - 42” n/a

U11 37” – 42” 47” – 52”

U13 & U15 40” – 42” 52” – 72”

Goalies: 40” – 72”

Equipment – Stick Pocket

• Depth is legal when the top of the ball remains above the bottom of the head’s wall when placed in the pocket of a horizontal stick

• Ball must freely fall from pocket when turned upside down

Required Protective Equipment

• Helmet with 4-point chinstraps (designed for lacrosse)

• Mouthpiece• Gloves (with unaltered palms; designed for lacrosse)

• Shoulder pads (designed for lacrosse)

• Arm pads (designed for lacrosse)

• Goalies:– Chest protector (instead of shoulder pads)– Throat protector– Athletic Cup

Off-sides Rule

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Must always have:• 4 players on the defensive

side• 3 players on the offensive side Off-sides!

Off-sides Rule

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Must always have:• 4 players on the defensive

side• 3 players on the offensive side Legal Transition

Out of Bounds…..

• If ball is:– Carried out of bounds– Deflects off of a player or his stick and goes out of

bounds– Passed out of bounds

the team that last touched the ball before it went out of bounds loses possession

• Play restarts on the field (passing-in is not required like most other sports)

Ball out of Bounds…..

• If ball goes out of bounds due to a missed shot, the team closest to the ball when it goes out of bounds, gets the ball

…..therefore offense (attack) should always be backing up the goal

• Again, play restarts on the field

Substitutions

• Always through the Substitution Box

• “On the horn” when ball goes out along a sideline – Not when ball goes out the endline

• “On the fly”

“Horn” Substitutions

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Ball went out of bounds, along a sideline. “Horn” called by coaches. All can sub at once.

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“On the Fly” Substitutions

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While play is continuing on the field. Player coming on to the field can’t come on until after the other player has left the field.

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Checking

• Stick Checks– Striking an opponent’s stick or the gloved

hand holding the stick

• Body Checks- From the front or side, between the waist and

shoulders, with both hands on the stick

Both can be performed within 3 yards of a loose ball (on the ground or in the air)

Personal Fouls

• More serious

• Results in 1, 2 or 3 minute time-serving penalty, depending on severity

• Releasable (ended by an opponent’s goal) or non-releasable

Personal Fouls• Illegal Stick (length, pocket) / Illegal Equipment

• Unsportsmanlike Conduct

• Slashing – Vicious (“intended to harm”) uncontrolled swinging of the stick– Striking opponent in the body with the stick (a hand on the stick

is considered part of the stick)

• Cross-check – Checking or holding a player with the part of the shaft between

the player’s hands

• Tripping

Personal Fouls• Illegal Body Check

– At youth level, check must be delivered upright (can not lower head or shoulder)

– More than 3 yards from ball– Delivered without 2 hands on the stick– From behind– Below the waist or above the shoulders– Leading with the head (can be called on the player with the ball)– Leaving feet – To a player on the ground– Avoidable (ie. well after a player has passed or shot the ball) – No “take-out” checks: considered more aggressive than

necessary

• Unnecessary Roughness – Can be called on the player with the ball if they intentionally try

to run over the defender (it’s not football)

Technical Fouls

• Less serious

• Results in change of possession if the ball is loose or the offending team has possession

• Results in a 30 second releasable penalty if the offended team has possession

Technical Fouls

• Offsides

• Pushing (from behind)– May not push a player from behind– From side and front is legal, when opponent has the ball or is

within 3 yards of a loose ball– Usually occurs during a loose ball situation

• Illegal Screen (moving pick, just like basketball)– Offensive player moving into or blocking a defensive player,

while his team has the ball– Only called when a team has possession of the ball– Stationary picks are legal

Technical Fouls

• Holding– Holding opponent with free hand or with stick

• Interference– Interfering with an opposing player’s movement, when more

than 3 yards away from the ball– Common interference: restricting an offensive player from

running through the crease area or setting a pick and placing the stick out to the side

• Warding off– Player with the ball uses his free hand to push or control the

direction of the defender or the defender’s stick– Using the loose arm as a stationary “shield” is legal

Technical Fouls

• Withholding ball from play– Lying or sitting on a loose ball or clamping it for longer than

necessary to obtain possession

• Offensive Stalling– Team with possession is not making an attempt to attack the

goal– Referee will give a warning first

• Crease Violation

• Illegal Procedure – illegal substitution, too many men on the field, etc.

Technical Fouls

• Failure to Advance (similar to 10 second half-court violation in basketball)– Failure to clear the ball across midfield in 20 seconds– Once across midfield, failure to get the ball into the offensive

“box” within 10 seconds– If the ball leaves the box, another 10 second countdown starts

Failure to Advance

> 20 seconds

> 10 seconds

Fouls - Delayed Calls

• “Play On”– For loose-ball, technical fouls when the offended

player is put at a disadvantage if the play is stopped– Referee will delay his whistle until a situation of

advantage (gained or lost) is complete

• Slow Whistle (“Flag Down”)– When a team with the ball is fouled and keeps

possession, the official calls the foul by throwing a flag

– Play continues until possession is lost or the ball leaves the offensive zone

Game Situations

Face-offs

Face Offs

• Play is started at beginning of each quarter and after each goal with a faceoff

• Wing player may take position anywhere behind the wing line, on offensive or defensive side of midfield

• Attack and Defensive players must remain behind defensive area line until possession is called

• Faceoff players – crouch with sticks back to back (right handed), entire body to the left of the throat of his stick, sticks parallel to midfield line and not touching the ball.

Face-off Line-up

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Once the Blue middie gains possession of the ball, the attack and defense can release into the face-off area

Game Situations

Man-up / Man-down

6-5 “Man-Up / Man-Down”

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Blue Team is 1 Man-Down. Red Team is Man-up

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5-4 “Man-Up / Man-Down”

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Blue Team is 2 Man-Down. Red Team is down 1 man, resulting in them still being Man-up.

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6-4 “Man-Up / Man-Down”

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Blue Team is down 2 men. Red Team is Man-up

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“Man-Down” – getting your man back on the field

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Blue Team is 1 Man-Down. Red Team is Man-up.

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Blue gets their Middie closer to the defensive zone by removing an Attackmen.

When penalty expires, the Attackman re-enters the field & maintains “on-sides”, allowing the Middie to

even up the defense

“Man-up / Man-down” Situation at End of Quarter

• If penalty time remains at the end of the quarter, the remainder of the time will be served in the next quarter

• If a team has possession of the ball at the end of the quarter and a penalty is still being served, that team starts the next quarter with possession (no face-off)

“Man-Down” Face-off Line-up

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Blue Team is 1 Man-Down. During the face-off, an Attackman can come up to the wing position. He must stay on the offensive side of the field to stay “on-sides”.

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Game Situations

Last 2 minutes of the game

Last Two Minutes of the Game “Keep it in the Box”

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Red must keep the ball within the offensive “box”. Blue might pull the goalie from the cage and attempt to double the ball.

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Different Rules for Youth Lacrosse

• Youth rules emphasize player safety and development. As such the overall physicality of the game is less than in high school and college. All checking penalties tend to be called more strictly at the youth level.

• At U9 – reduced # of players with reduced field size– Usually play: 2 attack, 2 defenders, 3 middies– Shot-blocker may be used for a “goalie”

• At U9 and U11– No body checking (“boxing out” is acceptable)– No time limit for “advancing the ball”– No stalling or “keep it in” rule at end of game

• At U15 ONLY: – Controlled, one-handed stick checks are legal

• Legal stick lengths – vary by age group

• Length of Game– U9: will vary depending on play-day format– U11-U15:

• 10 minute, stop time quarters• If score is tied at the end of regulateion, one 4 minute “sudden

victory” OT period

• All: “Mercy Rules”– A team 4 or more goals behind automatically gets the ball,

unless waived by the losing team’s coach– After first half, if there is an 8 goal differential, running clock will

be used

Different Rules for Youth Lacrosse