Rules for playing lacrosse. Lacrosse Rules Explained: Essential Guide to Playing the Sport

What are the key rules for playing lacrosse. How does ball possession work in lacrosse. What constitutes a legal goal in lacrosse. When are goals disallowed in lacrosse. How do crease violations impact play in lacrosse. What are the regulations for player positioning in lacrosse.

Table of Contents

Understanding Ball Possession in Lacrosse

Ball possession is a crucial aspect of lacrosse that players and officials must understand. Let’s explore some key rules regarding possession:

Carrying the Ball in the Crosse

Players are allowed to carry the ball in the back of their crosse, which constitutes possession. However, if the ball becomes stuck, it’s considered withholding the ball from play. This results in a turnover during a face-off or at any other time during the game.

How can officials determine if the ball is stuck? There are several indicators:

The ball defies gravity at any point
The ball remains in the stick when the player attempts to throw or shake it out
The player makes non-lacrosse moves to dislodge the ball (e.g., slamming the stick head into the ground, kicking the stick, or hitting it with their free arm)

During a face-off, the ball must be out of the back of the head within one step to avoid a violation.

Possession Carry-Over Between Periods

Does possession carry over from one period to another? It depends on the penalty situation:

If there’s an uneven penalty situation when the period ends and one team has possession, that team starts the next period with possession
This rule applies regardless of whether the team in possession is man-up or man-down
The ball’s position on the field doesn’t matter; it doesn’t need to be in the attack area
If the period ends with an even penalty situation or a flag down creating an even penalty situation, possession doesn’t carry over

In running-time games, such as JV or lower-level matches, or varsity games with a 12-goal differential, if a team is due possession and the clock runs out during a dead ball, it’s treated as if the team ended the period with possession.

Crease Violations and Their Impact on Play

Crease violations can significantly affect the outcome of a play, particularly when it comes to scoring goals. Let’s examine the different scenarios:

Crease Violations During Goal Scoring

When a goal is scored, the timing of a crease violation determines whether the goal stands:

If the ball enters the goal before an offensive player steps into the crease, the goal is valid
If an offensive player steps into the crease before the ball enters the goal, the goal is disallowed
If a player deliberately leaves their feet by jumping or diving and lands in the crease, the goal is disallowed regardless of when the ball entered the goal

Crease Violations During Clearing

Crease violations during clearing situations are handled differently depending on the location of the ball and the player in possession:

If a clearing team player (not necessarily the goalie) has possession in the crease and there’s a crease violation, it’s a play-on
The play-on ends when the goalie runs or successfully passes the ball out of the crease
If neither occurs, it results in a free clear (not a time-serving penalty)
If a clearing team player has possession outside the crease and there’s a crease violation, it’s a flag down technical foul (time-serving penalty unless a goal is scored on the play)

Can non-goalkeepers enter the crease? Non-goalkeepers are not allowed in the crease for the purpose of blocking shots or acting like a goalkeeper. The first offense results in illegal procedure, while the second offense leads to a releasable unsportsmanlike conduct foul.

Out of Bounds Rules in Lacrosse

Understanding out of bounds rules is essential for maintaining fair play and determining possession. Let’s focus on shots that go out of bounds:

Awarding Possession on Out of Bounds Shots

When a shot goes out of bounds, how is possession determined? The following rules apply:

If the ball goes out of bounds on a shot and the initial shot’s momentum carries it out, possession is awarded to the team with an in-bounds player whose body is closest to the ball when it breaks the plane of the end line or sideline
The location of the stick has no bearing on this decision
It doesn’t matter who touches the ball last, even if the touch occurs behind the goal, as long as they’re not adding impetus to the ball
Only the officials determine whether it is a shot or a pass

This rule ensures fair play and prevents players from intentionally deflecting the ball out of bounds to gain possession.

Player Positioning and Field Regulations

Proper player positioning is crucial in lacrosse to maintain fairness and prevent rule violations. Let’s examine some key regulations:

Number of Players on the Field

Is it legal to have too many or too few players on the field? No, it is illegal to have an incorrect number of players on the field. This rule is outlined in several sections of the NFHS rulebook, including:

NFHS 4.22 Situation B
NFHS 6-5-2-f
NFHS 5-10-1-f
NFHS 4-24-2-d
NFHS 6-5-2-j

In some cases, NFHS 4.11.3 Situation can also come into play. Violations of this rule can result in penalties or disallowed goals.

Disallowing Goals in Lacrosse

While scoring is the primary objective in lacrosse, not all goals are allowed to stand. Let’s explore the circumstances under which a goal may be disallowed:

Reasons for Disallowing Goals

NFHS Rule 4-9 details the situations in which a goal is disallowed. Generally, if a scenario is not covered in this section, there must be an extraordinarily good reason for disallowing a goal.

When are fouls considered in disallowing goals? In most cases, a foul must be recognized before the goal to disallow it. However, there are situations where a foul by the attacking team recognized after the goal will result in disallowance:

Too many men on the field (more than 10 total on field and serving penalties)
Offside by the attacking team
A player from the attacking team releases early from a penalty
The crosse of the scoring player is determined to be illegal before the next live ball
The scoring player adjusts the strings after scoring a goal and before the official can request the crosse

These rules ensure that goals are scored fairly and within the boundaries of the game’s regulations.

Equipment Regulations in Lacrosse

Proper equipment is essential for player safety and fair play in lacrosse. Let’s examine some key equipment regulations:

Legal and Illegal Crosses

The crosse is a crucial piece of equipment in lacrosse. What makes a crosse legal or illegal? Here are some key points:

The length of the crosse must be within specified limits, depending on the player’s position
The head of the crosse must meet certain width and shape requirements
Strings and lacing must conform to specific regulations to prevent unfair ball retention

Officials may check crosses before, during, or after the game to ensure compliance. Using an illegal crosse can result in penalties or disallowed goals.

Protective Equipment Requirements

What protective equipment is required in lacrosse? Players must wear:

A helmet with face mask and chin strap
Mouthguard
Protective gloves
Shoulder pads
Athletic cup (male players)

Goalkeepers have additional equipment requirements, including a throat protector and chest protector.

Penalty Enforcement in Lacrosse

Understanding penalty enforcement is crucial for players, coaches, and officials. Let’s explore some key aspects of penalties in lacrosse:

Types of Penalties

What are the different types of penalties in lacrosse? There are several categories:

Personal fouls: More serious infractions that result in 1-3 minute penalties
Technical fouls: Less severe violations that typically result in 30-second penalties or loss of possession
Releasable penalties: The penalized player can return to the game if a goal is scored against their team
Non-releasable penalties: The player must serve the full penalty time regardless of goals scored

Man-Up and Man-Down Situations

How do penalties affect team strength on the field? When a player is serving a penalty:

Their team plays with fewer players on the field, creating a “man-down” situation
The opposing team gains a “man-up” advantage
These situations can significantly impact game strategy and scoring opportunities

Understanding these rules and their application is essential for all participants in the sport of lacrosse. By adhering to these regulations, players can enjoy a fair, safe, and exciting game that showcases their skills and teamwork.

Rule 4—Play of the Game — Upper Midwest Lacrosse Officials Association

Ball in back of crosse

There is no rule prohibiting a player from carrying the ball in the back of his crosse, and doing so constitutes possession. However, if the ball is stuck, that is withholding the ball from play and results in a turnover if it occurs during a face-off or any other time during the game.

An official seeing the ball defy gravity at any point or seeing the ball stay in the stick when the player attempts to throw or shake the ball out is grounds for determining that the ball is “stuck.” If the player makes a non-lacrosse move that looks like it is intended to dislodge a stuck ball (e.g., slamming the head of the stick into the ground, kicking the stick, hitting the stick with the free arm), this is taken as an admission that the ball was stuck.

On a faceoff, by rule the ball must be out of the back of the head within 1 step.

Possession carrying over from period to period

If there is an uneven penalty situation (e.g., the two teams have different numbers of players serving penalties) when the period ends and one team is in possession, that team will start the next period in possession unless there are fouls between periods. This holds whether the team in possession is man-up or man-down. Contrary to popular belief, this is true wherever the ball is on the field: it does not need to be in the attack area.

The ball starts at the same relative position on the field (the teams will most likely change ends except to start OT), but a ball in the attack area when play stopped moves laterally out of the attack area.

If the period ends with an even penalty situation or a flag down creating an even penalty situation, possession does not carry over.

Possession at end of period in a running-time game

In a running-time game, if a team is due possession and the clock runs out during a dead ball, that’s the same as the team ending the period with possession. This holds in all JV and lower-level games as well as in a varsity game with the 12-goal differential in effect. Thus, possession carries over if the penalty situation is uneven.

Crease violations when a goal is scored

There are three main possibilities:

The ball goes into goal, then offensive player steps into the crease: goal is good.
The offensive player steps into the crease, then ball goes into goal: no goal.
The player deliberately leaves his feet by jumping or diving, then lands in the crease: no goal regardless of when the ball entered the goal.

Crease violation with clearing team in possession

If clearing team player B1 (not necessarily the goalie) has possession of the ball in the crease and there is a crease violation, it’s a play-on. The play-on ends when the goalie runs or successfully passes the ball out of the crease. If he does neither, it’s a free clear. This is not a time-serving penalty.

If clearing team player B1 (doesn’t have to be the goalie) has possession of the ball outside the crease and there is a crease violation, it’s a flag down technical foul. This is a time-serving penalty (unless a goal is scored on the play).

Non-goalie in the crease

A non-goalkeeper may not be in the crease for the purpose of blocking shots or acting like a goalkeeper. The first offense for a team is illegal procedure, and the second is a releasable USC foul.

Shot out of bounds

If the ball goes out of bounds on a shot and the momentum of the initial shot is what carries the ball out of bounds, it is awarded to the team with an in-bounds player whose body is closest to the ball when it breaks the plane of the end line or sideline. The location of the stick has no bearing on this. It does not matter who touches the ball last—even if the touch occurs behind the goal—as long as they are not adding impetus to the ball. Only the officials determine whether it is a shot or a pass.

Too few men on the field

It is illegal to have too many or too few players on the field. See NFHS 4.22 Situation B, NFHS 6-5-2-f, NFHS 5-10-1-f, NFHS 4-24-2-d, and NFHS 6-5-2-j. In some cases, 4.11.3 Situation can come into play here.

Goal disallowed

NFHS Rule 4-9 details the situations in which a goal is disallowed. In general, if it is not covered in this section there must be an extraordinarily good reason for disallowing a goal.

In most cases, a foul must be recognized before the goal to disallow the goal. However, in some situations, a foul by the attacking team recognized after the goal will disallow the goal. These include:

Too many men on the field (more than 10 total on field and serving penalties).
Offside by the attacking team.
A player from the attacking team releases early from a penalty.
The crosse of the scoring player is determined to be illegal before the next live ball.
The scoring player adjusts the strings after scoring a goal and before the official can request the crosse.
The scoring player adjusts the crosse after the official asks for it.
An attacking deliberately leaves his feet by jumping or diving and lands in the crease before or after the ball enters the goal.

Regular substitution

After a goal, a timeout, or the reporting of a time-serving penalty, teams have 20 seconds to sub (timed by the officials’ belt timers) in all games (running time or stop time) and can go through the table area or the coaches box. They need not wait for their teammates to leave the field first. If a team has too many or too few players on the field when the timer beeps, they are guilty of illegal procedure (change of possession or a 30-second penalty, depending on who is due possession). [See NFHS Situation 4.22-B]

Playing on the ground

Although many players and coaches seem to believe that it is a penalty for a player to participate while on the ground, that is not a rule. It is, however, illegal to body check a player who has any body part on the ground other than his feet (stick checking the opponent is still legal if the opponent is on the ground).

Equipment inspections in varsity games

Officials should conduct four inspections per team per game. The player’s crosse and all of his protective equipment must be inspected. These are to be done at random dead-ball times, such as after a goal, during a timeout, or before a face-off.

When a violation is discovered, the officials should explain to the head coach what the violation is but should not demonstrate the measurement or test.

Equipment checks in JV and lower-level games

By rule, the officials must check the protective equipment and crosse of at least one player per team per half. Because of the running clock, we do these checks in stopped-clock situations (between periods, during timeouts) so we do not use up game time (as opposed to varsity games where the clock is stopped when we check sticks after goals, before face-offs, and during timeouts).

In 14U and lower games, typically the officials will only check protective gear, pocket depth and rollout except as described in the Minnesota Youth Rules Variations document.

These checks are not optional. If the officials are not doing these checks, please inform the assigner.

Playing without a crosse

A field player playing without a crosse or with a broken crosse is an illegal procedure technical foul (may be possession or 30 seconds, depending on who had possession when the foul occurred). It may be a play-on or a flag down, depending on the situation, but the officials will stop play immediately if the broken crosse creates a dangerous situation.

If a goalie loses his crosse, the same rules apply, but play must be stopped immediately for a broken goalie crosse.

Loss of equipment

Under NFHS rules, if a player loses required equipment other than the crosse in a scrimmage area, we kill the play and give the ball back to the team that had it or award by AP if the ball was loose. This is not a technical foul as it is under NCAA rules.

If a player intentionally loses equipment to, say, stop a fast break, we kill the play but assess a USC penalty.

This is not to be confused with not wearing required protective equipment other than the mouthguard (e.g., no shoulder pads), which is a 1:00 NR equipment penalty (but not an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty). A mouthguard that is not properly worn (or missing) is a technical foul.

Goalie interference

There is no goalie interference when the ball is loose and an offensive player checks the portion of the goalie’s crosse that is outside the crease. A clamped ball is not in possession, and if the goalie clamps a loose ball outside the crease his stick may still be checked outside the crease.

Injured players

If there is an injured player, the officials will call an officials’ timeout. If the injury does not appear to be serious and the player is not in a scrimmage area, the officials may wait to stop play until an imminent scoring opportunity is completed or, if the ball is loose, for a team to gain possession before stopping play. However, officials should err on the side of stopping play sooner rather than later.

Once the officials stop play, they should call the trainer and/or head coach onto the field to attend to the player. Officials should no touch or try to treat the player themselves. They will let the trainer and/or coaches know they have as much time as they need to deal with the player. Officials should never rush an injured player off the field.

Timeouts

For varsity games, each team gets two timeouts per half and one per overtime period. They do not carry over from half to half or OT period to OT period. Timeouts taken between periods are charged to the preceding period.

Trick timeout

Situation: Team A has possession and calls timeout. They run to the huddle and then, as soon as Team B is in the huddle, Team A runs back onto the field and tells the officials they are ready, hoping to catch Team B for a delay of game penalty. Ruling: Timeouts last for up to two minutes, but when the team calling the timeout is ready to play the other team must be summoned back to the field and will have 20 seconds to get back. In this situation, the proper mechanic is for the nearest official to go to Coach B, to make sure he understands that the timeout is over, to call the teams back to the field, and then to start the 20-second timer.

Lines

In almost every case, stepping on a field marking puts you into another area of the field. For example:

Stepping on the attack-area line ends the 10-second count if you are outside the attack area. However, if you are inside the attack area and are warned for stalling, stepping on the line with possession puts you outside the attack area (creating a stalling violation).
Stepping on the midfield line is enough to make a player offside, regardless of which end of the field he is coming from.
Stepping on the sideline puts a player out of bounds, but a substitute stepping on the sideline puts him on the field.

The exception is the crease circle, which is always part of the crease area.

Wing-line violations

A wing-line violation during a face-off can be a (short) play-on under NFHS rules.

Hidden Rules About Lacrosse From Expert In 2023

Tips & Tricks

Billy Butler

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January 2, 2023

0 20 6 minutes read

Lacrosse is a sport popular among native North Americans. Played on the field by both genders. Like every sports game, you must mind some basic Lacrosse rules. From body check to stick check, you need to know everything here today.

Only 10 players can play the game on the field at one time, and similar to how you need a hockey stick, you’ll also need a “crosse” to play Lacrosse. Lacrosse is an exciting sport, and you’ll feel like playing soccer, basketball, and hockey all at once. In this guide, you’ll learn all the basic rules about Lacrosse so you can enjoy your next match.

Table of Contents

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Basic Lacrosse kit

The basic Lacrosse kit consists of the following equipment:

Stick
Gloves
Elbow pads
Shoulder pads
Helmet
Mouthguard
Ball

A Lacrosse ball is a small ball around 8 inches in diameter and made up of galvanized rubber. To protect yourself from injuries caused by the rubber ball, you’ll need to wear a protective helmet, mouthguard, and gloves. Possession of the ball is also very important for all lacrosse players.

There are two types of sticks that are used by the team: long and short. The long shaft is around 52 and 72 inches, while the short one Is around 40 and 42 inches. Except for the goalkeeper, Only four players are allowed to use the long sticks.

A Lacrosse team comprises 10 players, and players are divided into the following roles:

3 defenders
3 midfielders
3 attackers
1 goalkeeper

There is a position for each and every player, and to be able to play Lacrosse, there are no specific requirements. You should only know what basic rules about Lacrosse to follow and how to catch or pass the ball with your stick.

What is the main goal of the game of Lacrosse?

Similar to other sports, the goal of the Lacrosse game is to score more than your opponent’s team. It would help if you threw the ball into the opponent’s goal to achieve more.

You’ll use your stick to catch, carry and pass the ball to your other team players, aiming to stop the opponent team from gaining more scores than you.

The game’s length depends on your age group, so if you are in a college game, it will last for a 4-15 minutes quarter, while for youth games, it will last for a 4-10 minutes quarter.

To gain a score, your team players must pass the ball, with the help of the Lacrosse stick, into the opponent’s goal while keeping in mind to cross the goal line completely. Upon infringement, your goal will not be counted by not crossing the goal line. If your team scored more goals within the given timeframe, then congratulations! You are the winner.

What are the basic rules about Lacrosse?

If you have just started playing or watching Lacrosse, then you must be wondering what the main rules of Lacrosse are. It can be confusing for noobs, and to avoid unnecessary confusion here, we have explained all the basic rules you must know about Lacrosse. This will not only help you play Lacrosse, but you’ll also enjoy the game.

The field rules:

The Lacrosse field is 120 yards long and 65 yards wide, which is the same size as a football field but slightly wider.
Out of ten members, the attackers are allowed to stay on the offensive side of the field, which means they can’t cross the midfield line. However, the defenders are allowed to remain only on the defensive side of the area, and they, too, can’t cross over the midfield line. Midfielders can cross over either side of the field.
A Lacrosse goal is six by six in height and width, guarded by a goalkeeper whose main purpose is to prevent the ball from going into the plan.

The cease rules:

Around every Lacrosse goal, there is a circular line called a crease, and offensive players are not allowed to enter the crease at any time; only they can use their sticks within cease. If someone disobeys this rule and still goes into the crease, it results in a turnover, and the opposite team gets the ball now.
Every Lacrosse game begins with a faceoff; the ball is placed between two midfielders squatted down at the center of the field. Faceoffs are done at the start of every quarter and after every goal.

The quarter’s rules:

A Lacrosse game consists of 4 quarters, which generally take 12 to 15 minutes. After every quarter, teams switch sides. For example, if team A defended goal X in quarter1, then team A will protect goal y in quarter 2. There is also a short break between each quarter and a longer half-time break after two quarters.
There are no ties in Lacrosse, which means if both teams have an equal no of goals after 4 quarters, the team will go into overtime. After getting into overtime, whichever team gets an extra plan is the winner.

The sticks rules:

To move the ball around the field, Lacrosse players pass the ball to each other by using their sticks, or they run the ball themselves and cradle it. By cradle, it means moving the Lacrosse stick back and forth to keep the ball inside the shaft.

Using hands or feet is strictly prohibited.
Lacrosse players try to dodge or move around their defenders to get open to score, and as a result, the defenders stop players by checking or using their sticks so they can dislodge the ball from their opponent.
It is allowed if a player hits another player from the front, but pushing a player from the back is strictly prohibited. In addition to that, you can’t make head-to-head contact with an opponent. You also can’t slash or use your metal stick to hit a player in the head, legs, or arms.

The out-of-bounds rules:

Lacrosse out-of-bounds rules are similar to most of the other ground sports. The other team gets the ball if you are the last player to touch it when it goes out of bounds. However, there Is an exception: if a team shoots the ball but misses the goal, whoever is close to the ball when it goes out of bounds gets the possession. It means a team who missed the goal can still get the ball back if they’re closest to it when it goes out of bounds. Remember that this rule applies to a shot only if you pass the ball and it gets out of bounds; the other team gets the ball.
The area behind the goal is called the X, and similar to hockey, Lacrosse players can freely move behind the goal area. Moreover, at least one offensive player is at x during a game.

The penalty rules:

There are several common penalties that you can encounter while playing Lacrosse. The first one is offsides, which means teams must keep four players, including the goalkeeper, on the defensive side of the ball at all times. In addition, they have to keep three offensive players on the offensive side of the ball at one time. Too many players on one side of the field results in offsides, and the other team gets possession.
The other penalty is crosschecking when you push a player with your stick, and your hands are spread apart. While making a player, your hands need to be together; if not, it’s considered a crosscheck.
Another penalty is the slash, where a defender hits a player in the hand, legs, or arms. If a team gets a penalty, the player who committed the penalty is sent to the penalty box for a certain period. This penalty gives the opposing team an advantage, and they can play with one extra player on the field. This team with the upper hand is called the man up, while the team at a disadvantage is called the man down.

The game of Lacrosse can be hell confusing when you first start watching or playing it as you are unaware of most of the rules.

So, I hope you may know now all about the rules about lacrosse in 2023 & their hidden things. If you still have anything to ask, do let me know.

But once you understand how the basic rules work, how team players are positioned, and what players get the longer stick and what get the shorter one, you’ll easily get the hang of it. Lastly, If you understand how hockey and basketball are played, you’ll get the rules about Lacrosse in no time.

San Diego Seals forward Austin Staats suspended for one game

22:14
Nov 23,

San Diego Seals forward Austin Staats was suspended one game by the National Lacrosse League for an incident after Game 3 of last year’s Western Conference Finals.

Staats was penalized 15 minutes into the fourth quarter in the series decider against Colorado Mammoth. The Mammoths won that tense game 15:13. The specific details of the violation were not disclosed, but Staats was penalized by official rules 42 and 41.3. These two rules are:

RULE 42: DETERMINATION OF PENALTIES FOR GRAVIOUS MISconduct

The referee may impose a “Great Misconduct” penalty on any player guilty of a gross misconduct of any kind. Any player who is penalized for a “gross misconduct” shall be penalized with a match penalty and subject to a fine and/or suspension from League play.

The following list of violations may result in a gross misconduct assessment:

Interfering with or hitting a spectator
Taunting and/or insulting race, gender, religion, sexual orientation
Spitting at an opponent, spectator or referee.

RULE 41.3 PENALTY CAUSED IN LAST TEAM GAME

If a player receives a penalty for a flagrant infraction in his team’s last game, he shall receive an additional one (1) game suspension at the start of the next regular season.

Staats will miss the Seals’ season opener on December 3 against the New York Riptide.

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