A Parent s and New Player s Guide and Introduction to Lacrosse

Transcription

1 A Parent s and New Player s Guide and Introduction to Lacrosse

2 Contact Lake Tapps Lacrosse Club through our website: All of the material in this booklet was garnered from the US Lacrosse and Positive Coaching Alliance websites. Updated versions and additional information can be found at: Current as of October

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Role of Parents 4 The Role of the Coach 5 History of Lacrosse 6-7 Rules 8-15 Overview Equipment 18 Fouls & Penalties Glossary Honor the Game

4 The Role of Parents You, the parent, are equally as important to your child's positive lacrosse experience as the coach of the team. In order for your child to get the most out of playing lacrosse, it is important that you do the following: One: Be supportive of your child by giving encouragement and showing an interest in his or her team. Positive reinforcement encourages learning and fun. Research has shown that a ratio of five positive statements (compliments, positive recognition) for each negative statement (criticisms, corrections) is ideal for helping young athletes do their best. Try to maintain a 5:1 ratio in your comments to your child. Two: Attend games whenever possible. If you cannot attend, ask about your child s experience, not whether the team won or lost. Some questions that you might ask before asking about the final score include: "Did you try as hard as you could? Did you have fun? Did you learn anything today that might make you a better player in the future?" Three: Be a positive role model by displaying good sportsmanship at all times to coaches, officials, opponents and your child s teammates. "Honoring the Game" is an important part of what US Lacrosse represents. Help us by honoring the game in your behavior as a spectator. Four: Let your child set his own goals and play the game for himself, herself. Be your child s "home court advantage" by giving him or her your unconditional support regardless of how well he or she performs. Five: Let the coach coach. Refrain from giving your child advice when he or she is playing. Use positive reinforcement with your child s coach. Let the coach know when he or she is doing a good job. Six: Respect the decisions of the referee or umpire. This is an important part of honoring the game. Your child will pay more attention to how you act than to what you say. Seven: Read the rulebook. A full understanding of the rules will help you enjoy the game and educate others. Eight: Get to know who is in charge. Meet with the leadership of the program, whether it s school sponsored or recreational, to discuss topics such as cost, practice and game scheduling, insurance coverage, emergency procedures, etc. Nine: Get involved! A great way to support your child's lacrosse experience is by becoming a volunteer for the program. Some of the ways you can get involved: keep the scorebook, run the clock, line the fields, manage equipment, chaperone trips, raise funds, organize clinics and team social events, update the team web site, photograph players and organize carpooling. Ten: Sit back and enjoy the game. Remember, lacrosse is played for FUN. 4

5 The Role of the Coach US Lacrosse is committed to the principles of "Honoring the Game" and works in partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) to provide tools and resources to the lacrosse community for this purpose. PCA is a national non-profit organization based at Stanford University with a mission to "transform youth sports so sports can transform youth." US Lacrosse wants all players to enjoy their experience with the sport of lacrosse and to learn positive character lessons that will help them in every aspect of their life. Coaches are expected to embody the principles of the Positive Coaching Alliance, including the following: One: A Positive Coach is a positive motivator and refuses to motivate through fear, intimidation or shame. He establishes order and discipline in a positive manner. Two: A Positive Coach works to remain positive even through losing streaks. She recognizes that it is often when things go wrong that a coach can have the most positive impact and teach the most important lessons. Regardless of the adversity involved, she refuses to demean herself or her players by resorting to fear, intimidation or shame. She always treats athletes with respect regardless of how well they perform. Three: A Positive Coach coaches for mastery rather than victory, which he sees as a by-product of the pursuit of excellence. He focuses on effort rather than outcome, learning rather than comparison to others. Four: A Positive Coach recognizes that mistakes are an important and inevitable part of learning and encourages an environment in which players are willing to risk making a mistake. Five: A Positive Coach sets standards of continuous learning and improvement for herself and her players. She encourages and inspires her players, whatever their level of mastery, to strive to get better without threatening them. She is committed to becoming the best coach she can be and continually seeks to improve her own effectiveness. Six: A Positive Coach "Honors the Game." He feels an obligation to the sport he coaches. He loves his sport and shares his love and enjoyment with his players. He feels privileged to be able to take part in his sport. Seven: A Positive Coach respects her opponents, recognizing that a worthy opponent will push her and her team to do their best. Eight: A Positive Coach understands the important role that officials play and strives to show them respect even when he disagrees with their decisions. Nine: A Positive Coach values the rich tradition of her sport and works to honor the spirit as well as the letter of its rules. Ten: A Positive Coach demonstrates personal integrity and would rather lose than win by dishonoring the game. Dishonoring the game is worse than defeat 5

6 A History of Lacrosse By Thomas Vennum Jr. - Author of American Indian Lacrosse: Little Brother of War Lacrosse was one of many varieties of indigenous stickball games being played by American Indians at the time of European contact. Almost exclusively a male team sport, it is distinguished from the others, such as field hockey or shinny, by the use of a netted racquet with which to pick the ball off the ground, throw, catch and convey it into or past a goal to score a point. The cardinal rule in all varieties of lacrosse was that the ball, with few exceptions, must not be touched with the hands. Early data on lacrosse, from missionaries such as French Jesuits in Huron country in the 1630s and English explorers, such as Jonathan Carver in the mid-eighteenth century Great Lakes area, are scant and often conflicting. They inform us mostly about team size, equipment used, the duration of games and length of playing fields but tell us almost nothing about stick handling, game strategy, or the rules of play. The oldest surviving sticks date only from the first quarter of the nineteenth century, and the first detailed reports on Indian lacrosse are even later. George Beers provided good information on Mohawk playing techniques in his Lacrosse (1869), while James Mooney in the American Anthropologist (1890) described in detail the "[Eastern] Cherokee Ball-Play," including its legendary basis, elaborate rituals, and the rules and manner of play. Given the paucity of early data, we shall probably never be able to reconstruct the history of the sport. Attempts to connect it to the rubber-ball games of Meso-America or to a perhaps older game using a single post surmounted by some animal effigy and played together by men and women remain speculative. As can best be determined, the distribution of lacrosse shows it to have been played throughout the eastern half of North America, mostly by tribes in the southeast, around the western Great Lakes, and in the St. Lawrence Valley area. Its presence today in Oklahoma and other states west of the Mississippi reflects tribal removals to those areas in the nineteenth century. Although isolated reports exist of some form of lacrosse among northern California and British Columbia tribes, their late date brings into question any widespread diffusion of the sport on the west coast. On the basis of the equipment, the type of goal used and the stick-handling techniques, it is possible to discern three basic forms of lacrosse the southeastern, Great Lakes, and Iroquoian. Among southeastern tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, Seminole, Yuchi and others), a double-stick version of the game is still practiced. A two-and-a half foot stick is held in each hand, and the soft, small deerskin ball is retrieved and cupped between them. Great Lakes players (Ojibwe, Menominee, Potawatomi, Sauk, Fox, Miami, Winnebago, Santee Dakota and others) used a single three-foot stick. It terminates in a round, closed pocket about three to four inches in diameter, scarcely larger than the ball, which was usually made of wood, charred and scraped to shape. The northeastern stick, found among Iroquoian and New England tribes, is the progenitor of all present-day sticks, both in box as well as field lacrosse. The longest of the three usually more than three feet it was characterized by its shaft ending in a sort of 6

7 crook and a large, flat triangular surface of webbing extending as much as two-thirds the length of the stick. Where the outermost string meets the shaft, it forms the pocket of the stick. Lacrosse was given its name by early French settlers, using the generic term for any game played with a curved stick (crosse) and a ball. Native terminology, however, tends to describe more the technique (cf. Onondaga DEHUNTSHIGWA'ES, "men hit a rounded object") or, especially in the southeast, to underscore the game's aspects of war surrogacy ("little brother of war"). There is no evidence of non-indians taking up the game until the mid-nineteenth century, when English-speaking Montrealers adopted the Mohawk game they were familiar with from Caughnawauga and Akwesasne, attempted to "civilize" the sport with a new set of rules and organize into amateur clubs. Once the game quickly grew in popularity in Canada, it began to be exported throughout the Commonwealth, as non-native teams traveled to Europe for exhibition matches against Iroquois players. Ironically, because Indians had to charge money in order to travel, they were excluded as "professionals" from international competition for more than a century. Only with the formation of the Iroquois Nationals in the 1980s did they successfully break this barrier and become eligible to compete in World Games. Apart from its recreational function, lacrosse traditionally played a more serious role in Indian culture. Its origins are rooted in legend, and the game continues to be used for curative purposes and surrounded with ceremony. Game equipment and players are still ritually prepared by conjurers, and team selection and victory are often considered supernaturally controlled. In the past, lacrosse also served to vent aggression, and territorial disputes between tribes were sometimes settled with a game, although not always amicably. A Creek versus Choctaw game around 1790 to determine rights over a beaver pond broke out into a violent battle when the Creeks were declared winners. Still, while the majority of the games ended peaceably, much of the ceremonialism surrounding their preparations and the rituals required of the players were identical to those practiced before departing on the warpath. A number of factors led to the demise of lacrosse in many areas by the late nineteenth century. Wagering on games had always been integral to an Indian community's involvement, but when betting and violence saw an increase as traditional Indian culture was eroding, it sparked opposition to lacrosse from government officials and missionaries. The games were felt to interfere with church attendance and the wagering to have an impoverishing effect on the Indians. When Oklahoma Choctaw began to attach lead weights to their sticks around 1900 to use them as skull-crackers, the game was outright banned. Meanwhile, the spread of nonnative lacrosse from the Montreal area eventually led to its position today worldwide as one of the fastest growing sports (more than half a million players), controlled by official regulations and played with manufactured rather than handmade equipment the aluminum shafted stick with its plastic head, for example. While the Great Lakes traditional game died out by 1950, the Iroquois and southeastern tribes continue to play their own forms of lacrosse. Ironically, the field lacrosse game of nonnative women today most closely resembles the Indian game of the past, retaining the wooden stick, lacking the protective gear and demarcated sidelines of the men's game, and tending towards mass attack rather than field positions and offsides. 7

8 Boys' Youth Lacrosse Rules The following rules are written by the US Lacrosse Youth Council as exceptions to the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) 2010 Boys Lacrosse Rules. Age and Eligibility Guidelines US Lacrosse establishes eligibility guidelines in order to promote the game of lacrosse among the youth of America in a safe and sportsmanlike environment. US Lacrosse believes that this goal can be best achieved by facilitating playing opportunities that seek to establish a "level playing field" among players of similar age, size and ability. Age and Eligibility Guidelines are not considered "game-day rules" and are not enforced as game-day rules by officials. Specific age and eligibility requirements are established by the lacrosse league or association in which a team participates. League and Association Play US Lacrosse recommends that leagues should be organized by age. Existing leagues or associations may maintain their current groupings. Physical and cognitive maturity should be considered when grouping players. If your program has enough players, physically disparate groups should play separately, if possible. US Lacrosse also recommends that players that have participated in any high-school level program as a member of a high school freshman, JV-B, junior varsity, or varsity team should not be considered eligible for U-15 competition. The following are suggested groupings, with ages determined as of December 31st in the year preceding competition: Middle School: Senior Division: 15 and Under. May have competitive divisions grouped by ability. Junior Division: 13 and Under. May have competitive divisions grouped by ability. Note: Players 13 years old may have difficulty playing with 15 year old players. Elementary School: Lightning Division: 11 and Under. Non-competitive. It is recommended that when multiple teams exist within a program, teams should be balanced as to physical size. Bantam Division: 9 and Under. Non-competitive. It is recommended that when multiple teams exist within a program, teams should be balanced as to physical size. 8

9 Rule 1 - The Game, Field & Equipment NFHSA Rule 1, Section 1 The Game Lacrosse is played by two teams of 10 players each. Number of Players RULE 1 SECTION players per side on the field, however games can be played with as few as 7 per side on the field if coaches agree. All USLYC sponsored events will be played with the regulation 10 players per side. 9

10 Field - RULE 1 SECTION 2. Play on regulation size field is preferred; however the coaches and officials can agree to play on any size field available. USLYC sponsored events will be played on regulation size fields for all groups. Equipment - RULE 1 SECTIONS 6 & 9. Equipment will conform to NFHSA crosse dimensions and equipment requirements, including NOCSAE approved helmets, with the following modifications: a. The length of the short crosse may be 37 to 40 inches for offensive players in the Lightning and Bantam Divisions and defensive players in such divisions may use a stick with a length of 37 to 72 inches. b. Rib pads are strongly recommended. Game Jerseys - RULE 1 SECTION 9 ARTICLE 1. The provisions of the referenced rule subsection need not be strictly enforced at the youth level. A team s game jerseys should be of a single, dominant color with numbers on the front and back of sufficient size to be clearly visible by game officials anywhere on the field. RULE 1 SECTION 12. Spectators and fans will be placed on the opposite side of the field from the table and bench areas. If the field is laid out in a manner that does not allow spectators and fans to be located on the far side of the field, the referee can waive this requirement. When stands or seating facilities are not provided on the opposite side of the field, spectators, fans, and parents will observe the 6-yard spectator limit line on the far side of the field. Rule 2 - Game Personnel NFHSA Rule 2, Section 4 Home Team s Responsibility Responsibilities of the home team - RULE 2 SECTION 4.2 a. Home teams are responsible for contrasting jersey colors and will wear pinnies if needed. b. Sideline Managers - Each team will be asked to provide a designated Sideline Manager (one adult per team, on site, per game-day contest) to help encourage, maintain and manage the sportsmanlike behavior of spectators and fans. See the "Boys Youth Rules Addendum", below, for further information. 10

11 Rule 3 - Time Factors and Scoring NFHS Rule 3 - Sections 1, 3 and 4 Time Factors and Overtime Length of Game - RULE 3 SECTION 1. a. Senior and Junior Division Four 10-minute stop-time quarters. In the event of a tie, two 4- minute sudden-victory overtime periods will be played. If after two overtime periods the score is still tied, additional sudden-victory overtime periods may be played until a winner is determined (provided time permits and coaches and officials are in agreement). b. Lightning and Bantam Divisions Four 12-minute running-time quarters. In the event of a tie, one 15-minute running-time overtime period will be played, with the team in the lead at the end of the overtime declared the winner. This is not a sudden victory period. If the score is still tied at the end of the overtime period, the game will end as a tie. Stalling Final Two Minutes of Regulation Play RULE 3 SECTION 3. This stalling rule shall be enforced for the Junior and Senior Divisions; however this rule will be waived for Lightning and Bantam Divisions. Rule 4 - Play of the Game The game is to be played with emphasis on the proper development of stick, team and sportsmanship skills. All divisions will follow NFHS "Play of Game" rules with the following modifications: Facing Off - RULE 4 SECTION 3 In any game, at any point during a game when there is a four-point lead, the team that is behind will be given the ball at the midfield line in lieu of a face-off as long as the four-point lead is maintained, unless waived by the coach of the trailing team. Advancing the Ball - RULE 4 SECTION 14 & 15 No offensive 10-second count will be used. No defensive 20-second count will be used. If a game official detects an effort to stall the advancement of the ball in either the defensive clearing area or the offensive zone outside the offensive box, the official will give a verbal command to "advance the ball" followed by a visual 5-second hand count. If the team so warned does not attempt to advance the ball within the 5-second count, a turnover will occur with restart at the point of the stalling infraction. 11

12 Time Out - RULE 4 SECTION 28 Timeouts two (2) timeouts are permitted per half. The number and length of team timeouts will be agreed upon before the game starts by the coaches and officials, particularly in runningtime game situations, and will not exceed 2 minutes. Rule 5 - Personal and Expulsion Fouls NFHS Rule 5, Section 3 Illegal body check NOTE: Spearing NFHS Rule 5, Section 3.1 Body checking within 5 yards of a loose ball Body Checking - RULE 5 SECTION 3 Body checking is permitted in Senior and Junior Divisions; however, no take-out checks are permitted by any player. A take out check is defined as any check in which the player lowers his head or shoulder with the force and intent to put the other player on the ground. Players in the Junior and Senior divisions may make contact in an upright position within five yards of the ball. No body checking of any kind (including man/ball "clear the body" type pushing) is permitted in the Lightning and Bantam Division. If a loose ball is not moving, the referee may re-start play following the alternate possession rule. NFHS Rule 5, Section 6 Slashing Slashing - RULE 5 SECTION 6 Personal Foul/Slashing - For Lightning and Bantam Divisions: Any poke check making contact with an opponent (other than the gloved hand while holding the stick) will be considered a slash. Also, any one-handed check will be considered a slash for the Bantam Division. NFHS Rule 5, Section 9 Unsportsmanlike conduct Unsportsmanlike Conduct - RULE 5 SECTION 9 Personal fouls are to be taken seriously. In addition to the NFHS rules, any player or coach who uses derogatory or profane language (starting with "damn") on the field or bench, whether addressing a player, coach or referee may receive: first offense, 1 to 3-minute non-releasable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty; second offense a 3-minute non-releasable expulsion foul. 12

13 NFHS Rule 5, Section 11 Ejection Ejection Fouls - RULE 5 SECTION 11 Players illegally playing down to any division will be ejected for the season and the team will be eliminated from any playoffs and ineligible for any titles or awards. Rule 6 - Technical Fouls NFHS Rule 6, Section 10 Stalling Stalling - RULE 6 SECTION 10 Senior and Junior Divisions: the team with the lead must keep the ball in the goal area during the last two minutes of the game. Lightning and Bantam Divisions are excused from this rule. Rule 7 - Penalty Enforcement NFHSA Rule 7, Sections 1, 2 & 3 Time Serving Penalties - RULE 7 SECTIONS 1, 2 & 3 Time serving penalties are enforced and man up situations are permitted in all divisions except the Bantam Division, where there are no time-serving penalties; instead the player must be substituted for and the ball awarded to the other team at the point of the infraction. Game Termination Officials will have authority to terminate a boys youth game in response to flagrant acts of unsportsmanlike behavior by coaches, athletes, spectators, or fans. A game termination will be the last resort in insuring the players safety and preserving the integrity of the game. If possible, game officials will issue at least one strong warning that the game is in danger of being terminated. However, it is conceivable that games may be terminated on the first instance of a flagrant unsportsmanlike act. Every effort should be taken to avoid game termination, including the enforcement of existing rules for team-conduct penalties, unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties, and ejection fouls. Mechanics for terminating a game for flagrant unsportsmanlike behavior can be found at the US Lacrosse webpage referenced above. All games terminated by a US Lacrosse Official, will result in a 1-0 victory for the team that is innocent of the terminal offense(s). It is recommended that the game should count in league statistics as a full game, and all goals, assists, saves, and other team statistics should count toward team and league records. 13

14 Boys' Youth Rules Addendum The US Lacrosse Youth Council has endorsed the addition of the following guidelines intended to address the issues of proper conduct both on and off the field at boys' youth lacrosse events. These guidelines are designed to support the kind of environment for our youth athletes that will keep them playing lacrosse and provide them with such a positive experience that they will remain in the game and later give back to the sport as coaches, officials, and parents who encourage their own children to play. Guideline 1 Game Administration (Refers to Rule 1-12) Spectators and Teams on Opposite Sides of Field Spectators and fans will be placed on the opposite side of the field from the table and bench areas. If the field is laid out in a manner that does not allow spectators and fans to be located on the far side of the field, the referee can waive this requirement. When stands or seating facilities are not provided on the opposite side of the field, spectators, fans, and parents will observe the 6-yard spectator limit line on the far side of the field. Guideline 2 Game Personnel [Refers to Rule 2-11] Sideline Managers Each youth lacrosse team will be asked to provide a designated Sideline Manager (one adult per team, on site, per game-day contest) to help encourage, maintain and manage the sportsmanlike behavior of spectators and fans. These adults would be responsible for insuring that the spectators and fans support the athletes, coaches and officials in a positive manner and refrain from behavior not in conformity with the US Lacrosse Code of Conduct. The Sideline Managers will receive training prior to these contests by reviewing the document "Sideline Manager Job Description" provided by US Lacrosse and the US Lacrosse - Positive Coaching Alliance, available online, or by requesting a paper copy of this document through their local US Lacrosse Chapter. Sideline managers will introduce themselves to the officials prior to the coin toss, and follow those procedures outlined in the Sideline Manager Job Description, found at the referenced US Lacrosse website location. Sideline Managers will notify an unruly fan or spectator that unsportsmanlike behavior may lead to ejection and/or a game cancellation by the officials, under Game Termination - Guideline 4. Guideline 3 Game Personnel [Refers to Rule 1-12] Auxiliary Officials Each youth lacrosse team will be asked provide one adult who will be trained as an Auxiliary Youth Official. In the event that one or both of the scheduled officials does not appear to perform officiating duties, the Auxiliary Official(s) would be asked to referee the game. The Auxiliary Official could be an active parent attending his or her child's game or another adult affiliated with the organization or town hosting the event. The Auxiliary Official will have completed US Lacrosse Level 1 Officials Training for boys'/men's lacrosse and have active membership status in US Lacrosse as an official, but will not be assigned a schedule of league games. 14

15 Guideline 4 Game Personnel [Refers to Rule 7-14] Game Termination Officials will have authority to terminate a boys' youth game in response to flagrant acts of unsportsmanlike behavior by coaches, athletes, spectators, or fans. A game termination will be the last resort in insuring the players' safety and preserving the integrity of the game. If possible, game officials will issue at least one strong warning that the game is in danger of being terminated. However, it is conceivable that games may be terminated on the first instance of a flagrant unsportsmanlike act. Every effort should be taken to avoid game termination, including the enforcement of existing rules for team-conduct penalties, unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties, and ejection fouls. Mechanics for terminating a game for flagrant unsportsmanlike behavior can be found at the US Lacrosse webpage referenced above. All games terminated by a US Lacrosse Official, will result in a 1-0 victory for the team that is innocent of the terminal offense(s). It is recommended that the game should count in league statistics as a full game, and all goals, assists, saves, and other team statistics should count toward team and league records. Changes and Modification a. NFHS rules and the supplemental rules are reviewed annually by USLYC Rules Committee, which may adopt any of the changes or modifications deemed necessary to ensure the safe play at all levels. b. Any comments or suggestions by coaches or officials regarding the Rules for Boys Youth Lacrosse must be submitted in writing before June 1 for consideration by the USLYC Boys Youth Rules Committee. Any changes or modifications that are approved by the committee will be effective for the Boys Youth Rules in the 2011 NFHS rules book. c. Please send all comments or suggestions regarding the Rules for Boys Youth Lacrosse to: Chase Howse, USLYC Boys Youth Rules Committee - at boysyouthrules@aol.com, or to: USLYC Boys Youth Rules Committee c/o US Lacrosse 113 W. University Parkway, Baltimore, MD (fax) (phone) 15

16 Boys Lacrosse Overview Boys lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players: a goalie, three defensemen, three midfielders and three attackmen. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the opponent s goal and to keep the other team from scoring. The team scoring the most goals wins. Each team must keep at least four players, including the goalie, in its defensive half of the field and three in its offensive half. Three players (midfielders) may roam the entire field. Collegiate games are 60 minutes long, with 15-minute quarters. Generally, high school games are 48 minutes long, with 12-minute quarters. Youth games vary by level; please refer to the Boys' Youth Rules section from the main index. Each team is given a two-minute break between the first and second quarters, and the third and fourth quarters. Halftime is 10 minutes long. Teams change sides between periods. Each team is permitted two timeouts each half. The team winning the coin toss chooses the end of the field it wants to defend first. The players take their positions on the field: four in the defensive clearing area, one at the center, two in the wing areas and three in their attack goal area. Men s/boys' lacrosse begins with a face-off. The ball is placed between the sticks of two squatting players at the center of the field. The official blows the whistle to begin play. Each face-off player tries to control the ball. The players in the wing areas can run after the ball when the whistle sounds. The other players must wait until one player has gained possession of the ball, or the ball has crossed a goal area line, before they can release. Center face-offs are also used at the start of each quarter and after a goal is scored. Field players must use their crosses to pass, catch and run with the ball. Only the goalkeeper may touch the ball with his hands. A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent s crosse with a stick check. A stick check is the controlled poking and slapping of the stick and gloved hands of the player in possession of the ball. Body checking is permitted if the opponent has the ball or is within five yards of a loose ball. All body contact must occur from the front or side, above the waist and below the shoulders, and with both hands on the stick. An opponent s crosse may also be stick checked if it is within five yards of a loose ball or ball in the air. Aggressive body checking is discouraged. If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out of bounds, the other team is awarded possession. If the ball goes out of bounds after an unsuccessful shot, the player nearest to the ball when and where it goes out of bounds is awarded possession. An attacking player cannot enter the crease around the goal, but may reach in with his stick to scoop a loose ball. 16

17 A referee, umpire and field judge supervise field play. A chief bench official, timekeepers and scorers assist. There are personal fouls and technical fouls in boys lacrosse. The penalty for a personal foul results in a one-to-three minute suspension from play and possession to the team that was fouled. Players with five personal fouls are ejected from the game. The penalty for a technical foul is a 30-second suspension if a team is in possession of the ball when the foul is committed, or possession of the ball to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when the foul was committed. The US Lacrosse Youth Council has adopted modified rules for play by youth ages 15 and under. The official rules can be found by following the rules link on the main index. The rules are provided as modifications to the National Federation of State High School Associations rule book, which governs high school play. College play is governed by the NCAA rulebook. To order these rulebooks, please visit the US Lacrosse online store. Field Positions Attack: The attackman s responsibility is to score goals and help his teammates score goals by passing the ball. The attackman generally restricts his play to the offensive end of the field. A good attackman demonstrates excellent stick work with both hands and has quick feet to maneuver around the goal. Each team has three attackmen on the field during play. Midfield: The midfielder s responsibility is to cover the entire field, playing both offense and defense. The midfielder is a key to the transition game, and is often called upon to clear the ball from defense to offense. A good midfielder demonstrates good stick work including throwing, catching and scooping. Speed and stamina are essential. Each team has three midfielders on the field. Defense: The defenseman s responsibility is to defend the goal. The defenseman generally restricts his play to the defensive end of the field. A good defenseman should be able to react quickly in game situations. Agility and aggressiveness are necessary, but great stick work is more essential to attack. Each team has three defensemen on the field. Goal: The goalie¹s responsibility is to protect the goal and stop the opposing team from scoring. A good goalie also leads the defense by reading the situation and directing the defensemen to react. A good goalie should have excellent hand/eye coordination and a strong voice. Quickness, agility, confidence and the ability to concentrate are also essential. Each team has one goalie in the goal during play. 17

18 Equipment for Boys' and Men's Lacrosse The Crosse: The crosse (lacrosse stick) is made of wood, laminated wood or synthetic material, with a shaped net pocket at the end. The crosse must be an overall length of inches for attackmen and midfielders, or inches for defensemen. The head of the crosse must be inches wide, except a goalie s crosse which may be inches wide. The pocket of a crosse shall be deemed illegal if the top surface of a lacrosse ball, when placed in the head of the crosse, is below the bottom edge of the side wall. The Ball: The ball must be made of solid rubber and can be white, yellow or orange. The ball is inches in circumference and ounces. The Helmet: A protective helmet, equipped with face mask, chin pad and a cupped four point chin strap fastened to all four hookups, must be worn by all players. All helmets and face masks should be NOCSAE (National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment) approved. The Mouthpiece: The mouthpiece must be a highly visible color and is mandatory. The Glove: All players are required to wear protective gloves. The cutting or altering of gloves is prohibited. Other Protective Equipment: All players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, must wear shoulder pads. Arm pads are required and rib pads are strongly recommended, and often required, as are athletic supporters and protective cups for all players. The goalkeeper is required to wear a throat protector and chest protector, in addition to a helmet, mouthpiece, gloves and a protective cup. 18

19 Fouls & Penalties Personal Fouls Slashing: Occurs when a player's stick viciously contacts an opponent in any area other than the stick or gloved hand on the stick. Tripping: Occurs when a player obstructs his opponent at or below the waist with the crosse, hands, arms, feet or legs. Cross Checking: Occurs when a player uses the handle of his crosse between his hands to make contact with an opponent. Unsportsmanlike Conduct: Occurs when any player or coach commits an act which is considered unsportsmanlike by an official, including taunting, arguing, or obscene language or gestures. Unnecessary Roughness: Occurs when a player strikes an opponent with his stick or body using excessive or violent force. Illegal Body Checking: Occurs when any of the following actions takes place: A. body checking an opponent who is not in possession of the ball or within five yards of a loose ball; B. avoidable body check of an opponent after he has passed or shot the ball; C. body checking an opponent from the rear or at or below the waist; D. body checking an opponent above the shoulders. A body check must be below the shoulders and above the waist, and both hands of the player applying the body check must remain contact with his crosse. Illegal Crosse: Occurs when a player uses a crosse that does not conform to required specifications. A crosse may be found illegal if the pocket is too deep or if any other part of the crosse was altered to gain an advantage. Illegal Gloves: Occurs when a player uses gloves that do not conform to required specifications. A glove will be found illegal if the fingers and palms are cut out of the gloves, or if the glove has been altered in a way that compromises its protective features. 19

20 Technical Fouls Crease Violation: Occurs when an offensive player deliberately, through his own momentum, enters the opponent s goal crease or a defensive player, including the goalkeeper, with the ball in his possession, enters from the surrounding playing field into his own goal-crease. Holding: Illegally impedes the movement of an opponent with the ball. Illegal Offensive Screening: Occurs when an offensive player, through moving contact of his body or equipment, blocks a defensive player from the man he is playing, or impedes his normal movements of playing defense. Interference: Occurs when a player interferes in any manner with the free movement of an opponent, except when that opponent has possession of the ball, the ball is in flight and within five yards of the player, or both players are within five yards of a loose ball. Offsides: Occurs when a team does not have at least four players on its defensive side of the midfield line or at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield line. Pushing: Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a player from behind. Stalling: Occurs when a team intentionally holds the ball, without conducting normal offensive play, with the intent of running time off the clock. Warding Off: Occurs when a player in possession of the ball uses his free hand or arm to hold, push or control the direction of an opponent¹s stick check. Withholding The Ball From Play: Occurs when a player clamps a loose ball against the ground more than momentarily or clamps the ball against his body to prevent it from being dislodged. 20

21 Glossary Attack Goal Area: The area around the goal defined by the endline, the Goal Area Line and the two broken lines located 20 yards on either side of the goal. Once the offensive team crosses the midfield line, it has 10 seconds to move the ball into its attack goal area. Body Check: Contact with an opponent from the front - between the shoulders and waist - when the opponent has the ball or is within five yards of a loose ball. At no time should a player initiate or receive body contact with his head. Box: An area between the two team benches used to hold players who have been served with penalties, and through which substitutions "on the fly" are permitted directly from the sideline onto the field. Check-Up: A call given by the goalie to tell each defender to find his man and call out his number. Clamp: A face-off maneuver executed by quickly pushing the back of the stick on top of the ball. Clearing: Running or passing the ball from the defensive half of the field to the offensive half of the field. Crease: A circle around the goal with a radius of nine feet into which only defensive players may enter. Defensive players may not take the ball into the crease. Crosse (stick): The equipment used to throw, catch and carry the ball. Defensive Clearing Area: The area defined by a line drawn sideline to sideline 20 yards from the face of the goal. Once the defensive team gains possession of the ball in this area, it has 10 seconds to move the ball beyond the Goal Area Line. Once beyond the Goal Area Line, the defensive team may not pass or run the ball back into the Defensive Clearing Area. Extra Man Offense (EMO): A man advantage that results from a timeserving penalty by the other team. Face-off: A technique used to put the ball in play at the start of each quarter, or after a goal is scored. The players squat down and the ball is placed between their crosses. Fast-Break: A transition scoring opportunity in which the offense has at least a one-man advantage. 21

22 Ground Ball: A loose ball on the playing field. Handle (shaft): An aluminum, wooden or composite pole connected to the head of the crosse. Head: The plastic or wood part of the stick connected to the handle used to catch, throw and shoot. Man Down Defense (MDD): The situation that results from a timeserving penalty which causes the defense to play with at least a one man disadvantage. Midfield Line: The line which bisects the field of play. On-The-Fly Substitution: A substitution made during play. Pick: An offensive maneuver in which a stationary player attempts to block the path of a defender guarding another offensive player. Play On: If a player commits a loose-ball technical foul or crease violation and an offended player may be disadvantaged by the immediate suspension of play, the official shall visually and verbally signal ³play on² and withhold the whistle until such time as the situation of advantage, gained or lost, has been completed. Pocket: The strung part of the head of the stick which holds the ball. Rake: A face-off move in which a player sweeps the ball to the side. Riding: The act of trying to prevent a team from clearing the ball from the offensive half to defensive half of the field. Release: The term used by an official to notify a penalized player in the box that he may re-enter the game occurs at the conclusion at a time-serving penalty. Unsettled Situation: Any situation in which the defense is not positioned correctly, usually due to a loose ball or broken clear. 22

23 Honor the Game (Compiler s NOTE: This is a product of the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA). The Lake Tapps Lacrosse Club is committed to the Honoring the Game program to encourage and reinforce good sportsmanship. Although this section is the last part of this guide, it is among the most important. All players and parents, as well as coaches, must be familiar with the sportsmanship expectations of the club) Many people talk about "sportsmanship," or what it means to be a "good sport." What does it mean to you to be a good sport? Answers to this question vary widely. Sadly, PCA has even heard stories of coaches telling their teams that if they win the Sportsmanship Award at a tournament, they will spend the entire following week conditioning! Why might a coach say this? Unfortunately, many coaches equate being a good sport with being soft or weak. PCA believes the time has come to unite behind a powerful new term, "Honoring the Game." Coaches, parents, and athletes need to realize that an Honoring the Game perspective needs to replace the common win-at-all-cost perspective. If a coach and his or her team have to dishonor the game to win it, what is this victory really worth, and what sort of message is this sending young athletes? If Honoring the Game is to become the youth sports standard, it needs a clear definition. At PCA we say that Honoring the Game goes to the "ROOTS" of positive play. Each letter in ROOTS stands for an important part of the game that we must respect. The R stands for Rules. The first O is for Opponents. The next O is for Officials. T is for Teammates, and the S is for Self. R is for Rules Rules allow us to keep the game fair. If we win by ignoring or violating the rules, what is the value of our victory? PCA believes that honoring the letter AND the spirit of the rule is important. O is for Opponents Without an opponent, there would be no competition. Rather than demeaning a strong opponent, we need to honor strong opponents because they challenge us to do our best. Athletes can be both fierce and friendly during the same competition (in one moment giving everything to get to a loose ball, and in the next moment helping an opponent up). Coaches showing respect for opposing coaches and players sets the tone for the rest of the team. 23

24 O is for Officials Respecting officials, even when we disagree with their calls, may be the toughest part of Honoring the Game. We must remember that officials are not perfect (just like coaches, athletes and parents!). Take time to think about how to best approach an official when you want to discuss a call. What strategies do you have to keep yourself in control when you start to get upset with officials" calls? We must remember that the loss of officials (and finding enough in the first place) is a major problem in most youth sports organizations, and we can confront this problem by consistently respecting officials. T is for Teammates It s easy for young athletes to think solely about their own performance, but we want athletes to realize that being part of a team requires thinking about and respecting one s teammates. This respect needs to carry beyond the field/gym/track/pool into the classroom and social settings. Athletes need to be reminded that their conduct away from practices and games will reflect back on their teammates and the league, club, or school. S is for Self Athletes should be encouraged to live up to their own highest personal standard of Honoring the Game, even when their opponents are not. Athletes" respect for themselves and their own standards must come first. Having this definition of Honoring the Game (HTG) is a start. To make Honoring the Game the youth sports standard, coaches, leaders, and parents need to discuss HTG with their athletes. Coaches need to practice it with their athletes (i.e. have players officiate at practice). And perhaps most importantly, all adults in the youth sports setting (coaches, leaders, parents, officials, and fans) need to model it. If these adults Honor the Game, the athletes will too. 24