Parent s guide
Bill of Rights for Young Lacrosse Players ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN Every young lacrosse player has the right to participate in the sport of lacrosse. Every young lacrosse player has the right to play in every game, regardless of physical ability or the relative importance of the game. Every young lacrosse player has the right to play as a child, and be treated on a level appropriate with the emotional and physical maturity of the player s age. Every young lacrosse player has the right to participate in a safe and healthy environment, and have access to proper medical treatment. Every young lacrosse player has the right to be taught the fundamentals of lacrosse by qualified adult leadership. Every young lacrosse player has the right to have a coach who is more concerned with fun, social interaction and skill development, than with winning. Every young lacrosse player has the right to have a coach who is supportive and patient, who takes the time to work with each player, and allows the players to make mistakes. Every young lacrosse player has the right to be treated with respect and dignity by coaches and players. Every young lacrosse player has the right to report to the coach any physical pain or emotional concerns without fear of rejection or ridicule. Every young lacrosse player has the right to have fun.
The role of parents You, the parent, are as equally 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 TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN Be supportive of your child by giving encouragement and showing interest in the team. Positive reinforcement encourages learning and fun. Attend games whenever possible. If you cannot attend, ask how your child did, not whether the team won. Be a positive role model by displaying good sportsmanship at all time to coaches, referees, opponents and teammates. Let your children set their own goals and play the game for themselves. Let the coach coach. Respect the decisions of the referee. Read the rule book. A full understanding of the rules will help you enjoy the game and educate others. Speak positively about each other, our team, and the St. Albert organization at every opportunity. Get involved. Sit back and enjoy the game. Remember, we play for fun.
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The Lacrosse Arena
Lacrosse Positions Box lacrosse is played with no "set" positions. The entire line will play as a unit, with all five players in on the offence or defence, as the situation requires. The players do specialize in some area. These are: GOAL: POINTMEN: SHOOTER: The goalie's responsibility is to protect the goal and stop the opposing team from scoring. A good goalie also leads the defence by reading the situation and directing the defencemen to react. A good goalie should have excellent hand-eye co-ordination and a strong voice. Quickness, agility, confidence and the ability to concentrate are also essential. The pointman s main responsibilities are to win face-offs and direct the team on offence. The pointmen should be the key to the transition game. A pointmen must be good with his stick and be able to pass, catch, shoot and scoop loose balls. Speed and stamina are essential. The shooter s responsibility is to defend the goal. A good shooter should be able to react quickly in game situations. He should be able to prevent the attacking player from getting the ball or strip him of it when he does have possession. Agility and aggressiveness are necessary. Great stick work is not essential, but he must be able to pick up loose balls and feed the forwards. CREASEMEN: The creasemen s responsibility is to score goals. A good creasemen exhibits excellent stick skills with both hands and has quick feet to manoeuver around the goal. The creasemen must be able to get away from the defender and be able to catch, pass and shoot accurately.
Lacrosse Equipment The Stick The Ball The Helmet The Mouthpiece The Glove Protective Equipment The stick is made of wood, fibreglass, aluminium or titanium with a pocket of leather or other material at the end. The stick must be 42-46 inches long and between 41/2-8 inches wide at the head. In Pee Wee and lower divisions the stick may be as short as 34 inches. The goalie's stick may be up to 15 inches wide and of any length. The ball is made of solid rubber and is white, red or orange in colour. It is eight inches around and weighs six ounces. The helmet must be a CSA approved protective helmet with a facemask equipped with a chin pad. It must be fastened securely with a proper chinstrap. The facemask can have no opening that will allow the ball or the head of a stick to pass through. Any helmet that has been altered in any way is deemed dangerous equipment and will not be allowed in play. It is a must for all players to use a mouthpiece as it will help to prevent dental and other head injuries. Special lacrosse gloves or hockey gloves are worn to protect the fingers and hand. They come with highly flexible wrists to allow for stick handling. All players wear shoulder, arm, rib, knee and back pads. The goalie is required to wear a throat protector as well as a chest protector. All padding, as well as an athletic supporter with protective cup, is strongly recommended to avoid injury.
The time clock Lacrosse is billed as the fastest game on two feet and the time of possession clock has been used to ensure that this is the case. As soon as a team gains possession of the ball the possession clock is reset. The team is then given a specific time to accomplish various tasks. The first thing that a team must do is to make sure that the ball is moved out of their own crease within five seconds. The goalkeeper may pass the ball out to one of his players or he may choose to run out with the ball. If the ball is not out of the crease in this time it will be given to the opposing team in the nearest corner. If the team gaining possession of the ball is short-handed they have ten seconds to get the ball into the attacking zone and must then keep it there. If they do not get into the attacking zone or if the ball is brought back out of the zone, other than by a shot on net or an action by the defending team, it is awarded to the opposing team. This time limit only applies to teams playing short-handed. If a team is playing at even strength or has a man advantage, then they must take a shot on goal within thirty seconds or lose possession to the opposing team. The shot must hit the net, post or goalie and must not be taken from behind the goal line. The referee will signal the shot by raising his hand in the air. The timekeeper will then reset the clock. The clock will not start to run until one of the teams regains possession of the ball. The thirty-second rule does not apply to teams playing short-handed unless the goalkeeper or his replacement crosses into the attacking zone. At the moment this occurs the possession clock with start to run and the team has thirty seconds to take a shot on goal. The clock will not reset with the goalkeeper leaving the zone but will run for the full thirty seconds.
Lacrosse rules Box Lacrosse is a contact sport played by six players: a goalie and five runners. The object of the game is to shoot the ball into the oppositions net. The team scoring the most goals wins. Games are divided into three periods. In major lacrosse the period length is twenty minutes of stop time. Minor lacrosse has variations on period length due to local regulations. Teams change ends between periods. Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout during regulation time. In Major lacrosse each team is allowed a second time out. There is a face-off after every goal and to start each period. As there is no offside rule in box lacrosse, players may line up where they want for the face-off as long as they remain outside of the face-off circle. On gaining possession of the ball at a face-off, a player may then run, pass or shoot the ball at the net. Only a goalkeeper may touch the ball with his hands. Other players are allowed to try to get the ball from the ball carrier by checking the stick or by body checking. Defensive players are allowed to use their stick to push attacking players but may not hit them below the waist, above the shoulders or in the back. The goal crease is for the goalie's protection and no opposing player may enter to play the ball. The ball may not be carried into the crease by anyone, but the goalie may pull a ball into the crease with his stick. Possession is awarded when the opposing team causes the ball to go out of play, if they interfere with a player trying to get to a loose ball, if a defending player is prevented from checking the ball carrier or if a player touches the ball or pushes an opponent with his hand. Two-minute minor, 5-minute major, 10-minute misconduct penalties or ejection from the game may be issued for various infractions. If a goal is scored during a minor penalty or if two goals are scored during a major penalty, the player may return to the floor provided the team is short-handed at the time. Penalty shots may be awarded if a player is fouled from behind during a breakaway or for certain delay of game penalties.
Lacrosse Terms Body Check Change Area Clearing Cradling Crease Cutting Expulsion Face-off Fast Break Feeding Head Passing Pick Pocket Power Play Scooping Shooting Short Man Zones Contact with an opponent from the front or side, below the shoulders and above the waist, in an attempt to dislodge the ball or force a bad play. The area painted on the floor in front of each players bench into which a player leaving the floor must enter before his substitute goes on the floor. Moving the ball out of your defensive zone by passing or running. The co-ordinated motion of wrists and arms that keeps the ball secure in the pocket and ready to be passed or shot while running. The 9-ft semi-circle around the goal, which only defensive players may enter to play the ball. An attacking player running to the goal in anticipation of a pass and shot. Being sent off for the balance of the game for committing 5 penalties or checking an opponent from behind. The method used to start play by placing the ball between the sticks of two players squatting in the face-off circle. A transition scoring opportunity in which the offence has a man advantage. Passing the ball to a team-mate who is in position to score. The plastic or wooden end of the stick that is strung with netting. Throwing the ball to a team-mate with the stick. To stand stationary in front of an opponent in order to block his path. The strung part of the head of the stick which holds the ball. A man advantage situation that occurs following a penalty. Picking up a loose ball with the stick. Throwing the ball at the net, with the stick, in an attempt to score. The situation that results following a penalty in which a team plays with at least a one-man disadvantage. The floor is divided into three areas by the two lines parallel to the centre faceoff circle. These are the: Attack Zone or area containing your opponents' goal. Centre Zone or the area between the two lines. Defence Zone or area containing your goal.
Penalties Most common penalties can be either a 2-minute minor or a 5-minute major depending on the severity of the infraction. In Minor Lacrosse, Fighting, attempting to Kick, Attempting to Spear and Attempting to Butt End are penalized with an additional Game Misconduct, Checking From Behind and committing five penalties results in a game expulsion. Boarding Broken stick Butt-Ending Charging is body-checking, cross-checking or tripping an opponent violently into the boards. The penalty is always five minutes. a player must drop a broken stick or receive a penalty. A goalie may play with a broken stick, but only if he remains in the crease. is defined as jabbing an opponent with the butt end of the stick. is running violently into or jumping at an opponent. Checking From Behind is hitting a player in the back, unless he has turned his back while the defender was in the motion of checking. Crease Play shall Cross-checking be called if a player checks an opponent in the crease or if he cuts through an opponent's crease to make a check. is defined as hitting a player with the stick held rigidly between the hands. The defender is allowed to push, not pound his opponent. Delaying the Game penalties will be called if a team is not on the floor to start the period, if a player does not place the ball on the floor when possession is awarded, intentionally shoots the ball out of the playing area, deliberately displaces the net or makes additional line changes after being told not to. Elbowing Free Hand Hand Ball is defined as fouling an opponent with the elbow. is called when the defender knocks the ball from his opponent's stick with his hand. if a player touches the ball with his hand possession is awarded to the other team. If a player other than the goalkeeper catches the ball with his hand it is a minor penalty. If the goalkeeper catches the ball with his hand or picks it up with his hand outside the crease it is a minor penalty. If a player other than the goalkeeper touches or catches the ball with his hand while in the crease it will result in a penalty shot.
Penalties Continued High Sticking Holding/Hooking Illegal Equipment Interference Slashing Spearing will be called if a player is struck above the level of his shoulders with a stick. Accidental brushing of the helmet while playing the ball is disregarded. occurs when a player impedes an opponent's progress with his hand, arm, leg or stick. such as sticks that are too long or short and goalie's padding and gloves that are not legal size shall be penalized if the other team calls the referee s attention to it and requests a measurement. shall be called if a player prevents an opponent from regaining his stick or if he prevents his opponent from pursuing a loose ball or getting into the play. is called in minor lacrosse when an opponent is struck with that portion of the stick not held between the hands. A stick may be checked by swinging at it, but if the arm or glove is struck it is a penalty. is jabbing an opponent with the mouth of the stick. Throwing the Stick is always penalized. A stick thrown from the bench to replace a broken one will result in a minor penalty. Throwing a stick at the ball or another player will result in a major penalty. Throwing a stick in disgust will result in a ten-minute misconduct. Too Many Men will be called if a substitute enters the playing floor before the player he is replacing enters the change area. Unnecessary Roughness Unsportsmanlike Conduct such as blows to the head, grabbing the facemask, headbutting and pulling hair or other actions will result in this call. shall be penalized for showing disrespect to a referee's ruling, using profane or abusive language, making obscene gestures, attempting to incite an opponent, throwing objects onto the floor from the bench or for not running directly to the penalty bench.
Possession Calls Ball out of Play Crease Play Face-offs Time Violations Free Hand Interference Back Over if a team causes the ball to go out of play other than by a shot on net, then their opponent will take possession at the point it went out of play. If the ball goes out of play after a shot on net, the goalkeeper will get possession to restart play. The ball will be awarded to the other team if: a player, in possession of the ball, steps into the goal crease. a team does not move the ball out of its own crease within 5 seconds. a player touches the ball, receives a pass or interferes with an opponent's stick in his opponent's crease. a player passes the ball to a team-mate in the crease, other than to his goalkeeper in Minor Lacrosse. The ball will be awarded to the other team if: a player attempts an illegal face-off or moves before the whistle. a player enters the face-off circle before the ball has left the small circle a player intentionally withholds the ball from play. If the team in possession of the ball violates the 5, 10 or 30 second rule, the opposing team will take possession at the position of the ball at the moment the time ran out. If a ball carrier uses his free hand to ward off an opponent's attempt to check him or his stick, the ball is awarded to the opponent. The fact that the ball carrier removes his hand from the stick does not constitute a free hand call. He must actually use his hand to fend off the check. This call is made when a player prevents an opponent from having an opportunity from playing a loose ball, a pass or completing a check. The interference of the player must be the cause of the missed opportunity. If a team playing short-handed causes the ball to come out of the attacking zone other than by a shot on net their opponent will be awarded the ball.