2018 Youth Rules Interpretation - US Lacrosse

2018 Youth Rules Interpretation

2018 US Lacrosse Rules Books and Video

         • 2018 Boys’ Rulebook online:
           https://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/boys-rules

         • 2018 US Lacrosse Youth Boys’ Rules Interpretation
           Video: https://youtu.be/FN2aK9Rle0k

Other Resources at US Lacrosse
•   Box / Indoor Lacrosse Rules
•   Player Age and Eligibility
•   Men’s Game Statistics Guide
•   Field Diagrams
•   Equipment Fitting Guide

• https://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/boys-rules

2018 Points of Emphasis
1. Sportsmanship
2. Stick Checks to the Head
3. Mouth guards
4. Age Appropriate Rules
5. Experimental Rules

Sportsmanship
Players, coaches, officials and spectators should exhibit the highest levels of
sportsmanship and congeniality at all times. Coaches, officials and spectators are all
partners in providing the best possible experience for youth players.

Unsportsmanlike conduct by coaches, players or spectators degrades the experience
of youth players and discourages people from becoming or continuing as officials or
coaches. This behavior erodes the integrity and appeal of our sport. Therefore,
unsportsmanlike conduct should not be tolerated. US Lacrosse expects officials to
enforce conduct rules without hesitation.

Stick Checks to the Head
In youth lacrosse, stick contact to the head while actively making a stick check is a
slash. This rule change will allow for more consistent penalty calling by officials.
Additionally, this rule change will helps mitigate injuries since the minimum amount
of force needed to cause a concussion is still unknown and concussions can occur at
relatively low levels of force. Coaches are encouraged to teach controlled stick
checking techniques and officials are expected to penalize stick checks to the head
with a minimum of a 1-minute releasable personal foul.

Mouth Guards
In 2017, the foul for a mouth guard violation was changed from a personal foul to a
technical foul to encourage penalty enforcement for those who violate the rule.
Coaches should encourage players to wear mouth guards properly at all times and
officials are expected to call the foul.

Age Appropriate Rules
The US Lacrosse rules support the concepts of the Lacrosse Athlete Development
Model (LADM). As such, players should be participating with age appropriate rules
which include, but are not limited to, field sizes, stick lengths, body contact and stick
contact.

Experimental Rules
The Men’s Game Rules Subcommittee is
encouraging leagues and tournaments to
try out the experimental rules listed in
Appendix and send feedback to
boysrules@uslacrosse.org with
“Experimental Rules” in the subject
heading.

2018 Rule Changes

Rule 3: Time Factors
3.3 Automatic Stall Warning (14U and 12U) - During the final two minutes of regulation
play, stalling rules will be in effect. The team that is ahead by 4 goals or less will be
warned to “Get it in/keep it in” once the ball in possession has been brought across
midfield into its respective goal area.

Question: When are stalling rules used in youth lacrosse?

Answer: Stalling rules can be by any games being played on a full field and are not
used in small sided games.

Rule 1: Time Game, Field and Equipment
   1.2.1 The Unified Small Sided Field Diagram is now an allowable
   alternative to the existing boys’ 60 x 35 yard field

Rule 4: Play of the Game
4.3 Facing Off (if applicable) – The official shall make certain that the
reverse surfaces of the crosses match evenly in that the top of one
head lines up with the throat of the other and are perpendicular to
the ground.

4.8.1 Goal Not Scored - When the shot was released after time had
expired in a period.

Rule 4: Play of the Game
Question: Can a “buzzer beater” goal be scored like in the NCAA and now NFHS?
Answer: Yes, shots released before the horn sounds at the end of a period can be
goals.

Question: How do deflections affect “buzzer beater” goals?
Answer: Deflection off a defensive player’s body (including the goalkeeper) or their
crosse is a good goal, but a deflection off an offensive player’s body or crosse is not a
goal.
Question: A shot is released and horn sounds, can the shot bounce off the ground
into the goal? Or is it dead when it hits the ground?
Answer: Legal Goal. It is the same rule as a bounce shot during a flag down slow-
whistle.

Rule 4: Play of the Game
4.11 Advancing the Ball (14U and 12U)
        - (a) Over the Midline - Upon gaining possession of the ball
        inside their defensive half of the field, a team shall advance
        the ball beyond the center line within 20 seconds or there
        will be an immediate turnover.
        - (b) Into the Goal Area - Upon the ball being possessed in a
        team’s offensive half of the field, a team shall advance
        the ball into the goal area within 10 seconds or there will be
        an immediate turnover. Additionally, once the 10-second
        count has been satisfied and an offensive team carries,
        passes or propels the ball over the midline (except on a shot)
        it will result in an immediate turnover.

Rule 4: Play of the Game
4.15 Body Checking
To be legal, body checking of an opponent can only be delivered by a
player who has both hands on their own crosse. Checks must be made
to players in possession of the ball, within three yards of a loose ball,
or to a player within three yards of a ball in flight. In all cases a body
check shall be below the neck, above the waist, and delivered to the
front or side of an opponent.

Note: Any excessive body check in which the player lowers his head
or shoulder with the force and intent to put the other player on the
ground should be penalized as an illegal body check.

Rule 4: Play of the Game
4.32 Scrum Situation (6U – 12U)
In the event that a loose ball cannot be quickly picked up due to two 3
or more players in a “scrum” or becomes trapped by multiple sticks,
the official shall stop play and award the ball via alternating
possession rules.

Note: Officials should give approximately 4 seconds for players to pick
up the ball

Rule 5: Personal Fouls
5.7 Slashing
     (2) Striking an opponent in an attempt to dislodge the ball from his crosse, unless
     the player in possession, in an attempt to protect his crosse, uses some part of his
     body other than his head or neck to ward off the thrust of the defensive player’s
     crosse and, as a result, the defensive player’s crosse strikes some part of the
     attacking player’s body other than his head or neck. NOTE: Contact of any degree
     made to an opponent head while actively making a stick check is a slashing
     penalty.

    Question: Is a “brush” to the helmet of your opponent a penalty?
    Answer: Yes, contact of any degree, to the head of your opponent, while actively
    making a stick check is a slash.

Rule 5: Personal Fouls
5.10 – Unsportsmanlike Conduct
(a) Releasable - A second violation for a team that has a defensive player, other than a
properly equipped goalkeeper, that enters his own crease with the perceived intent on
blocking a shot or acting as a goalkeeper.

(b) Non Releasable - No player, substitute, nonplaying member of a squad, coach or
spectator shall display unsportsmanlike behavior. If a spectator is verbally abusive;
    1. Officials shall ask the Head Coaches to address the spectator in question to correct their behavior.
    2. If the conduct by the spectator continues the team associated with the offending spectator shall be
    assessed a 1 minute non-releasable unsportsmanlike penalty (Spectators can be asked to leave if the
    behavior is excessive)
    3. If continued unsportsmanlike behavior continues or a spectator refuses to leave, it can result in the
    termination of the remainder of the game.

Rule 6: Technical Fouls
6.10 Stalling will remain in effect until:
          • A Goal is scored
          • Shot hits the goal pipes
          • Shot hits the goalie or their equipment
          • The defensive team gains possession
          • The period ends resulting in a faceoff

6.13 Raking the Ball: At no time may a field player use the ball of his crosse to cover or
rake the ball backwards. They may only use a forward scooping motion to attempt to
gain possession of the ball. (Note: Raking the ball is only a technical foul at 6U, 8U, and
10U)

Rule 7: Penalty Enforcement
7.8 Slow Whistle Technique – If a defending player commits a foul against an attacking
player and an attacking player has possession of the ball, the official must drop a flag,
make the verbal signal “flag down” and withhold his whistle until:
     • A goal is scored by the attacking team or the ball becomes grounded
     • The ball goes out of bounds. or out of the box
     • An offensive player commits a penalty
     • The Defending team gains possession of the ball.
     • There is an injury in the scrimmage Area
     • The end of the period

2018 Major Rule Changes
Personal Fouls
• A second violation by a team when a defensive player acting as a goalie is
   releasable unsportsmanlike conduct, served by the offending player.
• Spectators can now cause an unsportsmanlike penalty for a team

Technical Fouls
• Eliminating the penalty for Raking the Ball

2018 Clarifications
• At 6U the only required equipment is a stick, matching shirt for teammates, and
  shoes. Eyewear and gloves are optional
• Non-traditional synthetic materials manufactured for lacrosse are permitted
  provided they meet all other specification of a legal crosse.
• Maximum Number of Long Poles Clarified
        •   6U - none
        •   8U - none
        •   10U - 2 Long Poles Max (47” - 54”)
        •   12U (7 v 7) - 3 Long Poles Max (52” – 72”)
        •   12U and 14U - 4 Long Poles Max (52” – 72”)
• Adjustable telescoping handles are illegal. All other handles cannot be altered on the
  field of play and must be altered on the sideline before coming back in play.

2018 Stick Clarifications
Question: Are the 2017 NFHS Spec heads legal for play in 2018 Youth Lacrosse?

Answer: Yes, Both the 2017 NFHS Spec Heads and 2018 NFHS/NCAA Spec Heads are
legal for play. All head sizes in the image below will remain legal for play for the next
few years.

2018 Stick Clarifications
Question: Is there a requirement to have a
contrasting color between the head and
the top glove via shaft color, paint, or a
single wrap of tape, or other materials?

Answer: No. This is not requirement at
14U and below.

2018 Helmet Clarifications
Question: Which lacrosse helmets are legal
for play?

Answer: Only helmets with the NOCSAE
Lacrosse Helmet Logo are legal for play. All
other helmets are illegal.

Rule Interpretations or Clarifications -
boysrules@uslacross.org

Submit a Rule Change for 2019 -
https://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/submit-a-rule-change