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The Rules of the Game
The purpose of the Official Girls Youth rules is to familiarize young players with the sport of women’s lacrosse by introducing them to the terms, the field, the playing positions, the concept of teamwork and the skills required to play the game safely and fairly. These rules were written by the US Lacrosse Women’s Division and ratified by the US Lacrosse Youth Council in an effort to standardize youth rules for girls throughout the United States
Center Draw
A women's lacrosse game is started with a center draw. The two opposing players stand with one foot on the centerline. They hold their crosses in the air, back to back at about hip level so that the ball can be placed in between them. The players must remain set until the whistle is blown. They should draw their sticks up and away from each other so that the flight of the ball is above their heads. A center draw is used to begin the first and second half of the game. It is also taken after any goal scored during the game.
Start/Stop (The Stand Rule)
When the whistle is blown, all players must stop and stand in that position. The ball is considered dead until the whistle is blown again to continue game play. Therefore, players on the field may not move on a dead ball when the whistle is blown. If a time-out is called during a stand, all the players will leave their sticks where they stopped when the whistle blew and then come back to that spot to continue play after the break.
Three-Pass Rule
A team must not take a shot on goal until three passes, including the goalkeeper’s clear, are completed or attempted. Umpires have the final say in determining 3-pass completion/attempts and will count passes out loud. Once the offense has fulfilled the three pass requirement, a new three pass count is not necessary as long as the ball has remained within the offensive half of the field (even if the defense plays the ball).
The purpose of this rule is to get as many girls involved in every play as possible. It was implemented because teams would get the ball into the hands of one strong player who would run up the field alone and shoot the ball. A team must make three bona fide pass attempts (the ball does not need to be caught to count).
MBGLL has asked umpires to use their judgment in assessing a bona fide pass. Typical criteria include requiring that the ball go above the shoulder during the pass and that the players be six feet apart. Umpires will count passes out loud and will tell the players when they have completed three passes. Coaches are NOT to count. NOTE that umpires will not (as coaches should not) tell players that "they can shoot", because additional passes might be the right thing to do. The intent of this rule is not to have teams make three passes and then, regardless of where the ball is, compel the player run to the goal and shoot.
Once a team has completed three passes, this count is "reset" only when the opposing team gains possession of the ball in the opposing team's attacking half of the field. This rewards teams for playing good defense in their attacking zone...if they recover the ball they can immediately shoot. This rule also means that both teams can have three completed passes at the same time (if the defending team completes three passes in their defensive half of the field).
Goal Scoring
Not to state the obvious, but the winner of a women's lacrosse game is the team who scores the greater number of goals. A shot cannot be taken until the team has completed 3 passes. The whole ball must pass over the goal line and between the posts to constitute a goal and receive a point. There are several reasons why goals can be disallowed. A goal is not counted in the following cases:
- The ball goes in the goal after the whistle is blown.
- The player has followed through a shot with her body into the goal circle.
- The umpire has called either a dangerous shot or follow throw on goal.
Out of Bounds
When the ball goes out of bounds, a whistle is blown to stop play and all players must stand and the ball is given to the player whose body or stick is closest when the ball went out of bounds. So it is in the best interest of all players to run towards the ball until the whistle is blow. The players who end closest to the ball will receive possession. She stands 4 meters inside the agreed boundary line. The player who is marking the ball must give her opponent 1 meter of clear space. In another specific instance, when both opposing players are equally close to the ball, a throw is taken anywhere except within 8 meters of the goal circle.
The Throw
In a women's lacrosse game, when indecision occurs warranting a fair and even distribution of the ball, like a "jump ball" in basketball, a throw is taken. The throw is taken by one player from each team, usually the two involved in the initial pursuit of the ball or in conflict when the indecision occurred. The two players stand next to each other about 1 meter apart on the side that they are defending. On the whistle, the umpire throws the ball with a short high toss so that the two players can move in towards the game as they attempt to catch it and run or pass to a teammate. On a throw, the umpire positions herself 4 to 8 meters from the two players. The throw is taken where the incident happens on the field. All other players on the field must be at least 4 meters away from the two players involved in the throw. If for some reason, the throw is not taken properly and neither player touches the ball, it will be redone over again. A throw can be taken in the following cases, for example:
· The ball becomes lodged in the clothing of a player or umpire.
· Both players draw in an illegal manner or it cannot be determined why the draw was illegal.
· The game is stopped for any reason not specified in the rules.
Fouls
Fouls shall be the same as those outlined in Rule 6 of the US Lacrosse Women’s Rules with the following modifications:
1. No shooting on free positions, unless using a goalkeeper or modified goal opening (Major Foul)
2. No holding the ball for more than 3 seconds when closely guarded/marked (see definitions) and the defense has both hands on her stick and is in position to legally check were checking allowed. (All levels). (Minor Foul)
3. Must be within a sticks length of the person you are covering when you in the 8 mm arc
The Modified Checking Rule
A new modified checking rule has just been established for many middle school teams and recreation council lacrosse programs. The adjustment is a very important change to the way young women are taught the game. The main emphasis for youth players is to master the fundamental skills such as cradling, scooping, passing, catching, footwork, proper positioning and marking. Under the new scheme, eighth graders and younger would play with the modified (or stricter) rules as an intermediate step towards full checking in the ninth grade and beyond. Modified checking rules only allow checking the stick if it is below shoulder level, using a downward motion away from the other player's body.
For young players, the major objective on defense is to practice running with your opponent, shadowing her stick, working to come up with a block and/ or interception while also maintaining proper goal side position. By seeing your player and the ball at all times, you have the ability to pick up any ground balls and come up with possession of the ball for midfield transition. When marking a player with the ball, the defense should always employ patience and accurate timing, along with precise checking, and under these rules, only below shoulder level. Older youth players can improve and hone their checking skills, before they are used in potentially dangerous situations. While, at the same time, on the offensive side of the ball, players will have time to develop better stick skills and gain valuable experience before the higher checks become part of their games.
Stick-to-stick contact is not always a violation of this modified checking rule. The defender who holds her stick in good defensive position can force the attacker to cradle into her stick causing contact. It is not considered a stick check because the attacker caused the contact. In another similar case, if the defense pulls her stick up to block or intercept a pass and the attacker makes contact in the act of passing or catching the ball. In both instances, the attacker caused initial contact so it would not be a foul on the defense.
Level C Specifics (Grades 1st – 4th)
1. Seven field players, use of a goal keeper is optional.
2. Field size: 50 yds. x 25 yds. is recommended.
3. 8m arc, no 12m fan, no restraining line, center line (no circle).
4. Youth sticks or regular women’s crosse, modified pocket.
5. No checking.
6. 20-minute halves (max.), running time.
7. May not shoot from any free position, unless using a goalkeeper or modified goal opening.
The Goalie
Goalie must wear helmet with face mask, separate throat protector, chest protector, abdominal and pelvic protection, goalie gloves, and leg padding on the shins and thighs. The protective helmet, designed for lacrosse, must meet the NOCSAE test standard. All protective devices used should be close fitting, padded where necessary, and not be of excessive weight.
Additional Resources
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