2014 Youth Rules Meeting
Wally Petry
SOLOA Youth/MS Assigner
Points of Emphasis 2014 Season
• 1.
• 2.
•3
• 4.
Violent Collisions
Sportsmanship
Defenseless Players/High Hits Head and Neck Area
NOCSAE Lacrosse Balls
Mouth Pieces
• Mouth Pieces are Mandatory Equipment that SHALL be worn at all
times while on the field of play.
• Mouth Pieces cannot be hanging out of the mouth.
• This is a Safety Issue.
• Call the Penalty
• One Minute Non Releasable Penalty
Game Management
• Alternate possession will be effect. If the ball becomes stuck in the
mud or an extended ground ball scuffles , stop play and award the
ball by alternate possession.
• Face offs: Face offs will be conducted after each goal and the
beginning of each period. If a team has a 4 goal lead or more, the
team behind will be awarded the ball at midfield until the margin is
under 4 goals. Coaches can waive this requirement if he wants to.
Equipment
• Coaches will make sure all players are equipped by rule, Officials will
certify coaches prior to the game.
• Protective Cups will be worn by all players.
• Goal Keepers are required to wear arm pads.
• Stick Lengths
3rd/4th Grade 37-42 inch cross for all players.
5th/6th Grade 37-42 inch cross, 47-54 inch cross for D Players
Goalie loses any part of his equipment stop play IMMEDIATELY.
Game Management
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10 Minute Running Quarters
2 Minute Intervals Between Quarters
5 Minute Half Time
No Overtime Played
Lineups will be done
No Horn for sideline out of bounds
2 Timeouts per half per team, allowed with possession of the ball
anywhere on the field and dead ball situations.
• No Stick Checks
• No Counts except for the 4 second crease count.
Lacrosse Ball
Starting in the 2014 Season, all game balls must include the label
MEETS NOCSAE STANDARDS
If the ball does not meet this requirement, do not allow the ball on the
field. Officials should check before the game.
Legal Contact
The game of lacrosse at the youth level should focus on the
development of individual stick skills, team work, player safety and
sportsmanship. Some body contact is permitted.
3rd/4th grade level 1 step or less
5th/6th grade level 3 steps or less
Penalties
• NO TAKEOUT/EXCESSIVE BODY CHECKS ALLOWED AT ALL
• ANY CONTACT TO THE HEAD/NECK AREA IS ILLEGAL
• UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS
• SPEARING
• BODY CHECKING A DEFENSELESS PLAYER
Penalties
• Takeout checks Any check where a player lowers his shoulder or head
with the force and intent to put the other player on the ground.
• 2-3 minute non-releasable penalty
• Contact to the Head/Neck Area Any contact to the head/neck area
via a cross check, elbow, head or shoulder is a violation.
• 2-3 minute non-releasable penalty. An excessive violation of this rule
can result in a game ejection
Penalties
• Unnecessary Roughness Running over a player who has set a screen,
an avoidable check, delivering a check with the glove hand.
• 1-3 minute non-releasable penalty
• Spearing Leading with your helmet to deliver a check. An offensive
player can be called for this as well.
• 2-3 minute non-releasable penalty
Defenseless Player
• This was one of the emphasis items brought up by US lacrosse.
• A body check that targets a player in a defenseless position;
- Body Checking a player from his blind side
- Body checking a player who has his head down in an attempt to
play a loose ball.
- Body checking a player whose head is turned away to receive a
pass, even if that player turns toward the contact immediately before
the body check.
- When in doubt, consider the player defenseless
** 2-3 minute non-releasable penalty
US Lacrosse Note
Sports medicine research indicates that the severity of certain injuries
may be reduced if a player can anticipate and prepare himself for an on
coming hit. Other research indicates that peripheral vision may not be
fully developed in many boys before the age of 15. Officials should be
especially alert to these hits at all levels of youth play.
Slashing
Swinging a stick at an opponent in a vicious or reckless manner
regardless of whether contact is made or not.
Striking an opponent on any part of his body with the stick.
The gloved hand is considered part of the stick, but you cannot just
slash an opponents hand, at some point you have to get the stick.
Any one-handed check is considered a slash, whether or not it makes
contact with the opposing player’s stick.
1-3 minute penalty, if you think it was a vicious hit to the helmet, it can
be non-releasable.
Personal Fouls
• Illegal Body Check
• Tripping
• Cross Check A player may not check his opponent with his cross in a
cross-check position. That is, a check with that part of the handle of
the cross that is between the player’s hands, either by thrusting out
from the body or by holding it extended from the body.
Technical Fouls
• Less serious then a personal foul, they include violations of the game
such as;
• Holding, Interference, Push, Off sides.
• If a team has possession, the penalty time will be 30 seconds, if no
possession, award the ball to the team fouled.
• Goalie Interference, moving picks, crease violations are examples of
technical fouls
rd
th
3 /4
Grade Penalty Enforcement
• No time serving penalties at the 3rd/4th grade level, they will enforced
via the Fast Break Rule.
• Teams will stay at full strength , the player that committed the foul
will leave the field and be replaced by another player.
• Midfielder from the offended team will be awarded the ball at
midfield, the rest of the midfielders will line up behind the midfield
line. The official will blow the whistle to start play, he will count 5
seconds, then verbally release the remaining midfielders.
• Any questions?
Penalty Enforcement
th
th
5 /6
Grade
• Penalties at the 5th/6th grade level will time serving. Penalty time will
start when the whistle is blown to start play. Face offs with a man
down situation, the team that is man down cannot bring a player up
to the wing area. Any Questions???
• A player who accumulates 4 personal fouls or 5 minutes in personal
foul time shall be disqualified for the reminder of the game.
Sportsmanship
• US Lacrosse Emphasis Item.
• Sportsmanship will not be tolerated, USL wants the F…. Bomb out of
the game, you do not have to use an obscenity to get a penalty, tone
intent or just yelling at an official will get you a penalty.
• USL wants to get rid of the “Sportsmanship Behavior that is slowing
creeping into the game”.
• Coaches and sideline managers are expected to promote good
behavior and set a good example.
• Sportsmanship penalties are 1-3 minutes non-releasable.
• 2 USC penalties will result in an ejection from the game.
Youth Officials
• They are not adult refs, they are not HS and College Officials.
• They are the future, as this game continues to grow, so does the need
for qualified officials.
• The game needs more officials who have played the game, that’s our
goal here in Southern Ohio.
• Without Youth Officials, a majority of the games would not be
covered.
Some Thoughts
• What kind of training does it take to stand on the sideline and yell and
scream!!!
• It is a tough job, the youth refs know that they will criticized , they are
not veterans who know how to handle it. They are human and are
going to make mistakes.
• Thanks to everyone for attending and lets have a great season and
good luck to all.