PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
The Technical Fouls (Pushing, Holding, Warding off,
conduct etc.)
Fouls that cause an unfair advantage!
Vs.
The Personal Fouls (Unnecessary Roughness , Illegal Body
Check, Cross Checking, Tripping, Unsportsmanlike
Conduct)
Fouls that are more violent and present a Safety
issue!
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
TECHINCAL FOULS NFHS RULE 6
 Technical fouls are those of a less serious nature
than Personal fouls and include all violations of the
rules of the game except Personal fouls. [Pushing,
Holding, Warding Off, Conduct]
 The penalty for Technical fouls depends on
whether the offended team has possession of the
ball! Award or change of possession or 30 seconds
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
PERSONAL FOULS NFHS RULE 5
 Personal fouls are those of a serious nature.
They include: illegal body checking, slashing,
crosse checking, tripping, unnecessary
roughness, unsportsmanlike conduct and use
of an illegal crosse.
 The penalty for a personal foul is 1 to 3
minutes depending on the severity of the
foul.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
TECHNICAL FOULS
Penalty Enforcement
If the ball is loose, there should be a Play-On, and if the offended team does not gain
possession, they are awarded the ball at the spot where the ball is– if inside the attack
area--- then move laterally outside attack area.
If the team that has possession commits a technical foul, there is an immediate whistle
and the ball is awarded to the opposing team at the spot or outside the attack area.
If Team A has possession and Team B commits a technical foul (other than goalie
interference or crease violations) the Flag down, Slow-Whistle (FDSW) technique is used. If
Team A does not score a goal during the FDSW situation, then the player committing the
foul will serve a 30-second penalty.
If the ball was blown dead in the offended team’s defensive half, they will be awarded
ball just over midfield (Free Clear)
If blown dead in the team’s offensive half, the ball is awarded at the spot or laterally
outside the attack area closest to where the ball was.
If the offended team A scores a goal during the flag down situation, then the technical
foul penalty is wiped out by the goal. Wave flag overhead and re-affirm goal is good.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
TPOAD (The Principle of Advantage Disadvantage)
Advantage/disadvantage is best left to "judgment" calls,
not to clear rule infractions. Judgment calls you can
always say "Hey, it was my call and I don't think it was a
push". You cannot say "Hey, B1 was clearly 5 feet over the
line, but I'm not going to call it this time".
Applying TPOAD is important in lacrosse because it
keeps the game moving. If you called everything that
was technically a rules violation even if there was no
advantage gained, a high school game would take 2.5
hours.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Pushing vs Illegal Body Check or Unnecessary Roughness
Illegal pushing includes pushing an opponent from the rear, pushing an
opponent who is neither in possession or within 5 yards of a loose ball,
pushing with anything other than a closed hand, shoulder or forearm or
with a free hand not on the crosse. Pushing is legal when done from the
front or side when the opponent has possession or within 5 yards of a loose
ball.
 Look for both hands on crosse and gloved hands together. Pushing is
considered to be force applied after contact is made. If it’s a violent blow
(Punching) it should be a personal foul for IBC (Illegal Body check) or UR
(unnecessary roughness).
 PUSHING with hands apart using the shaft is a Personal foul: Cross Check,
or throwing a forearm shiver with a free arm is an IBC. Anything too
violent could be an intent to injure and be unsportsmanlike and made nonreleasable.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS

Illegal Body Check (IBC) Rule 5 Section 3
1) Body checking of an opponent who is not
in possession of the ball or within five
yards of a loose ball.
2) Avoidable body check of an opponent
after he has passed or shot the ball.
3) Body checking of an opponent from the
rear or at or below the waist
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Illegal Body Check (IBC) Rule 5 Section 3
4. Body checking of an opponent by a player in
which contact is made above the shoulders.
The initial contact shall determine whether a
body check is legal– spinning or ducking
player!
5. To be legal such a body check shall be below
the neck and both hands of the player applying
the check shall remain in contact with his
crosse—No one armed shivers!
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Illegal Body Check (IBC) Rule 5 Section 3
6. Body checking of an opponent who has any part of his
body other then his feet on the ground.
7. Blocking of an opponent with the head or initiating
contact with the head (spearing) Minimum of a oneminute non-releasable penalty will be accessed for
spearing.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Unnecessary Roughness (Rule 5 Section 8)
1. An Excessively Violent infraction of the
rules against holding and pushing
2. Deliberate and Excessively Violent contact
made by a defensive player against an
offensive player who has established a
screening position.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Unnecessary Roughness (Rule 5 Section 8)
3. Any avoidable act on the part of a player
that is Deliberate and Excessively Violent,
whether with the body or the crosse. May
include a legal body check
4. A check delivered with the gloved hand or
hands may not be delivered with Punching
Blow.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Cross Checking Rule 5 Section 2
A player may not check his opponent with his
crosse in crosse-check position. That is, a
check with that part of his handle of the crosse
that is between the player’s hands, either by
thrusting away from the body or by holding it
extended from the body.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
 What is the difference between a cross check and
a cross check hold.
 EXPLANATION: The cross check is a blow, one
that “bends the spine.” You asses a one minute
foul as this can cause injury. (See above: bending
the spine.) The cross check hold is a maneuver
which takes the “player’s move away.” The first
presents a physical threat to the ball carrier. The
second should not lead to injury but it will alter the
outcome of the game.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Tripping Rule 5 Section 7
 A player may not trip a player with any part of his body or
crosse.
 Tripping is obstructing an opponent at or below the waist
with the crosse, hands, arms, feet or legs, by any
POSITIVE PRIMARY ACTION if the obstructing player is on
his feet or by any secondary action when the player is not
on his feet.
 When a player legally checks the crosse of an opponent
and the result is to cause the opponent to trip over his own
crosse, No Foul has been committed. Same No FOUL
when a player is attempting to scoop a loose ball and
opponent trips over the crosse.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
NFHS Rule 6 Section 3 Holding
Art. 1.. A player shall not impede the movement of an opponent or his crosse
Art. 2. A player may not:
1. Use the portion of the handle that is between his hands to hold an opponent
2. Step on the crosse of an opponent
3. Hold an opponent with his crosse
4. Hold or pin an opponent’s crosse against the body of the opponent with his
crosse.
Art. 3. Holding is permitted under the following conditions:
1. An opponent with possession of the ball or within 5 yards of a loose ball
maybe held from the front or side
2. An opponent with possession of the ball maybe played with a hold check from
the rear if the hold exerts no more than equal pressure. For both (a) and (b) a
hold check shall be done with either closed hand, shoulder or forearm and
both hands shall be on the crosse.
A player may hold the crosse of an opponent with his crosse when that
opponent has possession of the ball.
A player within 5 yards of a loose ball may hold the crosse of his opponent
with his own crosse.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Holding
 A player can’t hold a player’s body with his stick,
free hand or leg.
 Player must be close to player in possession and
have both hands on crosse using shoulder or forearm
or hands held close together to apply equal pressure
(not a punch which could be violent of personal foul
nature). Can’t use long pole and try to go overhead
to get stick and come up with head or body.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Warding Off NFHS Rule 6 Section 11
The player in possession of the ball may not use his free hand or
other part of his body to hold, push, or otherwise control the
direction or movement of his opponent’s crosse or body of the
player applying the check. A player in possession may protect his
crosse with his hand, arm or other part of his body when his
opponent makes a play to check his crosse.
Remember the player must be in possession for a ward.
MECHANIC: “Advantage and Disadvantage.” Coaches are going to
scream regardless, so you should learn how to ignore them. But if
the movement gives the offensive player an advantage, then you
should make the call.
If a defender puts the head of his stick under an offensive player’s arm and the
offensive player lifts his arm over the defender’s stick, that does not constitute a
WARD unless he subsequently uses that arm to push or direct the defender’s crosse.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Warding Off NFHS Rule 6 Section 11
"Playing with the free hand" is not a phrase used in the
rules at the NCAA or NFHS level.
You can play with one hand off the stick.
However, you can't really do much with that hand off the
stick (it ends up being an illegal push or hold or a ward in
most cases), and in fact even if you aren't using the hand it
makes some actions illegal (a body check, push, or hold
with one hand on the stick is automatically illegal even if it
would otherwise be legal with both hands on the stick).
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
 You must have possession to ward. Using
your arm to hold off a stick check by an
opponent in a loose ball situation is holding.
"A player shall not impede the movement of
an opponent or his crosse. [The rule then
provides for exceptions not applicable here]“
 It most likely is either holding or pushing. You
cannot impede (hold) or push an opposing
player unless both hands are on the crosse.
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Unsportsmanlike Conduct or Behavior
NFHS Rule 5 Section 9
No player, substitute, nonplaying member of a squad, coach or
anyone officially connected with a competing team shall:
1. Enter in an argument with an official as to any decision that has
been made or in any way attempt to influence the decision of the
official.
2. Use threatening, profane, or obscene language or gestures at any
time during the game.
3. Bait or call attention to oneself, or any other act considered
unsportsmanlike by the officials.
 Penalty to above items 1-3 minutes Non-Releasable penalties in
all cases
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
Unsportsmanlike Conduct or Behavior Cont’d
No player, substitute, nonplaying member of a squad, coach or
anyone officially connected with a competing team shall:
1. Repeatedly committing the same technical foul
2. A player deliberately failing to return to the field after leaving
the field of play while a legal player in the game.
3. As a substitute, deliberately fail to comply with the rules for
entering the field of play.
 Penalty to above items 1-3 minutes releasable penalties in
all cases
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS
NFHS Rule 6 Section 6 Conduct Foul
 Conduct only applies to objecting to
Official’s decisions, (not taunting or foul
language) or Coaches leaving the coaches
area or players leaving bench area
(coming onto the field to argue)
PERSONAL vs. TECHINCAL FOULS



1.
2.
3.
4.
The Conduct Foul
The rules do allow for a conduct foul against a player who
argues, objects or gesture to calls or non-calls.
Call the conduct foul and take the ball away if the
infraction is apparent but not worthy of a one minute
non-releasable foul?
Escalating Steps on Conduct situations: Call
Conduct foul while team has possession, take ball away.
Conduct foul : time serving 30 second technical foul
Unsportsmanlike Conduct personal foul: 1-3 minutes nonreleasable.
2nd Unsportsmanlike Conduct foul and ejection: 3 minutes
non-releasable