Contact: Legal and Illegal A Matter of Inches and Elbows Karen Blaine – Allentown, PA & Sue Perkins – Freeport, ME

Understand the Baseline… Making the right call requires an understanding of what you are “seeing” Contact – “a state of touching” Deliberate – “done in a way that is planned or intended” Legal – “allowed by the law, or by the rules in a game” Illegal – “not allowed by law, or by the rules in a game” Source: Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary

Questions To Consider: Do we ever “wait and see?” Can contact be a “no call?” Questions To Consider: Is all contact legal? Is all deliberate contact illegal? Think about examples of legal contact. Think about examples of deliberate, legal contact. When does legal contact become illegal? When does legal deliberate become a illegal? When does illegal contact become dangerous contact? Think about examples of illegal contact. Think about examples of deliberate contact we would not allow.

Let’s Talk About the Attack! Legal: The “meet and greet”. The attack moves into the defenders – tests the waters – rolls out. No call.

The shoulder to shoulder. Legal: The shoulder to shoulder. The defender and the attack move together down the field – equal pressure No call.

Legal: The incidental Minimal contact is made – No displacement occurs No call.

Contact Fouls by the Attack – What are we looking for? Has she dropped her shoulder and made contact with the defender? Does she displace the defender? Does she try to go through a well defined double team? Does she turn around and try to back into the defender(s)? Does she utilize an illegal screen? Does she jump in the air and make contact going up/down? Does her follow through make contact with a defender?

Attack – Play is in CSA Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Attack – coming into CSA Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Attack – Wrapping the Goal Circle Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Attack – Between 8m and 12m Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Green Attack – behind the goal, “wrapping around” Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Warding or Hold? Blue defender has her stick in the correct 10-2 position. White attack uses her free hand to grasp the defender’s arm and get around her. Note: Is it still warding (a foul) if contact doesn’t happen? Major or Minor??

Red Attack – Is space “open” or “occupied?” Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Let’s Talk About the Defense! Legal: The defender’s stick is held 10-2 Her elbows are locked and defends by moving her feet.

The defender’s stick is held 10-2 Legal: The defender’s stick is held 10-2 She is well out in front of the attacker and moving with her.

The defenders collapse on the attack Legal: The defenders collapse on the attack Sticks are up and down and not creating contact.

Contact Fouls by the Defense – What are we looking for? Has she dropped her crosse to a horizontal position and made contact with the attacker? Has she displaced the defender? Does she extend her legal position by reaching with her stick to prohibit attack’s path? Does she attempt to reach over/around attack to get the ball? Does she utilize an illegal block? Does she jump or run into a lane without giving time or space for attack to choose a different path? Is “Didn’t mean to” a good reason to excuse?

White Defense – off ball Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Black Defense – behind attack...going for ball Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

White Defense – behind again...going for ball? Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Black Defense – tweener… Not quite horizontal: “Skilled or Scary?” Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?”

Black Defense – tweener… Not quite horizontal: “Skilled or Scary?” Legal? Illegal? Does “deliberate” matter? Does “it depend?” Sometimes does stuff just happen?

Illegal Stick to Body Contact Horizontal stick Watch that contact from behind! “The head of the stick dropping below the 10 and 2 o’clock position” NEVER excused… even if attack creates the contact Cross Check Shaft of crosse used to hit, push, or displace opponent

SAFE, FAIR… AND FUN Don’t overcomplicate, or “over-whistle”, the game  Who initiated the contact? ….attack, defense, or mutual Did the contact disadvantage the player’s opponent? ….if not, leave it alone, or if player fouled, show advantage ….if yes, show advantage, or blow it up Take a breath and see the game Have Fun!