2014 Youth Rules Meeting

Wally Petry SOLOA Youth/MS Assigner

Points of Emphasis 2014 Season 1. Violent Collisions 2. Sportsmanship 3 Defenseless Players/High Hits Head and Neck Area 4. NOCSAE Lacrosse Balls

Game Management 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.

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 3 rd /4 th Grade inch cross for all players. 5 th /6 th Grade inch cross, inch cross for D Players Goalie loses any part of his equipment stop play IMMEDIATELY.

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. 3 rd /4 th grade level 1 step or less 5 th /6 th 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

3 rd /4 th Grade Penalty Enforcement No time serving penalties at the 3 rd /4 th 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 5 th /6 th Grade Penalties at the 5 th /6 th 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.