posted Feb 25, 2010 6:59 PM by Craig Peterson
Mechanics Update
US Lacrosse recently published a two-page mechanics update. Please circulate as widely as possible. The text follows, and you can download the .pdf from the link below.
Quote:
2010 US Lacrosse MDOC Mechanics Update
This document contains information on mechanics that have changed over the past several years. Though these are included in the 2010 MDOC Mechanics PowerPoints on the MDOC Resources Page (http://tinyurl.com/82fj84), officials who have not reviewed these updated mechanics presentations may not have heard about the changes. These mechanics are appropriate for games officiated under NCAA and NFHS rules except where noted.
Face-off
The face-off official should stand with one hand at his side and one hand with the whistle to his mouth (or, optionally, with the whistle taken off the hand and put in the mouth and both hands at his sides). The official should not move after saying “Down” (NCAA) or “Set” (NFHS).
In games where one or both face-off players are suspected of handling the ball, alternate face-off configurations bringing the wing officials closer to the face-off are allowable. These will eventually be added to the Mechanics PowerPoints.
In a three-man game, the face-off official stays with ball until possession (single will cover the face-off official’s goal). The single has the 10-second count or 20-second timer, if applicable.
If ball crosses the restraining line before possession, yell “Play!” and wind your arm.
Play-on
The correct mechanic for ending a play-on if the offended team gains possession is to point in the direction of play and call, for example, “Blue ball!”
Twenty-second clear mechanic
When the defense gains possession of the ball, doing the “fist pump” as you start your 20-second timer is optional.
If the ball is in possession, the trail will shut off the timer when he sees the 10-second count start. Because of this, the lead (two-man) or single (three-man) does not need to yell “Clear,” and point in the direction of play except under NFHS rules when a loose ball crosses midfield.
A continued play-on under a 20-second timer that results in a reset of the timer should be signaled with a twirl of the arm over the head (“reset” signal) while saying “Reset!” and restarting the timer.
Counts
All counts are visual; do not count out loud.
Penalty reporting
All penalty reporting should use C-NOTE (Color, Number, Offense, Time, Explanation). For example, “Blue, 7, hold, thirty seconds, free clear” or “White, 27, unsportsmanlike, one minute, non-releasable.” There is no need to say “personal foul” or “technical foul.”
Fouls during the clear
If you are the trail and there is a foul on the riding team during the clear, throw your flag forward toward midfield so you don’t have to run back to the GLE to get your flag.
Equipment inspections
By rule, officials must inspect the crosse (NCAA) or the crosse and protective equipment (NFHS) of at least one player per team during dead-ball situations. Though the old mechanic was to inspect at the end of the first and third periods, the new mechanic is to check during any dead-ball situation that will not slow down the game (e.g., after a goal, before a face-off, during a time-out, or between periods). NCAA mechanics mandate 6 inspections per game.
Since the NFHS game is shorter, typically 3 to 4 inspections are done per game. The March 16, 2010, NFHS bulletin explicitly states that officials may check each team after a goal is scored. If this is a mechanics change in your area, be sure to inform the coaches prior to implementation.
Stalling
A man-down team can be warned for stalling.
Fights
The official MDOC policy states: “The officials may attempt to physically separate the players involved if they believe it can be done without endangering the safety of the players or the officials. The foremost thought in such a decision must be the safety of the officials and the players, and the officials should not risk personal injury to separate the players.” Separating players and stepping between them before any punches are thrown can be extremely effective if the official deems it safe to do so.
NFHS Lightning Policy
The NFHS has changed their lightning policy. Essentially, the new policy says to clear the field if you can hear thunder or can see bolts of lightning, clear the field (“If you hear it, clear it. If you see it, flee it.”). Keep the field clear until you have at least 30 minutes with no thunder or visible lightning. See the 2010 NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Book, p. 96, for the full policy. |
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posted Feb 16, 2010 12:15 PM by Craig Peterson
Memorandum
To: NFHS Boys Lacrosse Contacts
From: Kent Summers, NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules
Editor - Ned Sparks, NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee Chair
Subject: 2010 NFHS Boys Lacrosse Clarifications
Date: February 16, 2010
Following the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules
Interpretation Meeting in Baltimore on January 16th, four items have been
identified that need clarification. Those items follow:
1. On page 25 of the 2010 NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules
Book, rule 4-3-1, Exception 1, first sentence should read:
In the event of an extra-man situation or a flag
down creating an extra-man situation at the conclusion of any period, the next
period shall be commenced by awarding possession of the ball in the same
relative position on the field to the team that had possession of the ball (or
is entitled to possession by a play-on) at the conclusion of the prior period.
The phrase “creating an extra-man” was
inadvertently omitted from the rules book at the time of printing.
2. At the rules interpretation meeting, there was
some discussion regarding the revision to rule 4-9-2k. Since the time of the
meeting, the following clarification has been determined:
Officials may decide to do an equipment check on
both teams directly after a goal. This check may or may not include the goal
scorer. If, when approaching the goal scorer to check his stick, the goal
scorer pulls his strings, then 4-9-2k goes into effect. Obviously, some common
sense is needed here. Officials are not trying to trap someone. This is for the
situation where the goal scorer sees the official coming and then pulls his
strings because he thinks he does or may have a deep pocket. Good preventative
officiating would have the official loudly and directly warn the goal scorer
immediately after the goal: "Please don't touch your stick, I need to
check it." If, after asking the goal scorer for his stick, the goal scorer
adjusts his stick in any way, then 4-9-2k goes into effect. The goal comes off
the board. The goal scorer is assessed a 1-minute unsportsmanlike conduct. The
equipment check continues and the worst of any infractions is added to the
1-minute unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. This could be an additional 1 minute
or an additional 3 minutes...for a grand total of either 2 or 4 minutes
non-releasable penalty time.
The language of 4-9-2k is "...scoring player
adjusts the strings before the official requests it..." It does not say,
“adjusts the strings after a goal and the opposing coach sees it and points it
out to the official and demands that the goal not count..." "Before
the official requests it" strongly implies that a request is coming from
the official. Also, after a goal, a scorer may jam his head, twist his head,
and bend his shaft: anything he wants to that stick except "adjust the
strings before the official requests it" or "adjust the stick in ANY
way AFTER the official requests it."
3. In the 2010 rules book, the second sentence of
rule 1-7-3 states:
A metal handle that does not have a cap-plug on
the end shall be considered illegal; at the next whistle, it shall be removed
from the game until corrected.
The word “not” was inadvertently omitted from that
statement. The rule should state:
A metal handle that does not have a cap-plug on
the end shall not be considered illegal; at the next whistle, it shall be
removed from the game until corrected.
Even though the stick must be removed from the
game, there is no penalty assessed. Thus, the handle is not considered illegal.
4. Butt ends which are more than 3½ inches in circumference
(i.e. tape rings) do not draw a penalty other than to be removed from the game
and fixed before re-entering the game.
I hope this information helps to clarify these
items. If you have questions, contact either your state rules interpreter or,
if you are the state rules interpreter, contact the NFHS office directly.
Thanks and have a great 2010 Boy’s Lacrosse season! |
posted Dec 23, 2009 9:13 AM by Craig Peterson
posted Oct 14, 2009 7:32 AM by Craig Peterson
October 13, 2009 IHSA Board Approves Lacrosse State Series For 2010-11The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Board of Directors approved a recommendation at its regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, October 13 to adopt an official State Series for the sports of Boys Lacrosse and Girls Lacrosse beginning with the 2010-11 school term. The official IHSA lacrosse season, State Series and State Finals will be contested during the spring semester. The addition of lacrosse will bring the total number of boys and girls sports contesting state championships to 15 apiece, while the overall number of IHSA sports and activities will grow to 43. “The goal of the IHSA is to provide quality interscholastic opportunities for students in the state and the Board recognized that the addition of boys and girls lacrosse helps support that mission,” said IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman. “The Board’s decision was consistent with the procedures used when adopting several other recent sports and activities, including water polo and journalism.” The Board did create a contingency that 65 boys lacrosse teams and 40 girls lacrosse teams must be registered to participate in the state series by the February 1, 2011 spring sport deadline in order for either sport to crown a state champion in 2010-11. According to the IHSA Emerging Sports List, there are currently 65 schools fielding boys lacrosse teams in the state and 40 fielding girls lacrosse teams. Even if the contingency prevents the inaugural state series from occurring during the 2010-11 school term, Hickman reiterated that the Board’s decision on Tuesday will only help the sport’s growth in Illinois. “The Board felt it was important to put contingencies in place to preserve the esteem of the tournament and crowning a state champion, even if it has the possibility of delaying the start of a state series until beyond 2010-11. Regardless, we feel like the IHSA’s endorsement of the sport will help bring more legitimacy to club and intramural programs around the state and that many more schools will field squads in the coming years.” Currently, 17 other state associations crown champions in boys and girls lacrosse. Source: http://www.ihsa.org/announce/2009-10/2009-10-13.htm |
posted Sep 4, 2009 8:33 AM by Craig Peterson
posted Aug 21, 2009 1:14 PM by Craig Peterson
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updated Aug 21, 2009 1:46 PM
]
August 19, 2009 TO: NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Head Coaches, Conference Commissioners and Officials. FROM: Willie Scroggs, chair NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee Don Zimmerman, secretary rules-editor NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee.
SUBJECT: Annual Meeting Report.
This document serves as a report to the men’s lacrosse community from the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Committee. The committee met August 2-4 and is using this opportunity to inform the membership of its main topics of discussion and to communicate points of emphasis, experimental rules and future considerations. As part of the NCAA’s two-year rules cycle, this is not a year in which rules will change; however, there are several points of emphasis and clarifications that will affect the upcoming season. These are listed in this document.
1. Points of emphasis. The committee identified several points of emphasis for the upcoming season: - Faceoffs: The committee is concerned about players using illegal tactics during the faceoff, including the use of hands. The integrity of the game is a key issue here and the skill of the faceoff players should determine which team gains possession, not illegal tactics.
If a player deliberately uses his hand to play the ball, officials are instructed to use the unsportsmanlike conduct provisions in the rules immediately. Inadvertent touching of the ball when the hand is grasping the stick should not be called as an unsportsmanlike conduct foul. The committee will continue to explore ways to eliminate this problem in the future, but instructs officials to continue to enforce all current rules strictly in the upcoming season. - Cross checks: This is an area that continues to be of concern for the safety of the student-athletes, especially the act of thrusting the crosse at the opponent. More diligent enforcement of this foul is needed.
- Stalling/Pace of Game: The committee will continue to evaluate the pace of the game and, in particular, how the stalling warning should be administered. The committee plans to use video examples to illustrate different situations for officials and coaches to better understand this rule.
- Uncontrolled Stick Checks: Player safety continues to be a major focus of the committee particularly in the area of checking the opponent with the stick, both in location (head/neck area) as well as level of violence.
- Equipment/End Caps: Coaches are responsible to make all players have either a rubber or plastic end cap adequately covering the open end of the crosse (See Rule 1, Crosse Construction on Page 18 of the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rules Book). Officials should enforce this rule without exception to protect all student-athletes.
2. Clarification Items. The committee reviewed and approved several clarifications that were distributed during the season. The committee is sharing these items below, including the page number in the rules book: a. Personal Equipment – Jerseys (Page 20). New uniforms must have numbers that are at least 10 inches high and centered on the front. Jersey numbers of at least 12 inches in height must be centered on the back. Current jerseys not meeting these specifications are acceptable. b. Loss of Equipment (Pages 21, 33, 55). As noted in an earlier bulletin, two notes were inadvertently left in the rules book on these pages dealing with the loss of required equipment. Please disregard these notes as rules changes made for last season supersede these items. c. Advancing the Ball/Player in Zone (Page 46, 47). In some cases, there is confusion regarding when an airborne player receives the ball when dealing with counts, etc. The committee is providing guidance to officials in this area that an airborne player is considered to be in the zone where he left the ground. This will be included more clearly in future publications of the rules book. d. Equipment Inspection Request – Head Coach (Page 58). The committee is clarifying what is generally in practice by game officials. Only the head coach my request an equipment inspection. 3. Experimental Rules. The committee voted to allow experimentation with the rules below in the fall season and approved a request from the Men’s Lacrosse Championship Committee for use in televised games of the championship: a. Keep it in. Once the ball enters the attack area, the offensive team must keep the ball in, unless it is deflected out of the area by the defensive team. b. Video review (NCAA Championships only). The rules committee voted to approve a request from the NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championships Committee to use video in certain situations to assist on-field officials in their determinations. To use video, a monitor must be available at field level for the on-field officials to use and the reviewable plays are limited. 4. Rules Survey. The committee spent a considerable amount of time reviewing and discussing the current state of the game and identified several areas it plans to consider adjustments in the future. These items will be included on a survey which will be conducted after the fall season: a. Faceoffs. b. Substitutions. c. Stalling rules. d. Penalty administration options. e. Timeouts. f. Dive play.
5. Committee Chair. The committee nominated Brian Voelker, Drexel University, as its next chair, replacing Willie Scroggs, whose term expires in September. Thank you for your attention to this report. If you have any questions regarding this memorandum, please contact secretary-editor Don Zimmerman (dzimmerman@umbc.edu) or Ty Halpin (thalpin@ncaa.org) at the NCAA.
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posted Feb 25, 2009 10:33 AM by Craig Peterson
Here is an unsolicited endorsement for GLLOA's training effort: During the offseason I moved back to Nebraska and took a job at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.
I would like to thank all of you for the excellent training and opportunities that I received while I was a member of GLLOA, an organization that is easily the most efficient and well-organized officiating organization that I have been a part of in any sport. I especially appreciated the extra efforts that were made in regards to training new officials as I benefited greatly from them. I have joined the local lacrosse group here in Omaha (OMALAX) and I'm registered to officiate this spring in an effort to help to grow the sport in the Omaha area. I never played lacrosse and had never watched a game until I began officiating last spring, but thanks to the positive experience I had working games in the Chicago area, I am hooked and plan to continue to be involved with the sport for a long time to come.
Thanks again for all of your help and support last year and best of luck in the future! February 24, 2009.
Harlan Sayles ...February 24, 2009
(1st year Referee in 2008, officiated 35 games for GLLOA) |
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posted Feb 16, 2009 8:06 PM by Craig Peterson
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updated Feb 17, 2009 3:05 PM
]
posted Jan 22, 2009 10:09 AM by Craig Peterson
Memorandum To: NFHS Boys Lacrosse Contacts From: Kent Summers, NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Editor Ned Sparks, NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Committee Chair Subject: 2009 NFHS Boys Lacrosse ClarificationsDate: January 22, 2009 __________________________________________________ _________________________ At the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Interpretation Meetings in Baltimore last week, five items were identified that need correction/clarification. Those items follow: 1. On page 2 of the 2009 NFHS Boys Lacrosse Rules Book (the page titled "2009 NFHS Lacrosse Rules Changes") item 7-3 should read:7-3 Clarifies that, should a penalty occur when the ball is in the goal area, play must be re-started laterally outside the goal area, nearest to the spot of the ball at the time of the whistle instead of at the "top of the box." 2. There was some confusion regarding procedure if it is determined that a stick has two ball stops. As a result, Situation 1.6.2 should read:
1.6.2 SITUATION: During an equipment inspection, the following situations are discovered: (a) the crosse has two ball stops, (b) the crosse has a ball stop from another manufacturer, (c) the crosse has no ball stop. RULING: (a) Illegal. Assess a three-minute, non-releasable penalty. In (a), the intent of the player was to make it more difficult for the defender to check the ball free. As a result, the three-minute penalty is assessed and the stick may not be used again for the remainder of the game. (b) No foul. (c) No foul. It is not a requirement for a crosse to have a ball stop. In addition, the exception listed under Rule 5-4, Illegal Crosse, on page 52 of the rule book must be deleted as the crosse is not to be used again in the game. Thus, the exception is no longer needed. 3. There was also some confusion regarding procedure when a foul occurs while a pass from one player to another is in flight. Thus, situation 4.5 should read:
4.5 SITUATION: During normal play, A1 makes a pass to teammate A2. While the ball is in flight, B1 commits (a) a technical foul or (b) a personal foul. RULING: In (a) the official calls out "play on" and if the pass is completed, the "play-on" is over. In (b), flag down, slow whistle. 4. Due to the revision made to rule 7-3, Resuming Play After a Penalty, Rule 4-29 on page 39 should read as follows:
Restarts following a time-out shall be nearest the spot where the ball was at the time the whistle was blown. A ball in the goal area shall be restarted laterally outside the goal area nearest to the spot of the ball at the time of the whistle. A ball that has crossed the end line shall be restarted at that spot. 5. Conflicting information was discovered between 6-5-2o and 4-30-1b. As a result, Rule 4-30-1b should read as follows:
If a head coach makes a second or subsequent equipment check during a different dead-ball situation and all equipment is found to be legal, that head coach's team will be penalized by a loss of a time-out if any remain or with a technical foul if no time-outs remain as stated in Rule 6-5-2o, assuming no violations were found in a previous request. __________________________________________________ _________________________ I hope this information helps to clarify these items. If you have questions, contact either your state rules interpreter or, if you are the state rules interpreter, contact the NFHS office directly. Thanks and have a great 2009 Boy's Lacrosse season! Kent Summers Assistant Director National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) P O Box 690 Indianapolis, Indiana 46206 Phone: 317-972-6900 Fax: 317-822-5700 www.nfhs.org |
posted Jan 13, 2009 12:22 PM by Craig Peterson
Source: "LaxRef" from Lacrosse Forums -Lacrosse Rules and Officiating 1/13/2009
Palmless or fingerless gloves
Illegal whether
bought that way or modified by the player (NFHS used to allow palmless gloves
manufactured that way)
Dislodged/broken goalie equipment (other than
stick) or broken goalie stick
Stop play immediately (but allow shot in
flight to come to conclusion). Goalie can be flagged for participating without a
crosse but not for playing with a broken crosse or other missing or dislodged
equipment.
Timeout after end line out of bounds
Does not change
the location of the restart: the ball starts at the spot unless there was a
play-on or flag-down in effect before the OOB or unless there is a dead ball
foul, in which case the ball starts in the alley (NFHS used to move ball to
alley in some situations). (Note: live-ball timeouts always move restart to the
alley).
Regular substitution
No horn required after goal or
time-serving penalty (NFHS used to require horn)
Special substitution
while play is suspended for equipment violations
Now permitted under both
rule sets (NFHS used to prohibit special subs in this
situation)
Coach-requested equipment checks
One per team per
dead ball under both rule sets (NFHS used to have no limit)
No “extra”
free checks between periods or during charged timeouts (NFHS used to have no
limit)
Multiple equipment violations
If a player has multiple
equipment and crosse violations, NFHS 5.5 Situation C now explicitly says to
penalize the most serious violation; common interpretation in NCAA is to do the
same
Player pulls strings on crosse after scoring a goal
If a
player pulls a string before or after the officials request to inspect the
crosse, there is a 1:00 NR USC penalty and the goal is disallowed (NFHS used to
only disallow for pulling strings after the official requested the
crosse)
Team A is under stall warning (not in the last 2:00) with flag
down; B1 gains possession
Stall warning is in effect when play resumes
(NFHS used to consider B1’s possession as ending stall warning)
Stall
warning in last 2:00 with score tied
Either team may be warned to “keep
it in” if they are keeping the ball from play. (NFHS did not previously mention
this case.)
Simultaneous technicals (or personals with total penalty
time equal) with face-off pending
Face-off under both rule sets (NFHS
used to award by AP)
Play suspended after a foul with ball in the
attack area
Move the ball to the alley (NFHS used to move to closest
point outside attack area) |
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