Rules of Lacrosse

Rules of Lacrosse [PAGE 3]

December 2007

RULE 40 BALL OUT-OF-BOUNDS

40.1 Play shall be suspended at any time when the ball is out of bounds.

40.2 When a player with the ball in his possession steps on or beyond a boundary line, or any part of his crosse or body touches the ground on or beyond the boundary line, then the ball is out of bounds, and the player shall lose possession of it. The ball shall be awarded to any player of the opposing team who is ready immediately to make the free play, at the point where the ball was declared out-of-bounds.

40.3 When a loose ball touches a boundary line or the ground outside of a boundary line, or when it touches anything on or outside of a boundary line, or when it has irretrievably left the field of play, then it is out-of-bounds, and the following rules shall apply:

i) Except on a shot or a deflected shot at the goal, the ball shall be awarded at the point where it was declared out-of-bounds to any player on the opposing team to that player who last touched it who is ready immediately to make the free play.

ii) When a loose ball goes out-of-bounds as a result of a shot or a deflected shot at goal, it shall be awarded to the team of the nearest legal inbound player where and when the ball became out-of-bounds. The players stick shall not count. If two legal inbound players of opposite teams are equidistant from the ball when it goes out-of-bounds, then it shall be faced.

iii) A shot or deflected shot remains a shot until:
- the ball comes to rest on the field of play;
- or a player gains possession of the ball;
- or the ball goes out-of-bounds;
- or a player deliberately causes the ball to go out-of-bounds.

40.4 If the ball goes directly out-of-bounds from a face-off, then it shall be faced again at the same place as the previous face-off, and subject to the same restrictions as the previous face-off.

40.5 If the ball is out-of-bounds within the confines of the gate, or within 5 yards (4.57 metres) of any part of the gate, then it shall be moved laterally into the field of play until it is 5 yards (4.57 metres) from the nearest part of the gate before play is resumed.

40.6 If the ball is out-of-bounds on the end line, then it shall be put into play at the point at which it went out-of-bounds, notwithstanding the fact that this point may be less than twenty yards from the cage.

AR 40.1 A Blue player shoots at goal and the ball, after hitting a pipe, goes out of bounds near the centre line in Blue's offensive half of the field. The nearest player is a Blue defender who is tied to his own half by the off-side rule.
RULING: The ball is awarded to Blue.

AR 40.2 A shot misses the goal and comes to rest on the field of play. A Blue player tries to pick it up, but it goes out-of-bounds.
RULING: The ball is awarded to Red.

AR 40.3 A shot misses the goal and is rolling towards a boundary line. A Blue player tries to pick it up, but it goes out-of-bounds.
RULING: The ball is awarded to the nearest in-bounds player.

AR 40.4 A shot goes over the goal and a player tries to catch it in flight. The ball hits his crosse or body and goes out-of-bounds.
RULING: The ball is awarded to the nearest in-bounds player.

AR 40.5 A Blue player, in possession of the ball, is forced out-of-bounds illegally by a Red player.
RULING: Blue retain the ball and the Red player serves penalty time.

RULE 41 BODYCHECKING

41.1 Bodychecking an opponent is permitted in the game of lacrosse, provided:
i) the opponent is in possession of the ball or is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball or is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a ball in flight;
ii) the contact is made from the front or side, not below the hip, and below the neck. See Rule 70 concerning illegal bodychecking.

RULE 42 CHECKING WITH THE CROSSE

42.1 A player may check an opponent's crosse with his own crosse, provided that the opponent has possession of the ball, the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball, or the ball is in flight within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of the opponent. For the purpose of this Rule, the gloved hand holding the crosse is considered as part of the crosse. See Rules 71 and 72 concerning illegal checking.

RULE 43 THE PICK

43.1 The use of the pick by an offensive player is permitted, provided that the offensive player is stationary and motionless at the time the contact is made. See Rule 54 concerning an illegal pick.

RULE 44 TIME-OUTS

44.1 There are 2 types of time-outs, those called by the officials, and those called by the teams.

44.2 A referee or the chief bench official may call an official time-out for any reason which he deems necessary for the proper enforcement of the rules of the game.

44.3 When a player is injured and, in the opinion of an official, the injury is serious, or there is bleeding or blood evident, then play shall be suspended immediately. Otherwise, the referee shall delay the sounding of his whistle as follows:

i) If the attacking team is in possession of the ball and, in the opinion of the referee, a scoring play is imminent, then the referee shall delay the sounding of his whistle in the same manner as laid down under the "slow whistle procedure", Rule 82, except that a signal flag is not dropped under these circumstances.
ii) If the ball is loose, then the referee shall delay the sounding of his whistle until possession is secured and, if a scoring play is imminent, the play is completed, in the same manner as laid down under the "slow whistle procedure", Rule 82, except that the signal flag is not thrown under these circumstances.

44.4 (i) If the clock has to be stopped to allow an injured player to be treated then, unless a team uses one of its time-outs, the injured player must leave the field before the start of the next play, and he may not return before the next dead ball.

(ii) If the clock has to be stopped for a player who is bleeding, or has blood evident on his person or equipment then, unless the team uses one of its time-outs, the player must leave the field before the start of the next play. The player shall not re-enter the game until the wound has been covered and/or all evident blood disinfected from person, uniform or equipment.
The player need not wait for the next dead ball before returning.

44.5 A team may request a time-out provided:
- the ball is dead;
- or the team requesting the time-out has possession of the ball in its attacking half of the field.

44.6 A time-out may be called by a coach, a captain, or the player who has possession of the ball. The request may be made to a referee or to the chief bench official.

44.7 A team time-out shall be 90 seconds long. A team time-out may be foreshortened only if both teams are ready to restart before the full 90 seconds have elapsed.

44.8 A team shall be limited to 2 time-outs per half, and 1 time-out per 4-minute overtime period. No time-outs shall be allowed in a sudden death overtime period.

44.9 A time-out taken between periods is charged to the preceding period.

44.10 A team may not take consecutive time-outs without resumption of play.

RULE 45 HEAD COACH'S REQUEST FOR A STICK-CHECK OR A STICK-COUNT

STICK-CHECK

45.1 A team's head coach may request the inspection of any crosse of the opposing team which is on the field of play. All aspects of the construction and dimensions of the crosse shall be considered. Such a request may only be made when the ball is dead.

45.2 The game-time clock shall be stopped when a stick-check is requested, and it shall be re-started when the stick-check is complete.

45.3 Where applicable, the penalty clock(s) shall be stopped when a stick-check is requested, and they shall be re-started when the stick-check is complete.

45.4 If a stick is found to be legal after a stick-check has been requested by a given head coach then:
i) On the first occasion that a stick is found to be legal after a stick-check has been requested by that coach, there shall be no penalty inflicted on the coach who asked for the stick-check.
ii) For every subsequent occasion on which a stick is found to be legal after that coach has requested a stick-check, a technical penalty shall be inflicted on the coach.

45.5 If a goal has been scored with a stick and, before the next live ball, that stick is declared illegal for any reason, then the goal will not count.

If a goal has been scored with a stick and a stick-check has been legally called on that stick then, if the player or a team-mate or any member of his squad, coach or anyone officially connected with the team touches the head or the stringing of the stick or, carries out any action which is an attempt to circumvent the stick-check or an attempt to alter the result of the stick-check, prior to the carrying out of the stick-check, then the goal will not count.

AR 45.1 Red score the game-winning goal in "sudden-death" overtime. The Blue coach calls for a stick-check.
RULING: The game is over, and the stick-check is not allowed.

STICK-COUNT

45.6 A team's head coach may request the Chief Bench Official to carry out a count of the number of long sticks being used by the opposition at any time. The stick-count will take place immediately.

45.7 If the number of long sticks is found to be legal after a stick-count has been requested by a given head coach then:
(i) on the first occasion that the number of long sticks is found to be legal after a stick-count has been requested by that coach, there shall be no penalty inflicted on the coach who asked for the stick-count.
(ii) for every subsequent occasion on which the number of long sticks is found to be legal after a stick-count has been requested by that coach, a technical penalty shall be inflicted on the coach.

45.8 If a goal has been scored by a team and, before the next live ball, a stick-count shows that the scoring team had more than four long sticks on the field at the time when the goal was scored, then the goal will not count.

AR 45.2 Red score the game-winning goal in "sudden-death" overtime. The Blue coach calls for a stick-count.
RULING: The game is over, and the stick-count is not allowed.

Section 7: Substitution

RULE 46 SUBSTITUTION

46.1 Maximum substitution may take place at any time, subject to the following paragraphs.

46.2 The substituting player must wait in the substitution area for the player whom he is replacing to leave the field of play, and only then may he enter the field of play. Both players must go through the gate. A substitute who is about to enter the field must give way in the special substitution area to a player who is leaving the field. Players may substitute on the fly, and they may do so on either side of the centre line, provided that the off-side rule is observed.

46.3 If the player leaving the field of play is bound to the half of the field which he is in by the off-side rule, then the provisions of the off-side rule will be deemed to have been observed if the substitute steps out of the substitution area onto the field of play at the same time as the player leaving the field steps into the substitution area.

46.4 The following exceptions shall apply:
i) On the scoring of a goal, at the end of a period, and during a time-out of any kind, substitution may be effected from any point on the side line, and not necessarily through the gate. In such cases, it will not be necessary for the substituting player to remain on the side line until his counterpart leaves the field of play, but his team must have the correct number of players on the field when play is restarted.
ii) If an official time-out has been called because an injured player is unable to continue, then that player shall be removed from the field as soon as possible to the nearest boundary, and the substitute must report immediately.

AR 46.1 The whistle has blown to stop play for an out-of-bounds ball, but the referees have not called a time-out. A substitute either steps onto the field of play before the player whom he is replacing has left the field, or he does not go through the gate.
RULING: Technical foul, as the substitution rules apply even though the ball is dead.

AR 46.2 The whistle has blown to stop play for an out-of-bounds ball, and the referees have called a time-out. A substitute either steps onto the field of play before the player whom he is replacing has left the field, or he does not go through the gate.
RULING: No foul, as the substitution rules do not apply during a time-out of any kind.

AR 46.3 A player has left the field so that he can be substituted. The replacing player attempts to gain a tactical advantage by not going onto the field immediately.
RULING: Legal play, as nothing in the rules requires a team to have ten men in the game at any time.
RULING: It is also legal for a player whose penalty has expired to delay his re-entry into the game for tactical reasons.

AR46.4 The whistle has blown to stop play for an out-of-bounds ball. As there are fewer than three minutes left in the game, the clock has stopped. The referees have not called a time-out. A substitute steps onto the field of play before his team-mate has left the field.
RULING: A technical foul, as the automatic stopping of the clock during the last three minutes is not considered to be a referees’ time-out.

Section 8: Goal Crease and Goalkeeper

RULE 47 THE DESIGNATED GOALKEEPER

47.1 Where a player on a team begins the game using a goalkeeper's stick, then that player shall be deemed to be the designated goalkeeper.

47.2 Where the designated goalkeeper is replaced by another player using a goalkeeper's stick, then that substitute shall be deemed to be the designated goalkeeper.

47.3 If the designated goalkeeper leaves the field of play and is not replaced by another player using a goalkeeper's stick, then the following rules shall apply:

i) If the designated goalkeeper exchanges crosses with a team-mate prior to leaving the field, then that player shall be deemed to be the designated goalkeeper until such time as the crosses are re-exchanged.
ii) If there is no goalkeeper's crosse in use by a team at any time, then the captain or coach of that team must nominate a player to act as the designated goalkeeper.

AR 47.1 Blue goalie is out of game on penalty, and has given his stick to a team-mate. He returns to the game and, before re-exchanging sticks, he saves a shot with his hand.
RULING: Technical foul, as the original goalie is not the designated goalie until he receives back the goalkeeper's crosse.

AR 47.2 The goalkeeper is serving a penalty and has left the field without exchanging his goalkeeper's crosse with a team-mate. The captain has nominated a designated goalkeeper. The penalty time expires and the original goalkeeper, carrying his goalkeeper's stick, returns to the game. As he does so, the "temporary" goalkeeper saves a shot with his hand.
RULING: Technical foul, because the goalkeeper's stick is now back in the game, and the player holding it thus becomes the designated goalkeeper as soon as he steps onto the field.

RULE 48 PRIVILEGES OF THE DESIGNATED GOALKEEPER

48.1 While in his own goal crease, the designated goalkeeper shall have the following privileges and protections:

i) He may stop or block the ball in any manner with his crosse or body, and he may block the ball or bat it away with his hand, but he may not catch the ball with his hand: nor may he pick the ball up with his hand.
He or any member of the defending team may receive a pass while in the crease area.
ii) No opposing player may initiate contact with the goalkeeper or his crosse while the goalkeeper is within the goal crease area whether the goalkeeper has the ball in his possession or not.
An attacking player may reach into the goal crease area to play a loose ball, so long as he does not initiate contact with the goalkeeper.
iii) An exception to Rule 48.1 ii), above, is that the crosse of the goalkeeper, when extended outside the cylinder above the goal crease area, except when the ball is in the crosse, is subject to being checked under the same circumstances as the crosse of any other player.

AR 48.1 The ball is loose outside the Blue crease. The Blue goalkeeper, his feet within the crease, begins to rake the ball back. Before the ball touches the goal crease, a Red attacker checks the goalkeeper's stick.
RULING: Legal play, as the goalkeeper's crosse extended outside the cylinder can be checked provided the ball is not in the crosse.

AR 48.2 The ball is loose outside the Blue crease. The Blue goalkeeper, his feet within the crease, begins to rake the ball back. As the ball touches the crease, a Red attacker checks the goalkeeper's crosse.
RULING: Technical foul, as the goalkeeper is considered to be in possession when the ball is being raked back within the crease. The Red attacker serves 30 seconds.

AR 48.3 The Blue goalkeeper, with his feet in the crease, is clearing the ball. A Red attacker is holding his crosse motionless outside the cylinder in a covering position. Before the ball is released by the Blue goalkeeper, the crosses collide.
RULING: Technical foul, as the goalkeeper has the protection of the crease when clearing, whether the attacker moves his crosse or not.

AR 48.4 As for the previous ruling, but the crosses collide after the ball has been released.
RULING: Legal play, as the ball is not in the goalkeeper's possession, and his crosse is outside the cylinder.

AR 48.5 The Blue goalie makes a save, but the ball bounces into the air in front of his goal. A Red attacker bats at the ball, and the crosses collide inside the cylinder above the goal crease.
RULING: Interference by Red; no time-served penalty.

AR 48.6 As above, but the crosses collide outside the cylinder.
RULING: No foul.

RULE 49 PROHIBITIONS RELATING TO THE GOAL CREASE

AR 48.5 The Blue goalie makes a save, but the ball bounces into the air in front of his goal. A Red attacker bats at the ball, and the crosses collide inside the cylinder above the goal crease.

49.1 An attacking player shall not be in his opponents' goal crease area, nor shall he touch any part of the cage with his body, at any time while the ball is live in his opponents' half of the field.

49.2 A goalkeeper or defending player who is outside the goal crease area and who has the ball in his possession may not enter the goal crease area.

49.3 A player who is in his goal crease area may not remain in the goal crease area with the ball in his possession for longer than 4 seconds. This shall be audibly and visually counted by the nearest referee as 1001, 1002, 1003, 1004. If a player tries to circumvent the 4-second rule by deliberately dropping the ball and then picking it up, then he will be assessed a technical foul.

49.4 For the purpose of this rule, a player is considered to be within the goal crease area when any part of his body is touching the goal crease area, and he is considered to be outside the goal crease area when no part of his body is touching the goal crease area, and part of his body is touching the ground outside the goal crease area. The gloved hand is not considered part of the crosse, whether or not it is holding the crosse.

AR 49.1 The Blue goalkeeper has the ball in his possession and only his rear foot is in the crease. He lifts his rear foot momentarily, and then places it down within the crease.
RULING: Technical offence, as the goalkeeper is deemed to have left the crease when he raises his foot, and he has then re-entered it.

AR 49.2 The Blue goalkeeper jumps to intercept a pass. He catches the ball, and lands within the crease.
RULING: Legal play, as he is not considered to be out of the crease when in mid-air, as no part of his body is touching the ground outside the crease.

AR 49.3 The Blue goalkeeper makes a save and steps out of the crease. He is then legally bodychecked back into the crease by a Red attacker.
RULING: Technical foul by the goalkeeper.

AR 49.4 A Blue attacker, attempting to pick up a loose ball which is in the Red crease, touches the goal net and/or a pipe and/or the crease area with his crosse.
RULING: Legal play.

AR 49.5 Blue attacker runs towards the Red goal from behind that goal. As he nears the crease, he launches himself horizontally to the side of the goal. As his stick reaches a position in front of the goal line, he hits it against the pipe, thus causing the ball to enter the goal. He does not touch the goalkeeper. He does not touch the crease until the ball has passed through the plane of the goal.
RULING: Legal play. The goal stands.

AR 49.6 A Blue attacker, with the ball in his possession, is illegally pushed into the Red crease by a Red defender.
RULING: Immediate whistle, the Red defender serves penalty time, and Blue are awarded the ball.

AR 49.7 Blue attacking. A Blue attacker, not in possession of the ball, is illegally pushed into the Red crease by a Red defender, and his position is such that he could interfere with the goalkeeper's play of the ball.
RULING: Immediate whistle, the Red defender serves penalty time, and Blue are awarded the ball.

AR 49.8 Blue attacking. A Blue attacker, not in possession of the ball, is illegally pushed into the Red crease by a Red defender, but his position is such that he is not interfering with the goalkeeper's play of the ball.
RULING: The referee throws a flag, and warns the Blue attacker to "Get out of the crease". If the attacker leaves the crease immediately, then play is allowed to carry on. Otherwise, the whistle is blown, the Red player serves penalty time, and Blue are awarded the ball.

AR 49.9 Blue attacking. A Blue attacker, not in possession of the ball, is illegally pushed into the Red crease by a Red defender, but his position is such that he is not interfering with the goalkeeper's play of the ball. The referee throws a flag, and warns the Blue attacker to "Get out of the crease". Before he is able to leave the crease, another Blue attacker scores.
RULING: No goal, as the attacker is touching the crease. The Red player serves penalty time, and Blue are awarded the ball.

AR49.10 A goalkeeper has the ball in his possession behind his own crease. He throws the ball onto the back of the goal net, steps into the crease and picks the ball up.
RULING: Legal play. The count begins. If the goalkeeper, having carried out the procedure outlined above, repeats the procedure before his opponents have had possession of the ball, then a technical foul has been committed.

Section 9: Technical Fouls

RULE 50 THE PENALTY FOR TECHNICAL FOULS

50.1 The penalty for a technical foul shall be as follows:

i) If the offending team has possession of the ball, or if the ball is loose at the time a technical foul is committed, then possession shall be awarded to the opposing team at the point where the ball was when the foul occurred.
ii) If the opponents of the offending team have possession of the ball at the time a technical foul is committed, then the penalty shall be suspension from the field of play for 30 seconds for the player committing the foul.

50.2 If a technical foul occurs prior to the start of the game, or after the scoring of a goal or the end of a period, then his opponents are awarded the ball, as specified in Rule 34.1 (iv). If the technical foul occurs at some other time during the course of the game, but while the play is suspended, then the general rule rather than this exception shall apply.

RULE 51 THE NATURE OF A TECHNICAL FOUL

51.1 Technical fouls are those of a less serious kind.
Any breach of the rules of play as set forth in this section shall be a technical foul unless that breach is specifically listed as a personal or expulsion foul in Sections 10 or 11.
Some of the technical fouls which require definition are listed below, but this section is not intended to be comprehensive and all-inclusive.

RULE 52 INTERFERENCE

52.1 A player may not interfere in any manner with an opponent in an attempt to keep him from a loose ball except when both are within 9 feet(2.74 metres) of such loose ball.

52.2 A player may not, by the use of his body or his crosse, interfere with a player who is in pursuit of an opponent who has possession of the ball.

52.3 A player may not guard an opponent so closely as to prevent the opponent's free movement when the opponent is not in possession of the ball.

52.4 Nothing in this rule is intended to prohibit a legal offensive pick.

RULE 53 PUSHING

53.1 A player may not push an opponent with his crosse. For the purpose of this rule, the gloved hand holding the crosse shall not be considered part of the crosse.

53.2 A player may push an opponent with either closed gloved hand on the handle of his crosse or with either forearm, provided that the opponent has possession of the ball, or the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball, or the ball is in flight within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of the opponent. Both hands of the player who is doing the pushing must be on his crosse.
The pushing must not be from the rear, it must not be below the hip and it must not be at or above the neck unless the pushed player turns his back or jumps or moves in such a manner as to make what started as a legal push appear illegal. Pushing an opponent who is lying on the ground, or who is down on one or both knees, is illegal. Unnecessary roughness must not be used during a push.

53.3 Pushing from the rear is defined as exerting enough pressure to force an opponent to go move in a direction other than that in which he intends to go or, if in the direction he intends to go, then at a greater speed than he intends.

RULE 54 ILLEGAL PICK

54.1 No offensive player shall move into and make contact with a defensive player with the purpose of blocking that defensive player from the man he is marking. Before any contact is made by the defensive player, the offensive player must be stationary and motionless, and he must be standing in his normal stance.

54.2 No offensive player shall hold his crosse rigid or extend his crosse rigid to impede the normal movement of a defender.

RULE 55 HOLDING

55.1 A player shall not hold an opponent or an opponent's crosse except as hereinafter permitted:

i) A player may hold off an opponent who is in possession of the ball or who is within 3 yards (2.74 metres) of a loose ball or who is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a ball in flight with either closed gloved hand on the handle of his crosse, or with either forearm.
Both hands of the player who is doing the holding must be on his crosse.
The holding off must merely be the exerting of equal pressure.

ii) A player in possession of the ball may protect his crosse with his hand, arm, or other part of his body when an opponent makes a play to check his crosse. The hand, arm, or other part of his body may only be used to stop the stick check, and it must not be used to hold, push, or control the direction of the movement of the checker's crosse or body.

55.2 A player may not hold an opponent’s body, other than the gloved hand holding the crosse, with his own crosse. If a player holds an opponent with that portion of the handle of his crosse which is between his hands, then a cross-check hold has been committed.

55.3 A player may hold an opponents crosse or an opponents gloved hand holding his crosse with his own crosse or his own gloved hand holding his crosse, provided that the opponent has possession of the ball, or the opponent is within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of a loose ball, or the ball is in flight within 9 feet (2.74 metres) of the opponent.

AR 55.1 A Red player checks the stick, or the gloved hand holding the stick of an opponent who is in possession of the ball. The Red player does not release his check but forces down his opponent’s stick so that the ball becomes loose.
RULING: Legal play.

AR55.2 A Red player is about to pick up a loose ball. An opponent traps the Red players stick or his gloved hand holding the stick, with his own stick or his own gloved hand holding the stick. The ball is fewer than 9 feet (2,74 metres from the Red stick.
RULING: Legal play.

AR55.3 A Red player is about to pick up a loose ball. An opponent lifts the Red players stick or his gloved hand holding the stick, with his own stick or his own gloved hand holding the stick.
The ball is fewer than 9 feet (2.74 metres) from the Red stick.
RULING: Legal play.

RULE 56 KICKING AN OPPONENT'S CROSSE

56.1 A player may not deliberately step on or kick the crosse of an opponent.

RULE 57 HANDLING THE BALL

57.1 A player shall not touch the ball with his hand(s) while it is in play, except the goalkeeper in his crease as defined in Rule 48.1 i).

RULE 58 WITH-HOLDING THE BALL FROM PLAY

58.1 A player shall not with-hold the ball from play in any manner. A player shall not lie on a loose ball on the ground. A player shall not trap a loose ball on the ground with his stick longer than is necessary for him to control the ball and pick it up in one continuous motion.

58.2 A player with the ball in his possession shall not hold his crosse in close proximity to his body with the purpose of preventing an opponent from dislodging the ball.

58.3 A player with the ball in his possession may not grasp any portion of the head of the stick with his hand.

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