Lacrosse Program
DYA’s Basic
Rule of Lacrosse:
Delayed
Flag; When the team that has the ball is fouled,
the referee will throw a flag to signal the foul. Play is not stopped, however, until the ball
becomes “loose”.
·
A
‘loose’ ball means neither team has possession.
The importance of a delayed flag is
that the offense can continue its play and even take a shot on goal. If the shot misses, play is stopped and the
penalty enforced.
·
If the
goal is good, only Technical Fouls are erased.
·
If a
flag is dropped on a Personal Foul and the offense scores, the team that
committed the foul will still suffer the penalty.
Goals
Erase Penalties: When a flag is thrown and play
continues, if a goal is scored while the flag is down some penalties are
erased, some are not. Technical Fouls,
the more minor fouls, are erased.
Personal Fouls, the more major fouls, are not erased. In grades 3 & 4 this results in a penalty
situation described below. In grades 5
& 6 the offending player will serve a penalty with no substitution, making
his team a “man
down”. A team must stay “man down” until
the penalty expires or his team is scored against. Goals scored against you, while your team is
serving a penalty, erase the penalty.
Off
Sides; Each team must keep a defined number of
players on the defensive side of the field.
For DYA boys, in grades 1 & 2, that number is 2; In grades 3 & 4, that number is
3; In grades 5 & 6 that number is
4. Each team must keep part of their
team on the defensive end. Players may change, numbers may increase, but cannot go below their
defined limit. You may often hear
players and coaches call “Middie Back!”. This is a signal
that a defensive player, or goalie, is going over the mid-filed line and a
player must stay back to keep the numbers correct. Penalty is loss of ball or 30 second
Technical Foul in Boys Grades 5 & 6.
Girls
Off Sides is much the same, the numbers vary for each
league.
Ball
Out of Bounds after a Shot on Goal; When shooting at the goal, if the ball goes
out of bounds behind the goal, the team closest to the ball when the ball goes
out of bounds is given possession. This
is sometimes the goalie, sometimes the defense, or on better coached teams, an
offensive player will be “backing up the goal” and be closest to keep
possession for their team.
One
Pass Rule; This rule is common through out most of Central Ohio Youth
Lacrosse. It will be applied in grades 1
& 2 and 3 & 4. Beginning in 2007
it is not applied in grades 5 & 6.
It states simply that a team must throw a pass and catch it in their
Offensive Box of the field.
·
Around
each goal is a small circle, the crease.
Only defensive players are allowed in the crease. A large box, roughly 30 x 40 yards, is around
each goal and crease. These are the
boxes; offensive
and defensive boxes for each team.
·
This
“one pass” may start anywhere, it must be caught in
the box.
·
Once
completing the pass, a team may shoot and shoot until they score, OR, the defense
gets possession of the ball outside of the box.
Sample
scenarios:
·
If a
team shoots on the goal and the ball goes out of bounds, if they are closest
and retain possession they do not need to re-complete their one pass.
·
If the
goalie gets the ball and tries to throw it out of the box, but offense
intercepts, the offense can shoot again right away, without re-completing their
one pass.
·
If the
defense gets possession of the ball in the box, but gets checked and the
offense gains the ball back, they can shoot right away. The defense did not possession of the ball
outside the box.
·
If the
goalie makes a save and throws a long, long pass, but the offense intercepts,
they may run it right back and shoot right away.
Penalties:
For
grades 1 & 2 all penalties are called by the coaches who coach and ref at
the same time. Teams will lose the ball
upon a rules infraction and the coach will explain to the player why they lost
the ball.
For
grades 3 & 4 there are two types of penalties: Technical Fouls and Personal
Fouls.
·
If a Technical Foul, usually
pushing, is committed on a loss ball, the offended team is awarded the
ball.
·
If a Technical Foul is
committed while a team has the ball, a flag is thrown and play continues until
the first loose ball. Play is then
re-started at mid-field with the offending player having to wait while the
other team has a fast break.
·
If a Personal Foul, slashing,
illegal body check, tripping, is committed, a flag is thrown and upon the first
loose ball play is stopped. Play is
re-started at mid-field with the offending player having to wait while the
other team has a fast break with the
For
grades 5 & 6 players are suspended from the game for the time of their
penalty and they cannot have a substitute.
For Technical Fouls a player must sit out for 30 seconds, for Personal
Fouls, 1 minute. During this time a team
is “man down” and plays with one less defensive player. If a team is scored upon during a “man down”
situation, the penalty is erased.
I hope
this short explanation has been helpful.
As you have questions, please email me at the address above and I’ll
expand and clarify this piece.
Thank
you,
Fritz
Monroe
Director,
DYA Lacrosse