When you are in a responsible position for supervising a girls’ team in game of lacrosse, you have to know some of the important rules.
Girls Lacrosse Rules
These are as follows:
Players on the field
When a team is attacking and has ball possession, there can be maximum of seven players inside the restraining line at the other team’s end. However, when the team is going defensive, it has have eight players including the goalie within the restraining line at the field end.
Throws
When the ball goes out of the bound, the player closest to the ball has possession of it. However, if the referee says that the ball was thrown out intentionally, the opposing team will gain possession. It might happen that two players are at equal distance from the ball, in such a situation a ‘throw’ is given.
How does the throw work? Both the players have to stand one meter apart from one another. Now the referee will toss the ball up into the air and both the players have to try to get possession of it. Teammates of both the players should be at a distance of four meters from them.
Face-offs
A ‘draw’ takes place and the match starts right at the center of the field. Right in the middle of the field, the centers for each team will square off. The sticks are held parallel to the ground at waist level and the backs of the pockets on the sticks should touch each other. The ball will be placed between the two pockets and the referee will blow the whistle when everyone is ready.
Once the whistle goes off, each center will try its best to gain ball possession. In the circle, only centers are allowed during a face-off (this happens at beginning of second half and after each goal is scored). During the time of the face-off, only four players apart from the center are permitted within the restraining lines.
Penalties
The referee will blow his whistle whenever any kind of foul is committed or when the ball goes out of bounds. When this happens, each player will remain at the position she is in and not move.
No Hands
The only player who can touch the ball with her hands is the goalie. And this can be done when she is standing right within the crease. If the goalie wishes to leave the crease for chasing a loose ball, her teammate can take her position in the crease for her.
Checking
In girls’ lacrosse, all kinds of rough play and body checking are strictly prohibited. For checking, defenders will not be allowed to touch a player’s body. Only stick-to-stick contact is permitted. Also it is important that players keep their sticks down so that no head injury takes place. It is recommended to keep the sticks below waist level.
Major Fouls In Girls’ Lacrosse
You might not know but in girls’ lacrosse fouls are classified under ‘major’ and ‘minor’ categories. Major fouls take place when players play the game too roughly and body contact takes place while checking. Mentioned below are some of the major fouls in girls’ lacrosse:
- Charging – This happens when a player takes her body and rummages into any opponent player. Pushing and pulling will also be included in charging.
- Misconduct – A player on purpose plays extremely rough thus endangering safety of others. She does not even adhere to the rules.
- Blocking – When a defender gets into the way of the ball carrier without giving her opportunity to change direction or stop.
- Three seconds – Defenders are not allowed to remain in the 8-meter arc for more than three seconds until and unless an opponent is being guarded closely.
- Dangerous shot – This is a shot which goes towards some other player on the field dangerously.
- Slashing – Slashing is when a defense player swings her stick at the opponent’s body or stick in a reckless manner. It is not necessary that some kind of contact has to take place so that a foul is called.
‘Free position’ is awarded by the referee when the player is fouled within 8-meter arc. This implies that the player on whom the foul was committed is given possession of the ball. The defender will stand at a distance of minimum 4 meters behind her. Other players will also have to follow the same rule of standing 4 meters away from the player with the ball. When play resumes with referee’s whistle, the ball handler can pass or shoot the ball or even attack the goal directly.
In the 8-meter arc area, when a defender commits a major foul, the referee will not stop play if the attacking team has control on the ball. Instead, the referee will throw his flag for indicating that a foul has taken place but play continues till the defense gets possession of the ball. Free position is given to the team whose player was fouled by the other team. However, play is stopped immediately when a player is injured or when there is some risk of injury in a foul.
Minor Fouls In Girls’ Lacrosse
Here are some minor fouls which take place in girls’ lacrosse:
- Warding off – When a player takes off her hand from the stick for making contact with opponents stick or body for gaining advantage.
- Body ball – This happens when a player’s body makes ball contact getting clear advantage from it.
- Goal-circle foul – If any part of the player’s stick or body enters the goal circle. However this excludes the goalie.
- Touching the ball with hands – A minor foul is called when any other player except the goalie touches the ball with hands. However, this is also permitted only when she is standing in the crease.
When a minor foul is committed against one player within the 8-meter arc, she gets an indirect free position. She gets the ball from the referee and the defender will stand at a distance of 4 meters away. When play resumes, the ball will be passed to a teammate by the player before her team shoots at the goal.
