Erie Middle School Lacrosse League Rules 2017
•For ALL levels, slashing will be called for every stick check that does not make contact with the opponents stick or gloved hand.
•Officials will be consistent and make these calls.
•At all age groups for youth lacrosse, ANYone-handed check will be considered a slash, whether or not it makes contact with the opposing player.
•Any coach or player using derogatory language should receive a one-minute, non-releasable penalty.
•Second offenses should result in three-minute, non-releasable, game expulsion foul.
•If the player in possession of the ball loses any piece of required equipment, the official should stop play immediately regardless of proximity of opposing players.
•Long poles are permitted at the U14.
•At U12 Level, the pole cannot be taller than the player.
•All other levels do not allow the use of long poles (any stick that is more than 42” in length) during any part of the game.If found, the stick will be removed from game. Penalties for this may not be necessary.
•U14will have four 10-minute, stop time quarters. U12 will have four 8-minute stop time quarters. At the U14 level, in the event of a tie, a maximum of 2 overtime periods lasting 4 minute will be played. At the U12 level, there will not be any over time periods played and the game will end in a tie.
•Face-offs will occur at the beginning of each period and after a goal has been scored. NO MERCY RULE
•The Final Two Minute stalling rule shall be ENFORCED for U14 and U12.
•For the U14 and U12, the 20-second defensive count will be used and the 10-second offensive count will be used.
•For all levels, the 4-second goalie count will be applied.
•Take-Out Check/Excessive Body-Check Rule 5, Section 3, Article 6:
Take-Out Checks/Excessive Body-Checks are prohibited at every age level.
•Officials are encouraged to call such violations strictly, including multiple minute penalties or ejections as warranted.
•Coaches are encouraged to coach players to avoid delivering such checks, and to support the officials when they call such penalties.
•Some body contact is permitted at all levels of boys’ youth lacrosse, with progressively more contact permitted as players grow and learn proper checking techniques.
•However, there is no justification for deliberate and excessively violent contact by any player at any youth level.
•Failure to properly instruct and enforce appropriate defensive techniques can result in an increased risk of injury to both the attacking and defending youth player.
•Therefore, to further discourage excessively violent contact, any penalty for unnecessary roughness shall be non-releasable.
•When a player uses the part of the handle that is between his hands to check an opponent, serious injury may result.
•All stick checks, body checks, legal holds, and legal pushes must be on a player in possession of the ball or within 3 yards of a loose ball or ball in flight.
•The penalty for an illegal body check on a defenseless PLAYER:
•Two- or three-minute non-releasable foul, at the official’s discretion. An excessively violent violation of this rule may result in an ejection.
•A body-check that targets a player in a defenseless position includes but is not limited to:
(i) body checking a player from his “blind side”;
(ii) body checking a player who has his head down in an attempt to play a loose ball; and
(iii) 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.
•A Take-Out Check/Excessive Body-Check is defined as:
–Any body-check in which the player lowers his head or shoulder with the force and intent to put the other player on the ground.
-OR-
•Any body-check considered more aggressive or more physical than necessary to stop the advancement of the player carrying the ball or to keep or move a player away from a loose ball.
•This includes but is not limited to:
•(i) any check in which a player makes contact with sufficient force and intent to knock down the opposing player;
•(ii) any check in which a player makes contact with sufficient force and intent to injure the opposing player; and
•(iii) any check made in a reckless or intimidating manner.
•ART. 7 …Late Hit: An avoidable body-check of an opponent after he has passed or shot the ball is an illegal body check.
PENALTY:Two- or three-minute non-releasable foul, at the official’s discretion. An excessively violent violation of this rule may result in an ejection.
•Checks involving the Head/Neck Rule 5, Section 4:
–PENALTY: Two- or three-minute non-releasable foul, at the official's discretion. An excessively violent violation of this rule may resultin an ejection.
•Slashing Rule 5, Section 7:
–ART. 4 … Any one-handed check shall be considered a slash, whether or not it makes contact with the opposing player.
•U14 and U12: Any player who accumulates 4 personal fouls or 5 minutes in personal foul penalty time shall be disqualified from the game. A substitute for that player may enter the game when the disqualified player would have been permitted to reenter had he not fouled out.
•Players serve time and teams play down.
•In all “Running Time” games and situations, penalties will also be running time, and will begin with the next whistle resuming play. The running time penalty clock will stop for all timeouts and at the end of periods.
•Officials have the authority to terminate a youth game in response to flagrant acts of unsportsmanlike behavior by coaches, players, spectators, etc.
•If spectator related, attempt to have the coach remedy the situation. It he is unable to do so and the situation continues you may end the game.
•All NFHS rules that were not contained within still apply. What we’ve discussed here are the adaptations for youth play.
•If any questions about youth rulings come up during the season email or call Neal Brokman () or 814-449-7062
•Consult your rule book and notes before calling or emailing him because he will ask you what rule is in question, and where the situation is addressed in the book.