Lacrosse Rule Myths Debunked
Everyone knows the general rules, but there are a lot of instances and situations that enter a gray area. That’s when it’s good to have a knowledgeable official or coach to seek out the obscure ruling. Because these instances tend to be rare and most players are not perfectly versed on the official rules, myths arise. Here are some of the most common ones to be laid to rest via the rulings from both the NFHS (National Federation of State High School Associations) and the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association).
Myth 1) During faceoff, if the ball gets stuck in the back of the crosse, the midfielder gets the opportunity to give it a good shake, or two seconds, to knock it loose, but just until he reaches the restraining line.
False. The rules for both high school and college state that,
“If at any point the ball becomes stuck in the front or back of the crosse, there shall be an immediate whistle and the ball awarded to the opposing team.”
An observant official will watch the ball and how it reacts to gravity to make a judgment call as to whether the ball is stuck or not. If the official deems that the ball is not stuck, they will signal and call possession and play will continue.
Myth 2) All penalties called on the goalie, with the exception of unsportsmanlike conduct, are served by the in home player.
False. Nowhere in either rulebook does it say that the goalie does not serve their own penalties. Sometimes at the youth level, the in home player will serve for the goalie because at that level, there may not be a backup goalie.
Myth 3) When a shot or deflected shot goes out of bounds via the end line or the sideline, the team with the player closest to that line gets possession.
False. The rules here are pretty specific here and it’s all about which team had an in-bounds player closest to the ball when it became an out-of-bounds ball, not a player closest to the line. And by the way, sticks don’t count.
Myth 4) If the ball touches the goal line or hits at least two pipes, it is a goal.
False. If the ball hits two or more pipes and then comes out, you can actually be pretty sure that it did not completely cross the goal line. Even if the ball comes to rest on top of the goal line it is not a goal. The entire ball must cross the line to be considered a goal. Now if the ball hits diagonal bottom pipe inside the cage and bounces back out, score the point.
Myth 5) A goalkeeper reaching out beyond the crease and clamping down on the ball has possession and his or her crosse cannot be checked.
False. Clamping down outside the crease does not constitute possession. It is perfectly legal to check the portion of the goalie’s stick that is outside the crease.
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