Rules
The Teams will follow the National Federation of State High School Associations 2009 Boys Lacrosse Rules except as modified below.
Team Certifications: All Coaches will be required to check in to the Registration Tent at least 45 minutes prior to the start of their first game to certify their teams, pick up a final game schedule, pick up T-shirts, any last minute changes and sign the Coaches Code of Conduct.
Length of Game: All games will consist of two, 25 minute running time halves, with a 2 minute halftime. There will be a central horn at the Start End of Half, Start of Second Half and the Stop all games. Five minutes prior to the end of each game, warning will be provided by two short blasts of the horn. If neither team is ready to begin play, the game clock will rundown from the common start time reducing the length of game for those teams. No overtime periods will be played.
Substitutions: Substitutions will be done on the fly except for penalties. Substitution should be on the whistle and on the fly with delay of game strictly enforced for any substitution on the whistle that takes longer than ten seconds.
Slaughter Rule: A five goal rule will be used for all games. As long as a team has a five goal lead, the opposing team will have the option to receive the ball at the centerline following the goal or facing off. All coaches are requested to take appropriate steps to manage the total goals scored by their teams in a slaughter situation.
Advancing the ball: There will be no ten second counts. No delay for failing to advance in either the defensive or offensive half of the field for the Boys U11, U13 and U15 Divisions. Four second counts for goalie clears will apply to all teams.
Body checking: For the U11, 13U and 15U Divisions, body checking is permitted ONLY against a player in possession of the ball. No, take out checks are permitted by any player at any level. DEFINITION – A takeout check occurs when a player lowers his head or shoulder with the force and intent to take out (put on the ground) the other player.
Stick Checking: Controlled one-hand checking is allowed, as a Point of Emphasis, however, officials will be directed to call such checks closely, watching for stick control and off hand activity. Any stick contact with the helmet including “the brush” shall be considered slashing.
Offensive Stalling: The team that is leading the game must keep the ball in its attack area during the last two minutes of the game.
Time Serving Penalties Personal and Technical Fouls: All time serving Personal and Technical Fouls will result in a fast break for the offended team. A player who has committed a violation of the rules must leave the field and may be substituted (delay of game will be strictly enforced for any substitution that takes longer than twenty seconds). Prior to the whistle all middies for both teams will be behind the midfield line (except one middy for the offended team who will line up 5 yards from the midfield line on their offensive side of the field) and all defensemen for the offending team shall line up in their defensive area. Offending Personal Foul players shall be withheld from the game for a period of 2 minutes, offending Technical Foul players shall be withheld from the game for 1 minute, sideline game official shall be responsible for keeping track of the time. PLEASE NOTE: A Time Serving, man down penalty will be given for any serious unsportsmanlike or unnecessary roughness infractions.
Team time outs: Each team may take one 30 second time out per half. No time outs will be permitted in the last TWO minutes of the game. The game clock will continue to run during these Team time outs and any Official time outs.
Code of Conduct Violations: In addition to the Federation or the US Indoor Lacrosse rules, any player, coach or anyone associated with the team who violates the Code of Conduct will be subject to a Warning, Ejection from a Game or Ejection from the Tournament depending on the severity of the infraction. An ejection of a coach also results in the opposing team being given THREE successive fast breaks assessed against them. Anyone (player) ejected from a game will not be allowed to participate in the next scheduled game. Anyone ejected from the tournament will not be allowed to participate in any remaining games in the tournament and will be subject to review for future participation.
# of Coaches on a Sideline: Each team will limit the # of coaches in the bench area to two, a Head Coach and an Assistant Coach. All others besides these two coaches should refrain from communicating with the officials during a game.
Game scores: Sideline Officials will keep track of all game scores that will be reported to the Registration Tent. A win will be given two points, a tie will be given 1 point and a loss will be given zero points, which will be posted at the Tradition Information Tent. The team with the highest amount of points at the end of the three games in their bracket will be the champion or will continue on to play the winners in other brackets to determine the champion. See below for ties rules/clarification. PLEASE NOTE: It is the coach’s responsibility to check with the Tournament Director at the completion of their game to determine who or if they will play to determine 1st and 2nd Place in their Division. The Referees or Umpires will be turning in scorecards to the sideline Official at the conclusion of each game; each coach is suggested to initial these cards as evidence of agreement of the final score of each game.
Awards for each Division: The U9 Division is Jamboree format and each U9 Players will receive a Tournament pin. For the U11, U13 and U15 Divisions: A) Teams will compete for the 1st Place medals & Trophy, B) 2nd place medals & Trophy. C) Teams in the Consolation Brackets will compete for a grab bag of T-Shirts. Any team who decides to leave prior to the Champions or Runner up’s being decided will forfeit their rights to any award.
Rules for Addressing Ties in Brackets: In the event of a tie in a Bracket after all teams complete their four games, the following strategy will apply to determine the champion:
If 2 teams in a bracket are tied those teams will play a 4 Minute Sudden Death to determine the champion of that bracket. If there is more than one bracket, the winner will be invited to play another champion of another bracket until the Division Champion is determined.
If 3 teams in a Bracket are tied the following play off methodology will apply:
Representatives from each team shall pick an “A”, “B” or “C” from a hat,
“A” shall play “B” for a 4 Minute – Sudden Death until a winner is identified,
The Winner of the “A” vs “B” shall play “C” for a 4 Minute Sudden Death to determine the winner of the Bracket. The winner will be invited to play another champion of another bracket until the Division Champion is determined.
Rules for addressing 3 Bracket 1st Place Teams competing for 1st, 2nd Places for a
Division: Representatives from each team shall pick an “A”, “B” or “C” from a hat
“A” will play “B” for a 20 Minute Game
“B” will then play “C” for a 20 Minute Game
“C” will then play “A” for a 20 Minute Game
The winner of 2 games shall be the 1st Place Winner of the Division and the winner of 1 game will be the 2nd place Winner of the Division.
Water: Each field will have a water cooler. Each team is responsible for bringing water bottles to the tournament.
Clean up of bench areas after games: Each coach is requested to ensure that the bench area is picked up after each game. Trashcans are available near bench areas. Trash bags, if needed, are available in the Registration Tent. If you see a full trashcan, please notify a tournament worker who will all be dressed in a Blue T-Shirt and Hat.
Resolution of problems or disputes: The Tournament Director (in consultation with the Head Official, if required) will make all final rulings/decisions on any and all problems or disputes.