2011 MAJOR NCAA RULES andMECHANICS CHANGES

WALT MUNZEUS LACROSSE RULES INTERPRETER

DAVID SEIDMANTRAINING/MECHANICS COMMITTEE CHAIR

Updated 1/30/11

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Dedicated to the memory of Bob Sandell, the “father of Virginia

lacrosse”, member of the National and Virginia Halls of Fame. For over 40 years, Bob

was an official, assigner, mentor, and trainer to thousands.

Robert E. Sandell, Jr.1927 - 2011

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Targeting the Head/Neck

• A player shall not deliberately initiate contact to an opponent’s head or neck with a cross check, or any part of his body (head, elbow, shoulder, etc.) or stick. Any follow-through that contacts the head or neck shall also be considered a violation of this rule.

• PENALTY—One, two or three minute non-releasable foul, at the referee’s discretion. Excessive violation of this rule may result in an ejection from the game.

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• NOTE: A typical slash to the head will not result in a non-releasable penalty.

• RATIONALE: The committee strongly believes targeting the head and neck area has no place in lacrosse. These types of fouls must be penalized severely and this rule accomplishes that goal.

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Targeting the Head - Mechanics

• Signal:

– Illegal Body Check or Cross-Check signal followed by a tap to your head, then “non-releasable”.

• Criterion- deliberately targeting the head.

• Consider multi-minute foul

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Faceoff Changes

• The “SET” call is back

• Vary your whistle cadence

• Watch for pinning with the elbow or body

• Limit the clamp

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• A player may not trap the ball longer than necessary to control the ball and pick it up with one continuous motion.

• A player may not intentionally place any part of his body on his crosse or his opponent’s crosse.

• A player may not use his crosse to hold or pin down the crosse of an opponent.

• For a post-whistle violation, the faceoff player does not have to leave the field.

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• Examples:

– AR: During a faceoff, A1 covers the ball to draw it back. B1 clamps on top of A1’s stick and does not allow A1 to play the ball. RULING: Holding by B1. A1’s ball on a quick restart, B1 does not have to leave the field.

– AR: During a faceoff, A1 clamps on the ball and looks for a teammate to direct the ball. He quickly directs the ball to A2. RULING: Legal play. The intent of this rule is to have the faceoff be a play that is in continuous motion.

– AR: During a faceoff, A1 clamps on the ball and withholds the ball from play. He does not have a teammate to direct it to and continues to clamp the ball, keeping it from B1. RULING: Withholding by A1, ball awarded to Team B.

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• RATIONALE: The committee continues to receive input and feedback regarding the faceoff play and the need to remove illegal actions from this play. The committee is trying to achieve the intent of the faceoff – to get the ball quickly into play and determine possession – while still allowing the skills some faceoff players have developed to continue.

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Faceoff Mechanics

• Mechanics have been directed by the NCAA Rules Committee

– Gather both teams’ faceoff players before the game and explain the changes.

– On the first faceoff of each quarter, or any time you feel it is necessary for the benefit of that game, we may ask players to make corrections between “DOWN” and “SET”.

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• Cadence:

– Vary your whistle timing from ½ second to 2 seconds after “SET”. There must be a discernable gap between “SET” and “WHISTLE”.

– Continue vigilance for post-whistle violations, including grasping the ball (still an unsportsmanlike conduct foul).

– Continue use of alternate faceoff positioning for the crew as required.

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Advancing the Ball

• Counts have been simplified.

• Upon gaining possession of the ball, a team must advance the ball into their attack area within 30 seconds.

• Once the ball has successfully advanced into the attack area, a team is provided the opportunity to run its offense on its offensive half of the field.

• “GET IT IN / KEEP IT IN” is the only other count.

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• Once the ball has been advanced into the attack area, if the offensive team gains possession in its defensive half, the officials will signal “GET IT IN”, and the offensive team will have 10 seconds to return the ball to the attack area, and then must “KEEP IT IN” the attack area.

• There are 3 exceptions…

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• Exceptions: A new 30-second count will be awarded in these situations:

– 1. A shot that leaves the offensive half of the field.

– 2. A loose ball that leaves the offensive half of the field and was last touched (or deflected) by the defense.

– 3. A loose ball that leaves the offensive half of the field and the defense is called for a loose ball foul (or play-on) or causes the ball to go out of bounds.

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• A few points to remember:

– If Team A, in possession, is working under a count (10 or 30), and Team B commits a time-serving foul (flag-down, slow whistle); the count will NOT be reset. The 10 or 30 count continues.

– If Team A is working under a count (10 or 30) but the ball is loose; any loose-ball foul (or play-on) against Team B will reset that count if the ball is in A’s offensive half of the field, or start a new 30-second count if the ball is in A’s defensive half of the field (as per exception 3 in the previous slide). Any “get-it-in/ keep-it-in” situation would remain in effect.

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• New Approved Rulings (from Rule 4-14):

– A.R. 56: With possession of the ball on his offensive half of the field, A1 steps into the attack area. A1 attempts a pass to A2 that is not caught, and the ball goes across the midline. A2 gains possession. RULING: The official will signal “get it in/keep it in” when A2 gains possession. Team A has 10 seconds from the time possession is regained to get the ball in the attack area and keep it in.

– A.R. 57: With possession of the ball on the offensive half of the field, A1 steps into the attack area. A1 attempts a pass to A2 that is not caught, and the ball rolls toward the midline. A3, who is standing on his defensive half, bats the ball preventing it from crossing the midline without gaining possession. A2 picks up the ball, which never crosses the midfield line. RULING: No “get it in/keep it in” call.

– A.R. 58: A1 has possession of the ball on his offensive half of the field and has stepped the ball into the attack area. B1 deflects a pass by A1, and the ball crosses the midfield line. A2 picks up the ball. RULING: Team A has 30 seconds from the time possession is gained in the defensive zone to get the ball back into the Team A attack area.

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– A.R. 59: Team A is leading the game. A1 has the ball in the offensive half of the field and has established possession in the attack area. A loose ball is created with 2:02 remaining in the game. A1 regains possession outside of the attack area on its offensive half with 1:58 remaining. RULING: The official shall signal “get it in/keep it in” when A1 regains possession at the 1:58 mark, starting the 10 second count.

– A.R. 60: Team A has possession of the ball in its offensive half of the field with 10 seconds remaining in the 30-second count and calls timeout. What count is in effect when play is resumed? RULING: Team A has a new 30-second count to advance the ball into the attack area.

– A.R. 61: Team A is leading the game and A1 gains possession in his defensive half with 2:10 remaining in the game, which starts a 30-second count. With 1:55 remaining in the game, Team A crosses the midfield line. RULING: The official shall signal “get it in/keep it in” when the ball crosses into the offensive half of the field and start the 10-second count.

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– A.R. 62: Team A is leading the game, and A1 gains possession in the defensive half with 2:15 remaining in the game, which starts a 30-second count. A1 crosses the midfield line with 2:10 remaining in the game. The official signals “get it in/keep it in” at the 2:00 mark and starts the 10-second count. At the 1:50 mark, the official’s “get it in/keep it in” count expires. RULING: In this case, Team A did not get the ball into the attack area before the “get it in/keep it in” count expired. The ball is awarded to Team B.

– A.R. 63: Team A is leading the game, and A1 gains possession in his defensive half with 2:15 remaining in the game. A1 crosses the midfield line with 1:50 remaining. With 1:45 remaining, the official’s 30-second count expires with the ball still outside of the attack area. RULING: The official signals “get it in/keep it in” when A1 crosses the midfield line because it is inside of two minutes. The 30-second count supersedes the “get it in/keep it in” count. The ball is awarded to Team B.

– A.R. 64: Team A is leading the game. A1 gains possession in any manner in his defensive half with 1:50 remaining, starting a 30-second count. A1 crosses the midline. RULING: When A1 crosses the midline, the "get it in/keep it in" 10-second count is administered.

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New in Rule 4: “Get It In/Keep It In.”• In certain situations, a “get it in/keep it in” command will be administered.

• “Get it In.” This warning is used when the ball is outside the attack area. An official signals and verbally announces “get it in.” The team in possession must advance the ball into the attack area within 10 seconds and keep it in the attack area.

• “Keep it In.” This warning is used when the ball is inside the attack area. An official signals and verbally announces “keep it in.” The team in possession must keep the ball in the attack area.

• “Get it in/Keep it in” situations are: – Under two minutes remaining in the game when the game is not tied (See Rule 3-4); – When the ball has been in the attack area and then leaves the offensive half of the field

through actions of the offensive team (Rule 4-14); – Stalling (See Rule 6-11).

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Mechanics for Advancing the Ball

• We will use our 20-second timers followed by a 10-second visual count to time 30 seconds.

• The SINGLE-SIDE official will take all initial 30-second counts.

• We will use a “reset” signal (hand twirled above head) to signify the start or reset of a 30-second count. TRAIL may use this to signal to SINGLE-SIDE to start the count.

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Restart/Reset Mechanics

• On Bench-Side restarts, or where TRAIL puts the ball in play, TRAIL takes the timer.

• On Far-Side restarts, SINGLE-SIDE takes the timer.

• When LEAD puts the ball in play, TRAIL takes the timer.

• During the course of play, once a count has begun, any reset of the timer (play-on) will be conducted by the same official who has the timer going.

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Communication

• If the ball has been in the attack area and now heads over the midfield line as a result of a shot or a deflection by the defense (and will therefore result in a 30-second count), use the “deflection” signal to alert your partners.

• A new 30-second count will be started by SINGLE-SIDE. Use the “reset” signal to alert partners, players and benches.

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• Anytime a “Get it in” or “Keep it in” is begun, all 3 officials will signal.

• If a restart will be conducted under “Get it in” or “Keep it in”, signal before and after the restart.

• A restart after a time-out will result in a reset of the same count that was active at the time of the time-out.

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Stalling Mechanics• The NCAA Rules Committee has directed us to allow a reasonable

amount for time for teams to substitute midfield units before giving the stalling warning.

• Delayed one-at-a-time, or “cat and mouse” substitution games should bring on a stalling warning.

• Though it is still the responsibility of the offense to attack the goal; more than ever, it is OUR responsibility to ensure that they do.

• When the ball is outside the attack area, the defense does not have to come out of the box to play the ball to bring on the warning.

– NOTE: Does NOT apply inside the attack area.

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• COMMUNICATION…

– …is the key to successful administration of this rule!

• (as it is key to successful officiating)

• JUDGMENT:

– What is the intent of the offense?

• CONSISTENCY:

– Am I calling this the same way as my:

• Partners today?

• Fellow officials here?

• Fellow officials across the country?

Stalling

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Adjustment to Fouling Out Rule

• Any player who accumulates 5 minutes of personal foul time has “fouled out”.

• Keep in mind that a 3-minute illegal stick puts a player 3/5’s of the way there.

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Multiple Illegal Equipment Fouls

• A player with both an illegal crosse and an equipment violation will be penalized for both violations.

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Correctable Errors• Time for correction extended to the 2nd live ball or

ensuing faceoff.

• Example (from Rule 7-12):

– A.R. 69. B1 is serving a one-minute penalty. After 30 seconds of play, B1 is released from the special-substitution area by the official timekeeper or returns to the game without being released. There is a stoppage of play and then a restart, after which B2 scores. After the goal and before the faceoff, Team A protests. RULING: The goal does not count. The error is correctable because it was brought to the officials’ attention before the second live ball or ensuing faceoff.

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New Mechanic

• A technical foul is wiped out by a goal:

• “The <Hold/Push/Whatever>…”

• “… is wiped out by the goal”

• “The goal is good”

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2011/12 Rules Book Corrections

• Pg 46, Rule 4-14, Exception 3: In the 2nd line, add the word “foul” after “loose ball” and before “(or play-on)”.

• Pg 80, Rule 6-11, A.R. 53: Correct to read “begin a 10-second count when Team A gains possession of the ball.”

• Pg 81, Rule 6-14: Should be inserted in Rule 5 between sections 10 and 11.

• Pg 94, Rule 7 12: Correct 2nd sentence to read ‐ “...before the second live ball or subsequent faceoff, the referee must...”

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5 Keys to Good Officiating

• 1. Communication• 2. Judgment• 3. Consistency• 4. Game Management• 5. Don’t be “TOO” good!

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The 6th Key

• Do NOT let that “stuff” happen!

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The 7th Key

• Take care of yourself– Appearance– Conditioning– Rules knowledge– Work pre-season scrimmages

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You Make The Call…

• B1 is serving a one-minute penalty. There is a stoppage of play and then a restart, with the ball awarded to Team B. Before an additional stoppage of play, 1) A1 slashes; or 2) A1 holds- flag down; or 3) A1 wards off. As you administer the penalty, the table tells you that B1 left the box 30 seconds early.

• RULING: ?