NCAA Info
2011 Fall Ball and 2012 & 2013 Rules Changes.
Rules Changes
Listed below are some of the rules and editorial changes for the upcoming season. In each instance, the wording is as it will appear in the 2012 & 2013 rule book. Changes are noted in bold type. Any explanatory information will follow each section and will be noted in italics. The complete 2012 & 2013 Women’s Lacrosse Rule Book is currently available online at www.ncaapublications.com or www.uslacrosse.org and will soon be available in printed form
A short synopsis of the major changes is provided in bullet form:
- Specific Penalty Area has been designated on the field;
- Maximum of three players from each team between the restraining lines during the draw;
- Ball placed in upper third of each head at widest point for the draw set up;
- Count players behind the restraining line to determine offsides;
- Free position set up for attack offside has changed;
- Free position set up for goal circle foul by defense has changed;
- Carded player will serve a two minute penalty in the Penalty Area;
- Yellow card is a releasable penalty; red card is non-releasable;
- Team will play short below each restraining line if card has been issued;
- Head coach will be carded for any instance of lack of bench decorum
Rule 1 – The Playing Area and Goals
SECTION 10. The penalty area shall be directly in front of the scorer’s/timer’s table at the rear of the substitution area. A player serving a penalty must sit or kneel in this area.
Explanation: Having a carded player enter a designated Penalty Area will allow scorer’s table personnel to better manage substitutions and determine when a player may return to play. It will be the responsibility of the table personnel to indicate to the player that she is released, either when a goal has been scored or when her penalty time has been served.
Rule 5 – Play of the Game
SECTION 1. Each half of the game and overtime period, and after each goal, the game is started by a draw, except when a free position or a throw at the center line has been awarded. There must be 12 players on the field before the start unless a team does not have 12 eligible players in uniform or they are playing with fewer than 12 as a result of a card or cards being issued. A maximum of three players from each team may be between the restraining lines during the draw until the whistle blows. All other players must be below either restraining line. Players must not enter the circle or cross the restraining lines until the whistle blows.
Explanation: This is the same procedure that was trialed during fall ball 2010.
SECTION 2. The ball is placed between the crosses by the umpire and must be placed in the upper third of each head at its widest point.
Explanation: In an effort to negate the effects of a reverse pocket, the ball will now be placed closer to the top of each head when setting up the draw.
Rule 6 – Fouls
SECTION 7. A team must have five players behind the restraining line when the ball is in their offensive end, and must have four players behind the restraining line when the ball is in their defensive end.
Explanation: A change was made here because of the change in Rule 7 that states a team will play short below each restraining line if a card is issued.
Rule 7 – Penalty Administration
SECTION 6. If the attack fouls, the closest defender to the spot of the ball will be awarded a free position at that spot (no closer than 8m to the goal circle). The attack player with the ball will go 4m behind; the attack player closest to the restraining line will move back onside. If the attack player with the ball is closest to the line the next closest attack player will move back onside.
Explanation: We will no longer be moving a player 4m ahead of the line with another player behind her. This should allow for a much faster free position set up and restart of play.
SECTION 10. The penalty for goal circle fouls by the defense other than for an illegal deputy shall be a free position taken 8m out to either side, level with the goal line. The offending player, except the goalkeeper, shall be placed 4m behind the player taking the free position. The goalkeeper remains on the spot of the foul, or if she was within or partially within the goal circle, she remains inside the circle.
Explanation: The player with the ball will now go to the 8m mark along the goal line extended with the offending player 4m behind her. This will no longer be an indirect free position, i.e. the attack player with the ball will be allowed to shoot on goal without being played.
The sections in Rule 7 dealing with Misconduct and Suspension have been changed extensively. They are copied below with all changes included:
SECTION 27. The penalty for misconduct shall be the same as for all major fouls. In addition to awarding a free position, the umpire will issue a yellow or red card. A yellow card is a two-minute releasable penalty. A red card is a two-minute non-releasable penalty. Issuance of cards should be considered a warning to all players. Timeout must be called to administer warnings, suspensions and ejections.
SECTION 28. The umpire may warn the offending player by issuing a yellow card. The player receiving the yellow card must leave the field and enter the penalty area for two minutes of elapsed playing time, and no substitute may take her place during that two-minute period. If the opposing team scores during this time the player will be released from the penalty area and is eligible to re-enter the game. If the carded player or any player replacing her enters the game before the penalty time has elapsed, the player originally receiving the card will serve an additional two-minute penalty and no substitute may take her place. If the player receiving the yellow card is the goalkeeper and there is no other “dressed” goalkeeper for her team, the goalkeeper may remain in the game and the team’s coach must designate another player who must leave the field and enter the penalty area for the two-minute period.
Note: A team with a player or players in the penalty area must play short-handed in both its attacking and defensive ends of the field until the penalty time has elapsed or the opposing team scores a goal (if the player is serving a releasable penalty). If a team has more than one player in the penalty area and the opposing team scores, the player who entered the penalty area first will be the first released. If the opposing team scores again, the player who entered the penalty area second will be the next released. If a team has two players who received cards at the same time, they will both be released if the opposing team scores during penalty time. Any player serving a non-releasable penalty must serve the full two-minute penalty.
Note: When administering a free position after a card has been issued and a team is playing a person down, no player on the penalized team must be moved 4m behind. EXCEPTION: If the goalkeeper is carded, either she or the second dressed goalkeeper who enters the game will be placed 4m behind the player with the ball on the restart of play. This exception will apply no matter where the goalkeeper is when she commits the foul, either inside or outside her circle. However, if a goal is scored and the free position as a result of the card will take place at the center, the goalkeeper or her substitute may remain in the goal circle for the restart of play.
SECTION 29. A player who receives a second yellow card must leave the field and enter the penalty area for two minutes of elapsed playing time, and no substitute may take her place during that two-minute period. She will be suspended from further participation in that game. Once the penalty time has expired or if the opposing team scores a goal, the team may substitute another player for the player who has been suspended. If the goalkeeper receives a second yellow card, she will be suspended from further participation in that game. If the goalkeeper receives a red card, she will be ejected from the game. The team may substitute another goalkeeper, and the team’s coach must designate another player who must leave the field for two minutes of elapsed playing time.
SECTION 30. The umpire has the power to eject without any previous warning a player, coach or team personnel guilty of flagrant or repeated violation of the rules, dissent, misconduct or abusive language. This immediate ejection will be noted by issuing a red card. The player receiving the red card must leave the field and enter the penalty area for two minutes of elapsed playing time, and no substitute may take her place during that two-minute period. A red card is a non-releasable penalty. Once the full penalty time has been served, the team may substitute another player for the player who has been ejected. Any player or coach who has received a red card will be prohibited from participating in the team’s next game. The next game suspension will carry over to the following season if the ejection occurs during the team’s last game.
Note: A player or coach serving a game suspension shall be restricted to the designated spectator areas and prohibited from any communication or contact, direct or indirect, with the team, coaches, bench personnel and/or game officials from the start of the game to its completion, including any overtime periods. While the suspended coach or player is allowed on the field and in the bench area during pregame activities, the suspended player may not be dressed in her game uniform, and she may not take part in any warm-up activities.
SECTION 31. If the carded player or any player replacing her enters the game before the penalty time has elapsed, the player originally receiving the card will serve an additional two-minute penalty, and no substitute may take her place. If the player entering early is the player who received the original card, she will be removed from the field of play for the remainder of the penalty time and then serve the additional two-minute penalty. If the player entering early is not the player who received the original card, the officials will send a player from the offending team who is closest to her team bench area off the field, and the player who received the original card will serve the remainder of the penalty time and then serve the additional two-minute penalty. A change of possession will take place at the spot of the ball if warranted, and any free position will be awarded at the spot of the ball with a player from the offending team placed 4m behind the player with the ball.
SECTION 32. A yellow or red card issued to the head coach will result in a player being removed from the field. The head coach must designate a player who must leave the field and enter the penalty area to serve the penalty time. A consecutive card issued to the same player during the same stoppage of play will not result in any additional player being removed from the field. The player will serve a two minute penalty. If the second card issued is a red card, the penalty will be non-releasable. Once the penalty time has been served, or the player has been released, she may not re-enter the game, but the team may substitute another player.
SECTION 33. The head coach is responsible for the behavior of anyone in the team bench area and will receive any card issued for lack of bench decorum. In the event the head coach is warned, suspended or ejected, play is restarted within one minute with a free position to the opponent nearest the ball when play was stopped. Any head coach who is suspended (two yellow cards) or ejected must leave the area (including the spectator area) of the game. In the event that any team follower is to be warned or suspended, the head coach may be assessed the penalty. In the event the head coach does not effectively control the actions of the team’s spectators, the head coach may be assessed a card.
Please direct questions to Pat Dillon, secretary-rules editor, at pdillon656@aol.com.
PD/RS:jr