US Lacrosse has introduced new rules for youth (U-14 and younger) lacrosse players. Your coaches will go over these changes during your practices this Spring and Summer, but it will be very helpful for you to get familiar with them yourselves.

David Steadman, US Lacrosse Men’s Game Rules Committee Chairman, explains the goal of having “youth lacrosse rules that promote player safety, sportsmanship and allow players to learn the game in an environment suitable for younger players.”

From US Lacrosse:

Significant rule changes and clarifications for 2019 include:

    • The creation of a new penalty for body checks that “target” a player. Targeting body checks are those in which a player takes aims with the intent to make violent contact to a player in a defenseless position, or aims his check towards the head or neck area. Penalties which fit this description will result in a 3-minute non-releasable penalty and ejection from the game.
    • A change to what constitutes a legal hold with the crosse, commonly known as “crosse check holding” by the defender. Under the new rule, holding with the portion of the crosse which is between your hands is now legal as long as your hands are no more than shoulder width apart and the pressure being applied by the defender is equal pressure to the pressure from the offensive player.
    • A clarification was issued to the warding off rule for offensive players. It is illegal for the offensive player, with two hands on the crosse, to push their opponent with their crosse to create separation. However, it is legal for a player with the ball and two hands on their crosse to contact the crosse of their opponent using their arm.
    • Language was updated for players releasing on a faceoff when using a small-sided game format. Under the new language, all players can release from their positions on the sound of the whistle and all players must play the ball until possession is gained on the faceoff. Failure to play the ball on a faceoff can result in a penalty.
    • Each coach is required to name a defender at the start of the game who will serve penalties for teams that dress only one goalie for a game in the event the goalie is charged with a penalty.

Read US Lacrosse’s blog post HERE for some more details, and you can download the full text of these changes at https://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/boys-rules.

You’ll enjoy the improvements these rules add to your Summer Elite Season!

Trilogy Providence Tournament