Rules

For Parents….

Remember that your children are involved in organized sports for their enjoyment and shouldn’t be forced to participate unwillingly.
Teach your child that hard work and an honest effort are often more important than victory.
Helping your children work toward skill improvement and good sportsmanship will make them winners, even in defeat.
Don’t ridicule a player, coach, or official for making a mistake
Applaud good plays, no matter which team makes them
Don’t publicly question a referee’s or coach’s judgement, speak with your son’s coach or a DYL member privately after the game if you still feel strongly about an issue
Recognize, value and respect the contributions made by volunteer referees, coaches and others associated with youth sports. Without them we wouldn’t have MBYLL or Dracut Youth Lacrosse
Support all efforts to remove verbal and physical abuse from youth sports
Set a good example, children learn best from positive role modeling

For Players….

Play for the fun of it and because you want to
Practice a lot
Play by the rules
Never argue with the officials about calls or decisions
Control your temper and resist the temptation to retaliate when you feel you have been wronged
Practice a lot
Concentrate on playing lacrosse. Giving the game your best effort will always have a positive effect on the outcome of the game
Be a good sport and recognize good plays no matter who makes them
Have fun, improve your skills, feel good about yourself, be confident, but don’t be a show off
Exhibit cooperation, teamwork and respect. Remember, when you are in your uniform you are representing Dracut , your family and yourself. Be proud of that, and
Practice a lot!

US LACROSSE AND THE POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE

Lacrosse is the oldest American sport. Native Americans played lacrosse centuries ago, long before our colonies were settled. Through lacrosse, Native Americans celebrated and emphasized their spiritual and cultural values.
In an effort to promote appropriate values in the modern game, US Lacrosse has partnered with the Positive Coaching Alliance to promote positive coaching and good sportsmanship at all levels of the lacrosse. US Lacrosse has included the following "Lacrosse Code of Conduct" as part of its membership application to encourage and foster appropriate values in players, coaches, parents, officials and spectators. US Lacrosse believes that it should be a priority of every lacrosse player, team, program and league to "Honor the Game".

US LACROSSE CODE OF CONDUCT

Players, coaches, officials, parents and spectators are to conduct themselves in a manner that "Honors the Game" and demonstrates respect to other players, coaches, officials, parents and fans. In becoming a member of the lacrosse community an individual assumes certain obligations and responsibilities to the game of lacrosse and its participants. The essential elements in this "Code of Conduct" are HONESTY and INTEGRITY. Those who conduct themselves in a manner that reflects these elements will bring credit to the sport of lacrosse, themselves, their team and their organization. It is only through such conduct that our sport can continue to earn and maintain a positive image and make its full contribution to amateur sports in the United States and around the world. US Lacrosse supports the following behaviors for those who participate in the sport or are involved in any way with US Lacrosse. The following essential elements of the "Code of Conduct" must be followed:

• Sportsmanship and teaching the concepts of fair play are essential to the game and must be taught at all levels and developed both at home and on the field during practices and games.
• The value of good sportsmanship, the concepts of fair play, and the skills of the game should always be placed above winning.
• The safety and welfare of the players are of primary importance.
• Coaches must always be aware of the tremendous influence they have on their players. They are to strive to be positive role models in dealing with young people, as well as adults.
• Coaches should always demonstrate positive behaviors and reinforce them to players, parents, officials and spectators alike. Players should be specifically encouraged and positively reinforced by coaches to demonstrate respect for teammates, opponents, officials and spectators.
• Players should always demonstrate positive behavior and respect toward teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, parents and spectators.
• Coaches, players, parents and spectators are expected to demonstrate the utmost respect for officials and reinforce that respect to players/teammates. Coaches are also expected to educate their players as to the important role of lacrosse officials and reinforce the ideal of respect for the official to players/teammates.
• Grievances or misunderstandings between coaches, officials or any other parties involved with the sport should be communicated through the proper channels and procedures, never on or about the field of play in view of spectators or participants.
• Officials are professionals and are therefore expected to conduct themselves as such and in a manner that demonstrates total impartiality, courtesy and fairness to all parties.
• Spectators involved with the game must never permit anyone to openly or maliciously criticize badger, harass or threaten an official, coach, player or opponent.
• Coaches must be able to demonstrate a solid knowledge of the rules of lacrosse, and should adhere to the rules in both the letter and the spirit of the game.
• Coaches should provide a basic knowledge of the rules to both players and spectators within his/her program. Attempts to manipulate rules in an effort to take unfair advantage of an opponent, or to teach deliberate unsportsmanlike conduct, is considered unacceptable conduct.

• Eligibility requirements, at all levels of the game, must be followed. Rules and requirements such as age, previous level of participation, team transfers, etc, have been established to encourage and maximize participation, fair play and to promote safety.

RULES OF LACROSSE

Men's lacrosse is a contact game played by ten players: a goalkeeper,

three defensemen, three midfielders and three attackmen. The object of the
game is to shoot the ball into the opponent's goal. The team scoring the most goals wins.

Each team must keep at least four players, including the goalie, in its defensive
half of the field and three in its offensive half Three players (midfielders) may
roam the entire field.
Generally, high school games are 48 minutes long, with 12 minute quarters.
Each team is given a two minute break between the first and second quarters,
and the third and fourth quarters. Half-time is ten minutes long.
Teams change sides between periods. Each team is permitted two time-outs
each half. The team winning the coin toss chooses the end of the field it wants
to defend first.
Men's lacrosse begins with a face-off. The ball is placed between the sticks
of two squatting players at the center of the field. The official blows the whistle
to begin play. Each face-off player tries to control the ball. The players in the
wing areas can release; the other players must wait until one player has gained
possession of the ball or the ball has crossed the goal line.
Center face-offs are also used after a goal and at the start of each quarter.
Players may run with the ball in the crosse, pass and catch the ball. Only the
goalkeeper may touch the ball with his hands.
A player may gain possession of the ball by dislodging it from an opponent's
crosse with a stick check, which includes the controlled poking and slapping
of the stick and gloved hands of the player in possession of the ball.
Body checking is permitted if the opponent has the ball. However, all contact
must occur from the front or side, above the waist and below the
shoulders. An opponent's crosse may also be stick checked if it is within
five yards of a loose ball or ball in the air.
If the ball or a player in possession of the ball goes out of bounds, the
other team is awarded possession of the ball. If the ball goes out of
bounds after an unsuccessful shot on goal, the player nearest to the ball when
and where it goes out of bounds is awarded possession.
An attacking player cannot enter the crease around the goal, but may
reach in with his stick to scoop a loose ball.

Lacrosse Technical Fouls

The penalty for a technical foul is a thirty second suspension if a team is in possession of the ball when the foul is committed, or possession of the ball to the team that was fouled if there was no possession when the foul was committed.

HOLDING: Occurs when a player impedes the movement of an opponent or an
opponent's crosse.
INTERFERENCE: Occurs when a player interferes in any manner with the free
movement of an opponent, except when that opponent has possession of the ball,
the ball is in flight and within five yards of the players, or both players are within
five yards of a loose ball.
OFF SIDES: Occurs when a team does not have at least four players on its defensive
side of the midfield line or at least three players on its offensive side of the midfield line.
PUSHING: Occurs when a player thrusts or shoves a player from behind.
SCREENING: Occurs illegally when an offensive player moves into and makes
contact with a defensive player with the purpose of blocking him from the man he is defending.
STALLING: Occurs when a team intentionally holds the ball. without conducting normal offensive play, with the intent of running times off the clock.
WARDING OFF: Occurs when a player in possession of the ball uses his free
hand or arm to hold, push or control the direction of an opponent's stick check.