RULES:  BOYS 2011/12

OUR LEAGUE PHILOSOPHY is to promote sportsmanship, to create camaraderie, and to develop lacrosse skills for high school boys.  Unsportsmanlike conduct, whether physical or verbal, will NOT be tolerated from players, coaches, or spectators.

GAME AND/OR PROGRAM EXPULSIONS:  At times, a player may have to be disciplined for a serious offense by being ejected from the indoor lacrosse program.  The League Commissioner and Referees will make this fair but final decision.  Conditions for such discipline include fighting; flagrant violation of established rules; use of alcohol or controlled substances; use of racial or ethnic slurs or comments; excessive taunting; disrespect by a player or coach towards a game official, fellow coach, league personnel, another player, or anyone else in attendance; and any other situation where such action is deemed necessary.  Please note that the "NO REFUND POLICY" will be in effect if a player is expelled from the program.

1.   EQUIPMENT - must conform to NCAA and/or respective Maryland Scholastic Rules.

2.   BODY CHECKING - A player can "square up" on his opponent and play against him with equal force.  If a player knocks another player to the floor, a personal foul will likely be called.

3.   NO BUT END CHECKS (ice picks) - The butt end of the shaft will not be used as a form of stick check.  A personal foul will be called.

4.   NO WRAP AROUND CHECKS (rusty gate) - A player will not be allowed to use his stick for a wrap around check.  A personal foul will be called.

5.   ONE-HANDED CHECKS FOR VARSITY TEAMS ONLY - This type of check is allowed but must be controlled.  The defending player may not place his free hand on his opponent during this type of check.  At the JUNIOR VARSITY level, a defending player must keep both hands on his stick.

6.   NO BOARDING - Boarding will include being of an "accidental" or "intentional" nature.  The penalty for boarding will normally be 1 to 3 minutes.  However, deliberate and/or repeated boarding could result in a player's being suspended from the game or being expelled from the indoor lacrosse program.  The primary purpose for this rule is to protect the players.

7.   PENALTY - Upon a timed infraction against the defending team, the referee will raise his arm in place of throwing a flag.  The offensive team must move the ball toward the goal and shoot, or the referee will stop the play.  These penalties are "NON RELEASABLE," no matter how many goals are scored by either team.  However, if a player receives more than two minutes in penalties, he must serve the entire time, but his team will only be assessed up to two minutes.

8.   PENALTY BOX - A player who commits a timed foul must go to his respective team box area.

9.   PLAYERS ON THE FIELD - Each team is allowed 5 line players and a goalie on the field.

10. AFTER A SCORE - the referee blows his whistle and raises both arms to signify that a goal has been scored.  The goalie then picks up the ball and immediately begins play.  "NO" whistle to re-start unless the referee has cause to delay the game.

11. FORFEIT - A team shall forfeit its game if fewer than 6 players from that team fail to be on the field 10 minutes past the start time.

12. ADDING PLAYERS FOR A PARTICULAR GAME - If a team is short players, it can add non-team players to its squad only with the approval of the opposing team coach.  Both coaches must agree upon whom and how many players would join the team.  Any player (s) added for that game must be current registered members of the Fastbreak Lax, Inc. programs.

13. LENGTH OF A GAME - A regulation game will consist of two 20-minute halves.  Halftime will last up to five minutes.

14. FACE-OFFS - will occur at the beginning of each period and when referees determine it is necessary to do so.  If the score is tied within the last two minutes of the game, a face-off will occur.

15. TIE - In case of a tie after regulation play, there will be one three-minute sudden death overtime period.  Regardless of the score, the game will end no later than ten minutes into the next game time.

16. TIMEOUTS - Each team is allowed one 30-second timeout per half (non-accumulative) but not in overtime and not within the last two minutes of a period.  The game clock, but not the penalty clock, will continue to run during a timeout.

17. GOALIES CANNOT SCORE - Goalies are not allowed to shoot at their opponent's goal.

18. SLAUGHTER RULE - If a team scores and is still down by 4 or more goals, it gets the ball at midfield.  If the down team is scored upon and is still trailing by 4 or more goals, it must clear the ball from its own crease.  If a team is down by 10 goals or more after being scored upon, the opposing team will not press the clearing team in the down team's defensive half.

19. LAST TWO MINUTES - If the score spread is 3 or fewer goals in the last two minutes of the game, the clock will be stopped by the referee's whistle except after a goal.  The clock will re-start on the referee's second whistle.

20. OFF SIDES - The offensive team must keep a minimum of one player in its defensive half of the field at all times.

21. 10-SECOND COUNT - The offensive team has 10 seconds to clear the ball past midfield regardless if both teams are at full strength or not.  This rule applies to Varsity and JV teams.

22. BACKCOURT - Once a team enters its offensive half of the field with the ball, backcourt is in effect (like basketball).  EXCEPTIONS are if a shot goes behind the mid court or the ball goes off of a defender's stick, either team can go for the ball anywhere on the field.

23. GOALIE SHORTAGE - If only one team has a goalie, the team without a goalie may scramble and use another goalie who must be a current registered Fastbreak Lax, Inc. player.  If no goalie is available, the team without a goalie will use "Hector Rejecter."  If another goalie shows up later in the game, he can play for the team which is minus a goalie, and "Hector Rejecter" will be removed.  If both teams are minus goalies, "Hector Rejecters" will be used in both goals.  Players cannot score by rolling the ball under "Hector Rejecter."  The referees and/or program commissioner are the only ones who can give exception to this rule.