Welcome to SliderLAX - an unofficial resource for information about Girls' Lacrosse in Kentucky for Umpires, Spectators, Coaches, and Players.
Kentucky Umpire Joins US Lacrosse Women's Officials Education Development Team
08/14/2019
Kentucky Women's Umpire, John Slider, has been invited to participate in the US Lacrosse Women's Officials Education Development Team. The team involves US Lacrosse Officials Development staff members, Charlie Obermayer (Senior Manager, Officials Development), Liz Brush (Manager of Officials Development Operations), and Jenn Larkin (Manager of Officials Development Content and Curriculum). The team functions as a part of the Content and Curriculum area.
The eight-member team is chaired by Coleen Spiegelhoff.
The team will be working with all aspects of the curriculum for education of women's umpires.
The team is divided into ten working groups of two to four persons with each member of the team on multiple groups. John will be involved in three working groups that will focus on revising the Certified Observers On-Line Course; revising the Certified Observers Webinar; and updating the Officials Training Manual for 2020.
John will continue to serve as the Women's Game, Kentucky Coordinator, Officials Development, US Lacrosse.
US Lacrosse (Women's Game) Officials Development Structure
08/11/2019
The structure for US Lacrosse Women's Game Officials Development may seem complex to many. Here is an organizational chart based on a resource from US Lacrosse and including leadership for the game in Kentucky:
Interested in Becoming Girls Lacrosse Umpire?
08/09/2019
Officiating is a great way to stay actively involved in the game and enjoy great camaraderie. It is also ideal for persons who have not played Lacrosse, but who want to be involved with the development of young persons through a growing sport. The officiating community is the “third team” on the field and through officiating you can develop friendships and connections with others committed to the game.
For more information go to "Become an Official: at the US Lacrosse site: CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION
You may complete a brief form that will go directly to the State Coordinator for Officials Development, who will in turn contact you and pass your interest on to the recruiting coordinator for state's local officials organization: CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE THE BRIEF FORM
We look forward to YOU becoming a part of the "Third Team on the Field."
Requirements for New Umpires
08/08/2019
What are the basic requirements needed before a new umpire is USL certified and works a game?
- Classroom Training: Learn the rules, mechanics, penalty administration, positioning, etc
- Online Course: Rules Online Course is Mandatory (one time)
- Annual Rules Exams: NFHS High School and USL Youth exams
- On Field Training and Evaluation (Rating) - MUST include participants officiating live games
The USL certification process provides the necessary minimum preparation for working games as well as appropriate liability and injury insurance.
For more information contact the KLUB Recruiting Coordinator or the Officials Development Coordinator, John Slider.
Free Voluntary Background Checks Offered to US Lacrosse Umpires
08/08/2019
Beginning on August 5th, US Lacrosse will be providing adult officials, as members of US Lacrosse, an option to voluntarily complete a background check through NCSI. The background check is provided at no cost to the member.
Currently, KLUB does not require a background check for its members, but USL is moving toward requiring USL certified or registered umpires to complete this check.
This offer is a great opportunity for individuals to get ahead of the trend and to save anywhere from $20 to $75 (depending on a person’s state of residence).
Currenlty USL is exploring the feasibility of making background checks a mandatory requirement for officials. It is already a requirement for coaches and for umpires who seek certification as trainers, observers/raters, or assigners).
For more information on the background check policy please go to: https://uslacrosse.org/safety/safesport.
You may also contact the Coordinator for Officials Development, John Slider, with questions or comments you may have.
Tentative Umpire Training Dates for the 2020 Season Are Set by the Kentucky Lacrosse Umpires Board
08/01/2019
The Kentucky Lacrosse Umpires Board (KLUB) has set the tentative umpire training dates for the upcoming 2020 outdoor season. With the rule changes that will become official after the US Lacrosse Conference in January 2020, training will very important.
Please notice that the dates are tentative at this time.
The training schedule reflects KLUB adherence to the US Lacrosse requirements for training.
- 18 and 19 January 2020 - New Umpire Training. This session is usually 3-4 hours. The two dates reflect two options in Louisville and Lexington. Only one session is required.
- 25 January 2020 - All Umpire Training (Lexington).
- 1 February 2020 - All Umpire Training (Louisville). All Umpires should be attend either the Lexington or Louisville session.
- 15 February 2020 - All Umpire KLUB rules interpretation clinic and business meeting. This session will be held at a site between Louisville and Lexington.
- 22 February 2020 - Training and Rating Day (Louisville) with High School teams for returning Level 1 and above.
- 29 February 2020 - Training and Rating Day (Louisville) with Middle School teams for new umpires.
- TBA - Training and Rating Day (Lexington)
Renewal dates are:
- US Lacrosse Membership - renew by 1 October 2019. If you are working games in the off season, your USL membership provides both injury and liability insurance. If your membership has lapsed, so has your insurance.
- KLUB Membership - renew by 29 February 2020. Assignors do not assign persons to games who do not have current USL and KLUB membership.
- It is recommended that New Umpires join USL prior to orientation and clinics. USL membership provides rule books and access to tests.
- Access to Arbiter is at no cost to umpires. New Umpires will need to be invited to join both Arbiter accounts by the assignors.
Dates for tests are set by USL. Two tests are required for assignment to games by KLUB:
- NFHS High School test
- USL Youth test
A Summary of Rules Changes for High School Girls Lacrosse in 2020
07/30/2019
Significant changes in the rules for Girls Lacrosse in High School are coming in 2020. The rules changes were recommended by the joint National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and US Lacrosse (USL) Girls’ Lacrosse Rules Committee, and subsequently approved by both the NFHS and USL boards of directors.
USL and NFHS both released advance summaries of all changes on 23 July 2019.
- From USL: https://www.uslacrosse.org/blog/free-movement-among-rule-changes-for-high-school-girls-in-2020
- From NFHS: https://www.nfhs.org/articles/free-movement-approved-in-high-school-girls-lacrosse/
FREE MOVEMENT ON A WHISTLE OR STOPPAGE OF PLAY
The allowance for free movement by players on a whistle or stoppage of play is the most significant rule change for high school girls’ lacrosse in 2020, and one of 12 rules changes approved for high school girls’ lacrosse, effective January 1, 2020.
Free movement allows players to move freely around the playing field, instead of being required to hold their positions on stoppages. The primary intent of the rule change is to improve the pace of play, and allows for a less restrictive experience for the athletes.
The change to free movement impacts several areas of the NFHS/USL Rules Book. The change has an impact on rules 4.2.3, 4.3.3, 5.1.2, 5.1.3, 5.3.1, 6.3.1, and 10.1.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Rule 4-3-3 will change to allow players to be substituted for during a possession time-out, except for the player being awarded the ball and the offender.
ADMINISTRATION OF MAJOR FOULS AND OTHER STOPPAGES OF PLAY IN THE CRITICAL SCORING AREA
To limit potentially dangerous play in the critical scoring area and allow for consistent administration of the free position, a major foul between the 12 and the 8 will now be administered as a free position taken on the 12-meter fan closest to the spot of the foul. This is a change to rule 10.1.
However, when a stoppage in play causes the ball to become dead that was in the critical scoring area, rules 4.3.3, 5.1.3, 5.3.1 and 7.3 PENALTY now indicate play will resume on the closet dot.
[EDITOR"S NOTE: Initially, these two changes seem to be in conflict. However, rule 4.3.3 addresses time out; 5.1.3 addresses indirect free positions; 5.3.1 addresses major and minor foul penalty administration; 7.3 PENALTY addresses penalty administration for Goal Circle violations. Please watch for further clarifications.]
FALSE START
Self-starting when self-start is not an option is now considered a major foul in rule 10.1 under false starts.
CHECK TO THE NECK AND HEAD
Under major fouls in rule 10.1, a check to the neck is now included under check to the head with a mandatory card assessed.
COVERING
In a change to Rule 9.1, the description of the minor foul, covering, is now described as covering a ground ball, instead of guarding. Additionally, preventing an opponent from playing the ball by covering the ball with the body now constitutes a minor foul. Previously, using a foot or crosse to guard a ground ball was a minor field foul.
BOUNDARY BALLS
Rule 5.4.4 has been amended to allow self-starts on boundary restarts. On boundary restarts, opponents must give the player in possession of the ball at least two meters — an additional meter from the previous requirement (Rule 6.3.1b).
A change to Rule 6.3.2 clarifies that a player’s body or crosse that is inbounds and nearest to the ball when it goes out of bounds on a shot on goal determines possession of the ball when play resumes.
NUMBER OF PLAYERS ON THE FIELD AT THE DRAW
Rule 5.2.2 was amended to allow any number, up to 12 players from each team, on the field prior to the start of each draw. Prior to the change, each team was required to have 12 players on the field unless a team could not do so legally.
STICK CHECKS
There are changes to Rules 2.2.5 and 2.4.3 to amend crosse and stick requirements. A crosse now meets specifications if the ball moves freely in the front of the pocket, removing the requirement for the back of the pocket. During stick checks, game officials will ensure that the ball rolls out of the back of the pocket when placed in the upper third of the head at its widest point and the stick and head are tilted 90 degrees. This rule helps limit the on field check requirements for the back of the pocket to those issues only related to performance.
EYE PROTECTION
For eyewear, the SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) mark for certification must be on the equipment by January 1, 2025. Eyewear must still be SEI certified for the 2020 season (rule 2.7.2), but the requirement for a physical mark on the eyewear does not take effect until 2025. All approved eyewear is listed on the SEI website at www.seinet.org.
MODIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT
In a change to Rule 2.7.4, equipment cannot be modified from its original manufactured state and it must be worn in the manner the manufacturer intended.
VIDEO REPLAY
Rule 2.8.4 now prohibits the use of video replay to review an official’s decision, consistent with other NFHS rules.
Start of the Lightning Delayed Finish to the KSLL Championship Game
05/18/2019
LAX Umpire Awaits the Start of the Last 4:47
The Kentucky Scholastic Lacrosse League Championship Game was started on Thursday, 16 May, 2019, at 7:00pm. Lightning, thunder, and rain delayed the completion of the last 4:47 of the game until Saturday, 18 May, at 9:00am.
Here is the beginning of the last 4:47 with the game between Sacred Heart Academy and Eastern High School tied at 7-7.
The game was completed at approximately 9:15am ... making it the longest girls Lacrosse game in state history (38 hours and 15 minutes).
The final score was Sacred Heart Academy, 8; Eastern High School, 7.
Misconduct Charts
03/08/2019
You may download these charts for easy reference to carding protocols. Download Card Administration Tree