NFHS/USAL Rule 3: Excerpt from "Girls Lacrosse for Beginners 2025"

Game personnel includes, teams, coaches, administrators, captains, officials, scorers, and timers.  A full team consists of twelve players, one of which may be a goalkeeper.  For a player to be “in goal” while the opposing team possesses the ball, that player must be a fully dressed and equipped goalkeeper.

The head coach is responsible for the conduct of all persons connected with the team.  On request of the officials, the head coach will effectively control the conduct of his or her team’s spectators. The head coach attends the coaches/captains meeting before the game and verifies that her or his team’s uniforms and equipment are in accordance with the rules.

BY RULE ONLY THE HEAD COACH OR FIELD CAPTAIN(S) MAY COMMUNICATE WITH THE OFFICIALS DURING THE GAME.

Captains by rule are the only players on the field who may speak to an official and request a clarification of a call.  Most officials will allow any player on the field to ask a quick question that will only require a brief answer.

Each game shall have a game administrator/manager, who by default is the host head coach if no other person is assigned.  The game administrator makes certain that the game is properly staffed and assists the officials with spectator control.

The Umpires

No one comes to a game to watch the officials (Umpires).  An Umpire’s goal is to become invisible and to let the players determine the outcome of the game.

In the area served by the Kentucky Lacrosse Umpires Board a spectator may on rare occasions see one Umpire at a middle school game.  Usually at the middle school level two Umpires are assigned.  Most high school games will have two-person crews.  At high-level and many high school post-season games you will see a three-person crew.  A fourth “Table” Umpire is sometimes added to the crew to control the penalty area and benches.

Two Umpires per game is the norm, so let us concentrate on that arrangement.  With two Umpires in a game Girls Lacrosse has a very high player-to-Umpire ratio – twelve to one.  This situation is made easier with the Restraining Lines that make the game around each goal a seven-on-eight game.

Each Umpire functions as both the “Lead” and the “Trail” at different times. An Umpire is the “Lead” when the ball is moving toward the goal to his or her right; and “Trail” when the ball is moving toward the goal to his or her left.  Another way to divide “Lead” responsibilities is as shown in the image below.

The “Lead Umpire” focuses “on-ball.”  The “Lead” is always working to be able to see between the ball carrier and the player guarding her. The “Lead” mentally draws a line between the ball carrier and the defender and tries to position himself or herself at a perpendicular angle to that line.  We call this the tangent.

Next, the “Lead” will divide his or her Critical Scoring Area into quadrants that come together at the goal.  An Umpire will seek to be in the quadrant adjacent to where the ball is while also maintaining the tangent.

Most coaches, players, and spectators do not understand what the “Trail Umpire” is watching.  If the “Lead Umpire” is watching on-ball, the “Trail Umpire” is watching everything else.

The “Trail Umpire” is particularly watchful of Three-Seconds and Shooting Space.  He or she is watching for off-sides by counting “forward” in order not to lose awareness of play in the CSA.

The “Trail Umpire” is aware of the ball, but not watching play around the ball.  He or she may, however, pick up on-ball play if there is a particular need based on the location of the ball.

The Scorer and Timer

The Official Scorer will be from the home team and may sit at the table between the benches at the center line.  If the Scorer does not sit at the table between the benches, but in a scorer’s box separated from the field, there must be radio contact between the Scorer and the person at the table between the benches. The Scorer records warnings, cards, suspensions, and ejections; and assists in timing the carded penalties.

The Official Scorer communicates frequently with the table-side Umpire.  The Scorer notifies the Umpire immediately when a second yellow card is given to the same player and when a team receives its fourth card.

The Official Scorer also controls the Alternate Possession indicator.  After the coin toss the Scorer will be informed by the Umpires which team has the first Alternate Possession and makes certain that the indicator is changed when appropriate.

If the Scorer is not seated at field level, the home team is responsible for ensuring that the scorer’s table has someone present, and that this person has communication to the scorer and timer.

The Official Timer will be from the home team and will sit at the table between the benches at the center line. The Timer will review clock functions and timing considerations and signals with the Umpires prior to the game.

The rules now allow a coach to request a time-out through the Timer.  If you work as the Timer, make certain you understand and are comfortable with doing so.  If not, the coaches will need to be told.

Before the game begins the Timer and the Umpires will decide who will time a time out – an Umpire or the Timer at the table. It is not unusual, especially at the high school level and below, for the officials to handle the times out.

The Timer may sound the horn to indicate a time out request by the team in possession of the ball. The head coach or any player on the field may request a time out.

The Timer should be aware of how substitutions are made and advise the Umpires if there are any issues regarding substitutions. Substitutes must always enter the game through the Substitution Area, whether during play, during a time out, or after a goal. A player who is substituting “on the fly” must be an “imminent substitute” and remain in the team substitution area until the player she is replacing has entered the team substitution area. Substitutes may enter the game during a team time out after a goal provided there is no delay of game. During a time out to issue a card, during an injury time out or a dead ball possession time out, no substitutes will be allowed. No substitutions are allowed during the time for switching of ends in overtime play.

The Official Timer will inform coaches and players when penalty time is completed.  Either Table Official should notify the Umpires of an early re-entry on a penalty, by sounding a horn at the first stoppage of play.