Boundaries

Signals 2025

Signals are an important part of a Girls Lacrosse Umpires communication with his or her partner, players, coaches, and spectators.

There are many signals that are available.  For new officials I suggest starting with three basic signals - Direction, Start/Restart Play, Time-out. Once you have these three basics, add three more.  Keep adding.

There are some short-cuts.  Most signals look like what the foul was and/or are consistent with well-known signals from other sports. You will notice that the "Illegal Procedure" signal is the same as in football and is used for about half of the Minor Fouls.

Another important part of Signals is the whistle  New Umpires should get used to blowing the whistle and talking with their whistles.

Finally, be "proud and humble" with your signals. By "Proud" I mean, stand up straight, look up, and make your signals visible. By "Humble" I mean, do not gloat over a signal; but be unemotional.

Here are a series of videos that were originally posted in 2018.

MINOR FOULS

MAJOR FOULS

VIOLATIONS

GAME MANAGEMENT

CREW COMMUNICATION

SELF-TEST: NAME THAT SIGNAL

LAX UMP FUNK


NFHS/USAL Rule 13: Excerpt from "Girls Lacrosse for Beginners 2025"

Rule 13 Definition of Terms

13Rule 13 is actually not a rule.  It is a helpful glossary of terms to assist in understanding the rules. Here is a selection of terms:

  • 8 METER ARC – An area formed at both goals that begins at the Goal Circle and extends 8 meters beyond and in front of the Goal Circle.
  • 12 METER FAN – A semi-circle formed at both goals, touching the GLE and extending 12 meters from the Goal Circle. The 12 Meter Fan forms the Critical Score Area above the Goal Line Extended.
  • BLOCKING – Moving into the path of a player with the ball without giving that player a chance to stop or change direction causing contact.
  • CHARGING – A player with the ball pushes into, shoulders, or backs into and makes bodily contact with an opponent who has already established position (though not necessarily stationary).
  • CHECKING – An attempt to dislodge the ball from an opponent’s crosse by using controlled crosse-to-crosse contact.
  • CRITICAL SCORING AREA (CSA) – An area formed by the 12 Meter Fan above the Goal Line Extended (GLE) and continuing below the GLE to the endline.
  • CROSS[E]-CHECK – Using the shaft of the crosse to hit, push, or displace an opponent.
  • DANGEROUS PLAY – Any action that is rough, threatening, and/or are without regard to player safety.
  • DEPUTY – A player on the defensive goalkeeper’s team who may only enter or remain in the goal circle when the deputy’s team is in possession of the ball and the goalkeeper is out of the goal circle.
  • FLAG – Recognition and advantage of a Major Foul committed by the defense in the CSA while the attack is on a scoring play.
  • GOAL LINE EXTENDED (GLE) – The imaginary extension of the Goal Line that is located between both posts of a Goal. The GLE divides the CSA into areas “Above the GLE” (in front of the Goal) and “Below the GLE” (behind the Goal).
  • HASH MARKS – Marks for penalty administration on the 8 Meter Arc. The “Hanging Hash Mark” is the mark located outside the Arc and along the edge of the “Pie.”
  • HELD WHISTLE - Refraining from enforcing a rule when a player is fouled but maintains quality possession; and calling a foul would disadvantage the non-offending team.
  • LOWER SIDE OF CROSSE – The wooden part on the head of a wooden crosse or the right side on a plastic crosse as one looks at the crosse with the pocket open to the viewer.
  • PENALTY ZONE – The area formed by the 8 Meter Arc, the marks 8 meters away from the goal circle on the GLE, and the area formed by the dots below the GLE. 
  • PICK – A technique in which a player without the ball, whose positioning, forces the opponent to take another route. To be legal it must be set within the visual field of the opponent allowing enough time and space to stop or change direction. A legal pick may be moving or stationery. 
  • “PIE” – An unofficial reference to the pie-shaped area formed by the arms of the 8 Meter Arc, the “Hanging Hash Mark,” and the GLE.
  • PLAYED – An action whereby the ball leaves the player’s crosse and is touched by another player, or crosse is checked crosse-to-crosse by an opposing player, or play is stopped due to a foul by an opponent. The ball does not have to be successfully dislodged from the crosse.
  • PLAYING DISTANCE – The length of a stick and a half. 
  • SCORING PLAY – A continuous effort by the attacking team to move the ball toward the goal and to complete a shot on goal. 
  • SLASH – A reckless, dangerous, or uncontrolled swing of the crosse at an opponent’s crosse or body whether or not the opponent’s crosse or body is struck.
  • SLOW WHISTLE – See FLAG.
  • SPHERE – An imaginary area of 7 inches (average crosse width) surrounding a player’s head and excluding hair whether or not a helmet is worn.

 


NFHS/USAL Rule 6: Excerpt from "Girls Lacrosse for Beginners 2025"

Rule 6 Boundaries

BoundaryA ball is out of bounds when a player in possession of the ball steps on or over the boundary line and touches the ground; or a loose ball touches the boundary line or ground outside the boundary line.

What determines who gets possession of the ball after a boundary violation is based on several factors.  For a loose ball on any boundary line the team that does NOT touch the ball last before it is called out of bounds is awarded the ball. It is the team, not a specific player, who is awarded the ball.

Boundary 3If an opponent legally checks the player with the ball and the ball is called out of bounds, the team of the player who legally checks the ball is awarded the ball.

If a ball goes out of bounds as the result of a shot or deflected shot, the team of the player in bounds whose body or stick is closest to the point where the ball went out of bounds, receives the ball.

Goalkeepers may be the closest player in bounds to where the ball goes out of bounds.  Goalkeepers are not required to inbound the ball.  The team is awarded the ball.

Boundary 2Boundary violations are self-started by running the ball onto the field.  There need not be any stopping or hesitation.  THE BALL MAY NOT BE SELF-STARTED WITH A PASS FROM OUT OF BOUNDS.

There may be an instance where the ball is called out-of-bounds, and rebounds inbounds or is dropped by an opponent inbounds.  The self-start may commence in bounds and a pass may be used.  The self-start should commence a reasonable distance from the boundary line (four meters is a good rule of thumb).