There are eighteen minor fouls listed in Rule 9. All of these fouls cannot be covered in this section. You should think of a minor foul as a procedural and/or a ball handling foul.
Two Minor Fouls are most often called – Covering and Empty Stick Check. ILLEGAL Covering occurs when a ground ball is covered in order to prevent an opponent within playing distance from playing the ball. The ball may be legally covered when there is not an opponent with playing distance. Goalkeepers may be called for illegally covering the ball by reaching outside the Goal Circle.
An Empty Stick Check occurs when a player checks or hits a stick that is not in contact with the ball in order to prevent or impede the opponent from gaining possession of the ball. Minor Fouls are penalized at the spot of the foul with the offending player going four meters away.
Penalties for Minor Fouls committed by the defending team within the CSA above the GLE are administered on the 12m fan. In this instance a lane, which is the width of the goal circle, is cleared and players must go 4m away – including the player who committed the foul. Play is restarted with a whistle.
New for 2025 is the elimination of the Indirect Free Position for Minor Fouls on the defense inside the CSA. This change means that the person who is awarded the free position may shoot.
Delay of Game fouls have a specific carding progression – Green, Green/Yellow, Yellow. The Green Card by itself is administered as a Minor Foul. The second delay is a Green/Yellow card and is administered as a Major Foul and card with the exception that the card does not add to the player or team card count. The third delay and following is a Yellow Card as is administered as such.
Delay of Game is a Point of Emphasis for 2025. Players who do not attempt to give the required distance for a penalty (4m away or behind) or players who do not give the required distance (2m) in a boundary violation are to receive a Delay of Game card.
The Offsides Fouls in Rule 8 are designed to create a seven-on-seven game (not counting the Goalkeeper) around the goal and enhance player safety. A team may be limited to less than seven players below the Restraining Line due to penalties resulting in cards.
The Trail Umpire is responsible for counting players and calling Offsides. It should be noted that in rapid transitional play or play where possession changes quickly, the Trail Umpire does not have Offsides as a priority. The immediate safety of players is of first importance. Offsides may be called after another foul is called.
In a stop-clock game the Umpire should call time-out before administering the Offside Foul penalty.
When the attacking team is offsides, the defender closest to the ball will be awarded the free position no closer than eight meters from the Goal. If the ball is below the Goal Line Extended and in the CSA the penalty is administered at the closest dot. The attack player with the ball goes four meters behind the player taking the free position. The attacking player closest to the Restraining Line will be sent back across the Restraining Line (remember, one goes behind and another goes back). Play is restarted with a whistle.
When the defending team is offsides, the Umpire may hold the Offsides call with an open hand held above the head to allow the attack to complete a scoring play. If the ball is outside the CSA when the call is made, the attack is awarded a free position at the spot of the ball, the defender closest goes behind, and another defender goes back.
If the ball is in the CSA and above the GLE when the call is made, the attacking team is awarded a free position at the center of the 12-meter fan, the defender closest to the ball goes behind, and another defender goes back. If the ball is the CSA and below the GLE when the call is made, the attacking team is awarded a free position at the closest dot, the defender closest to the ball goes behind, and another defender goes back.
If the defense commits a major foul within the CSA while offsides, the penalty for the major foul is administered.
Only one player may be inside the Goal Circle at a time – the Goalkeeper or the defensive player who is a Deputy. The Goal Circle includes the line delineating the circle.
For high school (NFHS/USAL) play, the only time a second player may violate the cylinder of the Goal Circle is when an attacking player follows through on a legal shot; or when a defender directly defending a shot reaches into the circle to block a shot.
The goalkeeper must clear the ball from the Goal Circle within 10 seconds of the ball entering the Goal Circle. The Lead Umpire will start her or his count ONCE THE BALL HAS ENTERED THE CIRCLE, not when the goalkeeper gains possession of the ball. In high school play it is not necessary for the Umpire to give an audible count.
The goalkeeper or deputy may carry the ball out of the Goal Circle but may not INTENTIONALLY return the ball until the ball has been played BY ANOTHER PLAYER. “Played” is defined in NFHS Rule 13 as “...an action whereby the ball leaves the player’s crosse and is touched by another player, or crosse [sic] 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.”
Beginning in 2024 free positions for Goal Circle violations by the attacking team are awarded to the goalkeeper in the Goal Circle AND THE GOALKEEPER MAY SELF-START.
A field player may enter the Goal Circle as a Deputy only after the Goalkeeper has left the Goal Circle. A Deputy may remain in the Goal Circle only while her team has possession of the ball. If the Deputy remains in the Goal Circle after the ball is possessed by the opponent, at a minimum a Goal Circle Violation is called. If the Deputy remains in the Goal Circle for an extended period after possession changes, a Yellow Card should be issued. If the Deputy remains in the Goal Circle intentionally during a scoring play, the Umpire should consider a Red Card.
A 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.
If 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 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).
The USA Lacrosse 2025 Women's Officials Training Manual has now been released and available for download in a pdf format.
"The Manual" follows the 2025 NFHS Girls' Lacrosse Rules Book. It is an extensive and in depth analysis of each rule. "The Manual" is the interpretive resource for Girls Lacrosse Umpires.
"The Manual" is required reading for all Girls' Lacrosse Umpires and highly recommended reading for all Girl's Lacrosse coaches.
Starting and restarting play by a draw or a free position is covered in Rule 5. The whistle is used to stop and start play with the exception of a self-start. With a whistle or self-start the player with the ball may run, shoot, or pass. The exception is a restart of a boundary violation.
The draw starts play at the beginning of each quarter and over-time period as well as after each goal. The crosses are placed parallel to the ground and in the plane of the center line. The open side of the head faces the goalkeeper of each center player, with the players crosse heads coming together on the closed side of the head. The ball is placed between the widest part of both stick heads. Once this positioning is accomplished the Umpire says, “Ready.” At this point and until the whistle is blown, both players performing the draw must remain motionless except for their heads.
Occasionally, Umpires will be asked why left-handed players must draw “backwards.” This question makes an incorrect assumption. For the draw both sticks are in the same position – with the right side of the head towards the ground. The players may choose on what side of the center line to stand.
The right side of the head is determined by a player holding the crosse in the left hand with the open side of the head facing the player. With her right hand the player grasps the railing of the head on the right-hand side. It is this side that is the right side of the stick. Having a “right side” of the crosse goes back to the history of lacrosse equipment where the head of the crosse formed a hook with the open end that was closed with a string or other material.
When there is a violation of the rules, a foul is called, and a free position is awarded. No free positions should be taken closer than four meters from a boundary line. No free position for the attack is taken closer than eight meters from the goal.
The location of the free position is determined by many factors and can be complicated. Basically, all fouls committed in the field and outside the CSAs result in a free position within four meters of the point of the foul. Defensive players who are awarded a free position in their defensive CSA simply have a free position at the point of the foul. Umpires will place free positions for all other fouls based on several criteria that would require more space than is available here. Many Umpires are open to discussing (not arguing) his or her thought process for locating the free position after the game.
Players may self-start for free positions in the field. Starting with the 2024 season players who are awarded the free position need not come to a stop or pause. The player with the ball may choose not to self-start or delay her self-start until opposing players have given the appropriate distance from the ball.
Umpires will instruct opponents to give ground until the self-start is executed, at which point defenders may engage. It is considered a Delay of Game for a defender not to give ground in order to attain the four yards away until the person with the ball initiates the start. In 2025 it is a Point of Emphasis to use the Delay of Game carding progression for defenders who will not attempt to give the four yards away (or behind) distance.
A self-start is NOT an option when ...
The clock is stopped;
An offside violation is called;
There is a defensive foul in the CSA;
There is an alternating possession;
There is an inadvertent whistle;
There is a three-second violation;
Or there is a goal scored.
Alternating possessions would seem to be an easy set-up, but the administration of APs can become complicated based on locations. In a situation where there are off-setting fouls that should be an AP, but one foul will result in a card, the carded foul is administered.
Rule 4 is a catch-all for loosely connected issues – game duration and timing, substitutions, and scoring.
Game Duration and Timing
In 2024 High School Girls Lacrosse games went to a quarter system. That means that varsity contests will consist of 4x12 minute quarters with 2-minute breaks between the first and second, and third and fourth quarters. Halftime is ten minutes unless the coaches agree otherwise. Varsity games in Kentucky follow the NFHS rules. Middle School, Freshman, and Junior Varsity games are of different duration depending on the level and area.
Game timing may be either “stop-clock” or “running-clock.” The clock never stops in a running-clock game. Usually running clock is used for tournaments or JV or Freshman games in high school. An official may still stop the clock as needed for something like an injury if the game is on a set schedule. Off-season tournaments will often adjust game durations and rules for stopping the clock.
In a stop-clock game the clock stops for cards, a crosse inspection, offsides, inadvertent whistle, alternate possession, of a foul in the last minutes of each quarter (new for 2025).
In a high school game using the stop clock, when the difference in the score is ten or more goals the “mercy rule” comes into play. The clock should only be stopped for time-outs under the “Mercy Rule.”
A game is considered completed if it is called for bad weather or other considerations after 75% of the game is completed – the end of the third quarter. Games may be suspended and continued from the point of suspension if less than three quarters are completed.
Time-Out
Each team gets two time-outs to use during the game. In over-time each team gets only one time-out. A time-out is two minutes long and may be requested by any player on the field or the head coach.
Overtime
Overtime is sudden victory. During overtime, the clock stops on time-outs and fouls within the Critical Scoring Area. Each overtime period is 2x3 minutes with teams expeditiously changing ends with no coaching after the first 3 minutes. Play is restarted with a draw. The 2x3 minute period is repeated until there is a winner.
Substitutions
Each team has an unlimited number of substitutions, which may be made during play, after goals, or during a stoppage of play.
Scoring
There are all sorts of definitions as to what constitutes a legal shot on goal resulting in a score. Simply stated, a goal is scored when the ball is shot or propelled legally from the stick and completely crosses the goal line.
One of the aspects for spectators watching a High School game is the “Shooting Space” call. Shooting space is a safety consideration; therefore, in NFHS/USAL rules, officials are required to IMMEDIATELY blow the whistle to stop play and penalize shooting space.
This call cancels any goal that was scored. Spectators should remember that the shooter is required to shoot safely, which does not mean just barely missing the defender. In some instances, off-setting fouls (Shooting Space and Dangerous Propelling) may be called. By rule Dangerous Propelling requires a card and is the penalty that is enforced.
The exception could be a flagrant shooting space call that results in a card on the defender as well. In this case both cards are enforced, and an alternate possession is awarded.
Shoes - Get something comfortable for you to run/jog 10K for every assignment. The requirement is BLACK. That is interpreted to mean if you are standing with your feet flat on the ground, your shoes appear to be 2/3s black.
Shirts - with our move to the KHSAA we are required to use the 2" black/white shirts with the KHSAA logo (see attached). At a minimum you should have one short sleeve 2" KHSAA shirt. (Please note, at https://www.ump-attire.com/ these shirts are to be found under KHSAA football. At this time I cannot find a "female style" shirt; however, it helps to have that shirt pocket!
Everything else is BLACK!!!!
No yoga pants unless worn as an undergarment.
Shorts or skirts/skorts should be professional length - it is strongly suggest that the bottom of your shorts/skirts/skorts should come to the tips of your fingers when your hands are straight down at your side.
January is a good time to get your equipment and uniform together. I suggest golf pants/shorts, tennis skirts/skorts, and rain/cold weather gear from Kohls.
We took a trip to Richmond (Midlothian), Virginia, for the Thanksgiving Field Hockey Tournament. This was a repeat for me from 2023. I went alone then. I was hoping for a nice trip, but it was too cold.
I will say that none of the problems were really due to the tournament management. They always do a nice job. It was just a cold and creepy trip.