Rule 7

NFHS/USAL Rule 7: Excerpt from "Girls Lacrosse for Beginners 2025"

Rule 7 Goal Circle

Goal Circle 1Only 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.

Goal Circle 5For 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.

Goal Circle 2The 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.”

Goal Circle 3Beginning 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.