RULES FOR FLORIDA LACROSSE CLASSIC
POTENTIAL WEATHER ISSUES
Please note that the fields are graciously provided by the City of Weston and the Florida Youth Lacrosse Foundation must adhere to all their rules and regulations governing their use. The Weston Parks and Recreation Department reserves the right to restrict our usage of the fields at any time if they believe it is unsafe or if the fields are in jeopardy of being damaged. We appreciate your understanding of this policy should this be implemented during the tournament.
The Florida Lacrosse Classic plays by the
US Lacrosse Men’s Game Post Collegiate (POCO) Club Rules
Here are the POCO rules provided by US Lacrosse:
CLICK HERE
These rules are based primarily on the NCAA Lacrosse Rules, except where changed herein. Some of the variations are based on other established rules, including prior NCAA, International, and other rules. For clarity, certain rules are repeated or summarized herein. The US Lacrosse Men’s Game Committee has approved these rules. The age brackets and corresponding rules, including the contact permitted, are designed to allow players to continue to be active and participate in lacrosse, to play competitively with players close to their ages and capabilities, and to enjoy the camaraderie of the lacrosse community.
The Florida Lacrosse Classic will be adopting the following POCO levels of body checking:
Super Masters (40+), Grand Masters (45+), Half Century (50+) & Ultra Grand Masters (55+) Divisions
Level B: Restricted body checking
1. No body checks on a defenseless player.
2. No Excessive Body Checks (“Takeout Checks”) are permitted.
Excessive Body Checks / “Takeout Checks” include, but are not limited to, contact such as the following:
• Any body checks considered more aggressive or more physical than necessary to stop the advancement of the player carrying the ball or to keep or move a player away from a loose ball.
This includes but is not limited to:
(i) any check in which a player makes contact with sufficient force and perceived intent to knock down the opposing player;
(ii) any check in which a player makes contact with sufficient force and perceived intent to injure the opposing player; and
(iii) any check made in a reckless or intimidating manner.
Past Masters (60+), Past Legends (65+) & Elite (70+) Divisions
Level C: No Body Checking allowed; all legal pushes and holds are allowed.
Defenseless Player: There shall be no body checking at any level on a player in a defenseless position (a “defenseless player”). This includes but is not limited to:
(i) body checking a player from his “blind side”;
(ii) body checking a player who has his head down in an attempt to play a loose ball;
(iii) body checking a player whose head is turned away to receive a pass, even if that player turns toward the contact immediately before the body check.
NOTE: Sports medicine research indicates that the severity of certain injuries may be reduced if a player can anticipate and prepare himself for an oncoming hit. Game officials should be especially alert to blind side checks.
Targeting the Head/Neck: US Lacrosse draws special attention to NCAA Rule 5 Section 3 that prohibits targeting the head or neck, quoted below:
“A player shall not initiate contact to an opponent’s head or neck with a cross-check, or any part of his body (head, elbow, shoulder, etc.) or stick. Any follow through that contacts the head or neck shall also be considered a violation of this rule. PENALTY— One, two, or three minute non-releasable foul, at the referee’s discretion. Excessive violation of this rule may result in an ejection from the game.”
___________________________________________________________
ADDED LOCAL RULES:
Here are a few key “House Rules” clarifications:
1. Each team may only have four (4) long crosses in the game, not counting the goalie’s cross.
2. Leaving the feet on a shot is allowed. Shooter cannot propel themselves toward the mouth of the goal. Ball has to cross the plane of the goal prior to shooter landing in the crease.
3. Games are 15-minute running quarters.
4. The clock will stop during the last two (2) minutes of the game, if the score differential is three (3) goals or less.
5. The “attack area” for the purposes of stalling will be the entire area on the goal side of the Restraining Line (sideline to sideline). While stalling can be called by officials at any time during a game, there will be an automatic stall warning in effect during the final two (2) minutes of regulation play for the team that is ahead.
6. Timeouts can be called from anywhere on the field. Each team is entitled to three (3) timeouts per game with no more than two (2) taken in a half. There will be one (1) timeout per team during the entire sudden death, not one (1) per period. The clock will stop for all timeouts.
7. Game times may be shortened, at the discretion of the FYLF, due to inclement weather, darkness or to keep the tournament on schedule. Games may also be shortened upon the mutual agreement of both participating teams.
8. Teams winning by a forfeit will receive a positive point differential of 7 goals. Teams losing by a forfeit will not be seeded in the final results.
9. Each player may play for only one (1) team per age group (SM, GM, HC, UGM, PM, PL) during the tournament and must be registered on that team’s Official Team Roster submitted before the first game.
10. Roster infractions may result in team forfeiture.
