An error in NFHS rules

[CoachRob]

In NFHS 4-4.1, it states ...When the whistle sounds [to initiate a face-off]...players designated in the midfield area and players designated within the GOAL AREA may not interchange positions before possession has been called.

This is incorrect; it should read DEFENSIVE AREA. During a face-off, players are confined to the area between the defensive clearing line and the end line, which enclose/define the defensive area. The GOAL AREA is the area between the defensive clearing line and the end line at top and bottom (respectively), and the two lines 10 yards inside of and parallel to the sidelines and that connect the endline and the DCL. That makes the goal area 40 x 35 yards, versus 60 x 35 yards for the defensive area.

First, those lines SHOULD have a name. Second, this inconsistent terminology drives me nuts.

[Snake~eyes]

In NFHS 4-4.1, it states ...When the whistle sounds [to initiate a face-off]...players designated in the midfield area and players designated within the GOAL AREA may not interchange positions before possession has been called.

This is incorrect; it should read DEFENSIVE AREA. During a face-off, players are confined to the area between the defensive clearing line and the end line, which enclose/define the defensive area. The GOAL AREA is the area between the defensive clearing line and the end line at top and bottom (respectively), and the two lines 10 yards inside of and parallel to the sidelines and that connect the endline and the DCL. That makes the goal area 40 x 35 yards, versus 60 x 35 yards for the defensive area.

First, those lines SHOULD have a name. Second, this inconsistent terminology drives me nuts.
Umm, Coach Rob, I don't think that's an error. You have to stay between the now solid(dashed) lines.

[eme]

Coach Rob is right. During FO, attackmen and D men have to stay behind the def. line, not in the goal area (40 by 35). That changed about 10 years ago.

Here are some more problems with the new 2005 rulebook:

1.Page 12 Rule 1-7 Art. 4. Should be language here about double stops= 3 min. non-release. Stick without guard stop is covered nicely here.

2. Page 13 Rule 1-9 Art. 1 (e). The old shoulder pad discussion. No language here about what makes for a legal shoulder pad.

3. Page 15. Rule 1-10 Art. 3. Sweatpants. Should be language here about the penalty for an infraction, but there is none. One assumes it's a technical foul as per compression shorts violation noted on page 61.

4. Page 25. Rule 4-5. Might be nice to define a shot as the NCAA rulebook does.

5. Page 25. Rule 4-7. Ball Caught in Crosse. Would be nice to have language here about the Plunger FO move...as the NCAA rulebook does. Was agreed at Philly 2004 Federation meeting to go with NCAA on the Plunger move (award ball to other team), but the explicit language should be here.

6. Page 26. Rule 4-9. Goal Not Counted. Should be language here for goal not counting if head of the shooter's stick comes off during shot...as per NCAA rulebook.

7. Page 32. Rule 4-30 Art. 1 (b). The sentence: "No penalty is incurred by a second or subsequent requests during a charged timeout or between periods."
should be eliminated as they have done this year in the NCAA rulebook. NO ONE in the entire world of lacrosse had a clue as to what it meant. Did it mean a coach could request 37 separate stickchecks during a TO or between a period without a penalty.??

8. Page 34 Rule 5-4. Illegal Crosse. Should be language here that it is possible for a player to accrue 4 minutes in penalties: one for adjusting the crosse before handing it to the official and then 3 more for having an illegal stick. This was in an email to me from Jerry Diehl, rules editor, on 1/24/04.
Should have been included in 2005 book.

9. Page 39. Rule 6-5 Art. 19. This should be re-written. My suggestion is: "...Failure to advance the ball into the goal area within ten seconds after crossing the midline."

10. New Rule 7-13. Page 46. This is the new coaches request for a rules clarification.
It says, "...This request must be made prior to the next live ball. The timer shall sound the horn when there is no significant action..."
One normally assumes there would be no "significant action" during a dead
ball. If not, that is a wild game indeed!

11. Page 82. 6-11 Situation E should be moved from the Defensive Stalling section to the Offensive Stalling section on the previous page.

12. Page 81. under Offensive Stalling. 6-10 Situation B. The first word after Ruling should be "No" rather than "Yes."

[CoachRob]

Umm, Coach Rob, I don't think that's an error. You have to stay between the now solid(dashed) lines.

Positioning of Other Players for a Face-Off:
NFHS 4-4.1: When a team has all its players...it shall confine its GK and three others players behind the defensive area line...

Snake, where do you find it limits the players to the goal area? I've never read that anywhere. Is that perhaps an NCAA rule?


As for eme's excellent NFHS rulebook review, I'll have to take more time to study it. But the rulebook is chock full of issues that could use a little touching up.

eme seems to be an experienced ref. Good to have him aboard!!

[eme]

One more omission.
In NCAA rules, re-starts after a TO on an endline start at the spot on the endline. In Federation play we move the ball outside of the goal area for the re-start. This was clarified and explicitly stated on page 2 of the Fed. rulebook in 2001...(2001 Lacrosse Rule Changes)..
But this wording never made it into ensuing rulebooks, and that includes the 2005 one.
Therefore, you should pencil it in on page 30 Rule 4-25 or , better, under TOs where it should be pages 30-31.