In or Out of the Crease

[RDean]

The training manual tells me that if a player who is in the attack area steps on the attack area line, he is out of the attack area which ends a flag-down slow whistle situation or results in IP for stalling if he is instructed to "keep it in".

Now what about the goalie and the crease line? For example, the goalie has both feet completely within the crease and has possession of the ball. He takes a step and his left foot comes down on the line. He then lifts up his left foot and puts it back within the crease. Did he illegally re-enter the crease?

[eme]

Lines and the areas they delineate often don't make sense on a lacrosse field.

1. The out of bounds lines around the perimeter are pretty straightforward: on the line is out of bounds.

2. The midline is weird. Going north to south, stepping on the line is offsides. And going south to north stepping on the line is offsides. Hmmm.. I suppose to have it any other way would bring more problems than it is worth.

3. Attack goal area lines are strange too...going in if you step on the line you are in. But coming out of the attack area if you step on that line you are out. Hmmm...Same rationale as for the midline, I guess.

4. Goal crease line is straightforward. The line is part of the crease. On it is in.

[RYU]

I don't have Fed rulebook on me.

NCAA 1-4: "The goal-crease area is the circular surface about each goal within and including the goal-crease line itself."

4-19c: "A player is considered to have entered the goal-crease area when any part of his body touches the goal-crease area.

The goalkeeper is considered to be outside the goal-crease area when no part of his body touches the goal-crease area and part of his body is touching an area outside of the goal-crease area."

IOW, he can be in mid-air and not be outside until part of his body is grounded. You often see goalies intercept a pass or scoop up a GB while straddling the crease line. As long as their inside foot remains ground, they are considered in the crease.

[RDean]

RYU and EME
Thanks for the response. After looking in the NFHS book, I found similar definition of the goal crease area.

[LaxRef]

RYU and EME
Thanks for the response. After looking in the NFHS book, I found similar definition of the goal crease area.

What you won't find there is the part about the status of an airborne player, but we call it the same way for NFHS and NCAA.