Would you call this a slash?

[audax]

I play defense, and when I'm on somebody who has the ball I pokecheck, slapcheck, etc.

However, there are times when I slap their stick which is near their hips. I put some force into my slaps. They move the stick out of the way, and I end up just slashing them into their hips. I know this hurts them, because on numerous occasions I have heard an "ouch" or an "oh ....."

I was just wondering what you would call this? I don't want to get called for slashing, so I'd just like to know some of the rules behind it.

It doesn't look deliberate, since my head is very close to their stick. Just throwing that in there.

[LaxRef]

Well, as always, I'd have to see it. However, you need to be in control of the stick, and just because they moved their stick doesn't give you a free shot at their hip. I think there's a good chance that you'll see at least some officials calling this a slash some of the time.

[audax]

Yeah that's what I'm worried about. Some ref might call it, others won't.

It always happens while I'm running with them, and I keep my stick in front of them. They stop, and sometimes I'm fast enough to manage to knock their stick around while they're dodging. The thing is, when I check them at these times, I don't check them lightly. That's when it mainly happens.

[zak]

Sort of on the same topic, if I poke check someone and hit stick, but it slides off the shaft and hits the helmet, is that a slash? Its really hard to be in control of the stick for that one milisecond and it seems to happen to me alot.

[Jugthug42]

Believe that would still be a slash zak. Thats why they put their sticks by their heads, even if you hit their stick, you probably will slide off and hit their helmet, resulting in a slash.

[LaxRef]

Sort of on the same topic, if I poke check someone and hit stick, but it slides off the shaft and hits the helmet, is that a slash? Its really hard to be in control of the stick for that one milisecond and it seems to happen to me alot.

If you hit them in the head, I'm calling the slash unless you just "brush" the head. You're responsible for controlling your stick.

You can call a poke check that hits the body a slash, but this tends to not get called unless it's pretty blatant.

[LaxRef]

Exactly. That is why a good hard poke check to the gut is effective. Even if you miss their stick and hit them in the gut 1) it can hurt and/or even knock the wind out of them and 2) it hardly ever will get called for a penalty. If you do the same thing with a swinging motion, even if it is not as hard, and you make partial contact with their stick, the ref can still call it for a slash. While that can be a bad call, refs don't change them so it is still a penalty. I have never seen a ref call anybody for a pokecheck.

I've called a slash for a pokecheck, but it's tougher to call. I've often called it when it got up around the throat. You have to be sure the recipient isn't acting, too.

[shrekjr]

I've called a slash for a pokecheck, but it's tougher to call. I've often called it when it got up around the throat. You have to be sure the recipient isn't acting, too.

I've also called a slash for a pokecheck. It is a fine line but in the case of the one I called, it was unnecessarily hard, no where near getting the attackman's stick, and the attackman immediately fell to the ground in pain. LaxRef is correct about watching the acting as that can draw a foul against yourself.

[ploaref]

Well, once while i was disguised as a player, i heard a coach tell his Close D to occasionally give the attackman a little slap or poke on the hip or ribs to "let him know you're there" and because it's often hard for an official to call that since it looks like a legitimate check. i'd infer from that that you pretty much have to look for patterns and intent, and "know" your coaches a little too...

[laxguyinmd]

In response to that last post, as a defenseman you are often taught to give a poke to the ribs or hip on purpose. I also always give a poke to the cup area "by accident" to make sure they are wearing one. If they are, no big deal, if not, you can slip up a few times early and make you're attackman tentative the entire game.

But in general all defensemen do (and should) give a poke to the ribs/hip/groin area during a game (of course don't make it obvious) just to keep that thought in the back of your attackman's head the whole game.

[wmfalconlax20]

Where i played last spring, that wasn't a slash when their/your stick hit their/my's stick and hit my/their helmet it wasn't usally a slash unless they totally missed their helmet. What really gets me on the ride is the 1 handed checks where you get their bottom hand and depending on where each ref is there is a 50% chance the ref will call it a back slash and 50% no call.

[zak]

Cool thanks you guys, I've been pondering on that for a while. And as a dman I too have thrown a cup check if i dont think hes wearing a cup. Sometimes you can just tell that hes being a little too cautious, thats when I let one "slip."

[shrekjr]

So what I'm hearing is that most d-pole checks that end up between the legs are not accidental? As an official, I'll have to remember that and watch closer.

Honestly, I don't think I have ever seen that happen from a poke check. I thought lacrosse in the south was more physical and the north was more finesse, maybe not!

[Laxref_36]

Sort of on the same topic, if I poke check someone and hit stick, but it slides off the shaft and hits the helmet, is that a slash? Its really hard to be in control of the stick for that one milisecond and it seems to happen to me alot.


I take a different tack on this scenario. If the check starts with it being stick on stick and then the stick hits the helmet, I've got no call. That's not a slash if it is part of the natural follow through on the first check.

If the check starts on the opponents stick, that does not give the defending player a free shot at the head, etc... on a second check.

[audax]

So what I'm hearing is that most d-pole checks that end up between the legs are not accidental? As an official, I'll have to remember that and watch closer.


For me, the legs are always an accident. I had my stick stuck between a ref's legs once, very funny moment.

I was like "Ref, what are you doing?"

It's just very hard to call, IMO. You can always make an argurment that it was meant to poke-check their bottom hand, since it's right near their hips/groin.

[shrekjr]

You can always make an argurment that it was meant to poke-check their bottom hand, since it's right near their hips/groin.
And I can always make the arguement that any check that ends up between the opponents legs is a stick out of control, accidental or not.

It is very judgemental. I'll concede it may have been an accident as long as you concede officials usually know a snow job when we see it. The point is, just play the game as it is meant to be played. Don't go poking around where you don't belong just for the sake of intimidation.

[RockStar]

I've also called a slash for a pokecheck. It is a fine line but in the case of the one I called, it was unnecessarily hard, no where near getting the attackman's stick, and the attackman immediately fell to the ground in pain. LaxRef is correct about watching the acting as that can draw a foul against yourself.

No penalty for "spearing" in field?

It's a five minute major in box.

[LaxRef]

No penalty for "spearing" in field?

It's a five minute major in box.

In field lacrosse, "spearing" is defined as initiating contact with the head:

f. The blocking of an opponent with the head or initiating contact with the head, known as “spearing.”

g. A minimum of a one-minute non-releasable penalty shall be assessed for spearing. A three-minute non-releasable penalty shall be assessed if the spearing was violent.

Thus, based on context, I think you may be calling spearing something different. If you mean "stabbing the opponent with the head of your crosse," that would be considered a slash in field lacrosse.

[RockStar]

In field lacrosse, "spearing" is defined as initiating contact with the head:



Thus, based on context, I think you may be calling spearing something different. If you mean "stabbing the opponent with the head of your crosse," that would be considered a slash in field lacrosse.

Yes, the term "spearing" was probably borrowed from hockey. It's the act of driving the head of your stick into an opponent's body. Initiating contact with the head is called head-butting.

For a mild spear, refs will typically call a minor penalty for slashing or illegal cross-checking. For a vicious one, it's a five minute major penalty.