out of bounds rule

[MDlaxin69]

i have been playing for a year(this will be my second) and i still have no clue on the out of bounds rule. i just kindof go with the flow and whoever picks it up, fine. but if someone could please explain what happens to me, it would be greatly appreciated.

[laxfan25]

Rule #1 - You can't step on that white thing going around the outside of the field, or you are considered out of bounds.
Rule #2 - If the ball goes out of bounds, it is awarded to the team that did NOT cause it to leave the field at the point where it exited, EXCEPT -
Rule #3 - On a shot (one considered to be such by the official) the ball is awarded to the player closest to the SPOT where the ball crossed the endline/sideline, WHEN it crossed the endline/sideline. Closest does not take into account extended sticks - it is by body position. It is NOT the person closest to the endline, but the person closest to the point on the endline where the ball crossed. It is NOT a sprint to the endline after the ball has crossed - but who is closest when it crosses. (These are the most common misperceptions).
Hope this helps - let us know if you have other questions.

[MDlaxin69]

thx man... i knew rule 1 but i was confused who got it... that cleared it up.

[3rdPersonPlural]

Just a detail to add to 25's astonishingly succinct explanation (can we retain 25 to write the rulebook next year??).

You can't play the ball from out of bounds. Picture a scrum right at the sideline, some kid get's elbowed out of bounds, but still keeps rooting for the ball.

If he picks it up, it's like he stepped out of bounds and the ball is inbounded by the other team. An observant ref will signal 'play on!' as soon as he sees a player playing outside the lines, though. I've personally NEVER missed this while focussed on the ball richocheting around on the verge of going out. Nope. Never.

[ColtsLax]

Also, its the closest part of your body to the endline on shots, not your stick, so holding your stick out does nothing.

[LaxRef]

You can't play the ball from out of bounds. Picture a scrum right at the sideline, some kid get's elbowed out of bounds, but still keeps rooting for the ball.

If he picks it up, it's like he stepped out of bounds and the ball is inbounded by the other team. An observant ref will signal 'play on!' as soon as he sees a player playing outside the lines, though

Only if he's participating in the play from out of bounds. He doesn't have to touch or even be trying to touch the ball; boxing out a guy while being OOB is still IP.

BTW, a commonly-missed aspect of this is that if you have an illegal procedure for playing from OOB on the sideline, you need to be sure to signal the IP foul and to not allow a sideline horn. It looks like a ball OOB horn situation to the coaches, but it's a loose-ball technical foul, and
as we all know you can't get a horn on a loose-ball technical.

Also, if A1 has possession and B1 participates in the play from OOB (say, trying to check A1's crosse while standing on the sideline), it's a flag-down technical foul since there was possession.