• Caitlin Corsetti – My sister edited the entire book for me. Yet another reason I love my amazing sister!
• Mary Jo Corsetti – My mother photographed a few of my college games this season and her work is showcased on the book’s cover.
• Lisa Lawrence – Lisa did the front and back cover design as well as formatted the book for print. She works for CGP, who is producing the print-version of the book for me.
• Andy Halperin – Andy has been a close friend for years and a great partner to ref with on the field. He received one of the proofs of the book a few weeks ago and gave it his approval.
• Greg Hite – Greg reviewed one of the earlier manuscripts of “Advancement Rules” and gave me great insight on the overall layout of the chapters for easier reading.
• Jeremy Redmon – Jeremy writes for the Atlanta Journal Constitution and I asked him to review a copy to see how accessible my writing style was. He said that I write very well which is a huge compliment from someone who writes for a living.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this book for your time and encouragement! 

http://www.amazon.com/Advancement-Rules-Improving-Officiating-ebook/dp/B00CSV69YK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1368713106&sr=1-1&keywords=advancement+rules

One of the biggest mistakes newer official make is to assume that once the play is over,their job is done. Almost all of our training is geared towards identifying fouls and positioning on the field during play.  However, what truly separates the  rookies from the veterans is the attention and focus during a dead ball.  Here are some tips for making yourself a better dead ball official: be aware where you are in the game, keep the game moving, anticipate what needs to be done and stay focused!

Harold Buck in his 2010 US Lacrosse Convention  presentation, “The  10 Commandments of Lacrosse Officiating,” noted that live ball officiating is reactive, while dead ball officiating is proactive.   It is the dead ball situations where you really control a game rather than simply react to what the players and coaches do.

“When the ball is dead, be alive!” 

It is important to be present. Just because the ball is dead , doesn’t mean nothing can happen.  It is precisely in these dead ball situations that players talk, taunt or fight.  When the ball is dead, be alive! (Note: came across this phrase on LaxForums, thanks Snake Eyes) This is particularly true after a key goal , a run of goals or a  big hit.  Often times a coach will call a time out to regroup his players.

Get in between Mixed Colors

Once the play is whistled dead, make sure all residual activity from the play has stopped. It is a good idea to get in between the two teams as they cross in front of the substitution area, football officials call this getting between mixed colors. Teams will often run across the field to congratulate their goalie.  be sure you watch as the teams  pass through each other.

It is important to know where the teams locker rooms are and how the players get there.  If players head out of the same gate, you want to maintain a physical presence between them to avoid anything from happening.

Communicate

The crew should meet  away from the benches. Chat quietly and do not point. Talk to each other and reassess where you are in the game.  Discuss the level of play, the tone and intensity of each team.  Identify what they are doing offensively and defensively  and what you need to be on the lookout for.  Keep the lines of communication with coaches, players and table personnel. If you are conducting a stick check, do so as quickly as possible and be sure to keep an eye on the field.

Anticipated

Be sure you know where the ball is and where it will be restarted.  If there is a penalty how much time remains?  If the period has ended. will there be a face off?  Review the score, remaining Time Outs, and possession arrow.

Know where are you in the game.  If the game is close and you are at the end of a period, the end of the fourth quarter or in overtime, Time Outs are crucial. Be sure the bench side official is listening for them! Be sure someone has an eye on the clock!

Set the Field

Find the ball, get it into the right spot, and tell the keeper where the restart is.   Count players.  Do not start the game out of a dead ball without the correct number of players.

Is the player with the ball  in bounds? Are all other players five yards or more away? If you are close to the special substitution area, move the player five yards in to the center of the field.

Penalties

If there is a penalty, both officials have important jobs to do and should do them quickly.  One official reports to the table while the other sets the field.  Often times a team will simply trot out there extra man team or man-down defense.  If there fouls on both teams (5 on 5) or two fouls on the same team (6 on 4) you must be careful to double check.  When you partner returns from the table, the field should be ready!

Injuries

Do not tend to an injured player. Give the trainer room to work. If the injury is severe, you may allow the teams to go to their sidelines.   Coaches may substitute freely   This is, for all intents and purposes a free time out for them.  Players do not need “to take a knee.” Confer with each other away from players. Be sure you identify how you will restart: and where.  Was the ball loose or in player possession?

Keep the Game Moving: TIMER ON!

On horns, time outs and in-between quarters, you must be aware of the clock and get the game started promptly. Use your 20/100 second timer!  If a horn is blown or the face off official reaches center x with the ball, TIMER ON! As soon as players reach their sidelines for a TO. Flip the switch to 100 seconds.  When the timer goes off or the team that called the TO is ready, TIMER ON!

Officiate the Entire Game

A crew of officials can live with a missed offside call, but a missed late hit or off-ball high hit brings a game down quickly. A dead ball incident can be just as devastating to your ability to control and manage a game. Officials must remain vigilant and in control the entire game. During the dead ball, someone should always be watching the field and players at all times. Work just as hard at officiating during a dead ball as you do during a live ball. (US Lacrosse 2013 Training Manual  44)

Here are a few resources to help you master the mechanics.  Remember, a three-man game  is really a two-man game with help.

Basics

The huge advantage of working a three-man game (Referee, Umpire and Field Judge) is the ability to maintain a  wide triangle, one which allows the crew to keep the play in their lines of vision.

There are now three positions: “Lead” (the official running ahead of the ball), “Single” (the far-side official), and “Trail” (the official behind the play).

Both the Lead and the Trail are on the bench-side. The Single controls the midline. Primary offside and ten counts are his.

Lead

As in a two-man game, the Lead’s primary responsibility is  the goal. He should set up on goal line extended and work for the best angle to see the goal line, net and ball. He should stay as close to the goal as possible, moving in and out with the flow of the players and passing lanes.  Do not let players get behind you!

In addition, he has the end line and MUST move to the end line on any shot or contested play.

Single

The Single works in tandem with the Lead. If the Lead is in the corner or at the end line, Single has the goal. If the Lead has the goal, Single has the scrimmage area in front of the goal.

On settled situations, the single sets up  five yards above the goal line on the far side. Like the Lead, he moves in and out of the play. His primary responsibility is in front of the crease. When a shot  is taken, the Single must be watching the shooter or feeder looking for late hits, moving picks and crease violations. He does not signal goal unless he is asked for help by the Lead.  He should move in quickly and focus on the area in front of the crease for violations. The Single’s job is to make sure all players stay reasonably calm after the goal, talking to players to avoid penalties if need be. Be alert for taunting!

Most importantly the Single is in charge of all offensive ten second counts AND 20-second clearing counts. He also makes all calls on the far sideline.

“Reset!”

Because the single has all 20-second counts, all officials must communicate when a defensiveness player gains possession of the ball.  When this happens, raise your hand and twirls your fingers while yelling “reset!” Should the riding team regain possession during a clear, this mechanic indicate that the clearing count has ended and a may indicate that a new ten second count has begun.

The official with the best view of the player in possession or a loose ball entering the attack box MUST signal to his partner by raising one hand above their head, and then point down into the box.

Bang Bang Plays at Crease

One of the most difficult plays to officiate  even in a three man game, is the bang- bang play right on the crease.  Whichever official, either the Lead or the Single,  who is looking at the back of the player has the push call.

If there is a push THROW YOUR FLAG! The official watching the front of the player, has the feet and the goal.  If the player scores before entering the crease, signal goal, if not COME IN HARD blowing your whistle and signal a crease violation or waiving off the goal.  Look to your partner to be sure you are both on the same page.

Trail

The Trail is closest to the benches,  so his primary role is communicating with the tables and benches, most significantly in relaying all penalties to the table.  The Trail also manages the substitution area. He must stay alert for the time-out call! So be aware of where you are in the game e.g. close games in the fourth quarter or in overtime! 

In the settled situations, the Trail l has mostly a supporting role and serves as the clean up guy.  Like I said, a three man game is really a two-man game with help.  The Trail is that help. His position is just outside the wing area line extended, and 3-5 yards from the top of the box. When he is not on ball, h should watch the crease area, especially one on one midfield play, and any late hits or cheap hits on passes or shots. 

Trail is also responsible for the midline  BUT he must be ready to move quickly to his own goal when he becomes the new Lead. 

He should NEVER start a 10-second count unless he is settled in his position. The other 2 officials will be responsible for all counts until he is in proper position.

On and Off Officials

In a two man game it is fairly black and white who has the ball and who does not.  This can get a bit more complicated in a three man game.   If the ball is in the Lead’s area, the Center official takes the crease. When the ball moves into the Single’s area, the responsibilities reverse themselves. There will however be overlap. If the ball falls into the “gray area” between officials, a good  rule of thumb is if the ball carrier is facing your direction, you have responsibility for the ball. Your partners should look off the ball to the crease area.

Often the Trail will be slow to get into the play as he works his way up the field. The Trail most often shares being the On Official with the Lead and the Single.  Remember, often one officials angle and positioning allow him to see a foul.  See the foul, make the call!

With three officials on the field the same principles apply:  we do not need 6 eyes following the ball. Two is all that is required. Watch the rest of the field.

Transition

Trail is also responsible to cover the midline for offside or other infractions when a loose ball approaches that area. Center must move up to release the Trail for transition as the new Lead. The most important rule of thumb: the new Lead should ALWAYS beat the ball to the Goal and End Line!

At the change of possession, Single  initiates his 20-second count and breaks out and straddles the midfield line at the far cone .  He has primary offside responsibility. Remember to COUNT FORWARDS! He also has the initial offensive ten second counts once the ball crosses midfield and is possessed. In the event of an obvious fast break, break immediately to the top of the box (two-man trail position) in order to keep a wide angle on the play and then your settled into position five yards above GLE as the new Trail makes his way into your half of the field.

Trail is responsible for the 4-second count on the goalie and is watching for  crease violations and goalkeeper interference. He is primarily responsible for all fouls occurring in the defensive zone. He should stay even or slightly behind the ball as his primary responsibility is still his goal.  The Trail should NEVER follow the flight of a long pass, instead he should remain focused on the defender and the offensive player. Once the ball is cleared, the trail moves up to the substitution area and monitors all subs.

Goal Scored: The Switch

The Lead  will signal the goal and take the ball from the goalie.  The Single moves into the crease area and the two exchange the ball and switch positions.

The Single then moves to Center X, raising the ball above his head to let the Trail now to initiate the 20-second timer, and begins to note the goal on his score card.

Meanwhile, the Lead heads to the far side and sets up on the wing as the new Single.

Once a goal is scored Trail official moves onto the defensive clearing line all the while keeping his eyes on the entire field. When the ball reaches Center X, he activates his timer, and yells “Timer on!” He then quickly writes the score down. He then holds his hand up until the field and the new Single are ready. When the field and all officials are ready he gives the ready for play signal, pointing at the goal he is to cover and the Face off official

Faceoff: Backing Out

The most difficult thing for officials new to three man mechanics is the faceoff.  As the FO official you will back out to the BENCH SIDE away from the Trail official.

A good habit is to look where the trail is lined up and go to that side but away from him.

Both wing officials are responsible for their wing players and follow them in as the play begins.  They each may call a violation on the face off players.  Bench side wing official will become the Lead if the ball heads towards his goal.  The Single will cover the other goal until the FO official can get to the GLE.  Therefore it is important that the FO official stay and officiate the face off.

 Pre Game Responsibilties

What a crew needs to do before a game is the same: coaches certification, check the field and goals, coin toss etc.  There are a few minor differences.  The R handles the coin toss, the Umpire take the Home Team captains out, and usually counts those players during dead balls.  The Field Judge is responsible for the Visiting Team.  The U and FJ escort the captains out to Center X and introduce them to the R.  They then stand away from the R while the coin toss is conducted.  When the captains have been dismissed, the U and FJ check each teams goals.

Equipment Check

Mandated random equipment checks will be done at time outs or at the end of the first and third periods. The bench side officials will select a player from each team and check for legal helmet, stick, gloves, shoulder pads, arm pads, mouthpiece and cleats.

They will take a stick out to the Center X to be measured by the Referee.The Single will secure a ball and meet the other officials at the X. The Referee, with his back to the benches, will measure the sticks, which are held out in front of the Field Judge and Umpire. The Field Judge and Umpire are positioned on either side of the midline facing the benches.

Here is a great video covering the ins and outs of three man mechanics from brother official Wayne Sanford, Chief Referee in Maine and a member of the US Lacrosse Men’s Training Committee.

I hope this helps!  Please let me know if you have any questions and good luck in the playoffs!

Best,

Greg Hite

• Mistake #1 – Lack of Rules Knowledge
  • I threw a flag on one team’s defensive end of the field and I did not award possession across the midfield line as required by the rules. Instead I assessed the penalty and restarted play at the spot where play stopped.
  • Why Did I Do That? - I had not read the rulebook enough to know that a flag in one team’s defensive end of the field results in a free clear.
  • Solution – Become a student of the rules. Bring a pen or highlighter.
• Mistake #2 – Rabbit Ears
  • A coach made a statement that disparaged my abilities as an official. He did not make a personal attack or use any profanity yet I threw a flag for a one-minute non-releasable unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the coach.
  • Why Did I Do That? - I lacked confidence in my abilities as an official but I did not lack confidence in my flag throwing abilities. This resulted in many coaches getting penalties for pretty lame comments like, “how did you not see that?” or “that was a bad call.”
  • Solution – Develop a thicker skin. Think of your stripes as insult-armor. The coach/player/fan is not yelling at you. They are yelling at the stripes.
• Mistake #3 – Penalize Everything!
  • Chinstrap unbuckled? Turnover. Mouthguard hanging out while ball is on other side of the goal? Flag down. Crosse is an eighth of an inch too short? Three-minute non-releasable penalty.
  • Why Did I Do That? - I thought my job as an official was to catch every illegal thing that happened during a game. This resulted in long games, long pauses to explain situations to coaches, and longer headaches for my partner.
  • Solution – If the illegal action has no bearing on the play or game then don’t worry about it. Catch the big safety related stuff and the clear advantage/disadvantage penalties.
• Mistake #4 – Not Knowing The Time
  • Under a minute to go in a one-goal game. Winning team has the ball in their attack area. I throw my flag for a very ticky-tack slash call that definitely should have been a brush at most. Winning team sits on the ball during the subsequent man-up and wins the game.
  • Why Did I Do That? - I did not know the time. I forgot the situation and called a penalty that wasn’t even close to being a legitimate foul.
  • Solution – Check the clock during dead balls. If it’s late in the game in a close contest then it is not a foul unless it is something major!
    • Side Note – I officiated an overtime game and one of the offensive players got whacked in the head. Not particularly hard or deliberate so I did not throw my flag. At the next dead ball that player asked me why that wasn’t a foul. I replied, “Overtime.” He smiled and went back to playing. Moral of the story is that the players want to decide the outcome and they don’t want ticky-tack stuff called late either.
• Mistake #5 – Ball Watching
  • I forgot to watch the shooter on a shot. My eyes went towards the action of the ball moving really, really fast. I completely missed the shooter getting destroyed by the sliding defenseman.
  • Why Did I Do That? - I had played for over ten years and my eyes were accustomed to following the ball. Officials do not watch an entire game. We watch sections of plays. I was simply not used to focusing my attention on plays behind the ball.
    
  • Solution - Repeat to yourself, “Shooter, shooter, shooter.” During a shot. This will help you focus in on the shooter and be in a position to make the call on the big hit.

Are those all the mistakes I’ve made over the years? No! I stopped counting mistakes in my first year. The ones above are the major ones that I never want to repeat.

I’ve found that writing down my mistakes and then crafting solutions to stop myself from committing them again has been immensely helpful in improving as a lacrosse official. What are some mistakes you have made and what are your solutions?

Cheers,
Gordon

The Referee and the Umpire are tasked with keeping a record of all goals and time outs.  They confer between periods with each other well as the table personnel  to be sure that  everyone is on the same page.  If there is a discrepancy, the  R makes the final determination.   Seems simple enough, what could go wrong….

Captains and In-Home

After the R and U certify each head coach that all of their players are properly equipped by rule, they ask for the captains and the in-home.  About five minutes prior tog ame time, the captains will be taken out to center x for the coin toss and may be a point of contact during the game to pass along a message to a team mate.  Most officials write down their numbers rather than their names.  I often ask if a coach has a “speaking captain,” that is one player whom he trusts to make the right decision at the coin toss and I circle that players number on my card.

In addition, the coach must identify who he wants to serve as his in-home, a starting attackman, and the first player listed in the score book. As with captains, simply write down the players number in the slot on your card.  Note: you will want to check to see if both team’s in-homes are in the  line up prior to the first faceoff.

Alternate Possession

Alternate Possession, or AP, is used in situations when an official can not determine which team should be awarded the ball.   The winner of the opening coin toss is given a choice of a goal to defend or first AP.  Record this on your card by circling the arrow

Recording Goals

Many new officials keep track of the goals with tally marks.  The issue arises when the officials and the table disagree on what the score is.  How can you go back and verify if your score is correct.  The official scorer is responsible for writing down which player scored each goal and you should too!

Instead of tally marks, write the number of the player who scored AND CIRCLE THE NUMBER.   This will prevent confusion if the same player scores multiple goals (e.g. did player #4 scores three times or did player #4 score once and player #44 score once?) With this information, it is much easier to confirm the score with your partner between quarters and during dead balls situations.

When to Mark your Card

As the US Lacrosse Training manual states, the proper mechanic after a goal is for the officials to exchange the ball in front of the goal. they should visually with hand signals and verbally confirm which player scored the goal.  Then they should jog to their faceoff positions, either wing or center x.  Once the Faceofff official is in position, the Wing official turns on his 20-second timer and yells “Timer On!”

Now, both officials can quickly mark their scorecards.  This mechanic serves two purposes   It keeps your focus on the field and the players. A goal was just scored.  This might be the first goal of the game, it might be the go ahead goal with a second to go, it could be the fifth goal in a row in a blowout. One team is very happy, one team is not.  Make sure nothing happens.  Stay vigilant and keep your focus on the players.  Practice preventative officiating; it beats having to thrown a flag for Unsportsmanlike Conduct!

Second, this mechanic keeps your game moving along.  Don’t dawdle.  You should easily be able to mark you card in 20 seconds. If there are fifteen goals scored in a game and it takes you 1 minute to get the game restated, that’s an entire quarter. It should only take you five minutes! That is ten extra minutes of coaches screaming out you and players jawing at each other.   Get to your spot, get the 20-second timer running, write down the score, get your eyes back onto the field, check the field, restart play!

Time Outs

When a time out is called, the officials should wait until both teams have gone to their sidelines marking sure that no funny business occurs as the teams cross each others paths.  The bench side official should be especially vigilant as the teams head to the sidelines.  Football officials refer to this as “getting in between mixed colors.” Once both teams are off the field, the bench side official should mark the beginning of the time out by activate his timer  if he has one that tracks 140 seconds or by using his watch.

Now that the teams are in their huddles, both officials should mark their scorecards with the quarter and the time the TO was taken and which team took it.  You will be standing next to each other and near the table. If you are not, you will be forty or so yards away from each other.  Use your hand signals to confirm the time remaining in the period if there is no visible clock and how many TOs each team has remaining. Once the TO is over and the bench side official has indicated that the 20-second timer is on, he should inform both coaches how many TOs each has remaining. the far side official should, once again keep an eye on the field and watch as the players leave their huddles.

 Miscellaneous Information

In addition to what you are required to mark on your card, there are a few things that I like to mark down for my own personal benefit.  I write down both head coaches last names.  I write down my partner’s name if I have not worked with him before.  I mark down what goal the team that won the toss will be defending by writing NC or C next to the team’s color.  This stands for Clock or No Clock. This lets me know where each team should be when they line up before the first face off and when the third period starts. If there is no visible clock on the field, I might write PL for parking lot or V for volleyball court.  Whatever works. And at the end of each quarter I total the number of goals each team has so that I can confirm the score with my partner and the table.  I separate that number by boxing it out, so that I do not confuse it with a score.

The Flip Side

On the back of most score cards is a field diagram. You can use it to mark where the ball will be put into play if the next quarter begins with no faceoff.  You can use this to sketch out a play or describe a mechanic to your partner.

Often times, the back side will have a spot to write down details about any USC or Ejection fouls.  Be sure to get the player’s number, his name and the time the foul occurred  as well as any other key details so that you write up a detailed and comprehensive game report.  I find it easier to do this on an index card or a piece of paper.

A few tips:

Score Card. Get a good score card.  I use the plastic erasable cards.  They hold up better, give you a firm base to write on and won’t smudge on hot humid days.  You can use a small piece of paper, pad, or an index card, but I find that these are more trouble than they are worth.

Pencils. You can use the bullet pencils, a mechanical pencil or a golf or library pencil.  Just be sure that you sharpen it, that it has an erasure AND that you have a back up.  There is nothing worse than increasing your pencil popped out as you were running down field on a fast break!

Hair Tie. I like to wrap the black hair tie around my card.  It holds my pencil in place and it keeps the card and pencil from popping out of my shirt pocket.

Magic Eraser The Mr. Clean Magic Eraser is awesome. Get it wet and your score card will look like new.  No grey streaks or bits of eraser muddling the card.

Check out Gordon’s post from the GLOA Youtube Channel for more info on using your score card!

If you have any comments, questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us!

Play On!

Greg Hite

Understanding Possession

All counts begin with a player being in possession of the ball.  Player possession (Rule 4-5 Art 2.) is defined as the ability of a player to cradle, carry pass or shoot the ball.  Before initiating ANY count, be POSITIVE that the player is actually in possession.  Often the level of play will influence what you determine to be possession.  At the youth level, players should actively demonstrate one of the four actions.  At higher levels of play, a bit more leeway can be given.

The Lead and Clearing Counts

Once a player gains possession in their defensive end , the Lead becomes the new Trail and is responsible for BOTH the the 20-second clearing  and the four-second goalie counts.  

20 Second Count

It is ESSENTIAL that you have a working timer if you are doing games U-15 and above. Be sure to check to see if your timer works before you go out on the field and carry a small screwdriver and extra batteries with you in your bag.  If you do not have a working timer, let you partner know so that you can come up with a way to address the situation.  Often times, veteran officials will have an extra timer.

As soon as possession is gained, the new Trail pumps his hand and switches on his timer.  This is NOT a verbal count and it is NOT a visual count.  As Rule 4-14 states, the timer continues to run until:

1. the opposing teams gains possession
2. a player in possession steps ON OR OVER the midfield line
3. a loose ball breaks the plane of the midfield line
4. the official sounds his whistle for any reason

The clearing team can carry, pass or kick the ball ON or OVER the midfield line. The ball can be in player possession or loose.  If a count has been initiated against a clearing team and they loose the ball the count continues! The only things that will end the count are: the ball crosses the midfield line, a change in possession or a whistle.  Turn the timer on and if the buzzer goes off the ball in player possession has not crossed midfield, whistle the play dead and award the ball to the opposing team. If the ball crosses midfield in time, simply switch your timer off.

The Trail will, most likely, be well behind the play and not in position to to determine whether of not the midfield line has been crossed .  The Lead MUST signal to the Trail by raising his arm.  If the play has gone on for a while, the Lead can also verbalize “He’s over!” to be sure the Trail ends the count before his timer buzzes.

Failure to Advance

If a team fails to satisfy these requirements within 20 seconds, they have committed a technical foul, failure to advance, and you have two options: whistle the play dead or treat it as a play on situation.

• If the team clearing the ball is in possession and fails to clear the ball in twenty seconds, whistle the play dead, signal failure to advance and award the ball to the opposing team. Quick restart.
• If the ball is loose, you can treat it as a play on.  If the opposing team is about to gain possession of the ball, you can raise your hand to signal and verbalize “Play On.”
• If the opposing team gains possession, the Play On is over, if not whistle the play dead, award the ball to the opposing team and initiate a quick restart.

Goalie Count

If the goalie gains possession IN THE CREASE , he is allowed four seconds before the ball must leave the crease.  The goalie is considered in the crease as long as ANY part of his body is touching the crease (Rule 4-20 Art. 5).  The goalie will gain possession in one of three ways: saving a shot, intercepting or receiving a pass or picking up a loose ball.  The four-second count always happen in conjunction with a 20-second count.

• If the goalie is the first defensive player to gain possession, the four second count begins simultaneously with the 20-second count.
•  If the defense has already gained possession and a 20 second count has been started, the four second count is concurrent.

The four second count is a VISUAL count the new Trail official begins once the goalie gains possession of the ball in the crease.  Do NOT count out loud. Each swing of the arm should equal one second.  Practice your mechanic by saying to yourself “One Mississippi  with each swing.  Many newer officials get excited and count much to quickly.  The goalie gets four seconds, so be sure to give him four seconds.

If the goalie in possession has not left the crease (i.e. no part of his body in contact with the crease) or the ball has not left the goalie’s possession and is outside the crease when you END your count, that is you have completed the fourth swing of the arm, blow the whistle and signal a crease violation.  Award the ball to the opposing team in the alley.  If there is no violation, simply stop counting and drop your arm to your side.

Pump, Flip and Chop

If the Goalie is the first defensive player to gain possession in his defensive end you must initiate a 20-second count AND a four-second count AT THE SAME TIME.  The mechanic in this situation is for the new Trail to pump his arm (this is the Timer On! mechanic used on the wing during face offs).  As his hand reaches his belt, he should flip his timer and then begin chop out the four-second count BUT start this count at two (2).  The rationale for this is that the pump and flip mechanic has accounted for the second the goalie is allowed in the crease.

Resetting 20 Second and Goalie Counts

A whistle by the official will stop play and will either end or reset the 20-second count.  This can be for the ball going out of bounds, whistle ending a Play On for a loose ball technical, to administer a time serving foul, a time out or an inadvertent whistle.

• If the riding team caused the ball to go out of bounds, award the ball to the clearing team, and when play restarts, initiate a new 20-second count.
• If there is a stoppage of play to administer a loose ball play on, play begins at the spot of the foul (or laterally in the alley if in the attack box) and when play resumes a new 20-second count is initiated.
• A time serving foul will result in a free clear, so there is no need for a 20-second count.
• If the ball is awarded to the Riding team in their offensive end, they will begin play with ten seconds to gain the attack area (see below).

“Get a Touch!”

Once the clearing team has initially gained possession of the ball on their offensive side of the midfield line they have 10 seconds to gain the attack area (Rule 4-15).  A player in possession must make contact with the line or the ground inside the attack area  to satisfy this requirement or a loose ball makes contact with the line, area or any grounded player. Most often a player steps on the line, usually the corner of the box.  This is what coaches and players mean when they yell “get a touch!”

The two most common situations when a team is required to get the ball into the attack area withing ten seconds are: after they have crossed the midfield line on a clear and when a change of possession occurs  in their opponents defense end.  The mechanics is very similar to the four-second count. However, the official most often responsible for the count is the Lead.

10 Second Count

The count is a VISUAL count that begins once a team gains possession on their offensive side of the ball after a clear or following a change of possession.   Do NOT count out loud. Each swing of the arm should equal one second.  You don’t want to look like Bruce Lee out there, so practice your mechanic by saying to yourself “One Mississippi  with each smooth and controlled swing of the arm.you can also practice with a stop watch or a metronome to be sure you are doing it correctly!

“He’s In!”

Once the requirements of gaining the attack area are met, the official should signal by raising his arm and then pointing to the box.  This is especially important if you are not conducting the count. Often times the Lead may not have a good view of the play if it occurs on the far side of the field. As the Lead, positioned on Goal Line extended (GLE), he may be screened by players, the goal, the field may be crowned, or the lines may be difficult to make out.  As the Trail comes up the field on a clear, he needs to determine if a count is in progress and assist his partner.  As the Trail will most likely be out of the Leads field a vision, it is good practice to also verbalize to your partner that a player in possession or a loose ball have touched inside the attack area by yelling “He’s in!” to be sure your partner ends the count.

Once the offense touches the ball into the box, may then use their entire half of the field without a new 10 count, unless they are stalling or intentionally cause the ball to cross midfield. (Rule 4-15 Art. 1)

The Long Scrum

On occasion, the clearing team will get a loose ball across the midfield line but it is important to remember that the count for advancing into the goal area begins when POSSESSION is gained by the clearing team on the offensive half of their field. As a result  you can find yourself in a  situation where a loose ball has crossed the midfield line but the ten-second count has not started. This extended loose ball scenario  can be go on for a while.  Be wary of these long scrums.  My advice is to look for the loose ball technical and  get the ball up off the ground and into someone’s stick on the restart. Just remember, that if A has not gained the attack area, to begin the play with a 10 count!

Counts and the Face Off

The face off is one of the unique plays that occurs in lacrosse.   However, once the face off ends , and all face offs end with a player gaining possession of the ball, you are left with regular lacrosse play. Therefore, if a player gains possession in his defensive area, the Trail initiates a 20-second count.  If a player gains possession in his offensive side of the field, the Lead initiates a 10-second count.

In some cases, the Lead may not be able to initiate a count, this most often occurs when the Lead is the Face Off official and is caught up in the play, or is attempting to get to Goal Line Extended and cover his goal.  In this case, the Trail should assume the responsibility of conducting the 10 second count.

Who’s Counting!?!

Often a player will secure the ball and either be forced to toss the ball back to his goalie or teammate in his defensive end or after securing the ball in his offensive end, lose the ball. In both cases those counts will continue to run.  Do not assume that a player will satisfy the requirements and that you need not initiate a count! Coaches and players are very aware of how long it has been on a clear and will tell their players to “keep him out!”  If the play goes on for too long, they will start asking “who is counting!?!” Someone on your crew had better have a timer on OR be in the process of giving the ten count.  Be sure to follow the mechanic every time; if you don’t, you are disadvantaging a team by taking away a possession!

If it’s your whistle, It’s your ten-count

If you begin play after a foul, whether loose ball or time-serving in a teams defensive area, a 20-second count begins.  If you begin a play after a foul or a Time Out in a teams offensive area and they HAVE NOT ALREADY SATISFIED the requirement of gaining the attack area or results in a change of possession, the Lead or Trail should begin a new ten-second count begins. It is essential that both officials communicate this to each other before resuming play.  If the play will begin with the ball in the Ally with the Lead, he should begin the count,  otherwise the Trail should initiate the count. A great rule of thumb: if its your whistle, its your ten-count. Remember our long scrum/restart situation!

Counts and Change of Possession

This is one of the most difficult plays to officiate is the change of possession while a count is in progress. In a two man game, the Lead is responsible for the 20-second count and the Lead is most often responsible for the ten-second count.

• If there is a change of possession during a clear and the ball is outside the box, the official who sees the change, should initiate a new ten-second count.
• If there is a change of possession during a ten-second count, the official who sees the change should signal to his partner.

“Reset!”

However, on sudden changes in possession, particular when the ball is loose and there is scrum, the official administrating a  count OR the official who must now initiate a new count can not see the change in possession.   The college mechanics is for officials to raise their arm and twirl their fingers while yelling “Reset!” This lets all officials know a change of possession has occurred  old count ends, new count begins. I stress that this is an NCAA  mechanic, but if you are working with a veteran official you may come across this mechanic.

Mastering  Counts

Mastering the rules and mechanics of counts takes time in the rules book, practice and game experience.  Study, practice, watch games and game film.  Work through situations in your head and talk them out with fellow officials. The time and hard work that you put into truly understanding and properly administering this aspect of the game will elevate you to the next level of your officiating career!

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to contact me.

Play On!

Greg Hite

It is imperative that an official correctly communicate what has happened as well as what will be allowed to happen.  These signals, both verbal and physical, should be smooth, strong, clear and most of all they should be done SLOWLY.  If you move too fast, no one will see what you have signaled.

The five primary facts to communicate are:

1. That the ball has gone out of bounds
2. The clock should stop
3. Which team will be awarded the ball once play resumes.
4. Whether a horn is allowed or not
5. When the ball is live

Hand Up, Strong Whistle

The first fact that must be communicated in both sideline and end line situations is that the ball has gone out of bounds and both play and the clock must be stopped (Rule 4-7).  Thus, the first action is the official raises his hand and blows the whistle.  Be sure that your hand is straight up in the air and that you loudly blow your whistle in a series of sharp staccato blasts.

Point, Yell and Hold

The next piece of information that you must communicate is which team will put the ball in play next.  You want to turn and face the bench side and point in the direction of play.  Who gets the ball depends upon which touched a ball that went out of bounds or whoever was closest to a shot out of bounds with their body not their crosse (Rule 4-6 Art. 2 and 3 and Note).  While who gets the ball is important, nothing trumps player safety so stay focused on the players and be sure that each team has moved away from each other before you signal (e.g. if if there is a two players collide out of bounds on the far side or if a player has been knocked  into the opposing teams bench, stay focused on the players.)

Once you are sure that all is well, you should turn and indicate direction of play.  In addition to pointing, loudly yell the teams color: “Red Ball!”  Do not simply yell out a color.  Ending with “ball” makes it easier for all parties to hear.  Hold your signal for a bit as your partner is probably focused off ball and will need a moment to find you.

Two Hands and Wait 

One key difference with the Sideline Out of Bounds is that a coach may ask for a horn.  In order to let the coach know that the ball, in fact, crossed the sideline you must give the proper signal.  Two hands up indicates that he can ask for a horn.  This is especially important if the ball goes out close to the corner!

20 Second Timer

Wait to see if the horn is blown.  If it is blown, it is the bench side officials responsibility to turn on his 20-second timer.  The bench side official should SLOWLY lower one hand, flip their timer on, and raise your arm again.

There is no rush to get play started again.  You DO NOT need to blow the whistle as soon as the timer goes off.  Instead, make sure that the field is ready for play. This means: Where is the ball?  Is the player in bounds? Are all other players five yards or more away? If you are close to the special substitution area, move the player five yards in .  Do you have the proper number of players on the field? You can count players who exit and enter the field or you can quickly scan the field and count players. Both officials, but particularly the bench side official, are responsible for making sure that there are the proper number of players on the field (R counts home team, U visitors).  This requires lots of practice and a great deal of focus. With time, you will be able to effectively manage this situation.  Once the field is read for play, lower one arm and look to your partner to be sure you both agree that play can be resumed.  

NOTE: On a deep restart you or your partner will need to move down the field and you may need assist each other to restart play. If your partner is giving you the ready for play signal, then you may blow the play in. Never start play if your partner is giving you the stop sign!

No Horn: Quick Restart

If no horn is called for, treat this as a quick restart.  Make sure the field is ready for play, wind it and blow it in.  The only exception is that you must allow the goalie five seconds to return to the crease (Rule 4-6 Art. 3 d).

Hand Up and Keep It Up

Once the ball is out of bounds, raise your hand and blow the whistle.  This often happens on a shot, in which case you do not need to wait for the ball to land.  Once it has crossed the plane of the end or sideline, you may blow it dead.  Be sure that your hand is straight up in the air and that you loudly blow your whistle in a series of sharp staccato blasts.

Point, Yell and Hold

The next piece of information that you must communicate is which team will put the ball in play next.  You want to turn and face the bench side and point in the direction of play.  Who gets the ball depends upon which touched a ball that went out of bounds or whoever was closest to a shot out of bounds (body not stick).  Again, nothing trumps player safety so stay focused on the players and be sure that each team has moved away from each other before you signal. Once you are sure that all is well, you should turn and indicate direction of play.  ( “Goalie Ball!”)  Hold your signal for a bit as your partner is probably focused off ball and will need a moment to find you.

Blowing the Play In

Because the ball will be restarted quickly  it is essential that you keep your hand in the air.  This lets your partner, the coaches and players know that the ball went out on the end line and there may not ask for a horn.

Therefore, you DO NOT need to count the number of players on the field.  All subs in this situation must be done on the fly and will be the responsibility of the Trail.  You do need to make sure that the field is ready for play.  Again, this means: Where is the ball?  Is the player in bounds? Are all other players five yards or more away? If all of these conditions are met, lower your arm, blow the play in (long whistle blast) and wind the clock.

The only exception to a quick restart is that you must allow the goalie five seconds to return to the crease.  In addition, if a player seems to be dawdling on a quick restart picking up the ball, drops the ball and runs away  leaving it for someone else to pick up, you can initiate a visual five second count.  If no one is ready to put the ball in play, you can assess a delay of game and award the ball to the other team.

Mastering this aspect of the game  requires lots of practice and a great deal of focus. With time, you will be able to effectively manage these situations.  Physically master the signals and then practice these sequences all the way through.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to contact me.

Play On!

Greg Hite

You Must complete ALL of these requirements.

1. Take the Class with ALO
2. Work a Field Training with ALO
3. US Lacrosse Men’s Officiating Course (online; see below for more details)
4. Send Certification of Completion of ONLINE course to Greg Hite
5. Verify that you have watched the 2013 Rules Interpretation video.
6. Pass the NFHS Rules Test (you may take this through ALO or US Lacrosse)
7. Pass the US Lacrosse Youth Test (you may take this through ALO or US Lacrosse)
8. Join or Renew with US Lacrosse as an Official (Select LOA: Georgia Youth Lacrosse Officials)
9. Confirm your US Lacrosse number and the address you would like your patch sent to.

All of this information has been sent out to those who have taken the tests on the Canvas system. When you are done with everything, please send an email to ATL.LacrosseRef@gmail.com with your online certification attached and the information above.

Online Course Certification

Click here are the instructions for taking US Lacrosse Men’s Officials Course online course.

Once you have completed the ONLINE course (note this is NOT the class you took with ALO) you will receive an email with a certificate of completion (see image to right).

NOTE: we do NOT need a copy of your test scores IF you took the tests on the Canvas System.  However, if you took the tests on the US Lacrosse website, please have the scores sent to me ATL.LacrosseRef@gmail.com.

Lacrosse Officials Association

Please select Georgia Youth Lacrosse Officials as the LOA when you join or renew as an official with US Lacrosse.  Please note that this not an actual association, but a placeholder to allow us to look at your records and update your certifications.

Working Games

With this email you may begin officiating Youth games. To be assigned games you need to contact the local assignor in your area, usually this is the head coach of the local youth team. Talk to your own coach and visit the Getting Games page on our site for more information.

Email the assignor or the coach and let them know that you are a certified level 1 official and are ready to work. Remember, act professionally and you will be treated professionally.

Remember that you may only to be working two grade levels removed from the grade you are in (ex: 9th graders may only work 7th graders and below).

Questions

If you have any questions, and you will, be sure to contact Gordon or myself. Congratulation and good luck with your season!

Play on!

Greg Hite and Gordon Coresetti

So what does unnecessary mean?  Injuries will occur as a result of physical play and may well occur as the result of legal contact. You will hear fans, players and coaches complain that lacrosse is a contact sport.  Lacrosse is a game of speed and skill and includes a varying degree of physical play.  But the goal of contact should be to  dislodge the ball or redirect the player.  No player is entitled to do bodily harm to another player.  Therefore it is imperative to know what you are looking for and more importantly when to be on the look out for rough play.

There are a number of situations where these hits tend to occur with regularity.

• During an extended loose ball, especially one near the crease. Players are taught to “clear the crease” in the event of a loose ball.  While this usually means employing the “man-ball” technique, with the ball so close to their goal, players often resort to plowing through the scrum and leveling a big hit.

• Late or excessive hits on the shooter:  Remember, the Lead has the goal and the end line   The Trails’ MOST important responsibility is the shooter.

• The Buddy Pass: a pass thrown high or wide to a player or who is lead into the path of an oncoming defender.  IN each case the player is left defenseless.

• The hit on the goalie out of the crease.  We have all heard the crowd bellow “goalie’s out of the crease, get him!”  This is a very difficult situation as an official as it can radically change the tone of the game.  The goalie has no special privileges once he is outside of the crease, but he may not be targeted for injury by the other team.  Contact with the goalie, even legal contact, can incite his teammates to retaliate in order to “protect their guy.”  It is imperative as the trail to watch the entire play. There is no rush for you to get down to the other half of the field.  The Lead has it.  It’s a one man game until you get in position! Make sure that all is well before you move on.

The Unnecessary Roughness foul is written to specifically address this type of contact.  Player safety is the PRIMARY concern for all officials.

This video below demonstrates a classic example of the “buddy pass” and Unnecessary Roughness.

NFHS Rule 5:9 Unnecessary roughness includes the following:

ART. 1 . . . An excessively violent infraction of the rules against holding and pushing.

ART. 2 . . . Deliberate and excessively violent contact made by a defensive player against an offensive player who has established a screening position.

ART. 3 . . . Any avoidable act on the part of a player that is deliberate and excessively violent, whether it be with the body or crosse. This may include a legal body check.

ART. 4 . . . A check delivered with the gloved hand or hands may not be delivered with a punching blow.

Note:  in the 2013 Youth Rules, Unnecessary Roughness is a Non-releasable penalty!

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, feel free to contact me.

Play On!

Greg Hite