3v3 Lacrosse (“Chumash”) Rules
For Sammamish Shoot-Out(tm) 2009
GAME
OVERVIEW
Two teams of three players each play the game. Each team may have up to 2 additional players (5 total) as substitutes - you will want substitutes. Players are not allowed to use long or goalie sticks. Short sticks must be legal length for division (40-42”, 37” minimum for players 6 grade and under). Heads must be NFHS legal.
A single goal will be set up in the middle of the field. The objective is for each team to score on its respective side of the goal. Goals are unprotected, with no goalie, keeping the speed and intensity of the game very high.
THE GOAL
The single, two-sided goal in the middle of the field is 6 feet high by 1 foot wide. A goal is scored when the ball hits the net or when the ball hits two posts before bouncing away from the goal. Goals may be scored only by the team on offense.
TIME (Sammamish Shoot-Out 10 minute halves)
A 3v3 LAX game consists of two 10-minute running time halves. After a 3 minute halftime break, the two teams change sides for the 2nd half. There are no time outs.
SUBSTITUTIONS
Substitutions can be made anytime during the course of the game. The outgoing and incoming players must touch sticks while at least one of the two players is off the field; outgoing player must immediately exit playing area. Substitutions can happen anywhere around the perimeter of the field, providing they do not interfere with games at adjacent fields. Substitution violations will result in a Technical foul.
EQUIPMENT
Boys Required: Water, Stick (short), Mouthguard, Helmet, and full legal Pads
Girls Required: Water, Stick, Mouthguard, and Eyewear
All Recommended: Sunscreen, cleats, snacks
THE
FIELD
The 3v3 Chumash Lacrosse field is 50 yards long by 25 yards wide, with the single goal anchored in the middle of the field. There are TAKE BACK lines that are 20 yards from the goal line in each direction and extend the width of the field.
There is an elliptical RESTRICTED AREA that extends 10-12 yards in both directions from the goal line. At the goal line, the RESTRICTED AREA is 6 yards wide. The RESTRICTED AREA reduces gradually in width as it moves further from the goal.
There is a 5 yard LIMIT LINE surrounding all sides of the Chumash field. No spectators are allowed within these five yards of the end lines and sidelines. No spectators are allowed between fields where less than 15 yards separates the fields from one another.
GETTING STARTED
The designated away team will choose which side of the goal is theirs to start the game. [Boys] A face off will start each half, and will restart play anytime the ball is unreachable in the inner crease (see below). For the face off, the ball is placed approximately half way between the goal and the sideline. Face-off players’ sticks run parallel to the length of the field, the butt end of the stick pointing to that player’s TAKE BACK line. One wing player for each team must be behind the Take Back line on each end. The official starts the face off as in a 10v10 game. The possessing team must take the ball back behind their TAKE BACK line. For the second half, the face off positions are reversed, but the same side of the field is used. There are no inner crease violations until the possessing team gets the ball back to their TAKE BACK line. [Girls] A coin toss will determine which team gets possession of the ball to start the game. The team that wins possession will put the ball in play from behind their TAKE BACK line. The other team gets first alternate possession, normally possession after half.
PLAYING THE GAME
Each team can use the entire field (see “STALLING” below) and there are no offsides. However, a goal can only be scored from a team’s designated side of the field. A shot by a team on their opponent’s side of the goal will not score a goal and play will continue per these rules.
When there is a clear change of possession, the team with the ball must pass or carry the ball behind the TAKE BACK line on their side of the field before they can begin attacking the goal. If a team fails to pass or carry the ball beyond the TAKE BACK line before shooting, the ball will be awarded to the other team immediately, and there will be no goal allowed. The TAKE BACK line does not establish a “safe” zone.
After a goal, the ball goes to the team that did not score, and must be carried back behind that team’s TAKE BACK line. Play resumes when the ball reaches the TAKE BACK line.
If the ball goes out of bounds, from either a shot or pass, the ball is awarded to the opposing team of the player who last touched the ball (like basketball).
Lines are “hot”. Side lines are out of bounds. Crease lines are a part of the crease.
Chumash is designed to be as self-regulating as possible to enhance the joy of playing, and to make it easy to play a real game of lacrosse anytime, anywhere. Sammamish Shoot-out will provide field officials to call fouls, but as we all seek to Honor the Game, players are also expected to call “own fouls.” If a call is disputed, alternate possession will be used (for boys, the team that lost that half’s face-off will be awarded first alternate possession. The game was created to be fun and to teach skills and sportsmanship. It is the kind of game we can use to invite the world to play lacrosse with us. Anybody can play. We run Sammamish Shoot-out in this same spirit.
THE SMALLER (“Inner”) CREASE
There are two creases, the first is a regular lacrosse goal crease with a nine-foot radius. The goal is centered inside this circle. There is no goalie and it is illegal to "guard" the goal in Chumash. No one is allowed in the smaller/inner crease. An inner crease violation is a technical foul, and no goal can be scored while the offense is in the inner crease. There are three exceptions: (1) During face-offs, before the possessing team clears the ball to their own TAKE BACK line, no inner crease violations will occur; (2) A shooter is pushed into the inner crease during or after a shot; (3) The scored-upon team enters the inner crease to retrieve a ball after a goal. Players MAY NOT enter the inner crease to retrieve a ball that is down and stopped in the inner crease. If no players can reach the ball, the official will [Boys] initiate a face-off, or [Girls] award the ball based on alternate possession. A shot blocked by a defender violating the inner crease will be scored as a goal for the offensive team (Goaltending).
THE LARGER (“Outer”) CREASE
The second crease uses the same arc as the inner crease. The top of the arc is 10-12 yards from the goal line. Players may move through this larger crease with or without the ball. They may not stop nor may they shoot from inside either crease. Players can "dive" while shooting and land in the outer crease, but they may not land in the inner crease – ever. Doing so will nullify any goal and possession is awarded to the other team.
A player may catch a pass inside the larger crease, step completely out of the crease, turn and shoot.
Crease lines “hot” and are therefore a part of the crease.
Players may not defend from inside the outer crease. A shot blocked by a player in the outer crease will be considered a technical foul, the ball will be awarded to the shooting team, and the defending team will serve a technical foul penalty.
STALLING
At all times during the game, the team with the lead must promptly clear the ball to its own TAKE BACK line. In the last 2 minutes of the game, the team with the lead and in possession is also required to keep the ball between their TAKE BACK line and the Goal line extended. Stalling violations are loss-of-possession fouls.
OTHER GAME PROCEDURES
There are no rules governing time for ball advancement other than the stalling rule, above.
The 5 yard (1 meter for girls) rule strictly enforced on inbounds play, interference, etc.
The integrity with which you play brings honor to the game.
LOSS-OF-POSSESSION FOULS
A change of possession will occur on illegal screens, warding off, withholding the ball, stalling, and offensive CREASE AREA violations.
TECHNICAL FOULS
Technical fouls are interference, holding, pushing, and defensive CREASE AREA violations. A technical foul will result in a “man down” situation and the offending player will go to the sidelines and remain there until one of the following events have occurred:
a) The opposing team has taken one shot.
b) The offending player’s team gains possession of the ball.
c) The opposing team scores a goal.
Play continues while the offending player is leaving the field.
PERSONAL FOULS
Personal fouls are illegal body checking, slashing, tripping, and cross-checking, based on age-division appropriate interpretations. One-hand checks are personal fouls in all youth divisions. A personal foul will result in a “man down” situation and the offending player will go to the sidelines and remain there until one of the following events have occurred:
a) The opposing team has taken two shots.
b) The offending player’s team gains possession of the ball.
c) The opposing team scores a goal.
Play continues while the offending player is leaving the field.
EQUIPMENT PENALTIES
Mouthguards are required. A player entering or playing on the field without a proper mouthguard in his/her mouth will be assessed a Technical Foul.
[Boys] NFHS Rule suspension: The “covered pad” rule is suspended for the Sammamish
Shoot-out.
Unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and illegal equipment (sticks, gloves, pads) will result in the offending player serving two consecutive personal fouls. The offending equipment will be maintained under the control of the field official and will not allowed back on the field for the duration of the game, even if repairs are made to correct the offense.
PLAYER
SUSPENSIONS, EJECTIONS
Any player receiving 3 personal fouls or 2 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in one game will be suspended for the rest of that game and for the game immediately following. Players suspended from two games will be ejected from the tournament.
SAMMAMISH SHOOT-OUT TOURNAMENT RULES
· Lightning, Juniors & Seniors: One-handed checks are slashes by definition, and a personal foul will be called.
· All pool games on all fields will start and end at the same time, starting promptly at the top and bottom of every hour.
· Tie games are allowed in pool play
· Playoff games must have a winner
o Successive 3 minute sudden-death periods until there is a winner
o 30 second break between OT periods.
o [Boys] Face off determines first possession.
o [Girls] Alternating possession; first OT possession determined by AP continued from regular game.
· Coaches
o Chumash is designed to be player-run, and as such, there will be no coaches allowed on the players sideline during the play of the game.
o Adult coaches may meet with teams at halftime and between games, but must be completely clear of the field and sideline at the start of the period.
o A single coaching violation will result in a technical foul and a warning to the coach. A second coaching violation will result in a forfeit of the game with a 1-0 score recorded against the offending team.
o Exception: A single adult is allowed on the players’ sideline for Lightning (3/4), with the duties restricted to managing substitutions. No in-game coaching.
o In case of an injury where the player cannot return to the sideline on his/her own power, the field official will ask for no more than two coaches/parents to come assist the injured player.
o Other than what is specifically spelled out here, coaches are spectators and will adhere to the LIMIT LINE rules outlined above.
· Captains
o At the beginning of each game, the team captain will report to the field official
o Only captains may talk to field officials while the game is in process.
o [Girls] The captain of the away team (will be designated each game) calls the coin flip.
· Team composition
o Grade levels are from the 2008-2009 school year (spring 2009 season). For example, an eighth grader in 2008-2009 plays in the Sammamish Shoot-out Senior (7/8) division.
o Players may choose to play up. Playing up is discouraged at all levels.
o Players may not play down. Honor the Game. Violations will result in 1-0 forfeits of all games for the offending team.
o Teams must have at least 3 players and may have no more than 5 players. No exceptions. There will be no changing of personnel on any team once the team has checked in for registration. No exceptions – even injuries, emergencies, etc.
POOL PLAY and PLAYOFF SEEDING
· All divisions will be organized into one large or an even number of pools of 3-6 teams each.
· Each team will play up to three games in pool, and will not play the same team twice in pool play. Some cross-pool play may be required to provide enough games.
· Playoff seeding follows this formula, taken in order
o Overall best win/loss percentage in pool play
o Head-to-head
o Fewest average goals allowed per game.
o Still tied? Coin flip seeds playoff position. If tie is 2-way for the last play off spot, there will be a play-in mini-game of one 5 minute period with successive sudden victory 3-minute overtime periods until a winner is determined. If the tie is 3- or 4-way for last slot, the playoff brackets will be expanded to include tied teams.
· Playoffs are single-elimination
o Overtime periods are 3-minute sudden victory. [Boys] Face-offs start each period. [Girls] Alternate possession carries forward from the regular game.
· Teams are guaranteed 4 games, one of which may be a consolation game.