YOUTH JAMBOREE Lacrosse Tournament Rules

by

USClubLax Staff

Jun 19, 2021

YOUTH JAMBOREE Lacrosse Tournament Rules

Scoring and Time

  • Refs keep time on field
  • Table keeps penalty time and score

COVID SPECIFIC

  • Masks are optional
  • 1 spectator per player

Tournament Play – Pool Play

  • 2 – 23 minutes halves
  • 4- minute halftime
  • No Timeouts
  • No Overtime- Games can end in a tie
  • NFHS Rules (boys)
  • USL Rules (Girls)

Tournament Play - Playoff Rules

  • 2 – 23 minutes halves
  • 4-minute halftime
  • Playoff Games…
    • Teams are awarded (1) 1 minute time-out per team in Regulation Time
    • The clock will stop. Timeout does NOT roll over to OT. No timeouts in OT
    • Timeout can be called when the team calling the timeout is in possession of the ball, anywhere on the field
    • Overtimes will begin immediately and be decided by sudden victory. OT will have a Running Clock on all whistles. First goal scored wins the game.
  • Challenge Matches…
    • If game ends in a tie, teams can choose to end game in a Braveheart (both teams must agree) to decide a winner rather than end in a tie
      • Braveheart will be 3v3 plus a goalie for each team
      • 1 player for each team (can be goalie) must stay on the defensive end of the field, 3 can go forward
    • No Overtime for Challenge Matches.

Boys Rule Specifications

  • Table personnel will keep penalty time
  • Referees will keep game time
  • No stick checks unless refs think a stick is outrageously illegal
  • 4 pole maximum on the field
  • 5 goal mercy rule at discretion of the losing team, they may elect to take the ball at midfield or faceoff
  • 20 seconds to clear half field, 10 seconds to enter the offensive box
  • Last two minutes of the game, the team in the lead must clear the ball in 20 seconds, get the ball into the box in 10 seconds, and then keep the ball in the box
  • The clock will stop at or under 2-minutes in each half (Playoffs Games Only)
  • If a team leads by 8 or more goals, there will be no start/stop time under 2 minutes in either half. Instead, the game will continue to operate with a running clock. If the score changes to less than an 8 goal differential at any point during the final 2-minutes of either half, the clock goes back to stop clock.
  • 2020 NFHS Rules Apply
  • No One handed checks for youth age groups

EJECTIONS

  • Game ejections are handled by the referees
  • Tournament ejections are handled by the tournament director (2 unsportsmanlike conduct penalties warrant ejection or 1-game suspension)

Girls Game Rules – 2021 US Lacrosse Rules

  • Free movement will apply to all ages- the allowance for free movement by players on a whistle or stoppage of play
  • Full checking at HS Levels
  • CARDS:
    • 2 yellow cards for 1 player – player is ejected for the remainder of the game, but may play the next game
    • Red card for 1 player – player is ejected for the remainder of that game. Officials & Tournament Director will determine if the player will be allowed to play any remaining games.
    • If a team accumulates 4 or more cards in a game they do NOT have to play a player down the remainder of the game.


  • If final game whistle is blown at the end of time and a free position is being awarded in the critical scoring area – the game will continue until the scoring play is over. The free position show will be awarded as one shot, no passes, no follow up shots. Please refer to your USL Youth Rulebook for specific rules on your age division
  • The clock will stop at or under 2-minutes in each half (Playoffs Games Only)
  • The clock will stop on each whistle during the last 2 minutes of each half (Playoffs Games Only)
    • If at 2 minutes or under time period for either half of the game and a team has a lead of 10 goals or more, then the game clock will remain a Running Clock. If the score changes to less than a 10 goal differential at any point during the final 2-minutes of either half, the clock goes back to stop clock.
  • RULES OF PLAY: • 2021 US Lacrosse/NFHS Rules will be used for High School divisions. •US Lacrosse U14 rules will be used for the 7th/8th Grade division. •US Lacrosse 12U rules will be used for the 5th/6th Grade division. • 8 Meter Shots at the end of a period: if the period horn sounds before an 8- meter can be taken, the shot can be played out. Once the ball changes possession or the goes out of bounds, the period will end. • MERCY RULE - Applies to the 5 th/6th division when there is a four (4) goal deficit in pool play, not in playoffs. Teams down by four (4) or more goals will get a free position on the center line after each goal. The Mercy Rule will not be applied in playoff games. GAME FORMAT • All Games will start promptly at the assigned times • Two running time halves; running clock with a direction change at halftime. • All games are 12v12 • Halftime will be two (2) minutes • The first alternate possession will always go to the team in the light-colored uniform. • One (1) 30-second timeout per game per team; Clock does not stop therefore timeouts cannot be called in the last four (4) minutes of the game. • Continuous Clock, which will be kept by the field coordinator/referees • Referee can stop the game for any reason that he/she feels fit. Examples include serious injury, game equipment issues, weather, etc. • The official score will be kept by both the table staff and the game officials. The staff and referee will confer throughout the game and stoppages to ensure the correct score. Coaches from both teams are responsible for verifying and signing the score at the end of each game. • All Substitutions are made according to US Lacrosse regulations. • Red Card eliminates a player from the rest of the game AND THE NEXT GAME. Team also plays down for remainder of the game (Excludes Middle School/Youth divisions). • Two (2) Yellow Cards are the equivalent to a Soft Red Card and that player is eliminated from the remainder of the game. This does not include the following game but is at the discretion of the tournament director. • BALLS – Game balls will be provided by the Field Coordinator at each field and will remain at the fields. • The appropriate equipment and mouth guards must always be worn. • Officials and Tournament Directors have final say on interpretations and rulings.

EJECTIONS

  • Game ejections are handled by the referees
  • Tournament ejections are handled by the Tournament Director

RANKINGS:

  • WIN – 3 points
  • Loss – 0 points
  • Tie – 1 point

Tie Breakers

  • If 2 teams are tied with points:
    1. Head to Head
    2. Goals Against TOTAL
    3. Goals Against Common Opponent. If multiple common opponents, take the sum.

  • If more than 2 teams tied with points:
    1. Goals Against Total
    2. Goals Against Common Opponent (only used if all teams played common opponent. If multiple common opponents, take the sum)
    3. Coin Toss/Randomly Generated

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