major fouls

1. Introduction
In this presentation:
• Introduction
• Rough/ dangerous check
• Check across the body
• Blocking
• Charging
• Tripping
• Illegal contact
• Pushing
• Holding / detaining
• Warding
• Shooting Space
• Three second rule
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

2. Introduction
In this presentation:
• Not all major fouls are in this basic officiating course
• We picked the ten most important major fouls to keep it
simple for starting officials and explain them with some tips
and tricks or examples
• Rule 20 ‘Major Fouls’ in the World Lacrosse rulebook lists all
major fouls
• Again, not all rules are discussed in detail, as they were
already discussed in the course ‘Women's Lacrosse Basic
Rules’
• In each slide explaining the foul the corresponding umpire signal is
shown in the top left picture
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

3. Introduction
Rough/ dangerous check
• The direction of a check must always be away from the body, head
and neck, and must be controlled; not intimidating or dangerous
• Players must not check an opponent’s crosse within the ‘bubble’
• The bubble is the space around
a player’s head from shoulder
to shoulder and a stick head’s
width
• See picture right for the signal
‘checking into/through sphere’
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

4. Introduction
Check across the body
• A player must not reach around or accross their opponent’s body
to check the opponent’s stick when their feet are behind or level
with the opponent, with or without contact
• The defender’s feet must be ahead of the opponent before they
may attempt to reach around/across. This rule does not prohibit a
defender from legally checking from behind
• It is not a rough dangerous check if an attack player checks
themselves when they turn into or force their crosse/body into an
opponents legally held crosse
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

5. Introduction
Blocking
• A defender moves into the path of an opponent without giving the
player space and time to stop or change direction
• When a player is running to receive the ball, a “blind side” defense
player must give her enough time and/or space to change her
direction
• A defender holding this position must be in this position before
the attack player reaches them and they must not extend their
knees or hips sideways to impede, with contact, an attack player
who is changing their path to goal.
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

6. Introduction
Charging
• When a player uses their body or crosse to interfere with and
make body contact with a defender who is in a legal defensive
position.
• The attack player needs to move around, not through, a defender
who is holding their ground / maintaining their legal defensive
position
• A player’s legal defensive position is as wide as their shoulders. It
includes the space in front them, extending as far as the length of
their outstretched arms directly in front of their nominally upright
torso.
• The signal is a more general ‘offensive foul’ signal in combination
with the direction of play sign
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

7. Introduction
Tripping
• A player must not trip an opponent, deliberately or otherwise
• The opponent does not have to fall down
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

8. Introduction
Illegal contact
• A player must not use detain, hold or push against an opponent’s
body, clothing or crosse with their arm, leg or body.
• A player must not use any part of their crosse to hit, push, or
displace an opponent
• A player must not barge, shoulder, push with the hand, back into
an opponent, or force their way through a legal double team
• Unnecessary roughness may follow missed illegal contact when
officals follow the ball and do not watch the players
• Unnecessary roughness is often a sign that a game is getting out of
hand, it needs to be caught early and penalized strictly
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

9. Introduction
Pushing
• Defenders must not interfere with or push the shooter into the
goal-circle or in any other way interfere with the shooter or the
shot
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

10. Introduction
Holding / Detaining
• An opponent must not hold the player’s crosse or body, which
impedes the player’s movement or balance
• This is different than a minor Hold (rule 19.A.14)
• This foul occurs often when the ball carrier is faster than their
defender
• This foul occurs off-ball as well, when defenders try to delay or
detain their opponent from cutting into the marking area (15m)
• The signal mimics the detaining motion
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

11. Introduction
Warding
• A player must not guard their crosse with their arm.
• If one hand is removed from the shaft of the stick an elbow or arm
must not be used to ward off an opponent deliberately or
otherwise, with or without contact
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

12. Introduction
Shooting space
• This rule is in effect only when the attacking team is in possession
of the ball within the MA
• A defender must not block or guard the goal, with any part of their
body for the purpose of obstruction the shooting space.
Obstructing the shooting space denies the attacking team the
opportunity to shoot safely
• A defender is not in shooting space if they are:
• Drawn into and or through the shooting space by an
opponent they are legally marking within a crosse length
(1,5m)
• Standing below goal line extended
• This call should be made only if the ball carrier is looking to shoot
and has opportunity to shoot
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

13. Introduction
Three second rule
• This rule is in effect only when the team in possession of the ball
crosses the ball over the restraining line into their attacking end of
the field
• A defender must not remain in the MA for more than 3 seconds
unless they are marking an opponent within a crosse length.
(1,5m)
• Only one defender may defend the same non-ball player in the
MA
• A defender marking an attack player standing directly behind goal
is exempt from the 3 second rule (mirroring)
• They are however not exempt from shooting space!!
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls