Minor fouls

1. Introduction
In this presentation:
• Minor fouls
• Covering
• Empty stick check
• Illegal body ball
• Goal circle violation (by the attack)
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

2. Introduction
Minor fouls
• Less serious in nature: usually someone trying to gain a small
advantage by the breach of a rule
• Not all minor fouls are in this basic officiating course
• We picked the four most important minor fouls to keep it
simple for starting officials and explain them with some tips
and tricks or examples
• Rule 19 ‘Minor Fouls’ in the World Lacrosse rulebook lists all
minor fouls
• Again, not all rules are discussed in detail, as they were
allready 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. Not all minor fouls have individual
signals!
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

3. Introduction
Covering
• A player should not cover a ground ball with any part of their body
or stick, so it prevents an opponent from making a legal play on
the ball
• If the ball is close to a boundary line and there are no other
player near, then covering is allowed as it does not prevent
other players from legally obtaining the ball
• This may happen on purpose, but also on accident. Make the call
anyway
• It helps you as a beginning official to make calls
• It lets players know you are in control or the situation
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

4. Introduction
Empty stick check
• A player checking an opponent’s stick while they are trying to gain
possession of the ball (but don’t have possession yet) and thus
failing to legally check the stick
• A player does not need to be in possession or control of the
ball before her Crosse may be checked: when a player’s stick
is in contact with the ball an opponent may check the stick
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

5. Introduction
Illegal ball of the body
• A player must not touch the ball with their hands or any part of
their body
• Most commenly players kick the ball on purpose, hence the signal
tapping on the foot while signaling the direction of play
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls

6. Introduction
Goal circle violation (by the attack)
• Attacking players are not allowed to enter the goal-circle or have
their feet grounded in or on the goal-circle line
• An attack player may play a ball within the goal-circle but they
must not:
• Step on / in goal-circle to play the ball on a shot
• Step on / in goal-circle before the ball passes the goal-line
• Initiate contact with the goalkeeper or a defender
• Cause a defender to make contact with the goalkeeper
• Interfere with the goalkeeper or her crosse in any way
• The signal for a goal circle violation is the same wether the attack
or defense makes the foul. However, the foul is set up as a minor
foul when the attack commits a goal circle violation
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
FOULS
video
Minor Fouls
Major Fouls
Misconduct and Warning Cards
Execution of Penalties
Simultaneous Fouls