This document provides an overview of basic positioning and procedures for officials in women's lacrosse. It discusses the roles and responsibilities of the lead (A), deep trail (B), and center/trail (C) officials in covering different areas of the field and transitioning between attacking zones. The officials aim to form a triangle around the ball and watch for on-ball and off-ball fouls. It also covers positioning for draws, goals, and the off-field official.

1. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
In this presentation:
• Introduction
• Boundary coverage
• Settled play
• Transition
• Draw
• Rotation after a goal
• Off-field official positioning
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

2. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
• You have to be in the right spot at the right time to see the foul,
goal, out of bounds ball etc.
• Being in the right spot at the right time can also help to prevent
fouls
• Players will adapt their behavior when an official is near them
(or too far away from them)
• Being well-positioned helps your credibility as an official
• Calling a crease violation from 2 meters vs 15 meters away,
which is more believable?
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

3. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
• Positioning basics:
• There are designated positions for on field umpires
• Lead (A), Deep Trail (B) and Center/ Trail (C) umpire
• Positions are not fixed
• Positions are not linked to certain officials
• You are there to watch the players
• Don’t watch the game as a spectator would
• Do not watch the ball all the time
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

4. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
Lead umpire (A)
• Always in front of the play / ball
• When the ball crosses one line, the Lead needs to be at the
next line
• Covers the goal and Advantage Flag Area
• Covers on-ball fouls on her side of the field
• Covers off-ball fouls on her side of the field
• Covers the end line
• Makes the goal call
• On transition, the Lead turns into the Deep Trail (B)
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

5. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
Deep trail umpire (B)
• Always behind the play / ball
• Supports the Lead umpire in midfield transitions/ fouls
• Looks for off-ball fouls around the marking area and in the area
where the ball is
• Oversees the entire area in front of the goal, before AND
after a goal is scored
• Checks for off-side situations
• On transition, the Deep Trails turns into the Lead Umpire
• The Deep Trail should be aware that when play goes the
other way, it is their responsibility to cover the other team’s
goal area
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

6. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
Center/ Trail umpire (C)
• Sets up the draw
• ‘Escorts’ play across the field from marking area to marking area
by being at the same height as the ball
• Is responsible for on-ball fouls at their side of the marking area
• Is responsible for off-ball fouls at their side of the marking area
• Is responsible for their entire sideline boundary
• Assist the Lead umpire with calls in the ‘coffin corner’ of the field
at the end line
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

7. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Introduction
• Symbols used in course and exam:
• Official:
• Players:
• Ball:
• Player in possession:
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS
1
7
6

8. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Boundary coverage
• A is responsible for covering:
• Goal line (blue in next slide)
• Goal circle (blue in next slide)
• Endline nearest to A (blue in next slide)
• C is responsible for covering:
• Sideline nearest to C (purple in next slide)
• B is responsible for covering:
• Sideline nearest to B (green in next slide)
• Officials should always strive to be positioned on the line when
the ball crosses that line
• Especially the A umpire on the endline, since there is a high
probability of contested shots going out of bounds
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

9. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Line coverage
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS
A
B
C

10. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS
Settled play
• Settled play refers to play around the goal
• There are three tasks that need to happen during settled play
For level 0 umpires however, the main focus of each position is explained in
the following sheet. They do need to be aware of the shared responsibities
when the ball moves around the goal circle.
What: looking for Where By whom
On-ball fouls The ball is A / C
Off-ball fouls The ball is B
Off-ball fouls The ball is not A / C

11. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Settled play
• Lead umpire (A): green
• Covers goal line and has the responsibility to call goals
• Restarts play after a foul in the Advantage Flag Area
• Covers the crease and calls crease violations
• Focus is on-ball when the ball is in the marking area
• Towards L1 umpire: Focuses more on off-ball fouls when the
ball is on the C-side of the marking area (see blue in picture)
• Trail umpire (C) purple
• Covers off-ball fouls when the ball is at the A-side (see green)
• Focuses on-ball fouls when the ball is at ‘their side’ of the
marking area (see blue in picture)
• Helps out A covering the crease and crease violations
• Deep Trail umpire (B) blue
• Watches for off-ball fouls
• Keeps notice of possible off-side fouls
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

12. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Settled play
• The On-Field Officials position in such a way that they form a
triangle around play / the ball
• Officials should never be stationary for a long time
• Move in and out as the play / the ball does
• A and C should be as close to play as they can be without
losing sight of players, no players may be behind them
• B should be around the restraining line, she needs to be in a
position where she can be at the opposite goal as quickly as
possible when play goes the other way
• The lines in the picture are the lines of movement for
officials, how they come into settled play from a transition
and move around
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

13. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Transition
• When an attacking team loses the ball, the opposing team will
attack the other half of the field, and officials need to move
• A will become the new B
• Always moves behind the ball
• Supports the new lead with midfield setups as the new A
hurries towards the other goal
• B will become the new A
• Needs to be at the other goal as quickly as possible
• Will temporarily have their back towards play / the ball
• Trust C and new B to call penalties behind A
• C will stay C
• If transition is because of a clear of the goalie, C waits at
the intersection of midline and sideline (not shown on
next slide)
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

14. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Transition
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

15. Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Transition
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS
‘Coffin corner’ : shared
area between A and C
Shared area: umpire
closest by will set up foul

16. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Draw
• Postioning before the draw:
• Officials are positioned in a triangle around play/ the ball
• One official conducts the draw (C)
• Is positioned at the center of the field
• Two other officials watch surrounding players (A and B)
• They are positioned close to the restraining line
• They watch for players:
• Crossing the center circle before the whistle
• Crossing the restraining line before release is called
• Both fouls shall be called as minor fouls
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

17. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Draw responsible areas A and B
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
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18. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Draw
• Positioning after the draw:
• Depending on which teams wins the draw, play will move to
one of the goals
• If the ball goes out of bounds before possession is called,
a throw will be set up
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

19. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Procedure after a goal
• After goal (and officials’ goal procedure) A picks up the ball
• C moves to the center of the field, near the restraining line
• When A is picking up the ball, C watches the players
• B oversees the entire situations and relays/ confirms the scorer
and assist to the 4th umpire
• When A has the ball, A rolls it over to C
• C will go and conduct the draw
• A and B will go back to their positions around the restraining line
• After this entire rotation, everyone is in position for the draw
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

20. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Rotation after a goal
• After two goals are scored (and officials’ goal procedure) is
completed all the On-Field Officials rotate clockwise
• A/B > C
• C > B/A
• B/A > A/B
• The 4th umpire stays the 4th umpire
• See the next slide for the rotation
• The red lined circles are the new positions
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

21. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Rotation after goal
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS

22. video
Play of the Game
Basic Positioning
Basic Procedures
Off-Field official positioning
• During play the off-field official positions in such a way that off-
field official can see both the entire line of the substitution area as
well as players coming off the field
• The off-field official stands in front of the time/score table at
the side furthest away from the half of the field that play is
on, so they do not block the view of the table personnel
• Off-field official moves to the opposite side on transition
• Checks in with A/B passing by for time left in the quarter
• During draws off-field official stands on the imaginary midline
• Moves to appropriate settled play spot depending on
which way play goes after the Draw
Women's Lacrosse Basic Officiating
BASICS