Catonsville Youth Lacrosse

MYLA LEAGUE STRUCTURE

The Catonsville Lacrosse Club, is a member of the Maryland Youth Lacrosse Association (MYLA) and plays under the MYLA rules.

MYLA has 4 conferences:

Tykers Age 6-7-8

Lightnings Age 9-10 (not less than 7)

Midgets Age 11-12 (not less than 9)

Juniors Age 13-14 (not less than 11)

Age Determination
- A player’s age prior to December 31 of the coming season is the age in which the player shall play. For example, in the Spring 2008 Outdoor season, a player’s age is his age as of Dec 31, 2007. The program chairperson of each program is responsible for the eligibility certification of their registered players. Birth certificated are the standard from of age verification in the Association. This is why we need a copy of the player’s birth certificate.

Players - The tykers have the option of playing 7 man or 10 man games. The 7 man tyker games can be played on a smaller field. Volunteer or paid officials may be used in the Tyker division. Tyker coaches may be on the field of play and participate if agreed upon by both teams.

Conference Alignments
- The Lightning, Midget and Junior leagues are divided into A, B and C conferences with the strongest teams in the A division, next strongest B, and least strong C. The Midget and Junior division have AA.

Spectators
- No parent should be on the bench side of the field at all. Only coaches and players on the roster may be in the team area. One warning by the game official and then an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty will be assessed to the offending team.

Equipment
- NCAA rules apply, with the following exceptions:

1. Stick length for Tykers and Lightning may be 36”-72”

3. Shoulder pads are mandatory (football pads are illegal on field players).

4. Arm pads are mandatory for ALL players (including goalie).

5. Gloves must cover entire hand.

6. Furthermore, crosses in which the pocket has sagged to such a depth that it has become difficult for an opponent to dislodge the ball and crosses in which the construction or stringing at the bottom is designed to withhold the ball from play also are prohibited. The pocket shall be deemed to have sagged too deeply if the top surface of a lacrosse ball, when placed therein, is below the bottom edge of the side wall (this prohibition does not apply to the goalkeeper’s crosse).

Length of Time of Play

Tyker - 10 minute running clock, with regulation clock the last two minutes of game if score is within 2.

Lightning - 10 minute running clock, with regulation clock the last two minutes of game if score is within 2.

Midget - 8 minute regulation clock.

Juniors - 10 minute regulation clock

There will be an automatic stall warning in effect during the last 2 minutes of regulation play.

Time Outs- Tyker, Lightning, Midgets, and Juniors - 2 time outs per half

Penalties - NCAA rules apply with the following exceptions;

Tykers may substitute for offending player (who will serve the penalty).

All one handed checks shall be called a slash (whether contact is made or not) and the player shall be assessed a penalty.

Four Goal Rule- This rule applies to all leagues and conferences. If a team is behind by 4 goals, the face-off is suspended. Face-offs shall continue at the beginning of each quarter.

Minimum Play-

Substitution - A horn for substitutions may be requested on any out of bounds ball. No horns for substitution may occur: for inadvertent whistles, officials time-out, and non-time serving penalties.

Bleeding
- Any player who is bleeding must leave the field, and have the injury immediately tended to with cleansing agent and bandage. The player may return with approval from coach.

Facing Off
- Play shall be started at the beginning of each period and after each goal by facing the ball at the center of the field. (Exceptions: (1) In the event of an extra-man or flag-down that creates an extra man at the conclusion of any period, the next period shall be commenced by awarding the possession of the ball to the team that had possession of the ball at the conclusion of the prior period in the same relative position on the field. The official shall place the ball on the ground in the center of the 4-inchwide line. The players shall stand on the same side of the field as the goal
each is defending. The official shall indicate to both players to assume their
respective positions at the same time by saying “down.” The crosses and
gloves shall rest on the ground along the center line, parallel to each other
up to, but not touching, the center line. The official shall make certain that the reverse surfaces of the crosses match evenly and are perpendicular to the ground. Each player must have
both hands wrapped around the handle of his own crosse, touching the
ground. The right hand may not touch any part of the head of the crosse. The
player's feet may not touch his crosse. Both hands and feet of each player
must be to the left of the throat of his crosse. Each player must be positioned
so his entire body is to the left of the throat of his crosse. It is legal to lean
over the center line.

Out of Bounds
- Play shall be suspended at any time when the ball is out of
bounds.

a. Player in possession, When a player with the ball in his possession
steps on or outside a boundary line, or any part of his body or crosse
touches the ground or any object on or outside a boundary line, the ball
is out of bounds; and the player shall lose possession.
The ball shall be awarded to any player of the opposing team who is
ready immediately to resume at the point where the ball was declared
out of bounds. On any restart, no player may be within 5 yards of the
player with the ball.

b. When a loose ball goes out of bounds as a result of a shot or deflected
shot at the goal, it shall be awarded to the team that had an inbounds
player nearest to the ball when it became an out-of-bounds ball, at
the point where it was declared out of bounds.

Offsides
- A team is considered offside when:

a. It has fewer than three men in its attack half of the field (between the
center line and the end line).

b. It has fewer than four men in its defensive half of the field (between the
center line and end line). This includes the Goalie

c. This is also in effect when a team is a man down due to a penalty e.g. if an attackman must leave the field to serve a penalty, then a midfield player must move up to attack so the penalized team has 3 players in its attack half of the field. This also applies should a defender have to leave the field to serve a penalty

Body Checking
- Body checking of an opponent in possession of the ball or
within 5 yards of a loose ball, from the front or side above the waist and
below the neck, is legal.

Checking With Crosse
- A player may check his opponent’s crosse with his own
crosse when that opponent has possession of the ball or is within 5 yards of
a loose ball or when the ball in flight is within 5 yards of the player.

Offensive Screening
- Motionless offensive screening of an opponent is legal. (Setting a pick is legal)

Goal-Crease Privileges
- Within his own goal-crease area, the designated goalkeeper
has the following privileges and protections:

a. The goalkeeper may stop or block the ball in any manner with his
crosse or body. The goalkeeper may block the ball or bat it away with
his hand, but he may not catch the ball with his hand. However, if the
ball is outside the crease, the goalkeeper may not touch it with his hand
even if he is within his crease. The goalkeeper or any other player of the defending team may receive a pass while in the crease area.

b. No opposing player may make contact with the goalkeeper or his
crosse while the goalkeeper is within the goal-crease area, regardless
of whether the goalkeeper has the ball in his possession. An attacking
player may reach within the crease area to play a loose ball as long as he
does not make contact with the goalkeeper or the goalkeeper’s crosse.

c. Any portion of the crosse of the goalkeeper extended outside the
cylinder of the crease area, but not the goalkeeper’s body, is subject to
being checked under the same circumstances as the crosse of any other
player, except when the ball is in the crosse.

Final Two Minutes of Regulation Play
- During the final two minutes of regulation play, offensive stalling
rules shall be in effect. The team that is ahead shall be warned to
“keep it in” once the ball has been brought into its respective attack areas.