Boys' Youth Lacrosse Rules

The National Federation of State High School Association's (NFHS) 2013 Boys Lacrosse Rules Book shall govern US Lacrosse boys youth play, except as amended below. The US Lacrosse Men’s Game Committee has approved these exceptions to the NFHS Rules. Send questions about the US Lacrosse Rules for Boys Youth Lacrosse to the US Lacrosse Men’s Game Rules Subcommittee at boysyouthrules@uslacrosse.org. Please do not contact NFHS about the following rules.

Overarching Principle
The game is to be played with emphasis on the proper development of individual stick skills, team play, player safety, and sportsmanship.

Age and Eligibility Guidelines
US Lacrosse establishes eligibility guidelines in order to promote the game of lacrosse among the youth of America in a safe and sportsmanlike environment. To best achieve this goal, US Lacrosse believes that leagues, associations, and other organizers of youth lacrosse should seek to provide playing opportunities that, as much as possible, establish a "level playing field" among players of similar age, size, and ability.

Age and Eligibility Guidelines are not considered "game-day rules" and are not enforced as game-day rules by officials. Exceptions to age divisions cannot be made on game day and all coaches must adhere to classifications as determined by their league or association.

League and Association Play
Leagues and associations should organize competition by age, and consider physical, cognitive, and emotional maturity when grouping players. For leagues or associations in which some local programs choose to organize their teams by grade, those teams should play in the age division determined by the oldest player on their roster. Players who are participating in any high-school level program such as a high school freshman, JV-B, junior varsity, varsity or club team should not be eligible for U15 competition in the same season. This means that a player who is age-eligible for U15 but plays on a high school level team should not concurrently play on a youth league U15 team. At other times of the year this player may be U15 eligible, for example, for summer ball or fall ball play, depending on the guidelines of the sponsoring league or organization.

► Click here to read more about Age & Eligibility Guidelines
► Click here for the full breakdown of 2013 US Lacrosse Boys Youth Rules (PDF)
► Printable Field Diagram (PDF)


 
 

Changes and Modification

NFHS rules and the supplemental rules are reviewed annually by the US Lacrosse Rules Committee, which may adopt any of the changes or modifications deemed necessary to ensure the safe play at all levels.

Any comments or suggestions by coaches or officials regarding the Rules for Boys’ Youth Lacrosse must be submitted in writing before June 1 for consideration by the USL Rules Committee. Any changes or modifications that are approved by the committee will be effective for the Boys’ Youth Rules in the 2013 NFHS rules book.

Please send all comments or suggestions regarding the Rules for Boys’ Youth Lacrosse to:  boysyouthrules@uslacrosse.org, or to:
 
USL Boys’ Youth Rules Committee
c/o US Lacrosse
113 W. University Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21210-3300
410-366-6735 (fax)