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• Small Side (3v3) LAX is designed to be as self-regulating as possible to enhance the joy of playing and to make it easy to play a real game of lacrosse anytime, anywhere.

  • –  There will be a referee, but you also need to exhibit sportsmanship and fair play. If a call is in question, use a system of alternating possessions.

  • –  The game was created to be fun and to teach skills and sportsmanship. It is the kind of game we can use to invite the world to play lacrosse with us. Anybody can play.

• ▪  Two teams of three (3) players each play the game.
  – Each team may have up to 2 additional players (5 total) as substitutes. You will want

  substitutes. Players are not allowed to use long or goalie sticks.

• ▪  Short sticks must be legal length for division (40-42”, 38” minimum for Juniors).

• ▪  A goal will be set up at each end of the field.

  • –  Goals are unprotected, with no goalie, but a Rage Cage or Target Net will be installed,

    keeping the speed and intensity of the game very high.

  • –  Rally Scoring (No Face Off after scores, but the non-scoring

  • team will get the ball from the net and get possession.)

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How It Works

THE GOAL

Standard 60” Lacrosse goals with Rage Cage or Target Nets will be installed (No Goalie)

TIME - 12 minute halves +30 second TOs

Two 12-minute running time halves.

• After a 5-minute halftime break, the two

  teams change sides for the 2nd half.

• Each team is allowed one 30 second

  timeout per game (the game clock will

  remain running during the timeout).

• Timeouts are not permitted with 3

  minutes or less remaining in each half.

  SUBSTITUTIONS

  Substitutions can be made during the course of the game through a substitution box (5 yards on either side of the midfield line). Substitution violations will result in a technical foul.

 

EQUIPMENT, FIELD & FACEOFF

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

Boys: Stick, Mouthguard, Helmet, and Pads (shoulder, rib, and forearm as desired)

THE FIELD

• The 3v3 LAX field is 50 yards long by 30 yards wide, with each goal anchored in a crease at each end of the field.

• There will be a midfield line and creases 9’ diameter, 5 yards from the end line.

• Wing Lines will also be on each side of the midfield line, 3 yards from the sideline.

  GETTING STARTED

  A face-off will begin each half, with the other players on the wing lines. (Only 2 faceoffs will occur in each game)

  

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PLAYING THE GAME

• NO OFFSIDES - Each team can use the entire field and there are no offsides.

• “Hot Rule” - A goal can only be scored in a team’s designated goal after at least

  ONE PASS is complete on that side of the field.

  • A shot that is made into the goal by a “Not-Hot” team is not a score and will

    result in a change of possession.

  • If the ball goes out of the Offensive side of the field, it is no longer “Hot”

    and another pass must be completed to make it “Hot” upon return to the

    offensive zone.

• OUT OF BOUNDS - If the ball goes out of bounds, either from a shot or pass,

  the ball is awarded to the opposite team of who last touched the ball.

• THE CREASE

  • There are two creases, a regular lacrosse goal crease with a 9’ radius.

  • The goal is centered inside this circle.

  • There is no goalie and it is illegal to "guard" the goal.

  • No one can go in the crease unless the ball is down in there. Then, the

    defensive side players may pick up the ball, and leave the crease by the most direct route. Failure to do so will result in a technical foul and loss of possession.

 

OTHER GAME PROCEDURES & FOULS

There are no rules governing time for ball advancement, etc.
5 yard rule strictly enforced on inbounds play, interference, etc. The integrity with which you play brings honor to the game.

LOSS-OF-POSSESSION FOULS

A change of possession will occur on illegal screens, warding off, withholding the ball, and offensive CREASE AREA violations.

 

TECHNICAL FOULS

Technical fouls are interference, holding, pushing, and defensive CREASE AREA violations. A technical foul will result in a “man down” situation and the offending player will go to the sidelines and remain there until one of the following events have occurred:

a) The opposing team has taken one shot.
b) The offending player’s team gains possession of the ball. c) The opposing team scores a goal.

PERSONAL FOULS

Personal fouls are illegal body checking, slashing, tripping, and cross-checking, based on age-division appropriate interpretations. Any touch or “brush” of an opponent’s head or face with a stick or arm is also an automatic personal foul. A personal foul will result in a “man down” situation and the offending player will go to the sidelines and remain there until one of the following events have occurred:

d) The opposing team has taken two shots.
e) The offending player’s team gains possession of the ball. f) The opposing team scores a goal.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY & PARTICIPATION

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

• All players must register with Big Walnut Lacrosse and maintain a US Lacrosse Membership.

• Players will be divided into age groups based upon registration.

  PARTICIPATION

• Each week players will play one night per week.

• Teams will be divided into teams of 3, 4, or 5 members to

  ensure parity of talent/experience each night.

• The night will include 30 minutes warm up/practice instructed

  by High School/Middle School players and overseen by

  program coaches. The players will serve as coaches.

• Each team will then play 2 games, switching opponents for

  the 2nd game.

• The duration of the night will be 90 minutes, with the

  expectation that each player is ready to play (Fully Equipped) at the beginning.

Shoot-Out Tournament & Schedule

SHOOT-OUT TOURNAMENT RULES

• All pool games on all fields will start and end at the same time.
• Tie games are allowed in pool play.
• Playoff games must have a winner.
• Successive 3-minute sudden-death periods until there is a winner. • 30-second break between OT periods. No TOs.

• Alternating possession; first OT possession determined by coin flip.

SEASON/SCHEDULE

• The season will be 6 weeks, during May & June, and will begin the week of May 20th and end the

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week of June 23 . Memorial Day will be skipped.

• The 1st 4 weeks will have players broken into teams to provide random parity. In the last 2 weeks, there will be a “Coaches Draft” based upon how players have developed through the season. Coach draft order will be at random from drawing #’s from a hat to set the order.
• Round Robin Style - 1 Point will be awarded to the winning teams for the 1st 3 games of the playoff set. After 3 games, the 2 teams with the most points will play for the Championship Match, on the final night of play. (Ties will be determined by head to head then winning margin.)

It's easy.