NFHS Allows for 90-Second Possession Clock in Girls’ Lacrosse

Has stall ball officially stalled out?

The NFHS announced rule changes for the 2027 high school girls’ lacrosse season Friday, most notably clearing the way for state high school associations to adopt a 90-second possession clock.

“The implementation of a possession clock has been a topic of conversation within high school girls’ lacrosse over the last several years,” said Barb Martinichio, chair of the NFHS Girls’ Lacrosse Rules Committee. “The rules committee has been monitoring the New York State Public High School Athletic Association’s 90-second possession clock experiment over the past two years and with overwhelming state association support for state adoption, the committee felt this was the next step in the evolution of the game to support the development of the student-athletes.”

The NFHS stopped short of mandating the possession clock nationwide, instead giving states the option to implement the measure to help reduce stalling and increase the pace of play. At the college level, the NCAA has utilized a 90-second possession clock since 2017. Several private school leagues followed suit shortly thereafter.

This was one of 10 changes approved by the NFHS Girls’ Lacrosse Rules Committee at its June 15-17 meeting in Indianapolis. All recommended changes were later approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.

Among other changes, the NFHS:

• Clarified that a stick’s pocket must be attached directly to the head through stringing holes, aligning with USA Lacrosse standards and eliminating non-integral stringing that can create a competitive advantage.
• Revised a rule that now explicitly states that players may not switch sticks with another player on the field or receive a stick from the bench area during live play without properly entering and exiting through the substitution area. Stick changes remain permitted after a goal is scored and during timeouts.
• Starting in 2031 will require that home teams wear white jerseys.
• Addressed crosse inspection ensuring the ball is mobile from sidewall to sidewall on the front and upper third of the back of the pocket.
• Now allows players suspected of injury to remain in the game when it is determined that no health-care provider or coach is needed to enter the field and attend to the player.
• Established guidance for when a goal counts following the release of a shot before the horn ending the quarter or overtime period.

“The rules committee prioritized creating equitable and fair rules around stick stringing and exchange rules, improving pace and game flow while creating consistency with other NFHS rules codes,” said Lindsey Atkinson, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Girls’ Lacrosse Rules Committee.

A complete listing of the girls’ lacrosse rules changes can be found here.