The 2023 girls' high school lacrosse season is beginning to gear up in various parts of the country, and it appears that some of you have questions about the rules.  Well, our USA Lacrosse rules experts are glad to help.

Our newest FAQ document addresses some of the main questions we are getting about the girls' high school rules, and seeks to provide additional clarification regarding pocket depth on the crosse, play on the draw, self starts in the critical scoring area, alternate possessions, and more.

USA Lacrosse invites coaches and officials to join a free webinar that will provide a preview of the new 2023 girls' high school rules. 

The webinar is on Monday, October 3 at 8 p.m. EDT, and a free registration is required.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) and USA Lacrosse have announced boys’ rules changes that will be effective for the 2023 youth and high school seasons. USA Lacrosse and the NFHS collaborate annually on rule changes. 

Most prominent among the changes are new stick specs, including limiting the size of holes or gaps in the crosse (Rule 1-7-1 Article 4) and eliminating any protrusions or sharp edges (Rule 1-8).

Modifications to the stick check process and an adjustment to the restraining line rule during the administration of the draw were among the changes supported by both the high school girls’ and youth girls’ lacrosse rules committees for the 2023 season. Additionally, sportsmanship, knowledge of the rules, and dangerous use of stick were identified as three points of emphasis at both levels of play for 2023.

Officials, are you ready for the 2022 lacrosse season? 

As the new season approaches, USA Lacrosse has the resources you need to be on the right path for a successful year and for completing your USA Lacrosse Official’s Certification. 

The 2022 USA Lacrosse Certification Rules Exams for both boys' and girls' lacrosse are now online and ready for use. All officials must complete these rules exams for their 2022 USA Lacrosse Officials Certification.

USA Lacrosse is hosting two webinars this month to provide detailed recaps of the boys’ and girls’ high school rules interpretations for the 2022 lacrosse season. Based on the presentations originally showcased at LaxCon 2022, the rule interps highlight the newest rules changes and the points of emphasis for the upcoming season. 

The first webinar session will discuss the boys’ high school rules, with the second webinar focused on the girls’ high school rules. USA Lacrosse’s Caitlin Kelley will serve as the moderator for both sessions. 

USA Lacrosse will begin a series of webinars aimed at officials for the 2022 lacrosse season next week. Kicking off the series will be the following sessions:

Last week at LaxCon, USA Lacrosse presented rules interpretation videos summarizing the newest boys’ rule changes and points of emphasis for the 2022 season. The videos are developed to help prepare and educate the lacrosse community for the upcoming season.

In boys’ youth lacrosse, primary rule changes and clarifications for 2022 are centered on score differential, faceoffs, contact to faceoff players, officials’ timeouts, misconduct fouls, and scoring plays in slow whistle situations. 

The rules of lacrosse are designed to do two things – promote fair play and keep players safe. Each year, USA Lacrosse reviews and updates the rules of the game to ensure that those goals are being satisfied. 

Last week, in conjunction with LaxCon, USA Lacrosse presented rules interpretation videos summarizing the newest girls’ rule changes and points of emphasis for the 2022 season. The videos are developed to help prepare and educate the lacrosse community for the upcoming season.

Dr. Trish Kelshaw, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of New Hampshire, has been involved in three research studies, funded in part by USA Lacrosse, to measure attitudes about women’s headgear among players, coaches, and officials. She presented her findings in a recent webinar hosted by USA Lacrosse.

The first, and smallest, of her three studies was a pilot study with high school players from one team in Virginia. Players were surveyed both before and after one season of headgear use (pre and post), with the following findings from the responses: