WHAT CONSTITUTES AN "ASSIST"????

[Lax_Stats]

It seems to me there is a lot of "stat padding" in the area of the "Assist" category, so I wanted to try and clear up just exactly what constitutes an actual assist. I have attached the link to the 2006 NCAA men's lacrosse rules.

On Page 96 of the 2006 NCAA men's lacrosse rule book, it states as follows:

Uniformity of Records
SECTION 1. To make records and statistics consistent, the following shall be adhered to strictly: (notice the word strictly!)

b. Assists - Any one direct pass by a player to a teammate who then scores a goal without having to dodge or evade an opponent other than the goalkeeper who is in the crease is recorded as an assist. There can be only one assist on any goal scored.

I think a lot of players get confused between assists in hockey and assists in lacrosse. Hockey assists are very liberal being giving to the last 2 teammates who simply touched the puck, including the goalie. Lacrosse assists are very conservative being given to only one teammate and only if the scorer did NOT dodge or have to evade an opponent in any way to score the goal.

For example: A goalie makes a half field pass to a middie streaking across the field who outruns a trailing defender and scores a goal. Does the goalie get an assist on the goal? The answer is "No" as the middie had to outrun the trailing defender thus "evading" him.

I hope this helps to clear up what an actual "assist" is in lacrosse. I know everyone likes to get an assist, but it is important for a player to only take points that they are entitled to and not points that they aren't.


http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2006/ ... _rules.pdf

[PNWLaxer]

Although helpful in quoting the rule that will not help. The guys will still put in assists regardless of what you post. It is the same with saves, we all know that when a goalie stops the ball it is a save. When the goalie does not stop the ball it is not a save.

This same topic was raised 2 years ago when some teams reported assists correctly ie per the rule while others did not.

[Dan Wishengrad]

It is the same with saves, we all know that when a goalie stops the ball it is a save.

Sorry, this is not correct. For it to be a save, the shot would have had to result in a goal if not stopped by the Goalie. Just because a goalie catches, stops, or deflects a shot this does NOT equal a save UNLESS the ball would have gone into the goal otherwise.

By the way, one of our Husky Goalies DID in fact record an assist at the HIT last week. The Goalie threw a long "gilman" pass which was caught by a teammate in the far offensive goal area. The teammate simply turned and shot, resulting in a goal. No dodging or evading of an opponent, assist recorded.

[Lax_Stats]

Well put Dan! And congrats to your goalie on his assist. Those are in fact very rare in lacrosse. Now he has to score a goal too!

[Lax_Stats]

Perhaps the referee's when reporting a goal should add such verbiage as "assisted by # 22" or "There was NO assist on the goal".

[UofMLaxGoalie11]

during my year of keeping books, I considered it an assist if it was a pass which directly resulted in the goal situation with minimal movement. I think thats the best i can put it. granted that there were some cases where it was not particularly true or cases where it was but didnt fit that criteria.

[LAXDawg14]

i always considered once a player catches a pass, they take no more than 2 steps to score....

[Lax_Stats]

I know the "2 step" theory was sort of the "rule of thumb" some years ago. I'm not sure if it actually applies anymore however. It certainly would be easier if an "assist" was re-defined to be a little more like hockey so that a player who truly does assist on a goal gets credit for his part in helping to set up the scoring opportunity in the first place. For example: A goalie who makes an awesome outlet pass to a middie who runs down the field, makes a great pass to an attackman who makes an incredible dodge shoots and scores, should be credited with an assist as should the middie in my opinion. (Can you tell i come from a hockey background?) That outlet pass certainly assisted on the goal as did the middie. Perhaps there is only one assist given due to the size of the field and how hard it would be to keep track of a players action who is 80 yards away on the opposite end of the field. Who knows?

[laxfan25]

Perhaps the referee's when reporting a goal should add such verbiage as "assisted by # 22" or "There was NO assist on the goal".

One of the best things they did was remove the responsibility of the official to report the goal scorer and assist man, if present. It really was a meaningless stat to our game management and avoids lobbying activity by players and coaches. Whatever they want to do in the scorebook (outside of recording the score and penalties) is up to them and their conscience.

[Kojima]

One of the best things they did was remove the responsibility of the official to report the goal scorer and assist man, if present. It really was a meaningless stat to our game management and avoids lobbying activity by players and coaches. Whatever they want to do in the scorebook (outside of recording the score and penalties) is up to them and their conscience.

I disagree. How hard is it for the refs to acknowledge if an assist was or wasn't made - if they're watching the game. Half of the time you've got score girls at the table who have no idea of the proper interpretation of the ruling. Therefore, they often times give out more assists then should be, simply cause you've got stat-padders (coaches and players) wanted to take credit for any point they can. Refs should have the authority to make the official ruling on assists - and keep stats accurate.

[Sonny]

I disagree. How hard is it for the refs to acknowledge if an assist was or wasn't made - if they're watching the game. Half of the time you've got score girls at the table who have no idea of the proper interpretation of the ruling. Therefore, they often times give out more assists then should be, simply cause you've got stat-padders (coaches and players) wanted to take credit for any point they can. Refs should have the authority to make the official ruling on assists - and keep stats accurate.

Harder then you think with all the other responsibilties we have on the field (counting, offsides, personal fouls, staying with the ball (if its in your primary area), etc.

The recording of an assist stat has nothing to do with the final outcome of a lacrosse game. The refs shouldn't be involved with this at all.

[laxfan25]

One of the best things they did was remove the responsibility of the official to report the goal scorer and assist man, if present. It really was a meaningless stat to our game management and avoids lobbying activity by players and coaches. Whatever they want to do in the scorebook (outside of recording the score and penalties) is up to them and their conscience.

I disagree. How hard is it for the refs to acknowledge if an assist was or wasn't made - if they're watching the game. Half of the time you've got score girls at the table who have no idea of the proper interpretation of the ruling. Therefore, they often times give out more assists then should be, simply cause you've got stat-padders (coaches and players) wanted to take credit for any point they can. Refs should have the authority to make the official ruling on assists - and keep stats accurate.

As Sonny said, it has no impact on the game, and I can tell you that it is sometimes a challenge just identifying who it was that scored - as a clump of players is jumping up and down congratulating each other. On a 3-man crew, the goal official is focused on the crease, and may not even be watching the exhange of passes at the top of the box. I do go back to an era when the refs DID report assists, and it was the incessant whining from players and coaches that caused them to take away that responsibility. (Besides, next you'll be wanting us to yell out "Save!" so that those don't get padded either. )

[Kojima]

The recording of an assist stat has nothing to do with the final outcome of a lacrosse game. The refs shouldn't be involved with this at all.

of course the recording of an assist has nothing to do with the final outcome of the game - but if you're going to keep stats, you might as well keep them consistent, or they're meaningless. quite frankly, i don't care either. but i just think 1) ref's should call an assist (not even the number, they can ask for that, just whether an assist was warranted) or 2) it's made clear what an assist is. even on this board with guys who've played lax for years, they aren't in agreement on the interpretation. ie. no dodge or evading, two-steps, quick stick, etc..

[Kojima]

(Besides, next you'll be wanting us to yell out "Save!" so that those don't get padded either. )

personally i don't care about stats. i've always said big players make big plays in big games. kids can run up stats in meaningless games etc, but if they don't come through in the clutch i'm not impressed. it's pretty easy to tell the all-americans from the all-conference players. i'm just suggesting ways to improve the collection of stats...

[Sonny]

The recording of an assist stat has nothing to do with the final outcome of a lacrosse game. The refs shouldn't be involved with this at all.

of course the recording of an assist has nothing to do with the final outcome of the game - but if you're going to keep stats, you might as well keep them consistent, or they're meaningless. quite frankly, i don't care either. but i just think 1) ref's should call an assist (not even the number, they can ask for that, just whether an assist was warranted) or 2) it's made clear what an assist is. even on this board with guys who've played lax for years, they aren't in agreement on the interpretation. ie. no dodge or evading, two-steps, quick stick, etc..

Can you name another sport at any level where the referees keep stats?