New Stick Check Rules?

by **Dulax31** on Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:48 pm

Do you like the new stick check rules?

**Sponsor**

by **LaxRef** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:36 am

Just a bit of a quibble: there are no new stick check rules. There is a new mechanic for stick checks, which does a better job of complying with the spirit of the rules. This stick check was instituted at the request of the NCAA rules committee, but it is entirely consistent with the old rules.

The only new rule this year about stick checks that I can think of is that now if you score a goal and then adjust the crosse after the official asks for it, the goal comes off the board in addition to the 1:00 USC penalty. This was formerly only the case in NFHS lacrosse.

But I think the new procedure is going to accomplish the goal of getting the illegal sticks off the field provided no one buckles to pressure from prominent NCAA coaches and changes it. And it seems obvious to me that a great way to win some games this year is to make sure your whole team is legal so you get 3:00 NR man-up situations instead of playing 5-on-5 or man down for 3:00 NR.

by **Duffy34** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:46 am

actually there are new stick check rules. the rule is that there have to be AT LEAST 6 stick checks per team per game. The rules for the sticks are still the same. its a good rule that will get illegal sticks off the field but it has slowed the games down that I have seen. great refs should not be noticed at all so i think the refs should try and do it at the right times without slowing/stopping the game. all in all it is good that there is an attempt to get illegal sticks off the field.

by **LaxRef** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 2:04 am

Duffy34 wrote:actually there are new stick check rules. the rule is that there have to be AT LEAST 6 stick checks per team per game. The rules for the sticks are still the same. its a good rule that will get illegal sticks off the field but it has slowed the games down that I have seen. great refs should not be noticed at all so i think the refs should try and do it at the right times without slowing/stopping the game. all in all it is good that there is an attempt to get illegal sticks off the field.

Like I said, there is no new rule here, it's a mechanic. The rules are what's in the rulebook, and you won't find anything in the rulebook mandating at least 6 checks per game. However, the mechanic—how we go about enforcing the rules as officials—has been changed. The new mechanic is consistent with the old rule.

As a player, it might feel like a rule change, but technically, it's not. Had officials done 6 checks per team per game last year at random times, that would have been entirely within the rules, but they would have been using a nonstandard mechanic (which is usually a bad thing).

by **Dulax31** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 12:28 pm

laxref,
leave it to you to get all technical....haha

by **Champ** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:59 pm

So do you like it or not, less technical more answering the question.

by **LaxRef** on Thu Mar 01, 2007 3:18 pm

Champ wrote:So do you like it or not, less technical more answering the question.

Um, I thought that's why I voted in the poll.

Anyway, I like it. There's no excuse for having an illegal stick, and getting the illegal sticks out of the game can only be good. A hidden motivation behind all of the new stick procedures (more checks now, new dimensions in 2009) is to try to avoid a shot clock. If the defense has a decent chance of getting the ball back, they won't need a shot clock; it will also result in safer play since people won't have to beat on each other so hard to have a chance to dislodge the ball.

by **jzzl15** on Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:23 am

by **TexOle** on Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:37 am

First of all never touch a stick when it has been removed from the game. I will also never show a measurement or what is illegal with a stick. It is bad news from the start for reasons mentioned in previous posts.

I would also advise against arguing rules with LaxRef. He knows all 7 rules better than anyone I know. I might not like the mechanic change, but I will ref like I am instructed.

by **bste_lax** on Sun Mar 04, 2007 3:55 am

You also had me until:

our team has a bit of a reputation for getting the shaft by refs sometimes because we come from a religious background.

Was that really necessary?

by **jzzl15** on Sun Mar 04, 2007 11:21 pm

bste_lax wrote:You also had me until:

our team has a bit of a reputation for getting the shaft by refs sometimes because we come from a religious background.

Was that really necessary?

You're aboslutely right and i apologize for that. I must've still had some adrenaline built up from the game.

by **WaterBoy** on Mon Mar 05, 2007 10:26 am

In the games I've seen so far, I don't think it's provided much of a halt in the action. At least from my observations, when the officials know when they're going to do a stick check (i.e. they communicated well with each other before the game), they go right at it and on two occasions now, I have seen them perform checks before a team is ready to face off.

I like the rule (or I guess the mechanic), as I think it adds incentive to teams to make sure they have their equipment compliant. I wouldn't be surprised to see fewer and fewer stick penalties as repeat offenders start to "learn."

by **Duffy34** on Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:13 pm

the one thing the lacrosse world needs is to get together and discuss this. the warrior series new heads, like the evolution and revolution come out of the factory already ILLEGAL. in a way this is not fair for warrior to do. I know its their pro series but if they are going to make thier heads already illegal then they should just offer them to the MLL players who i dont think ever get stick checks. also just a tip for anyone who has these heads. if you shove a baseball in the bottom of the head and leave it there over night for a few nights the stick will slowly bow out and become legal. the baseball is jsut a little bit bigger than the lax ball and worked for me so far.

by **Beta** on Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:33 pm

Duffy34 wrote:the one thing the lacrosse world needs is to get together and discuss this. the warrior series new heads, like the evolution and revolution come out of the factory already ILLEGAL.

What (specifically) was illegal about them? I have an Evo Pro (from last year) that is legal so you're saying the 2.0 series are illegal?

by **LaxRef** on Mon Mar 05, 2007 12:42 pm

Duffy34 wrote:the one thing the lacrosse world needs is to get together and discuss this. the warrior series new heads, like the evolution and revolution come out of the factory already ILLEGAL. in a way this is not fair for warrior to do. I know its their pro series but if they are going to make thier heads already illegal then they should just offer them to the MLL players who i dont think ever get stick checks.

The way this is supposed to work is for everyone who buys one of these sticks and discovers that it's illegal to return it, and for people to stop buying equipment from that company. But instead many people prefer to blame the officials for making the call instead of blaming the equipment company or blaming the coach who certified to the official that he personally inspected all of the equipment and that it was all legal.

BTW, I seem to recall hearing that there are equipment checks in MLL and that the coach gets ejected if an illegal stick is found (heard secondhand, but from a colleague who is an MLL official). However, I also recall hearing that the minimum head width is much smaller for the MLL (maybe 4.5" or 4"), so it's less of an issue there.