Lacrosse Use of Illegal Equipment

Lacrosse is a sport where athletes utilize various types of equipment in order to play. Lacrosse players use equipment such as lacrosse sticks (or “crosses”), gloves, helmets, and different types of padding to play a game. Since player equipment must be both protective and standardized among players, lacrosse officials can penalize players for using illegal equipment that does not conform to the regulations.

Definition

In lacrosse, players are subject to various rules regarding the standards and usage of their equipment. In order to ensure that everyone is using equipment that follows the rules for protectiveness and usage, lacrosse officials often inspect players’ sticks and gear for illegalities and may issue penalties for any illegal findings. Lacrosse officials have the power to perform random equipment checks, usually in the form of stick inspections, and typically do so once during each half of the game. Officials are also present for 30 minutes prior to gameplay to inspect players’ equipment. Lacrosse coaches can request a stick or equipment check for any player on the opposing team; however, there are rules that govern these inspections. Only the head coach can request such an inspection, and it can only occur during a dead ball scenario. Each head coach receives one free inspection that fails to find an illegality; afterward, they may be penalized if they request a second inspection that results in no illegal findings.

There are various forms of illegal equipment violations in lacrosse. The most common is an illegal stick. Lacrosse sticks can be illegal in a number of ways, ranging from being too short or too long to having incorrect measurements in the width of the head to having too deep a pocket. Various tests can be conducted to determine the legality of a stick. These include the table test, the forward tilt test, the lateral tilt test, and the perpendicular tilt test. If a lacrosse stick is found to be illegal for any reason, it will typically be removed from the game in addition to the penalty imposed upon the player, unless the alterations which make it illegal can be easily fixed. Other forms of illegal equipment violations in lacrosse include removing the fingers or palms of the player’s gloves, not wearing a mouthpiece, wearing an illegal uniform, or altering the gloves, shoulder pads, or other equipment in such a way that it loses its protective function. 

Result

In NCAA and US Youth Lacrosse, illegal use of equipment is a personal foul, which is more severe than a technical foul. If a player is found to be using illegal equipment, they will be given a one to three-minute non-releasable penalty, which means that they cannot return to the field until their full penalty time has elapsed, even if a goal is scored. The illegal equipment will also be removed from the game or fixed in order to meet specifications. If a head coach from one team calls for an equipment inspection that fails to find any illegality, after already having called a previous unsuccessful inspection, their team will earn a technical foul. 

Referee Signal

In both NCAA and US Youth Lacrosse, the signal for illegal use of equipment consists of the referee holding up the illegal equipment in one hand, pointing at the offending player with the index finger of his free hand, and then turning that finger inward to point at the illegal equipment. To signal illegal gloves, the referee will use the same signal but point at his hand instead of the illegal equipment. 

Examples

• Player 1, who is not the official goalie of his team, is found to not be wearing shoulder or arm pads during gameplay. As a result, he receives a one-minute non-releasable personal foul.
• Player 2 scores a goal, but prior to the next faceoff, an official observes that he was not wearing a piece of required equipment, such as shoulder or arm pads. The goal still counts, but Player 2 receives a one-minute non-releasable penalty. 
• The head coach of Team A notices that Player 3 of Team B appears to be playing with an illegal stick, and calls for his first equipment inspection of the game. The officials examine Player 3’s stick and find that it is illegal. Player 3 is given a two-minute non-releasable penalty.
• The head coach of Team B, who has previously requested one equipment check on Team A, which turned out unsuccessful, requests another equipment check. The equipment is determined to be legal for play, and Team B has used up all its timeouts. As a result of the second unsuccessful equipment check, Team B receives a technical foul.

Helpful Links

• NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Rulebook | Rule 5 Personal and Expulsion Fouls
• What Makes a Lacrosse Stick Illegal: An Illustrated Guide
• Good, Close or Dang! How to Conduct a Stick Check
• Lacrosse Common Penalties
• Video: Rizzy scores! With an illegal stick . . .

Similar Penalties to Use of Illegal Equipment

• Illegal Stick (Crosse)
• Illegal Procedure
• Mouthguard Violation

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