Women's Field Rules

2004 - 2006 IFWLA New Rules Summary

• Hard Boundaries – Field size will be 100-110m x 50-60m with 9m playing space behind each Goal line. The distance between goal lines may be 92m < 82m.
  • The ball carrier is out of bounds if her foot is on or over the boundary line.
  • A player may not take an active part in the game when her foot/feet are out of bounds.
  • A loss of possession penalty will be called against the team that last touched/had possession of the ball prior to it going out of bounds except for a shot on goal.
  • When the ball goes out of bounds from a shot or deflected shot on goal, the player nearest the ball when it crosses the boundary shall be awarded the ball.
• Restraining Line – Restraining Lines are drawn at each end of the field, 27m from the goal line extended, and shall extend the full width of the field.
  • Eight (8) attack v nine (9) defense players are allowed below / goal side of the Restraining Lines.
  • A Restraining Line violation is a minor foul. The offside is corrected and for the free position, a member of the team that was offside is placed to the side of the player awarded the ball relative to her position when play was stopped.
• Cross-Over Rule – The attack shooter may follow through with her crosse over the Goal Circle line only on a shot on goal.
  • The crosse(s) of the defender(s) marking the shooter may cross over the Goal Circle line only to directly block/check the shooter’s stick on the shot.
  • Players must receive passes outside the Goal Circle. All other Goal Circle rules remain in effect.
• Begin play with the whistle only. Eliminate the arm signal to start play.
• Eliminate the caution on the Draw.
• On a dead ball prior to the last two minutes of play, stop the clock if play has not resumed when the clock reaches two minutes.
• New Major Foul – A player must not use her crosse and/or her body with force in a dangerous and/or intimidating manner, and/or show disregard for the safety of an opponent.
• Dangerous follow-through added to fouls requiring a mandatory Yellow card.
• Carding procedure for Personal/Misconduct Fouls:
  • A player receiving a Yellow card must leave the field for 2 minutes of lapsed playing time. A substitute may take her place.
  • A player receiving a second Yellow card (Yellow and Red card shown together), is suspended from playing for the remainder of the game. Her team must *play short for 5 minutes of lapsed playing time before a substitute may enter the game.
  • A player receiving a single Red card is suspended from the remainder of the game, and her team must *play short for 10 minutes of lapse playing time before a substitute may take her place.
• Carding procedure for Delay of Game and/or Persistent minor Fouls:
  • Green card to Captain (Minor Foul penalty)
  • Green/Yellow card to player who fouled (Major Foul penalty)
  • Green/Red Card card to player who fouled (Major Foul penalty; team must *play short for 5 minutes of lapsed playing time before the player or substitute may enter the game.)
  
  *Teams must play short below / goal side of the Restraining Lines at both ends of the field.

RULE 14: BALL OUT OF BOUNDS

The Umpire shall blow the whistle to stop play any time the ball goes out of bounds.

• When a player has possession of the ball and steps on or over the boundary line, or any part of her body or crosse touches the ground on or outside the boundary line, the ball is out of bounds; and the player shall loses possession of it.
  
  1. A player is in possession of the ball when the ball is on her crosse, and she can perform any of the normal functions of control such as cradling, carrying, passing or shooting the ball.
  
  When any player’s foot/feet are out of bounds, she may not take an active part in the game.
  
  • The opponent nearest the ball shall place the ball in her crosse and stand 4m inside the boundary from the spot where the ball went out of bounds. Play resumes on the whistle.
  • All players shall maintain their same relative field position and relationship to the other players at the time the whistle was blown. No player may reposition herself to gain an unfair advantage. No other players may be closer to the boundary then the player with the ball.
  • The player with the ball must be given at least 1m of free space (stick and feet) by her opponents.
  
  Guidance A:
  A player in possession of the ball, may hang her crosse outside the boundary as long as her foot/feet do not touch the boundary line and still be considered in bounds. An opponent, whose feet are in bounds, is able to legally check the player’s crosse and cause the ball to fall on the ground out of bounds.
  
  When play resumes, possession will be awarded to the opponent of the player who had possession of the ball before the ball hit the ground out of bounds.
  
  When an opponent illegally forces a player in possession of the ball out of bounds, the ball carrier shall maintain possession of the ball when play resumes. The opponent shall be penalized for the foul and may also receive a warning card if applicable.
• When a loose ball touches the boundary line or the ground outside the boundary line, the ball is out of bounds and the following rules shall apply.
  1. The team who last touched the ball before it went out of bounds shall lose possession of it, unless it is a shot or a deflected shot on goal.
  2. When a shot or deflected shot on goal goes out of bounds, the player nearest the ball when it crosses the boundary shall place the ball in her crosse and stand 4m inside the boundary from the spot where the ball went out of bounds.
     
     If two opposing players are equidistant to the ball when it goes out of bounds, A Throw will be awarded to resume play. See Rule 15 ____.
     
     • A shot or deflected shot remains a shot until the ball goes out of bounds, the ball comes to rest on the field of play, a player gains possession of the ball or a player otherwise causes the ball to go out of bounds.
     • Only the official has the responsibility to determine if a thrown ball is a shot.
     
     Guidance B:
     When a shot on goal deflects off the goal post and goes out of bounds at the side line, the ball is awarded to the player who is nearest the ball where it went out of bounds.
     
     When a shot unexpectedly deflects off any player’s stick or body and goes out of bounds, the ball shall be awarded to the player who is nearest the ball where it went out of bounds.
     
     A shot misses the goal and the ball comes to rest on the ground. A player attempts to pick up the ground ball, and the ball goes out of bounds.
     A shot misses the goal and a player unsuccessfully tries to pick up the ball as it rolls toward the boundary and out of bounds. The nearest opponent shall be awarded possession to resume play.
     
• When a ball goes directly out of bounds from a Draw, a Throw shall be awarded 4m inside the boundary from the spot where the ball went out of bounds OR repeat the Draw.
  (ACTION: Countries must determine which solution is best for the game and is most time efficient. In my opinion, it would very hard and one more unpopular umpire judgement issue to try to determine which player last touched the ball in this situation. Another option would be to stop the clock whenever a Draw must be repeated. Repeated Draws will no longer happen that often if we remove the caution from the Draw. If the trail rules pass, the illegal draw will either result in a throw or a free position.)
  
• Whenever the ball goes out of bounds over the end line, play shall not resume within 11m of the center of the Goal Line