Lacrosse fouls and penalties explained

Why fouls exist

Lacrosse is a fast game with sticks, a hard rubber ball and running players, so the rules about fouls are mostly about safety and fairness. A foul is a rule break. The referee blows the whistle, stops or adjusts play, and the rules decide what happens next. Most whistles in youth games are not about anyone being mean. They are about kids learning where the lines are.

If you have not yet read the basics, start with lacrosse rules for beginners. This guide goes a step deeper into what the whistle usually means.

Two rule sets, two styles of fouls

As with most things in lacrosse, boys' and girls' play handle fouls differently, and youth leagues often adjust things again for younger ages. Always check your league's own rules.

• Boys' lacrosse separates fouls into two broad groups. Personal fouls are the more serious ones, usually involving unsafe contact, and they often send the offending player to a penalty box for a period of time. Technical fouls are procedural rule breaks, and they typically lead to a change of possession or a short penalty, depending on the situation.
• Girls' lacrosse also groups fouls by seriousness, often calling them major and minor fouls. After a foul, the offending player usually has to move back from the player with the ball, and the other team gets a free chance to restart play. Some leagues use cards for the most serious or repeated cases.

How long a penalty lasts, and which fouls count as which type, varies by level and league, so ask your coach for your league's version.

Common contact fouls

These are fouls that involve contact with a player or a stick. The names are standard lacrosse vocabulary, but the exact way they are called depends on the rules in use.

Slashing

Swinging a stick at an opponent in a way the rules do not allow, such as hitting a player's body or hands instead of legally checking the stick.

Cross-checking

Hitting an opponent with the shaft of the stick between the hands, a foul under boys' rules.

Illegal body check

Contact that breaks the rules, such as hitting a player from behind or hitting the head or neck area.

Holding and pushing

Using the hands, arms or stick to grab or shove an opponent.

Tripping

Using the body or stick to make a player fall.

Dangerous stick play

Reckless swings or follow-through, a particular focus in girls' lacrosse, where stick checks near the head are tightly limited.

Common procedural fouls

These are not about dangerous play. They are about doing things the way the rules require.

• Offsides in boys' lacrosse means a team has too few players on one side of the field or too many on the other when play is on.
• Illegal procedure covers a range of small mistakes, such as setting up incorrectly at a restart or an illegal substitution.
• Crease violations involve stepping into the crease where the rules do not allow it, or touching the ball with a hand outside the allowed area.
• Interference means blocking an opponent who does not have the ball in a way the rules do not allow.
• Warding is using a free hand or arm to keep a defender away from the ball carrier in boys' lacrosse.
• Shooting-space fouls in girls' lacrosse involve a player stepping into the path between a shooter and the goal, and charging involves running into an opponent who has already set their position.

What happens after a whistle

1. The referee signals the foul, often with a hand signal, and may tell the players what was called.
2. Play is stopped or, if the team that was fouled still has the advantage, the referee may let play continue briefly.
3. The fouled team gets the ball or a free position, and the player who committed the foul may have to move back or sit out for a period of time.
4. The team with an extra player on the field is sometimes called man-up, and the team a player down is playing short-handed.

If your child's team keeps drawing the same call, that is a coaching opportunity, not a crisis. Ask the coach what the referee is seeing and whether there is a small technique fix.

Working with officials

Referees at youth games are often young themselves or volunteers. They are trying to keep the game safe and fair. Players should listen, respond calmly, and leave questions to the coach. Parents on the sideline help the most by staying quiet about calls and letting the coach handle any concerns. A good habit is to read the sideline etiquette guide together before the season starts.

For vocabulary, the lacrosse glossary covers words like crease, clear and man-up, and the lacrosse guides page collects everything else.

Teaching safe play at home

• Practice stick checks only as the coach teaches them, and never at a teammate's head or neck.
• Remind players to keep their stick controlled, and to keep it away from other players' faces.
• Talk about why safety fouls exist. Players who understand the reason tend to play more carefully.
• Praise a good defensive play where the player stayed legal and still won the ball.

This guide is general information. Rules differ by league, age group and level, so ask your coach or league for the rules your team follows.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a personal and a technical foul?

In boys' lacrosse, personal fouls are the more serious ones, usually involving unsafe contact, while technical fouls are procedural rule breaks. The penalties for each vary by level and league.

What does man-up mean?

It means one team has an extra player on the field because the other team has a player serving a penalty.

Do girls' lacrosse players get penalties too?

Yes. Girls' lacrosse has major and minor fouls, and the offending player usually has to move back while the other team restarts. Some leagues also use cards.

Should parents argue with referees?

No. Leave questions about calls to the coach, who can talk with officials or the league calmly after the game.