Nassau County Lacrosse Officials Association, Inc.   

FACE-OFF MECHANICS
Presented by: Brendan Wallace-US Lacrosse Certified Clinician

On a face-off, the crosses and the ball should be within the 4-inch wide center stripe or as close as the equipment (ball and crosses) will permit.  The crosses shall rest on the ground along the centerline and be placed parallel to each other, up to, but not touching, the ball.  The reverse surfaces of the crosses shall match up evenly and each player shall have both hands on the handle of his crosse.  The hands shall be on the ground, but not touching the crosse’s head or strings.  Both hands and feet of each player shall be to the left of the throat of his crosse.  The player’s feet may not touch his crosse.  The handle may touch the centerline, but not cross it.  The feet shall be behind the line and not touching it.  No portion of either crosse may touch, and each player shall be positioned so that his entire body is to the left of the throat of his crosse. It is legal to lean over the centerline, but not over the heads of the crosses.  Players may not back out and reset their positions once the official has initiated the face-off positioning.

The ball is placed on the ground at the “X” on the centerline.  The other official shall be positioned at the corner of the offensive box, watching the wing area and restraining line.  The face-off middies shall stand on the same side of the field as the goal they are defending.  After receiving the ready for play from the wing official, the face-off official will indicate to the face-off middies to come “DOWN” together.

When everything is ready, the official will place the whistle in his mouth and point down to the ball with either hand; the other hand points straight up to the sky.  He will take a step or two backwards and stop.  While standing up straight with hand raised say, “SET”.  Remain stationary and then simultaneously sound your whistle and chop your arm.

This face-off procedure, from beginning to end, should take no longer than three to five seconds. 

If there is a violation on the face-off (movement, stick raised. etc.), the face-off official will give several quick blasts of the whistle and announce and signal the violation.  It is illegal to kick or step on the opponent’s crosse.  Good signals must be used to signify the violation.  When a violation occurs on the face-off, the Trail official will ALWAYS put the ball in play.  This is to be done as quickly as possible, but make sure the 5-yard zone around the player with the ball is observed.

When the face-off action begins, the Face-Off official will most likely have the possession call, but depending on where possession occurs, the other official should be prepared to call possession.  The possession call should be a verbal, “POSSESSION”, and visual, with a clockwise wind of the arm.  If the ball crosses the defensive clearing line without possession having been called, the On official shouts “PLAY” and winds his arm in a clockwise motion, thereby releasing players from face-off restrictions.  

If the ball goes directly out of bounds, between the defensive clearing lines, and the officials cannot determine who caused the ball to go out of bounds, there shall be a reface-off.  If the ball goes directly out of bounds after it has crossed the defensive clearing line, and the officials cannot determine who caused it to go out of bounds, officials shall award possession, according to the “Alternate Possession Rule”.