Back in the 1990s, the world of women’s lacrosse changed completely with the imposition of two restraining lines 35-yards from each goal cage, all to keep a maximum of seven field players in the attack end, and seven field players on the defensive end.
Incrementally, the competition surface for women’s lacrosse was changed from an era when the “effective playing area” of the available ground would sometimes change from place to place depending on the shape of the field. In the old days, you could be playing in clearing where trees were in play, or on a multi-use football stadium at a high school where a long-jump pit or a football goalpost could be in play.
Well, in the last 24 hours, Jenny Levy, the head coach of your defending national champion North Carolina and the coach of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s national team, published a six-point post outlining possible future rules changes.
We’re going to break these down, with a look at parallels with other sports, the implications of the change, and our fearless prediction as to whether each will take place.
Eliminate the penalty card system in favor of time-serving penalties.
Where this comes from: ice hockey and men’s lacrosse.
Implications: It may simplify things for umpires, who don’t have to worry about held flags or cards in the pocket, but the types of penalties which can be called in girls’/women’s lacrosse are liable to send parades of players to the sideline.
Chances of implementation: Low; with the number of soccer referees being brought into the umpiring ranks nationwide, having the card system is an easier lift for them.
Replace change-of-possession turnover fouls with a penalty.
Where this comes from: men’s lacrosse
Implications: With the number of minor fouls called every game, there could be an extraordinary parade of players for 30-second technical fouls for, say, draw infringements or an improper self-start.
Chances of implementation: Very, very low with metaphysical certainty. I can’t see this group of rules being scrapped for a new regimen.
Reduce the number of field players from 11 to 9.
Where this comes from: the professional game, UWLX, WPLL, Athletes Unlimited
Implications: The removal of one player from each end of the field per team will open up space and keep defenses from barricading the goal.
Chances of implementation: Medium to high. It would be a safety measure but athletic directors and coaches may not like the fact that four players would be taken off the pitch — and off the roster, perhaps. It may allow for the redistribution of talent; if you took two players off the roster for every college varsity team in America, you could create a couple of dozen more entire teams.
Replace the 8-meter free-position shot with a one-minute penalty
Where this comes from: men’s lacrosse
Implications: In truth, this could send the game back to what it looked like in the 1960s. Without an arc-and-fan, or without the UWLX’s “grapefruit wedge,” you wouldn’t have 8-meter shots.
Chances of implementation: Very low. The 8-meter free position is an instance of great anticipation and tension in a lacrosse game and it needs to be preserved. In truth, I think it is more likely that lacrosse will get rid of the 12-meter arc and implement the professional grapefruit wedge.
Disqualify a player who accumulates five minutes’ worth of penalties.
Where this comes from: men’s lacrosse and basketball
Implications: In truth, the only time that you see a male lacrosse player disqualified from a game for penalties is if the player got into a fight (in which case, the player would be ejected anyway) or a three-minute stick penalty adding to the personal total.
Chances of implementation: Very, very low, with metaphysical certainty. Look around you; do you see players committing five minutes’ worth of minor and major fouls over the course of a game? This is a solution looking for a problem.
Turn the fifth team foul of a quarter into non-releaseable penalty.
Where this comes from: basketball.
Implications: For me, this comes into play in the fourth quarter of a game when players are trying to do anything possible in order to get the ball off an offensive stall.
Chances of implementation: Very, very low, with metaphysical certainty. I haven’t seen very many teams committing five one-minute penalties in a quarter. Again, a solution looking for a problem.
