Title: Canadian Lacrosse
 1Canadian Lacrosse Association
Let the games begin 
 2Home Bench
Visitors Bench
2-Man System
R1Crew Chief
R2 Assistant Referee 
 3Home Bench
Visitors Bench
3-Man System
The section on the Technical Referee starts on 
slide 21 onward. 
R2 Assistant Referee
R3 Technical Referee
R1 Crew Chief 
 4N.O.C.P. The use of the three zones coverage for 
each Official is the most effective mechanic we 
must all use to achieve team work and consistency 
throughout the game.
LEAD REFEREE Zone 1 the far side of the crease 
is your first look. Zone 2 back up the floor is 
your second look. Zone 3 in front of you, at the 
net. This enables the Referee to have an area of 
maximum coverage. When the ball is in the corner 
turn and watch the play. Pivot and turn to stay 
out of the play. Your Partner the TRAIL REFEREE 
must cover your back in this situation. The use 
of the 3 zone/area mechanic is a must to make the 
2 man system work. TRAIL REFEREE Zone 1 the 
far side of the floor across from you is your 
first look. Zone 2 down the to the crease on your 
side is your second look. Zone 3 in front of you 
is your third look. This enables the Referee to 
have an area of maximum coverage. When the ball 
is in the corner watch the play that your partner 
can not cover. You must help your Partner you 
must cover his back in this situation. 
 51
Lead Referee Lead Referee standing in position 
3 Lead Referee with the 1,2,3 positioning. 1st 
look across the crease. 2nd look up the 
floor 3rd look in front of him. When the ball is 
in play behind him/her the Lead Referee pivots to 
face the corner.
2
3 L.R. 
 6Trail Referee Trail Referee standing in position 
3 Lead Referee with the 1,2,3 positioning First 
look across the floor to 1 Second look down the 
floor to 2 3rd look in front of him to 3 
 Continue in this pattern. Any plays in the 2 
corner or on his side if the crease are his call. 
 When the ball is behind Lead Referee cover the 
front of the goal for him/her.
2
3 T.R.
1 
 7The Ball is in the corner
While the ball is in the corner the Lead Referee 
shall turn to cover the area behind him. The 
Trail Referee shall cover a larger area than 
during normal dynamic play. The Trail Referee 
shall watch the rest of the floor and keep all 
players in his view. 
 8N.O.C.P. The use of the three zones coverage for 
each Official is the most effective mechanic to 
achieve team work and when a new procession or 
technical violation occurs a rotation may be 
necessary, before the ball is placed back into 
play.
LEAD REFEREE The Lead Referee must move to the 
ball to have a presence to restart play. When the 
ball out of bounds in the corner, place a new 
ball in your hands and point direction, award the 
ball stay out of the play and blow whistle to 
 start play. Your Partner the TRAIL REFEREE must 
cover your back in this situation, until play is 
in a settled situation. The use of the 3 
zone/area mechanic is a must to make the 2 man 
system work. TRAIL REFEREE The Trail Referee 
may have to move to the ball to have a presence 
to restart play. When the ball out of bounds in 
your area , place a new ball in your hands and 
point direction, award the ball stay out of the 
play and blow whistle to start play. When the 
ball is in the corner watch the play that your 
partner can not cover. You must help your Partner 
you must cover his back in this situation. 
 9ball
End Zone Shift With this procedure the L.R. is 
going to the ball to restart the play. T.R. 
switching sides. 
T.R.
L.R. 
 10ball
T.R
End Zone Shift With this procedure the T.R. is 
going to the ball to restart the play. L.R. 
switching ends. 
L.R. 
 11LR.has a penalty shot call. L.R. records it and 
moves to the face off circle. T.R. moves to the 
net. 
T.R
L.R
L.R 
 12N.O.C.P. Opening Face off The Official starting 
at centre conducting the opening face off at all 
periods shall be designated the Senior Referee. 
 The Assistant Referee shall take up a position 
away from the players benches or on the Penalty 
Bench side of the floor. He / she shall have one 
foot on the centre part of the floor and the 
other foot in the end closest to where he / she 
will cover. This face off mechanic shall take 
place throughout the game. 
 13Face off Official faces the goal just scored on 
or the score board at the start of each period.
Outside Official takes up a position in the 
center zone so he can cover both ends if needed 
off the face off. 
 14Face off Official faces the goal just scored on 
or the score board at the start of each period. 
In this situation he should back up to cover the 
face off and the lines for infractions
Outside Official takes up a position outside the 
center zone so he can cover the players setting 
up in one end. 
 15Face off Official faces the goal just scored on 
or the score board at the start of each period. 
Outside Official takes up a position close to the 
side boards at the center zone so he can cover 
the players setting up in both ends. 
 16N.O.C.P. Starting play after penalties in the 
 Face off Circle The Referee starting play at 
centre face off circle is the Referee which 
assessed the Penalty. The other Referee shall 
take up a position at the net on the Players 
Bench side of the floor, or away from the 
penalty bench side. 
 17L.R. slides down the floor to the team that was 
assessed the penalties goal 
L.R
L.R
T.R
T.R
T.R. makes the penalty call and records it at the 
penalty Bench then sets up at centre to start 
play. 
 18LR.has a penalty or a penalty shot to assess. 
 L.R. records it and moves to the face ff 
circle. T.R. moves to the net. 
T.R
L.R
L.R 
 19L.R.
T.R.
Restarting play After a penalty the Trail 
Referee shall start play with the ball inside the 
centre face off circle. 
 20LR.has a penalty shot call. L.R. records it and 
moves to the face off circle. T.R. moves to the 
net. 
T.R
L.R
L.R 
 21The Technical Referee 
 22Home Bench
Visitors Bench
3-Man System
R2 Assistant Referee
R3 Technical Referee
R1 Crew Chief 
 23The Crew for National Championships
Assistant Referee
Crew Chief
Technical Referee
The Standby Referee in National Championships 
 24REFEREE ROTATION FOLLOWING A GOAL FACE OFF 
PROCEDURES   (LEAD REFEREE) Immediately following 
the scoring of a goal, the Lead Referee shall 
stop play with his whistle and raise both arms 
into the air to signal the scoring of a goal. 
Prior to retrieving the ball from the goal the 
Lead Referee shall observe the players in and 
around his area, making sure it is safe to 
retrieve the ball. The Lead Referee shall observe 
the Technical Official to make sure he is 
watching the players and that he is in position 
to assist if needed. The Lead Referee shall now 
retrieve the ball from the Goal. Once the ball 
has been retrieved the Lead Referee shall advance 
the ball to the center area of the floor and hand 
the ball off to the Technical Official. The Lead 
Referee shall rotate his position and move to the 
Trail Referees end of the floor if necessary. He 
shall position himself away from the Teams bench, 
which was just scored on. He shall ready himself 
and the players for the face off. (TECHNICAL 
OFFICIAL) Immediately following the scoring of a 
goal the Technical Official shall move into the 
Center part of the floor by the restraining line 
in the end the goal was scored and observe the 
players. The Technical Official shall wait for 
the Lead Referee to hand off the ball to him and 
will place the ball on the center dot. He shall 
observe the players move into position or take 
their place in the Players bench. He will then 
face the benches and observe the remainder of the 
line changes. (TRAIL REFEREE) Immediately 
following a goal, the Trail Referee shall 
position himself in front of both benches and 
observe the line changes. He shall hold his 
position until the Technical Official is in a 
position to observe the benches and it is safe to 
leave and take up his face-off position. He shall 
position himself away from the Teams bench, which 
was just scored on. He shall ready himself and 
the players for the face off. The Referees shall 
rotate to switch ends as necessary. The rotation 
should be made so there will not be a Referee in 
front of the Teams bench, which was just scored 
on. The rotation should be made with common sense 
in mind. If goals are scored close together, back 
to back, in a short period of time and there was 
no apparent conflict, close call, or protest, the 
rotation in this situation may be as simple as 
switching sides, not ends or no rotation at all. 
Consistency is what we want to achieve and 
rotating ends will help us to be as consistent as 
possible in both ends for both teams. 
 Immediately following a goal, the game clock 
will stop. The timekeeper shall, on the face-off 
whistle, restart the game clock. The 
Referees/Technical Official shall endeavor to 
achieve a face-off between the two teams as soon 
after ten (20) seconds as reasonably possible 
(ten (10) to fifteen (20) seconds).  Should one 
team be prepared to face-off before the other 
team, the Referees/Technical Official must warn 
the other team. If the warned team fails to 
comply with the Referees/Technical Official 
request, possession will be awarded to the 
readied team. The Referees/Technical Official 
shall be proactive in starting the face off. If 
one team is not ready in a reasonable time he 
shall award possession to the non-offending team.  
 25Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Technical Referee Position
Starting location of the ball. Attack zone 
The Technical Referee shall take up a position 5 
yards inside the centre line and 5 yards off the 
boards while the ball is in the attack zone. 
When the ball is in transition down the floor, 
the Technical referee shall take a position on 
the Hockey Blue line on the boards where the 
ball is advancing. At that location he shall 
observe both benches for substitutions. After 
the bench area is settled he shall take up a 
position 5 yards inside the centre line and 5 
yards off the boards while the ball is in the 
attack zone. 
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
the attack zone. 
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
transition down the floor. 
 26Visitors Bench
Home Bench
A goal is scored
A goal is scored the Lead Ref moves into the net 
to retrieve the ball. The Trail Ref moves back 
and watches the players exchange their positions 
from floor to and bench to floor. The Tech. Ref 
watches the the bench area 
 27Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Feast Break
Technical Referee is in a position to cover both 
benches. The Trail Referee will break down the 
floor on the fast break. The Lead Referee will be 
the last one up the floor never leaving players 
from each team behind him
Trail Ref
Lead Ref
Tech Ref 
 28Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Technical Referee Position
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
transition down the floor. 
 29Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Outside Official takes up a position on the 
restraining line to cover any face off violations.
The Technical Referee faces the goal just scored 
on or the score board at the start of each 
period.
Outside Official takes up a position on the 
restraining line to cover any face off 
violations. 
 30Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Starting after a penalty.
The Technical Referee shall take up a position 
inside the centre face off circle while starting 
after a penalty. 
 31Home Bench
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
transition down the floor. 
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
the attack zone. 
When the players benches are on opposite sides 
of the floor.The Technical Referee shall rotate 
sides to give each team fair and even throughout 
the game Every 5-minutes a rotation from one to 
the other should tried to be achieved. All 
restarts shall take place in the center face-off 
circle. The Technical Referee shall take up a 
position 5 yards inside the centre line and 5 
yards off the boards while the ball is in the 
attack zone When the ball is in transition down 
the floor, the Technical referee shall take a 
position on the Hockey Blue line where the ball 
is advancing. At that location he shall observe 
both benches for substitutions. After the bench 
area is settled he shall take up a position 5 
yards inside the centre line and 5 yards off the 
boards while the ball is in the attack zone.
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
the attack zone. 
Technical Referee position when the ball is in 
transition down the floor. 
Visitors Bench 
 32Visitors Bench
Home Bench
Assistant Referee
Technical Referee
Crew Chief