OPERATING RULES AND REGULATIONS

 January 2024

REGULATION 1 MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES
REGULATION 2  BOUNDARIES
REGULATION 3 REGISTRATION
REGULATION 4 RULES OF COMPETITION
REGULATION 5 PLAYER MOVEMENT
REGULATION 6 AFFILIATION
REGULATION 7 RELEASES
REGULATION 8 PROTESTS AND APPEALS
REGULATION 9  CODE OF DISCIPLINE
    RULE INFRACTIONS
REGULATION 10 SUSPENSIONS AND DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE
REGULATION 11 SCHEDULES AND FORFEITURES
REGULATION 12 AMENDMENTS TO REGULATIONS
REGULATION 13 TYKE RULES
REGULATION 14 FEMALE LEAGUE SUSPENSION GUIDELINES
REGULATION 15 TIE BREAK FORMULA
REGULATION 16 U11 (NOVICE) DIVISION REGULATIONS

REGULATION 1 MEMBERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES 

1. Each Club/Association (“Association”) shall provide the secretary of SMLL:
   1. The name and contact information of the Association President and alternate delegates duly assigned voting privileges for the Club should the President be unable to attend SMLL meetings, by the first general meeting held after the SMLL AGM.
   2. The name and contact information for team officials.  The number of teams being entered to play in the SMLL for the year, by the SMLL Team Formation meeting to be held annually.
   3. Jersey colours for each Club should also be declared by the SMLL Team Formation meeting to be held annually.  Change to these colors must be approved by the league executive.

REGULATION 2  BOUNDARIES

1. SMLL boundaries are determined by the participating minor Associations and Lacrosse Nova Scotia (LNS), as per LNS Regulation 1.
2. All players must register with the minor Association based upon the area where they reside as of April1 of the playing season.  Players may not play in any games under the jurisdiction of the SMLL before the player has registered with their member Association.
3. A player shall be deemed for the purposes of registration, to reside in the territory of the Association in which their parents or legal guardian has their legal
4. If required documentation may be requested to validate a player’s residence.  Accepted documentation is:
   1. Property tax bill where primary residency grant has been claimed
   2. Power bill
   3. Phone bill
   4. If none of the above documents can be provided because the parent/guardian rents and does not pay own utilities, then the following shall apply
      1. A letter from the Landlord verifying rental agreement
   5. If there is no team in the player’s division in the Association in which the player resides, or if the player does not reside within any Associations boundaries, players must play in the Association which is nearest by ordinary travel, which has a team registered in their division. A player may not establish residency for the principal purpose of playing or practicing Lacrosse.
5. Member Associations shall be held responsible for ensuring that their players are the correct age and reside within the proper boundaries defined for their Member Association. Players not properly registered will be deemed to be ineligible players until such time as they are properly registered.
6. Registration will be completed by each Member Association in detail; and submitted to the SMLL no later than the registration deadline established by the SMLL for each season
7. For a player to play on a team outside of their resident Association a request must be submitted in writing as per regulation 7 below. Any player movement will be granted by the Member Association and SMLL Board of Directors based on team formation requirements. The decision of the Board will be final and binding. 
8. Member Association Boundaries -
   1. Cape Breton Warriors Lacrosse:  Cape Breton Island excluding Richmond County 
   2. Pictou County Sniper Lacrosse:  Pictou & Antigonish County. 
   3. PEI Lacrosse:  Prince Edward Island 
   4. Truro Minor Bearcats Lacrosse:  Colchester & Cumberland County
   5. Valley Thunder Lacrosse:  King’s & Annapolis County.  
9. Any violation of this regulation will result in both the offending player and the  being immediately suspended until the situation is rectified.

REGULATION 3 TEAM REGISTRATION

1. Team registrations must be submitted to the Board at the annual Team Formation meeting or by April 30^th of each playing year
2. The competition structure for SMLL programs for female and coed and play is Select, Club A and Club B levels/divisions for each age category from U13 to U17. For U11, competition structure will be Club A & Club B levels/divisions. All competition structures for SMLL programs will be determined by registration numbers and when the number of teams in an age category warrant.
3. An Association with only one team in an age category may choose to participate in any division/level within that age category, Select, Club A or Club B, with final approval of the SMLL.
4. No Association can have two teams in a Club level/division without having a team in the Select level/division, as well, unless there is Club A and Club B play, in which case one team will be entered at the A level and one at the B level.
5. On a year to year basis, an association may make an application to the SMLL executive, requesting an exemption from clause 3.5 for that year. The SMLL may consider the application and may grant such an exemption at their sole discretion. In consideration of the application, SMLL may take into consideration statistics in past seasons, relative strength of players and teams in that division and the Association’s opportunity to place its higher caliber players at another Association for that year. Such an application would be made, with supporting documentation by the annual Team Formation meeting.

REGULATION 4 RULES OF COMPETITION

1. Games will be governed and officiated by the Lacrosse Canada (LC) “Rule and Situation Handbook for Box Lacrosse”
2. Per LC Rule 14 - All teams may dress and play a maximum of 20 players including goaltenders. 
3. A minimum of 5 players in uniform (plus a goaltender) on each team shall be necessary to start a game as per LC Rule 14 A Situation 2.
4. Game lengths for each division shall be determined prior to the start of each season.
5. All playing rules shall conform to those adopted annually by LC and LNS.
6. All equipment used must conform to LC and LNS standards.
7. All games must use 30-second clocks.
8. Should a team have enough players to start a game but during the game, not have enough players to continue to play due to penalties, injuries, or illness, the game will be forfeited to the opposing team as per LC Rule 14a Situation 5.  

REGULATION 5 PLAYER MOVEMENT

1. To be eligible to play in the SMLL, a player's birth date must be within the age categories defined by Lacrosse Nova Scotia (LNS) Rule 6.0 Competition Classification.
2. This regulation applies to all age divisions.  
3. SMLL will enforce player movement regulations as stated in Lacrosse Canada (LC) and LNS Regulation 9.0 PLAYER RELEASE AND TRANSFER
4. Player Release Process
   1. Players must register in their Boundary per Regulation 2. 
   2. For a player to play on a team outside of their resident Association a request must be submitted in writing to their resident Association using the SMLL Player Transfer request form
   3. Request for release will not be accepted until Association registration has opened for the playing season
   4. The resident Association will review all applications. Approved applications will be sent to the Commissioner of the SMLL. Rejected applications will be communicated by the Resident Association to the applicant within 72 hours.
   5. The SMLL Commissioner will document all requests.
      1. The Commissioner will review the request with the resident Association and the pending receiving Association.
      2. The SMLL Commissioner will communicate the final decision within 10 days of receiving the application.   
   6. Players released under this regulation are released for one playing season
5. If a player is released to an Association for three seasons, then they will be automatically approved to register for that Association.
6. Team Formation Meeting
   1. Each year the SMLL Executive and Member Association will meet and review player registration for all age levels. 
   2. If an Association does not have enough players to form a team for an age category those players may be transferred for that season to another Association. 
   3. Each Association is responsible to communicate to all players that are to be Transferred within 48 hours of the Team Formation meeting
   4. All players that are to be transferred to another Association will be recorded by the sending Association via the Player Transfer Request form. This form will be sent to the Commissioner within 1 week of the Team Formation meeting.
   5. If a player chooses not to play with the Receiving Association they must communicate their decision in writing to the Sending Association within 1 week of the Team Formation meeting
   6. Players who choose not to play for the Receiving Association are not eligible to play for that season,
7. If an age category is not provided, players may play in the age category above or be transferred to another Association, subject to the approval of their Association, SMLL Executive and LNS.  This regulation applies only when the Association does not have enough players registered within their Association boundaries in that age category to meet registrations requirements necessary to field a team in that category.
8. No player can play below their age category for a season or for affiliation purposes.
   1. The SMLL can apply for a sanction for players to “play down” per LNS Regulation 8.02  
9. Exceptional Player Requests - Players Playing Above their Age Division   
   1. In all division this is approved by the Association, and is required to be communicated to the SMLL executive.
10. Exceptional player requests at both the Select level and the Club level must be submitted to and decided upon by all concerned, by the May 15th team registration deadline.

11. All Associations will be provided a final listing of any and all player movement approved by SMLL and LNSS for each playing season.
12. For the purpose of player movement to Select teams between Associations, release and transfer rules apply and approval must come from LNSS and the SMLL Executive.

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REGULATION 6 AFFILIATION

1. Affiliation is defined as the temporary use of a player(s) by a team classified above the player's own, for the purpose of replenishing the aforementioned team due to player shortage and for no other purpose.
2. Player shortage is defined as having fewer than fourteen (14) runners and one (1) goaltender available to start a game.
3. For the purpose of affiliation the playing season is defined as the regular season round robin schedule AND any scheduled playoff games for any single team in any one program (Club or Select) and for any one age category.
4. Players may play a maximum of five (5) games per playing season with the next highest classified team, with the permission of their coaches and their guardians, in conformance with LNSS Regulation 11.  In cases of conflict between the team in the higher classification and the player’s own team, that player shall be required to participate in the player's own team game.
   1. A goaltender may affiliate for an unlimited number of games.
   2. Notwithstanding 4.1 above, if a team has more than 1 designated goaltender and 1 designated goaltender is available then such team shall not be permitted to affiliate a goaltender for the purposes of replacing the designated goaltender that is not available
   3. Goaltenders can play for affiliate teams during the play-offs as long as it does not conflict with their regular team.
5. Affiliation structure for Club teams shall be as follows, from A to B within the age category, then from the oldest age category to one age category below:  Junior, Intermediate, U17, U15, U13, U11 and second year U9 players.  The SMLL Executive shall determine age categories participating in SMLL each year.  
6. Affiliation structure for Select teams shall be from any A classified Club team within their age category.   Should the club team players not be available due to a game conflict, the select team may access affiliate players from their select team in the age category below. 
7. All affiliate(s) must be identified on the game sheet by writing the initials AP at the end of their name(s).
8. One team within one game may use up to three (3) affiliates without the expressed permission of the opposing team officials. A team can use up to a maximum of 5 affiliates if they have the expressed permission of the opposing team officials. Team officials must communicate their use of 5 affiliates to the opposing team as soon as possible upon arrival at the arena AND they must also identify them as affiliates on the game sheet.
9. Teams can affiliate with player(s) on teams within their Associations who are classified to be below theirs.
10. For classification purposes, Select will be considered the top skill level and Club will be divided into an A and B skill level where registration numbers allow.
11. On a year by year basis SMLL's executives will designate an affiliated team for any club who does not have teams to affiliate with, wherever possible. When necessary, affiliate teams may be designated between clubs instead of within a club. 
12. All female teams must affiliate with female player(s) on teams within the Female division where possible. Female players may play up to 5 games during the playing season with their affiliate team as in 4.1 and 4.4. If a female team does not have the minimum 14 players and a goaltender registered with their team, as stipulated in 2.0, they may play up to 5 additional games during the playing season using their affiliates (a maximum total of 10 games played by their affiliate players).  

REGULATION 7 RELEASES

1. All releases must conform to LNSS Rule 9. PLAYER RELEASE AND TRANSFER
2. A copy of all approved releases must be kept on record with the SMLL Secretary for each playing season and made available to the Clubs upon request.

REGULATION 8 PROTESTS AND APPEALS

1. All protests and appeals must conform to LC Regulations and LNSS Protest and Appeals Policy.
2. SMLL will establish a Protest and Appeal Committee, as necessary, each playing season to rule on any protest or appeal brought forward by the membership. The Committee will be composed of 3 members, 1 SMLL Board Member and 2 representatives from neutral Member Associations.
3. Protests and appeals must be made in writing, through the Member Association President, accompanied by a non-refundable $50.00 cheque, within 48 hours of the game or receipt of written decision.
4. The Protest and Appeal committee will only make decisions on protests or appeals related to the SMLL Articles, By-laws and Regulations, or of games played within the SMLL regular season and playoff schedules.
5. The Protest and Appeal committee will hear any appeal stemming from a decision made by the SMLL Discipline Committee.
6. If a member is not in agreement with the decision rendered by the SMLL Protest and Appeals Committee, they may appeal to LNSS.
7. Game protests may only be made in regard to interpretations of Rules, By-laws, Regulations and Rules of Play, not in regard to the decision of a Referee on a rule infraction (a judgment call).

REGULATION 9  CODE OF DISCIPLINE 

This regulation applies to all pre-season, league, playoff and tournament games.  SMLL players and coaches are bound by the Memorandum of Association, Bylaws, Regulations and Operating Policies of the LC(See 2007 Handbook), LNSS (CODE OF CONDUCT AND DISCIPLINE) and SMLL Code of Discipline.

The SMLL has adopted a Code of Discipline to ensure that its members are aware of the serious nature of certain rule violations, and to protect every player’s right to compete in minor lacrosse without fear of violence or abuse.  It is meant to ensure a common minimum standard of discipline within the League, for offenses that are similar in nature as well as to make teams and Association officials more aware of their responsibilities in controlling the conduct of their teams and in applying discipline where warranted.

The coach or designate is solely responsible for ensuring that WITHOUT further notice from anyone, players and/or team officials shall serve the minimum suspension as outlined in this guide. If the player fails to serve the correct suspension, the game(s) will be retroactively defaulted and the coach will be suspended for a game.  The player will still have to serve the suspension.  

If a player is expelled from the game for any reason, EXCEPT for the accumulation of five penalties in the same game (LC Rule 81), it is the duty of the referee to write up the infraction on an incident report and phone, fax or email the report to the Suspension Coordinator before 11:00 PM the next day. 

If a player incurs any of the following: a match penalty, a gross misconduct penalty or accumulates 3 game misconducts during the season, then that player is SUSPENDED pending review by the Disciplinary Committee. Suspension remains in effect until the Suspension Coordinator gives notice.  The Suspension Coordinator will keep an up to date list of all infractions for the season and shall supply a monthly report to the SMLL.

The SMLL imposes the following suspension guidelines as written.  An asterisk (*) preceding the rule number indicates an infraction that requires a write up, as outlined above.

RULE INFRACTIONS

SMLL follows the most current version of the “Rules and Situation Handbook for Box Lacrosse” prepared by the National Officiating Certification Program from LC. In some situations, the SMLL has strengthened these rules with additional Regulations listed below.

1. MINOR PENALTIES Rule 76 - Not Yet Promulgated
2. APPLICABLE LC MINIMUM RULES WITH REGARD TO MAJOR PENALTIES
   1. *ATTEMPT TO BUTT END (ABE) Rule 35: 5 minute major + 1-game misconduct
   2. * ATTEMPT TO KICK (AKCK) Rule 57: 5 minute major + 1-game misconduct
   3. * ATTEMPT TO SPEAR (ASP) Rule 65: 5 minute major + 1-game misconduct
   4. * CHECKING FROM BEHIND (CFB): 5 minute major + 1-game misconduct
   5. * FIGHTING (FI) Rule 45: 5 minute major + 1-game misconduct
3. MAJOR PENALTIES Not Yet Promulgated
4. GAME MISCONDUCT PENALTIES Rule 79
   1. Game misconduct penalties require the removal of the offending player/goalkeeper for the remainder of the game.
   2. If assessed in the final 10 minutes of the game, there will be an additional 1 GAME SUSPENSION
5. MATCH PENALTIES Rule 80
   1. *  A MATCH penalty will result in a minimum 2 GAME SUSPENSION (as per LNSS Regulations) pending a review by the Disciplinary Committee.  A player is SUSPENDED until notification is given by the Disciplinary Chairman or their designate.
   2. * A 2nd MATCH penalty: INDEFINITE SUSPENSION pending review by the LNSS Discipline Committee
6. EXPULSIONS Rule 81
   1. Any player/goalkeeper who is assessed five penalties in the same game shall be expelled from playing the balance of the game. NOTE: Expulsion due to 5 penalties DOES NOT need to be written up and will NOT result in any further suspension.
7. GROSS MISCONDUCT (GRM) Rule 48
   1. A GROSS misconduct will result in a minimum 2 GAME SUSPENSION pending a review by the Disciplinary committee
   2. A 2nd GROSS Misconduct (GRM) INDEFINITE SUSPENSION pending a review by the LNSS Disciplinary Committee
8. ABUSE OF OFFICIALS AND MISCONDUCT Rule 28
   1. Bench Minor(BM): 2-minutes (coaches) OR Unsportsmanlike: 2-minutes (players)
   2. MISCONDUCT(MISC): 10 minutes (DOES NOT APPLY TO BENCH STAFF)
   3. * Two 10-minute MISCONDUCTS in one game will result in a game misconduct
   4. * GAME MISCONDUCT(GM): 1 GAME SUSPENSION (APPLIES TO BENCH STAFF AND PLAYERS)
   5. * A GROSS MISCONDUCT-INDEFINITE SUSPENSION pending a review by the Disciplinary Committee
9. ABUSING OFFICIALS - RULE 62
   1. A match penalty shall be assessed to any player/goalkeeper or non-playing personnel who strikes, trips, threatens or makes intentional contact with a referee or any other game official and a report shall be forwarded to the appropriate governing body (LNSS).  Time served penalties shall be served by any player (other than the designated goalkeepers).  Any player who was on the floor at the time of the infraction shall serve a goalkeeper penalty.
10. Any individual suspended cannot coach or play for any team until the suspension is served on the team that they are officially registered with.  A coach who is registered on more than one team must serve his/her suspension with the team whose bench he was suspended from.  They cannot coach for any team until the suspension is served.

SUSPENSION SUMMARY

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REGULATION 10 SUSPENSIONS AND DISCIPLINE COMMITTEE

1. SMLL will appoint a Suspension Coordinator each playing season.  The Suspension Coordinator will record all suspensions during the playing season and support the coaches in tracking repeat suspensions.  The Suspension Coordinator will confirm all suspensions that occur in SMLL scheduled regular season and playoff games.
2. SMLL will appoint a Discipline Committee each playing season, which will include 3 members.  These 3 members will be 1 SMLL Board Member, preferably the Chair, the Suspension Coordinator and 1 neutral person not affiliated with the SMLL Executive or any of the Member Associations.
3. The Discipline Committee will rule on any suspension referred to them as stated in the SMLL Code of Discipline. Their authority extends only to SMLL scheduled regular season and playoff games.

REGULATION 11 SCHEDULES AND FORFEITURES

1. Games once scheduled must be met.
2. A game may be rescheduled in the event of an officiating shortage or a facility problem.  That type of reschedule will be done through the League Scheduler.
3. A reschedule will not be approved due to player shortage resulting from suspension, illness, etc.
4. Foreseen events such as proms and school trips may be accommodated in the initial schedule only if the Club/team involved provides the information to the scheduler in advance of the schedule being finalized and posted on the website. 
5. Teams can only submit an unforeseen reschedule request to the League through their Association President. Seven days' notice is preferred. Only the Commissioner can approve a reschedule requested as a result of unforeseen events. 
6. Any team who fails to play a game that has been scheduled will have forfeited said game.
7. The consequences of one forfeiture are as follows:  
   1. Should a team forfeit a day of games (two games in one day), the Club in question will be required to pay the League a $100 fine to be levied from their performance bond. The non-offending team will be awarded an automatic 3-0 victory and awarded 2 points in the standings and the League will reimburse the non-offending team's Club with the fine collected.
   2. The consequences of a team forfeiting more than one game are as follows: 
      1. Should the same team forfeit a second day of games, the non-offending team will be awarded an automatic 3-0 victory and awarded 2 points in the standings.  In addition, a $250 fine will be levied from the performance bond of the offending team's Club and the League will reimburse the non-offending team's Club with the fine collected.
   3. Should there be a double forfeit (ie. Both teams do not have enough players to meet League minimum requirements) both teams are to be considered offending teams (see 6 and 7).  No reschedules will be considered and neither team will be awarded points.

  
REGULATION 12 AMENDMENTS TO REGULATIONS

These regulations may be amended by majority vote at any general meeting of the MMLL membership, providing 7 days notice of the intended amendment being circulated to all members. 

REGULATION 13 Not Yet Promagated

REGULATION 14 FEMALE LACROSSE PROGRAM REGULATIONS

1. All Female regulations are in in accordance with APPENDIX H (LC Woman’s Box Rules)
2. U13: In accordance with LC (Option X) rules
   1. Defensive player may place their stick on the ball carrier and use equal pressure to prevent her movement.
   2. Stick contact is only allowed on non-ball-carrier in the 24-foot dotted line and the contact may only be equal pressure to prevent her movement.
   3. Any offensive player (including the ball-carrier) who deliberately charges directly at a defensive player may be assessed a charging penalty.
   4. There is to be no body-checking.
   5. A defensive player may check an offensive player by placing their stick head on an opponent player’s stick head.
3. U15 & ABOVE  In accordance with LC rules.
   1. No Modifications

REGULATION 15 TIE BREAK REGULATION

1. The tie-break regulation to determine regular season standing will be as follows:
   1. Total number of points
   2. Total number of games played
   3. Total wins
   4. Total goals for
   5. Total goals against

REGULATION 16 U11 (NOVICE) DIVISION REGULATIONS

1. Defensive players can initiate contact on the ball carrier anywhere on the floor; however, the defensive player can not fold the arms inward to gain momentum with an outward pushing motion. The direction is now " Place and Direct" to the left or right. 
2. Contact on players not carrying the ball, anywhere on the floor, is not allowed (no ball, no push). 
3. Players can clamp the stick of an opposing ball carrier as long as the stick makes no contact anywhere on the ball carrier’s body.
4. Body checking is strictly prohibited. 
5. A stick coming from above the shoulders onto an opposing player’s stick or body is a penalty, as is any attempted stick check that misses and contacts any part of the body (to be called at referee's discretion as per LC Rule 64a).
6. The penalty for an offense under ‘contact limitations’ and ‘overly aggressive play’ will fall under the unnecessary roughness rule (LC Rule 72a).
7. In addition to the aforementioned regulations, all LC playing rules will apply.  The fall back rule applies when possession is gained by the goalkeeper. All defensive players must enter their own zone. Once all defensive players are in their own zone, they are free to go wherever they want. The goalkeeper must attempt an overhand pass of the ball to one of the offensive players who must be at least 18 feet from the crease, on or beyond the 24 foot circle.
8. If a team were to have a goalie that could deliver a fast break pass faster than opposition can get back to their zone, defending players may not touch the ball carrier until they are back in their defensive zone.