What do I need to know about my son's 12U boys lacrosse games (ages 11-12)? Required gear and stick sizes, contact and checking rules, game format, penalties, concussions and lightning.
Under the 2026 USA Lacrosse boys youth rules, every field player must wear:
Goalkeepers wear a NOCSAE ND041 SEI-certified helmet, a throat protector, goalkeeper gloves, an NOCSAE ND200 SEI-certified chest protector, a cup or pelvic protector, cleats, uniform and a goalie stick.
Equipment must be original and unaltered from the manufacturer's design. Game balls must meet the current NOCSAE standard.
Stick (crosse) lengths for 12U in the 2026 boys youth rules:
| Stick | Length |
|---|---|
| Short stick (field player) | 40-42 in. |
| Long pole | 52-72 in. |
| Goalkeeper | 40-72 in. |
Long poles are limited to 3 on the field in 7v7 and 4 in 10v10, not counting the goalkeeper's. Having too many is a technical foul.
Head and pocket (Appendix B):
An illegal crosse is a personal foul. This rule is enforced at 12U and 14U only.
From the 2026 USA Lacrosse boys youth rules:
Before the game, each head coach certifies to the officials that every player is wearing all required equipment, and wearing it properly.
No. Under the 2026 USA Lacrosse boys youth rules, body checking is illegal at 10U and 12U. Some body contact is still allowed:
Contact must be below the neck and above the waist. It's only allowed on a player who has the ball, or is within 3 yards of a loose ball. (High school uses 5 yards.)
Body checking starts at 14U. Even then, "take-out" checks (lowering the head or shoulder to put an opponent on the ground) aren't allowed at any youth level.
Targeting an opponent's head or neck, or a defenseless player, is a 3-minute non-releasable penalty plus ejection at every youth level.
Under the 2026 boys youth rules, a stick check at 12U must be an attempt to dislodge the ball, aimed at the opponent's stick or the gloved hands holding it. It's only allowed when the opponent has the ball or is within 3 yards of a loose ball (or a ball in flight).
At 10U and 12U, stick checking is limited to:
One-handed checks are a penalty at 10U and below. At 12U they're permitted.
Personal fouls:
Under the 2026 USA Lacrosse boys youth rules, 12U plays one of two formats:
| 7v7 | 10v10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Cross field | Full field |
| Players | 1 goalkeeper, 2 defense, 2 midfield, 2 attack | 1 goalkeeper, 3 defense, 3 midfield, 3 attack |
| Long poles | Up to 3 on the field | Up to 4 on the field |
| Offside | More than 4 in the offensive half, or more than 5 in the defensive half | More than 6 in the offensive half, or more than 7 in the defensive half |
Both formats:
Mercy rules: once a team leads by 6 or more after the first half, the trailing coach can choose to start with possession at midfield instead of a faceoff. In stopped-time games, a lead of 12 or more after the first half switches the game to a running clock.
At 12U, penalized players serve time and their team plays a man down, with up to 3 players in the penalty area at once. Under the 2026 boys youth rules, all time-serving penalties at 12U are non-releasable: the player serves the full time even if the other team scores.
Personal fouls are the serious safety and sportsmanship fouls. Each is a 1, 2 or 3-minute non-releasable penalty, depending on the official's judgment of how severe it is:
Technical fouls are less serious:
If the fouling team has the ball, or the ball is loose, the other team gets possession. If the other team has the ball, the offender serves 30 seconds.
A penalized player goes straight to the penalty area and re-enters through the substitution area when the timekeeper releases him.
Yes. Under the 2026 USA Lacrosse boys youth rules:
Fouling out: a player who collects 3 personal fouls or 5 minutes of personal foul penalty time is out of the game. A substitute can come on when the player would have been released had he not fouled out.
Ejection: a player, coach or anyone officially connected with the team is ejected for:
Targeting: deliberately aiming at an opponent's head or neck to make violent contact (including spearing with the crown of the helmet), or deliberately targeting a player in a defenseless position, is a 3-minute penalty plus ejection.
Game termination: officials can end a game for flagrant unsportsmanlike behavior or excessively rough play. Where possible they give a strong warning first. The innocent team wins 1-0.
The 2026 boys youth rules include the Concussion Recognition Tool. The key rule: any athlete with a suspected concussion must be removed from practice or play immediately, and must not return until assessed medically, even if the symptoms go away.
Call an ambulance if there's no licensed health care professional available and any of these red flags appear:
Other signs of a possible concussion:
After the injury: don't leave him alone for the first 1-2 hours, and don't send him home by himself; he needs to be with a responsible adult. Don't remove a helmet or other equipment unless you're trained to do it safely.
CDC HEADS UP guidance adds: no return that day, and not until a health care provider gives clearance.
USA Lacrosse's lightning policy in the 2026 boys youth rules says:
Programs are expected to plan ahead, with someone assigned to monitor the weather and an evacuation plan that identifies nearby shelter.