What other rules are different at 12U?

Safety rules in the 2026 girls youth rule book that apply at 12U:

• 3 seconds closely guarded: a player with the ball can't hold it for more than 3 seconds while closely guarded. If she does, the ball goes to the defender. "Closely guarded" means the defender is:
  • within a stick's length
  • holding her stick with both hands
  • in position to legally check
    This applies at 12U but not at 14U or in high school.
• No deputy goalkeeper at 12U. Deputies are allowed at 14U.
• Self-starts: players must pause before self-starting after a foul.
• Draws after goals: once a team leads by 4 goals, the mercy rule applies and draws after goals stop, unless the trailing team waives it.