The National Federation of State High School Associations, who publish the rules that are generally accepted by the NYS Boys Lacrosse have published their rules updates and changes for the 2014 season and there are certainly some interesting ones in the mix.

For example, the horn which has been used to stop play for substitutions on out of bounds whistles, will not longer be used and those substitutions will be done "on the fly". The "old procedures" will be used only at the end of quarters, after scoring a goal, during an injury time out, during an equipment adjustment, after a time serving penalty and after a team time out. The hope is to speed up the play of the game.

There are interesting changes for the penalty area, where only three players (on the same team) can occupy the space. Any others wait in the team area until there is a vacancy. More interestingly the penalty time of the players in the team area does not start until they are allowed in the penalty area and only players in the penalty area are released after a goal.

Illegal body checks were a point on emphasis last year and this year the committee pretty much voided any body contact with a player who is not in a position to see the hit coming. This section outlaws "blind side hits" and when a player is concentrating on picking up a ground ball and when he is looking over his should to catch a pass.

Checks to the head and neck, which was a strong point of emphasis in 2013, saw another change as the new rules prohibit the one minute penalty. All hits to the head or neck will be penalized with at least a two minute non-releasable penalty in 2014.

The committee is recommending that three man crews of officials work games. That suggestion will undoubtedly be reviewed by the the State Committee and would need study by Section Five as well.

The NFHS Lacrosse Rules Committee met for their annual meeting from July 16-18 in Indianapolis. All their rules changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors. The NYS Boys Lacrosse Committee will also review the rules before the 2014 season.

For the rest of the changes see the NFHS press release.