1/2 (8U) Rules

3/4 (10U) Rules

5/6 (12U) Rules

7/8 (14U) Rules

# of players

4x4 (no goalies)

7v7 (with goalies)

10v10

10v10

Field size

60 yd x 35 yd

60 yd x 35 yd

Regulation

Regulation

Ball

Standard NOCSAE

Standard NOCSAE

Standard NOCSAE

Standard NOCSAE

Goal size

3 ft x 3 ft or 4 ft x 4 ft

6 ft x 6 ft

6 ft x 6 ft

6 ft x 6 ft

Penalties

Player leaves, but no man-down; ejections still possible

Time-serving, man-down for slash, unnecessary roughness or illegal body check; otherwise player leaves

Time-serving, man-down

Time-serving, man-down

Body checking

None

None

None

No take-out checks

Stick checking

Lift or poke below chest; no one-handed checks

Downward check starting with head of stick below shoulders of both players; lift or poke below chest; no one-handed checks

Downward check starting with head of stick below shoulders of both players; lift or poke below chest; no one-handed checks; no one-handed checks

No one-handed checks

Equipment; goalie arm and shin/thigh pads

Helmet, gloves, shoulder and arm pads, non-white/clear mouth guard, cup, athletic shoes; No goalie, so goalie pad requirements do not apply

Helmet, gloves, shoulder and arm pads, non-white/clear mouth guard, cup, athletic shoes required; Goalie – chest protector; Arm pads required; shin/thigh pads recommended;

Helmet, gloves, shoulder and arm pads, non-white/clear mouth guard, cup, athletic shoes required; Goalie – chest protector; Arm pads required; shin/thigh pads recommended

Helmet, gloves, shoulder and arm pads, non-white/clear mouth guard, cup, athletic shoes required; Goalie – chest protector; Arm pads required; shin/thigh pads recommended; Eye black limited to that allowed by NFHS

Face-offs

None; coin toss for first possession, then team that is scored upon gets ball on GLE to restart. AP at halftime

Yes. 1 wing player. 2 attack and 2 defense behind GLE. Players released on possession or ball over GLE.

Standard

Standard

Coin toss

Yes; determines first actual possession (no faceoff) and first AP

Yes; determines goals to defend and first AP

Yes; determines goals to defend and first AP

Yes; determines goals to defend and first AP

Line-up

All players

All players

All players

Starters only

Officials

Not required. Coach or 1 official

1 official

At least 2

At least 2

Coaches

Roam field if there are no officials; can roam entire sideline (off field of play) if an official is used

Can roam entire sideline (but can't go through table area or other coach/bench area)

Must stay in coaches box (exceptions: injured player, goalie warmup, halftime, get info from table, cross exchange in table area)

Must stay in coaches box (exceptions: injured player, goalie warmup, halftime, get info from table, cross exchange in table area)

1/2 (8U) Rules

3/4 (10U) Rules

5/6 (12U) Rules

7/8 (14U) Rules

Time factors

2 x 12-minute running halves; teams don't change ends

4 x 8-minute running time quarters; change ends each quarter

4 x 10-minute stop-time quarters (teams change ends)

4 x 10-minute stop-time quarters (teams change ends)

OT

None

None

Sudden-victory OT (max of 2 periods)

Sudden-victory OT (no maximum)

Team timeouts

None

None

2 per half and one per OT period

2 per half and one per OT period

Substitution

Sub all players during dead ball (everyone must sub at once); no on-the-fly subs during live-ball play

Sub all players during dead ball (everyone must sub at once); no on-the-fly subs during live-ball play

Normal substitution

Normal substitution

Stopping play for subs

If play goes on for longer than 2 min w/o stoppages, officials will look for an opportunity to stop play and subs

If play goes on for longer than 2 min w/o stoppages, officials will look for an opportunity to stop play and sub

Normal substitution

Normal substitution

Offside

None

None

Standard rules

Standard rules

Scrum ball rule

Quick whistle at referee’s discretion and award ball by AP

Quick whistle at referee’s discretion and award ball by AP

None required, but referee’s discretion to award by AP for scrum

None

Raking the ball

Technical foul

Technical foul (except for GK in the crease or faceoff player on faceoff)

Legal

Legal

Scorekeeping

Not kept

Kept

Kept

Kept

Deep pocket/rollout tests

Fix stick or replace with new stick

Per NFHS rules

Per NFHS rules

Per NFHS rules

Maximum number of long crosses

None permitted

None permitted

Three

Four

Stalling rule

None

None

Per NFHS

Per NFHS

Offensive 10 sec count/20 sec clear/over-and- back

Small field, so rule doesn't apply

Small field, so rule doesn't apply

Per NFHS rules (all used)

NFHS rules (all used)

Stick lengths (short, long, goalies)

37"–42", none permitted, 37"–54"

37"–42", none, 37"–54"

40"–42", 52"–72", 40"–72"

40"–42", 52"–72", 40"–72"