Rule change would help boys lacrosse remain the ‘fastest game on two feet’

A dramatic change such as adding a shot clock should not alter how teams compete.

Lesser squads will have to rely on increasing their skills instead of how to decrease scoring chances for a superior team.

Even with a shot clock, upsets occur. Lesser teams are able to pressure superior teams all the time in the NBA and NCAA basketball.

“This would eliminate a coach micro-managing a game from the sidelines,” Zissi said. “All that coaching would have to be done at practice and then you trust your players to make snap decisions during a game regarding when to shoot.

“High school basketball players do it all the time now.”

Foss recalled a game earlier this year in Philadelphia in which the opposing team won the opening face-off and held the ball for the first four minutes of the game.

“I would love to stop that kind of play,” he said. “Get the action moving up and down the field like the game is supposed to be played.

“More good things will happen when you force the action than if you stand around hoping the defense will just doze off.”

Coronado coach Alex Cade, who takes his team back East to play games as well, endorsed the idea of a shot clock.

“Our kids love playing with a shot clock when we go back East,” Cade said. “It feels weird when we come back and play without it.

“There is no downside to this. Absolutely, this will make the game better.”

That is the aim of every rule change, including one still off in the future.


