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What is No 3 line pass rule?.
The Field is split into 3 zones The Red Zone, Neutral Zone, and Blue Zone. The ball can never be sent from a teams own zone into the opponents zone without being tagged in the neutral zone. However if a team passes from the opponents zone back into their own zone its considered fair play. The ball only triggers a 3 line pass foul if it is tagged by an offending player, which it then will kill him on contact. Tagged is considered a Volley, Bounce or of course a catch.
Examples of an 3 line pass
1. Blue moves the ball into the red zone and turns it over. Immediately the red team passes it to a hanging player in the blue zone. When the red player tries to catch it he is instantly killed for a 3 line pass. The ball then resets in the blue teams keeper control.
2. Blue team in the blue zone intercepts a shot with a volley it sails downfield into the red zone where a blue player moves up into the zone and tries to pick it up, he is instantly killed for a three line pass.
Examples of a fair pass crossing 3 lines
1. Red team is in their zone and attempt to pass it to another player in their zone, a blue player intercepts it with a volley but inadvertantly hits it back torward their own zone, where a red player happens to be hanging uncontested. Because it was last touched by a blue player it is a fair ball in their own zone. The red player then picks it up safely and moves in for a goal
2. A blue player in the red zone is looking for a pass and receives some presure from the red team, he then passes it back to the blue keeper where it is intercepted by a red player safely in the blue zone.
Ways to move the ball into the opposite zone fast?
1. Red keeper gets the ball and passes it up into the neutral zone where a red player volleys it to a team mate already waiting in the blue zone. Since it was tagged in the neutral zone it is a safe ball and safe to be caught.
2. Red keeper bombs it into the blue zone where a blue player volleys it at the wall. Since the blue team tagged the ball it is now flagged safe in the blue zone and is then picked up by a player already in the blue zone.
Why have a no 3 line pass rule?
The premise behind this is to allow more room for a team to move all of their players with the exception of keep of course into better attacking position. since its harder for a team to just bomb a pass downfield to a waiting hanger next to the opposing teams penalty box for a easy 1 on 1 chance. while its still possible to pass to a player deep in the other zone, there is more time for a team to boost back and cover him.
with the addition of the old style defensive player able to move up with the rest of the team for an attack they can build up a better attack against the opposing team.
The main idea is to put the stress of defense on the entire team rather then one 'hanger protection' player.