What are the key elements of youth lacrosse field diagrams. How do rules vary across different age divisions and leagues. Where can coaches and officials find up-to-date information on lacrosse regulations.
Understanding Youth Lacrosse Field Dimensions
Youth lacrosse field dimensions play a crucial role in shaping the game experience for young players. The size of the field varies depending on the age group and level of play, ensuring that the game is appropriately scaled for different developmental stages.
Key Elements of a Youth Lacrosse Field
- Playing area dimensions
- Goal placement
- Crease and restraining line locations
- Sideline and endline boundaries
- Substitution box positioning
For the youngest players in the K2 and 34 divisions, a smaller field setup is typically used. This allows for a more manageable playing area that suits their physical abilities and helps develop fundamental skills. As players progress to higher age groups (56, 78, and high school), the field size increases to match their growing capabilities and tactical understanding of the game.
Variations in Lacrosse Rules Across Age Divisions
Lacrosse rules are not one-size-fits-all; they vary significantly across different age divisions. This tailored approach ensures that the game remains safe, enjoyable, and developmentally appropriate for players of all ages.
Key Rule Variations by Age Group
- Field dimensions
- Player contact allowances
- Time-keeping procedures
- Equipment requirements
- Penalty enforcement
For instance, the level of physical contact permitted in boys’ lacrosse gradually increases as players move up through the age divisions. Similarly, the complexity of rules regarding time-keeping, penalties, and tactical play becomes more sophisticated in higher age groups.
Governing Bodies and Their Role in Lacrosse Regulations
Several organizations play vital roles in establishing and maintaining lacrosse rules at various levels of play. Understanding these governing bodies is essential for coaches, officials, and administrators involved in youth lacrosse.
USA Lacrosse: The National Governing Body
USA Lacrosse serves as the primary national governing body for the sport. Its responsibilities include:
- Defining game rules for youth levels
- Setting equipment standards
- Collaborating with NFHS and NCAA for upper-level rule development
- Training and certifying coaches and officials
- Implementing player safety initiatives
USA Lacrosse’s comprehensive approach ensures consistency and safety across youth lacrosse programs nationwide. Their focus on player safety extends beyond the field, addressing critical issues such as concussion awareness, commotio cordis prevention, and safeguarding against player abuse.
Local Leagues and Their Rule Adaptations
While USA Lacrosse provides the foundation, local leagues often implement modified rules to enhance gameplay or address specific regional needs. For example, the Greater Eastside Lacrosse League (GELL) has several adaptations for youth (K-8) boys’ lacrosse:
- Divisions organized by school grade rather than birthdate
- Specific in-season game rules that take precedence over USA Lacrosse rules
- Annual review and update of league-specific rules
These local adaptations allow for a more tailored lacrosse experience that considers the unique characteristics and needs of the community. However, it’s important to note that such modifications typically don’t apply to tournaments organized outside the local league season.
High School Lacrosse Governance and Regulations
As players transition to high school lacrosse, the regulatory landscape shifts to accommodate the increased skill level and competitive nature of the game.
National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS)
The NFHS plays a crucial role in setting standards for high school lacrosse across the United States. Their responsibilities include:
- Providing guidance for competitive athletics and fine arts
- Ensuring equal opportunities for student participation
- Promoting achievement and good sportsmanship in education-based activities
State-Level Governance: The Case of Washington
In some states, like Washington, high school lacrosse operates under a unique governance structure. The Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association (WHSBLA) serves as the governing body, responsible for:
- Developing league rules
- Enforcing compliance
- Organizing seasonal play
- Facilitating state playoffs
It’s worth noting that in Washington, lacrosse is generally not a school district-sanctioned sport and falls outside the purview of the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), which governs most other high school sports in the state.
The Importance of Game Day Operations and Field Setup
Successful lacrosse games rely heavily on proper field setup and efficient game day operations. These elements ensure fair play, accurate timekeeping, and a positive experience for players, coaches, and spectators alike.
Table Crew Responsibilities
The table crew plays a vital role in managing the game. Their duties vary by age group:
- K2: Timekeeping
- 34: Timekeeping, scorekeeping, and penalty administration
- 56-HS: Timekeeping, scorekeeping, penalty administration, and full game statistics
Proper training for table crew volunteers is essential to ensure smooth game operations. Many leagues offer specific training sessions or materials to prepare volunteers for these important roles.
Field Setup and Cleanup
Field preparation is another critical aspect of game day operations. Responsibilities typically include:
- K2/34: Small field setup and cleanup
- 56/78: First game of the day – setup; Last game of the day – cleanup
- HS: Setup and cleanup for each game
Efficient field management ensures that games start on time and that facilities are properly maintained for future use.
The Critical Role of Lacrosse Officials
Officials are integral to the sport of lacrosse, ensuring fair play and adherence to rules during games. Their role extends beyond simply making calls; they contribute significantly to the overall lacrosse experience for players, coaches, and spectators.
Becoming a Lacrosse Official
For those interested in officiating, organizations like the Washington Lacrosse Officials Association (WALOA) provide comprehensive training and certification programs. These programs cover:
- Rules interpretation and application
- On-field positioning and mechanics
- Game management techniques
- Conflict resolution skills
Becoming an official offers a unique perspective on the game and provides an opportunity to give back to the lacrosse community.
The Importance of Respecting Officials
It’s crucial for players, coaches, and spectators to understand and respect the role of officials in lacrosse. Many youth game officials are high school players themselves, gaining valuable experience and contributing to the sport they love. Showing respect for officials not only creates a positive game environment but also encourages more individuals to pursue officiating, addressing the ongoing shortage of referees in many regions.
Innovative Approaches to Field Management: The Shakopee Lacrosse Example
Advancements in technology are revolutionizing various aspects of lacrosse, including field management. The Shakopee Lacrosse program provides an excellent example of how innovation can enhance field preparation and maintenance.
GPS-Guided Robotic Field Painting
In a notable development, Shakopee Lacrosse implemented a GPS-guided robotic painting device for their field markings. This technology offers several advantages:
- Increased precision in line placement
- Improved consistency across multiple fields
- Reduced time and labor requirements for field preparation
- Potential for cost savings in the long term
Such innovations demonstrate how lacrosse programs can leverage technology to improve operational efficiency and field quality, ultimately enhancing the playing experience for athletes.
Importance of Field Diagrams and Documentation
Proper documentation of field layouts and dimensions is crucial for consistent game experiences. The Saber Fields Field Diagram, for instance, serves as a valuable resource for the Shakopee Lacrosse community, ensuring that all games are played on correctly prepared fields.
Maintaining accurate field diagrams helps with:
- Efficient setup and takedown processes
- Training new volunteers in field preparation
- Ensuring compliance with league and age-specific field requirements
- Facilitating clear communication between coaches, officials, and field managers
The Role of Parent Meetings and Communication in Youth Lacrosse
Effective communication between lacrosse program administrators, coaches, and parents is essential for a successful season. Parent meetings serve as a crucial platform for disseminating important information and setting expectations for the upcoming season.
Key Components of Parent Meetings
Typical parent meetings cover a range of topics, including:
- Season schedules and important dates
- Team policies and expectations
- Volunteer requirements and opportunities
- Safety protocols and equipment guidelines
- Communication channels for the season
For instance, the Shakopee Lacrosse program provides a comprehensive slide show from their parent meeting, ensuring that even those who couldn’t attend in person have access to vital information.
Ongoing Communication Strategies
Beyond initial parent meetings, successful youth lacrosse programs maintain open lines of communication throughout the season. This may include:
- Regular email updates or newsletters
- Team-specific communication platforms or apps
- Social media channels for program-wide announcements
- Dedicated webpages for each age division with relevant information
Clear and consistent communication helps foster a sense of community within the program and ensures that all stakeholders remain informed and engaged throughout the lacrosse season.
Rules – Liberty Lacrosse Club
Lacrosse rules vary by division. This is especially true in field dimensions, allowable player contact, and time keeping. The governing organizations listed below provide detailed, up to date rules and videos explaining rules interpretations, fouls, and gameplay.
Boys’ Youth Lacrosse
Youth Boy’s Lacrosse
GELL Youth League Rules
2022 Boys’ Game Overview
2023 Boys’ Lacrosse Rule Book
2023 Boys’ Lacrosse Rule Changes
GELL 2023 Game Rules Adaptations
GELL 34 Rules Explanation
2023 GELL League Participation Rules
USA Lacrosse is our national lacrosse governing body. They defining game rules and equipment standards at the youth level, and collaborate with NFHS and NCAA for rule development of game rules at upper levels of play.
USA Lacrosse also guides the training and certification of coaches and officials, as well as leading critical initiatives that support player safety on and off the field, such as concussion safety, commotio cordis, and player abuse.
GELL is our local boy’s lacrosse youth (K-8) league. The league has several modified rules to enhance gameplay or clarify ambiguity in national rules. For example, GELL divisions are organized by school grade rather than birthdate. These rules are reviewed at a league level annually.
GELL rules take precedence over USA Lacrosse rules for in season youth games.
GELL rule adaptations do not apply to tournaments organized outside of the GELL season.
Boy’s High School Lacrosse
High School Boys’ Lacrosse
WHSBLA
National Federation of High Schools (NFHS) provides guidance and standards for competitive athletic and fine arts across the country to ensure that all students have an opportunity to enjoy healthy participation, achievement, and good sportsmanship in education-based activities.
Washington High School Boys Lacrosse Association (WHSBLA) is the governing body for high lacrosse in our state. This developing league rules, enforcing compliance, and organizing season play, and facilitating state playoffs.
Lacrosse generally not a school district sanctioned sport in Washington, and not governed by WIAA as other high school sports.
Game Day – Table Crew and Field Setup
Team volunteers have an important role to play in our weekly games. Running the clock, administering penalties, keeping score, and recording stats must happen at each game.
Table Crew (Scorekeeping)
- K2 – Keep Time
- 34 – Keep time, score, and administer penalties
- 56-HS – Keep time, score, administer penalties, and full game stats.
Field Setup and Cleanup
- K2/34 – Small field setup and Cleanup
- 56/78 – First of Day – setup; Last of day – Cleanup
- HS – Setup/Cleanup each game
GELL Lacrosse Table Crew Training
Liberty Lacrosse Scorebook Training
34 (Small Field) Diagram
Officials
Are you good at catching those bad calls from the sideline? Try doing it on the field!
Become a Ref!
Washington Lacrosse Officials Association (WALOA) provides officials for Boys’ Lacrosse at all levels of play. This includes ongoing training and certifications for new referees.
Let the refs call the game. Let the coaches work with the refs.
Referees calling youth games are often high school players, and likely the child of someone near you on the sideline. They are learning and growing experience in calling games, just as your player is developing their love for lacrosse in every game they play. They take pride in what they do, and enjoy giving back to a sport they love. They are also in short supply. Please, respect the refs.
Shakopee Lacrosse
Saber Fields are officially OPEN!
Check out the fields! They look great and are ready for the season!
Cool tidbit….they were painted this year by a GPS guided robotic painting device!
Parent Meeting Recap
Thank you to everyone that was able to make it to the parent meeting! If you missed it, you can see the slide show for some important dates and season information!
2023 Parent Meeting Slide Show
Saber Fields Field Diagram
13200 Townline Ave
Shakopee, MN 55379
Team Season Information
6U Coed
8U Boys
8U Girls
10U Boys
12U Boys
12U Girls
14U Boys
14U Girls
Tournament Info Coming Soon!
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Northstar Lacrosse & Epoch Lacrosse Sponsorship
The SYLA is excited to share a new sponsorship for the 2023 season!
Northstar Lacrosse and Epoch Lacrosse are proud to announce a multi-year partnership with the Shakopee Youth Lacrosse Association (SYLA). Through this agreement, SYLA and its members are provided access to top tier lacrosse products and special discounts at Northstar Lacrosse in Hopkins. Northstar Lacrosse and Epoch Lacrosse will also be donating player scholarship equipment packages along with other special donations and promotions to benefit the association and its members.
We’re thrilled to partner with the Northstar/Epoch team. Our shared vision of growing lacrosse at all levels of play, allows opportunity for increased value and experience for all Shakopee Lacrosse players and families.
Shakopee Youth Lacrosse is PLL Verified!
As we began planning the 2021 season and beyond, the SYLA board challenged themselves to answer the following:
“What legacy are we leaving for future generations of SYLA athletes?”
With that question in hand, we began conversations with the Premier Lacrosse League. We submitted our application, took additional trainings, and we were selected to be part of their PLL Verified Program!
The benefits that come from this partnership positively impact our association and we couldn’t be more excited to grow our sport. A quick example of what this brings to our association: direct access to professional male and female lacrosse players that will host clinics and training for our youth! More details will come, but we wanted to share this amazing news!
2022 State Champions! 12UA Boys & 12U Girls
City – Ventspils.lv
28.09.2022, 16:26
28.09.2022, 13:45
28.09.2022, 13:22
Municipal ŪDEKA Ltd. continues the implementation of the energy efficiency project, within the framework of which two solar power plants were built for own consumption, and several technological devices were replaced, including this week two sewage pumps at the largest sewage pumping station in the city on Muitas Street.
28.09.2022, 11:36
On Saturday, October 1st, the International Day of Seniors will be celebrated all over the world and in Latvia. In honor of this day, the Ventspils Science Center “VIZIUM” invites parents, grandparents and families to take part in creative workshops “Ah, youth is a wonderful time!” in a soulful atmosphere, and also offers family moments to capture in a beautiful photo.
28.09.2022, 10:18
Autumn is one of the most beautiful and colorful seasons. Ventspils Digital Center invites you to capture autumn moments and capture the yellow-and-scarlet season in practical classes, where you can learn about the settings of a SLR camera and useful tricks that will help you take high-quality and impressive photos.
28.09.2022, 09:48
On Friday, September 30, the Ventspils Digital Center in cooperation with the Ventspils Library invites everyone to free classes organized as part of the European Night of Scientists. Visitors will be able to learn about the use of technology in the forest and in the kitchen to beautifully decorate blanks for the winter. In addition, residents will be able to view the premises of the new Digital Transformation Center.
28.09.2022, 09:46
Ventspils Digital Center offers a creative, adventurous and emotional photo course “A Click in the Distance”. Over the course of several days, under the guidance of an experienced photographer Renard Bolshevitz, the participants of the course could master the theoretical aspects of photography and apply the acquired knowledge in practice. The course participants could see the already familiar streets, natural objects and sights of Ventspils from a completely new point of view – through the camera lens.
27.09.2022, 15:39
Every year in September throughout Europe, the Night of Scientists is celebrated to popularize science and its achievements. Ventspils Science Center “VIZIUM” has also prepared various, creative and interesting free events and activities for the whole family, which will be held on Friday, September 30, from 20:00 to 23:00 on the 2nd floor of the Science Center.
27.09.2022, 13:19
On Thursday, September 29, at 2:00 pm, the Feast of the rafters of the 248.6 m2 service building will be celebrated on the ski slope “Lembergs Hat”, according to the Ventspils Communal Administration.
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Rotenberg made a revolution in Russian hockey: he did not play, but coaches – this is done only in North America
Roman Rotenberg / Maxim Stulov / Vedomosti
On January 4, SKA announced the appointment of Roman Rotenberg as head coach. The news occupied the first lines in the feeds of information sites, and somewhere it even received special marks in the form of lightning bolts or exclamation marks. But it hardly became a sensation for those who have been following the St. Petersburg club for the past year and a half.
The first conclusions about Rotenberg’s serious intentions in relation to the position of mentor could be made back in September 2020. Then SKA fell under a powerful wave of coronavirus: the infection knocked out most of the main players and almost all coaches from the game. St. Petersburg attracted young people to the cause: MHL players appeared on the ice, and 39-year-old and unknown at that time coach Roman Rotenberg appeared on the bench. He spent almost the entire match against Sibir Novosibirsk with a headset to communicate with the video assistant and did not interfere in the gameplay, concentrating all his efforts on cheering and patting the players on the shoulders and helmets.
But already on September 25 and October 7, Rotenberg led the team as acting head coach for home matches with Ak Bars and Magnitogorsk. A fierce controversy unfolded in the press and comments on it: what right did he have to assign such a position? Rotenberg explained the decision during a press conference: “The situation has developed in this way. But if you studied my biography, then I have been in sports since I was three years old. My father is a coach. I have been a sportsman all my life. In hockey, from 10 – it turns out, already 29years”.
Roman Rotenberg /Petr Kovalev/TASS
Rotenberg really played hockey. But the peak of his playing career was getting to the summer training camp of the SKA team born in 1981. Later it turned out that Rotenberg was a graduate. On October 1, 2018, he entered, and eight months later he graduated from the Higher School of Coaches of the Omsk SibGUFKA.
Nevertheless, the example of Rotenberg is an amazing, almost unique phenomenon in Russian hockey, where almost always only those who have played before are coaching. The last known mentor who did not have significant experience inside the hockey box is Igor Zakharkin. He, like Rotenberg, started playing at the age of 10. At the age of 14, he entered the CSKA school, grew up to the junior team, but could not even rise to the youth team and hung up his skates.
Putting aside the dream of becoming a hockey player, Zakharkin methodically pursued a new goal. At the age of 21, he graduated with honors from the Moscow State Central Institute of Physical Education, and then became a graduate student and defended his Ph.D. thesis.
Zakharkin’s first serious place of work was the Leningrad SKA, but before taking a place on the coaching exchange, he spent five years in the status of the head of the so-called complex scientific group. For the next two seasons, Zakharkin worked as a coach-methodologist.
The first team where Zakharkin received the powers of the head coach was the modest “Hudiksvall” from the second Swedish division. In Scandinavia, Zakharkin gained experience for almost 10 years and only after that he returned to Russia, where he became an assistant to Vyacheslav Bykov, first in CSKA, and then in the national team.
Zakharkin worked in tandem with Bykov for 11 seasons. Together they won two world championship golds and two Gagarin Cups, but failed at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. The failure of the national team aroused the wrath of the famous veterans of the national hockey. Many of them noted that a person without experience in the game is not able to manage world-class stars like Ovechkin or Datsyuk.
Igor Zakharkin / Egor Aleev / TASS
Probably, this attitude prevented Zakharkin from arranging an independent career in the KHL. After parting with Bykov, a specialist nicknamed “Professor” led “Salavat Yulaev” for two and a half seasons, and then for another six months “Ugra”.
More successful examples of coaches who never performed at a high level, but turned out to be tactical geniuses, can be found in North America. The leader of the National Hockey League (NHL) in terms of the number of victories, Scotty Bowman, left the sport before reaching adulthood – a skull injury prevented him from breaking into the masters. A severe neck injury prevented Barry Trotz from becoming a professional hockey player – but he managed Nashville for 15 years in a row, and then took the Stanley Cup with Alexander Ovechkin’s Washington.
The current owner of the most prestigious club trophy in the world, John Cooper, lost his dreams of a hockey career in his teenage years: he was much better at playing lacrosse. Cooper decided to train as a financier, worked in his father’s construction company, and then moved to Wall Street.
September 2020 John Cooper with the first of two Stanley Cups in his coaching career /Zuma\TASS
The monotonous work on the stock exchange soon bored the young man, and he went for a second higher education – law. During training, Cooper played for an amateur team of lawyers and judges. One of them completely changed his life.
Having successfully passed the exams, Cooper went in search of a new job and turned to Thomas Brennan, a referee by profession and a partner on the hockey team. Brennan agreed to help with employment, but on one condition – Cooper had to coach his young son’s team.
Cooper got involved in the process right away. Subsequently, his wards won the championship among their peers twice in five years. Then John was noticed in the NAHL (North American Hockey League), one of the strongest US junior organizations at that time.
Team based in Texas. Here Cooper first began to be paid for his work as a coach, but the development of game formations and the study of opponents had to be combined with ticket sales, logo design and painting the ice after pouring. Cooper’s team also played in a rodeo barn with mice and rats. However, these circumstances did not stop the coach – he won two championships in four seasons.
For the next 15 years, Cooper actively traveled: he worked with teams in St. Louis, Green Bay, Norflok, Syracuse … And in 2013, he suddenly settled in one place – Tampa came to the coach. And I didn’t guess. The Lightning’s last two seasons under Cooper have been undefeated.