Canby Youth Lacrosse
Information Meeting March 15, 2014
Lacrosse – Some History Deemed the fastest game on two feet, lacrosse has a history that spans centuries and is the oldest sport native to the North American continent. Rooted in Native American ritual and religion, the game was often played to resolve conflicts, prepare for war, heal the sick and build strength.
Lacrosse – How does it work? Object of lacrosse is to score more goals than the opposing team by shooting the ball into the opponent’s netted goal Men's lacrosse rules allow 10 players on the field and some degree of stick and body contact but violence is neither condoned nor allowed. Modified rules are used at the younger ages. These rules are intended to minimize the physical aspects of the game. 3rd/4th grade teams play 8-on-8 on a smaller field.
Canby Lacrosse Board of Directors – – – – – – –
President: Curtis Nelson Vice President: Don McDonald Treasurer: Jeff Saltmarsh Secretary: Sandy Kahut Member-at-Large: Jenne Parker Member-at-Large: Loren Bell Member-at-Large: Pam Boyer
Canby Lacrosse – A Quick History Our first year, spring of 2007, consisted of one 7/8 team with 16 players which actually included two 6th graders. We have added 20-30 players every year since then. Last year, we had over 150 boys playing with a 3/4 team, three 5/6 teams, two 7/8 teams, a HS JV team, and a HS Varsity team. The 150 players was a jump of more than 30 kids!
Canby Lacrosse – Program Make-up HS level – Varsity and JV team (50+ players)
Youth Traveling Teams – Two 7th/8th Grade Boys Teams 40 total players
– Two 5th/6th Grade Boys Teams 39 total players
– One 3rd/4th Grade Boys Team this spring 17 total players
More than 150 players in total!!!
Coaches 3/4: Rob Strand 5/6 White Team: Steve Saltmarsh 5/6 Blue Team: Cory Hansen 7/8 White Team: Curtis Nelson 7/8 Blue Team: Jeff Saltmarsh Team Parents: We are wanting a parent or two or three from each team to help with team logistics – distributing uniforms, soliciting volunteers for jamboree, collecting forms, etc. – If you are interested, contact Pam Boyer (
[email protected]).
OYLA – Oregon Youth Lacrosse Association
OYLA was established a few years ago and is now coordinating all of boys youth lacrosse in the Portland/Metro area and reaching further all of the time. OYLA establishes a common set of rules and expectations around the play and organization of the teams.
OYLA Guidelines OYLA establishes youth referee training and certification programs. OYLA Guidelines establish that if there are multiple teams from a community that they should be split evenly as opposed to an A/B level. The teams that were recently announced were created with splitting evenly as our goal.
The Season – Traveling (Rec) Teams Lacrosse is a 3, sometimes 4 day a week commitment. These are competitive teams – we attempt to balance the will to win with developing the skills of all. Once games start in early April, practices will be more scattered across the week, and cut back to maybe once a week.
The Schedule – Traveling Teams There will be a weekday evening game and a Saturday game for just about every team just about every week. Last regular games are currently scheduled for week of May 27. PRELIMINARY Game Schedules for 5/6 and 7/8 are posted on the calendars of our website. These are subject to change. – 3/4 Schedules are being worked on this week.
Canby Jamboree Our jamboree is scheduled for May 17. Last year, we had 46 total teams (including ours) and played on 8 fields. This year, we have about 30 teams registered so far, and expect to get to about 40. Maybe more. We will need EVERYONE (parents, players, siblings, HS players) in the program to be at this event to help.
Sisters Jamboree Unfortunately, the folks in Sisters had to move their event to the weekend AFTER Mother’s Day rather than on Mother’s Day weekend itself. This is in direct conflict with our Canby Jamboree. So, unfortunately, we are not going to Sisters this year.
PDX Lax Jam On Saturday, April 5, all of our teams will be participating in the PDX Lax Jam. This is a jamboree format event held at Delta Park in Portland. Teams will play 3 shortened games during the day. After that weekend, games will start to come quite quickly.
TVYLAX End of Season Jamboree We do plan to attend the end of season TVYLAX Jamboree on Saturday, May 31. This will include 3 games for each team. Unless we decide to try to schedule a couple of games during the next week (which IS possible), the TVYLAX will be the end of the season.
April 26 – A FULL day of Lacrosse at Canby High On Saturday, April 26, we will be taking over the High School Turf Field. Beginning at 8:00 AM with a 3/4 game, we will hold back-to-back-to-back-to-back-etc games for all teams throughout the day. The high school JV and Varsity will play at 2:30 and 4:00. After that, we will probably have a 5/6 and then a 7/8 Select Game!
May 10 – A Day in Hood River On Saturday, May 10, all of our youth teams will be visiting Hood River and play slightly shortened games against them. At the 3/4 level, they are going to play 3 slightly shortened games.
Select Teams A Select Team is a group of players within an age that are considered the top group. These players are selected by the coaching staff. Like last year, we plan to have a 5/6 and a 7/8 Select Team this spring.
Select Teams These players must play the normal regular Rec Games in addition to the Select Games. There could be 4 or 5 additional games for these Select Teams on Saturday late afternoons from April 12 through May 10. There will be a few extra practices for these teams too.
Select Teams There will be an extra fee (~$70). Players are Selected. We assume that everyone wants to be on the team. Volunteering is not needed. Criteria for selection will include everything that makes up a player – skills, speed, size, attitude, smarts, etc
Expectations of Everyone We expect players (and parents) to understand and appreciate the wonderful gifts and sacrifices that flow between all members of our lacrosse community continuously. Please remember this during times of frustration, disagreement, or disappointment. I have heard lots of comments over the years about “Geez, I wish they had this when I was a kid.” Also, remember that you are representing Canby Lacrosse, Canby, and your family (as well as yourself) in all things you do with us.
Expectations of Players We expect players to be committed to lacrosse in the spring. We expect kids to be EARLIER than we say to everything. And, when we give a time for arrival, it is meant to be ready to go – geared up – by that time. Practice EVERY day. That is the single biggest source of improvement.
Expectations of Players If you want to get better, you will. We will do whatever we can to draw that desire out of each and every young man. Practices are VERY important – missing practice hurts the individual but it hurts the team too. We expect kids to take coaching in the way it is intended – as a means to get better. We expect kids to try to do what we ask of them.
Expectations of Parents Read email! Parents of players are responsible for getting the kids to the events. We expect parents to be positive and supportive. – Definitely not loudly critical of officiating or directing comments to the opposition.
Help your sons grow through the experiences that they encounter. Be positive and supportive of all of the team members.
Expectations of Parents Let us be the coaches. Parents are expected to watch the game on the opposite side of the field from the teams. – If field conditions don’t allow that, then parents should be beyond the players on the sideline.
Resist the temptation to go to the bench. – There may be times – when your son has gotten dinged or when you want to point something out to him – when you want to come talk with your son on the bench. This is usually unnecessary and also causes them some embarrassment. If you are needed on the bench, the coaches will summon you.
Expections of Coaches Be organized. Don’t give up on a kid. Stay positive and enthusiastic. Everyone gets a fair chance to play – that does NOT say equal. – As the boys get older, playing time is earned more.
Expectations of the Program Play Hard, Play Smart, Have fun… – Win some too…
Here’s some realities to expect: – We will win some games, maybe by some large margins. – We will lose some games, maybe by some large margins. – There will be times when you can’t believe what your son is doing – good and bad. – There will be times when the whole group seems confused or disorganized.
Expectations of the Program More realities to expect: – – – –
Your kids will have fun. There will be times when something is disappointing. It will take a big commitment to make it to everything. There will be lots of times when we find something out VERY late. – Other teams will do some things that are “wrong”. That does not make them OK for us.
Expectations of the Program We do NOT expect to win every game and we will not put a heavy focus on that. – The WILL to win and compete is more important than the actual outcome.
We do want to get better every day… – Are you better today than you were yesterday?
Uniforms The 5/6 and 7/8 teams will have a single set of jerseys – one color. – If we show up and both teams are wearing the same color, we will wear some practice jerseys over the top. The coaches will have these with them.
Game Shorts: We are getting a new set of game shorts for youth players.
Game Shorts & Jerseys must be returned after the season. – The new game shorts can NOT be purchased.
The Game – Basic Idea Lacrosse is much closer to soccer and basketball than to football. Lacrosse is NOT a collision sport. – At the youth level, most situations where a man is hit to the ground will be a foul.
The gear is for protection from the ball and stick, not from other players. FYI: There is a new ball this year. It must have the NOCSAE stamp on it to be legal. It is slightly lighter than the previous ball.
Physicality of the Game Pushing IS OK (except at 3/4 level)… If the ball is close and it is NOT done from behind. If stick is involved in a push, the hands must be together – if they are separated, it is a crosscheck. Hitting the opponent with your stick is a penalty, especially if there is no intent to hit their stick. This is a slash. By rule, any one-handed stick check (even when there is no contact) is a slash. There are other penalties too.
When all is said and done… The most successful teams are the ones that can pass, catch, shoot, cradle, and scoop consistently and consecutively, and defend and get the ball loose.
Contact Info… Curtis Nelson –
[email protected] – 503-263-2059
www.canbylacrosse.com First High School JV and Varsity Games are THIS coming Tuesday at 6:30 and 8:00 against Newberg.
