Canby Youth Lacrosse

1. Canby Youth Lacrosse Information Meeting March 15, 2014

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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

5. 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!

6. 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!!!

7. 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 (pboyer@canby.com).

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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-etcgames 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!

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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?

30. 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.

31. 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.

32. 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 cross-check. • 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.

33. 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.

34. Contact Info… • Curtis Nelson • nelsonc@web-ster.com • 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.