Welcome to the Wolcott Lacrosse Season. All of the board members and coaches are proud of our Lacrosse program and we are excited about the upcoming season.

The goal of the organization is to continue the development of our returning players while also teaching the players who are new to lacrosse the fundamentals of the game. The Board of Directors has put together a list of important information and guidelines that will help the season go along smoothly. Please take some time to review the following information with your child so that everyone is aware of exactly what is expected.

Please be aware that your child’s head coach will meet with you to alert you to their specific team rules and they should be considered amendments to this list.

Practice:
In General practice will be held 2 nights a week from 6:00 until 7:30. The days your child’s team will practice will be at the discretion of their head coach and they will notify you as such. The established practice schedule for each team is subject to change. Each head coach will notify you of changes.

If your child has any medical issues please let their head coach know before they take the practice field. All players should bring plenty of water to practice. Teams do not supply water for practice.


Attendance:
One of the coaches will take attendance before each practice and every game. If your child will not be able to make a practice or game, you must notify one of the coaches or the team manager before the practice or the game starts. Your child’s head coach will describe the best way to get in touch with the coaching staff.

Players must attend every practice during the week. If a player has a pattern of unexcused absences, they may not be allowed to play in the next scheduled game. This will be at the discretion of the coaching staff. Anytime that the player is not at practice and a coach is not notified before practice starts, it will be considered an unexcused absence.

Examples of Excused absences are but not limited to:

Religous Functions
Academic Functions (not social events)
Illness requiring the player to miss school
School Suspension / Detention

Examples of Unexcused absences are but not limited to:

Participation in other athletic events
Injury – If you have an injury you are expected to be at practice listening
Social Functions (Including those held at a school)
Fatigue

We appreciate your cooperation with this because a players’ absence affects the practice plan. Your child’s coach’s policy is non- negotiable.

Games:
Each team will play a minimum of 10 games, most games happening on a Saturday or Sunday. All of our home games will be played at The Wolcott Sports Complex. Players are expected to arrive 30 minutes before game time for both home and away games. If a player has difficulty getting to an away game let a coach know so arrangements can be made.

In addition to the regular season games your child will also be schedule to play in either a Jamboree or a Tournament or both. Season game schedules will be passed on as soon as they are completed and approved by the league. Directions to the away games will be available on our web site, www.wolcottlacrosse.com. Our web site is a valuable source of information. We suggest you check it regularly.


Player Conduct:
All players will show respect for fellow players and the coaches at all times. Unruly conduct will not be tolerated at any time. Disciplinary action will be taken if a player engages in conduct that is detrimental to the team such as disrespecting other players or coaches in a physical or verbal manner. The disciplinary action taken will be at the discretion of your child’s coaching staff, and if necessary the board of directors. If the offence is severe in nature or continues on a regular basis the player may be subject to a game(s) suspension. All players should act like team players at all times.

If a player is injured during the week and cannot play in the game or they are suspended because of poor attendance or for disciplinary reasons, they must be present for the game that weekend. If the player does not show up for the game that he is supposed to sit out, he may be suspended the next game also. It is important for a player to come out and support their team even if they are not playing in the game.

Parent Conduct:
I am sure we will have no problem with this issue but it has to be mentioned. Parents are asked to refrain from smoking, and are absolutely forbidden to drink alcoholic beverages while at any practice, game, or organizational event (unless alcohol is to be served at a social event where players are not in attendance). If suspected of drinking any amount of alcoholic beverages your child will not be permitted to enter a vehicle that you are driving.

It is an organizational rule that no “tailgating” take place at any practices, home games, or away games. It is the support of our and all other organizations that we may play that allows us to provide the best possible situation for all players involved.

Parents are encouraged to root loud and proud for the team and their child. Parents are also asked to refrain from coaching their child from the sideline during practices or games. We want the players to focus on the instructions from the coaches, and what is happening on the field at all times. Yelling instructions from the sideline is distracting. Encourage your child to follow the coaches’ instructions.

A parent’s role in supporting the team is vital to that team’s success. At some point this year there is a good chance some of you will disagree with one of the coach’s decisions. Please do not talk negatively about the team or the coaches in front of the players. When this happens the entire team is affected and an entire season can be destroyed. Player morale will suffer and there will be no chance of ever succeeding. Please support the team and the coaches by being as positive as you can even if you disagree with our decisions. Remember we are doing what we feel is right for the team and the future of the organization based on our evaluations of players in practice.

No parents are allowed on the practice or playing field at any time, unless summoned by a coach. At some point during a practice or a game a player may experience bumps or bruises. Coaches are very experienced in detecting if a player is injured or just hurting. In the event a coach determines that a parent is needed to tend to a player’s needs he will solicit you to come out on to the field.

Parents are asked to respect the boundaries between viewing areas and practice fields:

Frisbie Elementary School– Please stay on the side opposite of where your child’s team is located.
Wolcott Sports Complex – Dellavope Field – Please utilize the bleachers and not the sidelines

If a problem or concern arises during the season, The Wolcott Lacrosse organization encourages its staff, officials, participants, parents and coaches to follow the “24-hour rule” before communicating the concern. In other words, give it 24 hours and allow the problem or concern to “cool off”. You may be surprised at the results of this approach. Obviously, major concerns should be brought to our attention immediately. Please abide by the rules they set forth on when they will discuss things (i.e. after practice, a night no practice is held, etc.) We ask that you first go to your child’s coach with any concerns that you have. If you are unsatisfied with the outcome or wish to pursue the matter further you can go to any of the Board members.


Please do not let these rules affect your child’s playing time

Player’s Position and Playing Time:
Our program moves from a developmental to a more competitive program as your child grows through the each level. Our Bantam and Lightning levels are the developmental teams that will teach your child the basics of the game along with the skills and techniques needed to play the game. The skills will be reinforced through practices. Coaches will determine what position each player will play. Players will have equal playing time. It may appear in a given game that they don't get as much as another but I assure you, this balances out over the course of the season.

At the competitive levels, which include the Junior and Senior teams, the coaches and only the coaches will determine what position each player will play and how much playing time they will see during a game. Players will play in every game as long as they are not suspended for reasons noted earlier. Each player will be evaluated during practice by the coaches to see where they fit, that will be best for the TEAM. We will preach to the players that effort will affect their playing time. They will make mistakes, we expect that, and they will learn from their mistakes, what we ask is that they demonstrate maximum effort at all times. Each position on the is field equally important, please do not ask a board member or the president of the organization about your child’s position on the team or his playing time. They are not coaching the team so they will not have any influence on the coaching staff’s decision. The board gives the coaches control in such matters.


Thank you for your cooperation and we are all looking forward to a rewarding season.