We believe children should have the opportunity to experience more than one sport while they are young. This means that on the younger RELAX levels, some players will miss lacrosse because of other commitments. In these cases, we ask that all parents sit down with their children and have an honest discussion about fairness..  For example: “If the best lacrosse player we have on our team chooses to miss a practice or a game for another sport, should he/she start in the next game simply because he or she is the best?”  “Should he/she have as much playing time as a teammate who may be less skilled but who has attended all the practices?”  Our coaches operate on fairness.  No player will be “benched” for an entire game for not making a full commitment to lacrosse, but fair is fair, and players should not expect to play a lot if they haven’t been to practices, no matter how skilled they are.  We ask that if your child has more than one commitment in the spring, please clearly communicate to your coach ahead of time when and if your child will miss a practice or game.

We also ask that parents talk with their children openly and honestly about playing ability. If we have enough players to form more than one team per age group, then teams are divided by skill level.  The Black teams are for the more skilled players.  The Gold teams are for players needing more skill development and more individualized instruction.  We do this so that children can get the most out of their playing experience in terms of learning, fun, and safety.  Developing players and developmental teams should be embraced by all.  It's the foundation of our success. There is no possible way to predict a player's future - we've seen terrific athletes never grow into terrific lacrosse players, and we've seen the most awkward of beginners turn into solid players.  Please relay this to your children. It's all about positive attitudes and getting beyond stigmas associated with labels. 

Please Note: With all this said, we do have one stipulation: In preparation for the highly competitive high school programs, we do require our highest level players, those on “Senior Black”  or “U-15 Black,” to make a full commitment to lacrosse in the spring.  For those players who cannot make the commitment, the Gold team provides the flexibility they need in order to continue to play.

In RELAX, playing time is not equal. We do not count plays or minutes played.  Each coach determines substitutions and rotation of players.

Lacrosse is a social sport.  It's about children and families and teamwork and having a great time.  As parents, it's your responsibility to make sure your child is having fun.  Be positive about your child's participation.  Encourage.  Support. Volunteer. Listen. Pay attention to your child's progress.  Remind you child, and yourself, that winning isn't everything.  As your child's coaches, it's our responsibility to do the same, while providing quality instruction, emphasizing solid fundamentals, teamwork, sportsmanship, and an overall appreciation of the game.