Dear Lacrosse Players and Parents:
Believe it or not, lacrosse season is right around the corner, with most teams opening the season on April 11th! If the weather cooperates, practice will start outside in mid-March. Our enrollment numbers continue to grow, reflecting the popularity of the sport. By all accounts, lacrosse is now the fastest growing youth sport in the nation!
By mid March, you will be notified by your coach about team selection (Blue or Gold), practice, and game schedules. Some of this information is already being posted on our web site -- www.foxborolacrosse.com.
Here’s what we do know:
Boys
· There will be two U9, U11, U13, and U15 teams. These teams will play on Sunday, and each team will also have four to six mid-week games.
· A U15 Select team will play on Friday evenings and Saturdays. We will hold tryouts for this team. There will be an additional fee to participate on this team.
· We will also have a U13 Select team. We will hold tryouts for this team too. There will be an additional fee to participate on this team.
· Typically, each team will practice once/week separately, and once/week together with the second team of that age group.
· All team and coaching selections will be completed by early March – players will be notified via email and/or a call from the head coach. The names of our head coaches have been posted on the web site.
Girls
· There will be U9, U11, U13 and U15 teams.
· Team and coaching selections will be completed by early March – players will be notified via email and/or a call from the head coach.
As Foxboro Youth Lacrosse enters its 12th season, it is clear that lacrosse is established and becoming part of the fabric of Foxboro youth and high school sports. This year, our program has roughly 300 participants. Our program provides a great recreational opportunity for our community youth, and it serves as an important feeder program for the high school, which has both Varsity and JV teams for boys and girls. Today, there are a number of college lacrosse players who started their lacrosse careers with Foxboro Youth Lacrosse and Foxboro High School.
As always, we are striving to continuously improve our program so we can provide our youth with the best lacrosse experience possible. In preparation of this season, we have embarked on an extensive coaching education program. All head coaches are now required to complete a Level 1 US Lacrosse Coaching certification program. This certification program is one way to make sure our coaches are teaching our youth the things they need to know to develop critical lacrosse skills. By taking part in this program, our coaches also receive certification through the Positive Coaching Alliance, which helps coaches build athletes through focus on hard work, practice, and respect for the game, players, coaches, and referees. Our Board and coaches fully embrace this program, and we expect parents to also honor the game. As a participant in this program, all parents must adhere to the Parent Code of Conduct, which will be posted on our web site. And please visit our web site for more information on the Positive Coaching Alliance.
As we move forward, each coach will be sending out a letter introducing him/herself to players and parents. In this letter, each coach will set forth specific expectations that the coach has for his/her players and parents, as well as team information and practice schedules. In years past, we have been very flexible regarding players missing practice. However, as lacrosse becomes increasingly more popular, and hence competitive, it has become apparent that our flexibility has hurt our skill level compared to our neighboring towns. As a youth program, our overall goal is to teach kids the game of lacrosse in a fun and rewarding environment. We cannot overemphasize the importance of practice -- we cannot teach the players the necessary individual and team skills to help them better themselves as lacrosse players if they do not come to practice. Consequently the Board is giving coaches the authority to limit players' game time due to missing practice -- this is done to emphasize the importance of practice and also in fairness to the team and to their teammates who did participate in practice.
As always, the success of our program is ultimately rests on the support from our parents and coaches. We are constantly looking for volunteers. This year, specific needs include:
· Team Parents (all teams)
· Equipment Manager (Boys and Girls)
· Game Day Ranger (Boys and Girls)
If you are interested and want to help, please let one of the Board members know. It’s a fun experience, and a stronger volunteer base enhances the program for all.
In closing, consider that lacrosse remains the fastest growing youth sport in our country. If your player is a veteran, you know why. If this is your first season, you’ll soon experience first-hand why the sport is exploding at the youth, high school and collegiate levels. Our success has been the result of a bunch of great kids and the hard work and dedication of many individuals. But as we continue to grow, we need your continued support, both financially and through volunteering.
Sincerely,
Board of Directors
Foxboro Youth Lacrosse
