On behalf of Gordon McIntosh, BCLA Minor Directorate Chair;
A Message to all Minor Box Association Presidents
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RE: Lacrosse Seasons – Field, Box and Women’s Field

As some of you may be aware, twice a year we are faced with timing issues surrounding the conclusion of the Field Lacrosse season and the start of the Box Lacrosse season. Many of our players are still contributing to the efforts of their Field Lacrosse teams that are either still in league play or preparing for Youth Field Provincials, while many of our dedicated volunteers are preparing for the start of Box Lacrosse. In the late summer and early fall, the timing will be reversed.

At this time we would request that our members are respective of both disciplines that all members work tirelessly for. Successful examples of this from the past included a ‘Field Team’ travelling to the US for a tournament during the middle of the Box season, which was only allowed once it was assured that their players’ Box Lacrosse commitments were met. We have many clubs that, at the front end of the Box Season, start in January with ‘pre-season training’ or ‘winter warm ups’ and do this quite successfully as this still allows for the Field Lacrosse players to continue their participation in practices and games with their Field teams.

Please refrain from calling MANDATORY try-outs, practices, and camps as teams prepare and participate in BC Provincial Tournaments. This adversely affects the team’s ability to function properly. Players shouldn’t have to be faced with the stress of making a choice. Let players enjoy worry-free preparation and participation of these BC Provincial Tournaments. We do not want to take steps to create ‘firm season dates’, but if these ‘mandatory requirements’ by local associations and their coaches continue during these cusp periods between box and field lacrosse, we are left with no alternative to bring in policies that will not allow any cross-over of try-outs, practices and camps during these cusp periods in the future.

We are hopeful that in the SPIRIT that is BC Lacrosse, our members can honour the games that we all work so hard to build and grow.