When do I register my child for the Spring Season?
Spring Season Registration is scheduled to begin in January and continue until January 31st.
What equipment is required?
Mouth guards are required for all boy’s and girl’s players at level of play (Learn to Play, U8, U10, U12 and U14). Mouth guards cannot be clear.
Goggles are required for all U8, U10, U12 and U14 girls teams. There are various price levels for these goggles. Goggles should be worn during practices, scrimmages and league scheduled games.
U8, U10, U12 and U14 boys teams are required to have full protective equipment. Protective gear consists of a helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, and athletic cup. Rib protection is optional. All protective equipment should be worn during practices, scrimmages and league scheduled games.
Appropriate footwear is also required. Sneakers or cleats can be used for indoor practices. Rubber cleats are recommended for all outdoor practices scrimmages and league games. No metal cleats or spikes are permitted.
How long is the season?
The typical New Hampshire Youth Lacrosse Association (NHYLA) lacrosse season is 8 weeks long with an additional week for the state festival. The NHYLA season runs mid-April to early June.
What are the differences between the various teams?
All travel teams are determined by grade and age classifications. Birth date cut offs for each age bracket is determined at the national level by US Lacrosse. ALC attempts to limit the number of players per team to approximately 20 players. This requires ALC to conduct player evaluations at all ages. There are evaluations scheduled during the first several practices of the spring season. During evaluations, independent evaluators and coaches, will evaluate each player on their ability level. Each player will be placed on the team where the evaluators feel they will grow and learn as well as positively contribute to the team.
Spring travel teams are divided by US Lacrosse and NHYLA guidelines, which are posted on this website.
A committee, at the NHYLA/state level, determines how many divisions there will be within any given age bracket (ie - A,B,C). This can change year to year.
When and what time are practices?
Practices will start on March 16th at the Hampshire Dome and will continue indoors through April when the fields open. Outdoor practices vary on a team-by-team basis. We start indoor practices on March 16th at the Hampshire Dome and hold evaluations for team assignments during the first several practices. In early to mid-April we move practices outside, depending on the weather. Once outside there will be two practices during the week and possibly additional practice depending on the coaches’ availability. Practices start around 5 pm and run 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
When are league games schedules?
Most league games are scheduled to be played on Sunday with some on Saturday. The NHYLA tries to schedule 4 home games and 4 away games. The league games will start roughly in the 2nd week of April, although this is subject to change annually.
Make up games or additional scrimmages can be scheduled during the weekday, usually on one of the practice days, or on Saturdays. These games can be at home or away depending on field and referee availability.
What happens during school break?
During school break the games are still scheduled for each Sunday. Players are expected to play these games. NH has 3 different times; throughout the state; when the various school districts go on break. They all occur during the lacrosse season. Games are still scheduled and expected to be played.
What happens if I don’t have enough players because of school break, soccer, et al?
You go to the game with the number of players that are available. There are two alternatives: first, see if the other coach is willing to play with fewer players. Second, you forfeit the game but see if you can borrow some players from the opponent’s team to play the game as a scrimmage.
Why are games rescheduled?
Games will only be rescheduled if the fields are not playable or severe weather conditions. At all other times the game will be played on the date and time as outlined in the NHYLA schedule.
Who can cancel a game?
Games can only be canceled by the Field Coordinator or the Boys/Girls Coordinator.
What happens if there is a thunderstorm and/or lightning?
All play stop immediately. Get off the field and take shelter. Play can resume after 30 minutes has elapsed – timed from the last clap of thunder.
Do we play in tournaments?
We open the season with our Spring Jampboree held in late March. At the end of the spring league season our teams also participated in the NHYLA Season End Festival which is hosted in Amherst.
SVL Board Meetings
All meetings are held on the 1st Monday of each month at 6:30 pm at the Amherst Recreation Dept. New members are always welcomed and everyone is encouraged to participate.
How do I take care of my equipment?
#1 RULE in protecting your investment:DO NOT leave equipment, especially wet/sweaty equipment to fester in a lacrosse bag. Airing out your equipment routinely will help maintain good condition and more importantly prevent bacteria and fungus growth. (Not to mention help thwart that awful smell!). Also make a routine use of anti-bacterial/anti fungus sanitizing spray.
Helmet: Wipe helmet inside and out with a clean damp cloth, and spray the inside with sanitizing spray, or clean with sanitizing wipe. Don't forget the face mask and chin guard (a typical cause of acne)
Arm Pads/Shoulder Pads: "By washing lacrosse pads occasionally you won’t compromise the protection. The best way to wash arm and shoulder pads is to either hand soak and gently scrub with cold water and a mild detergent or use washing machine in cold water/delicate cycle."
Gloves: "As for the gloves, DO NOT put in the washer. Simply wipe the outside with a cold damp cloth until clean. If the palm is soiled rinse with cold water, and be sure to let them air dry, Stuff them with newspaper or a towel to help absorb the water from the palm and inside of the glove." To help preserve the leather palms, rub some leather conditioner once the gloves are dry. ps. "Mom sense" I have resorted to using the machine for gloves in extreme situations.
Cleats: Rinse. wipe, open up and let dry in the sun. In extreme cases: wash on delicate, and air dry (it will hasten their demise, but the stench sometimes calls for it!)
Bag Do not neglect, you will just transfer your newly sanitized equipment to a bacteria/fungus ridden bag. Wipe out, spray, and in extreme cases use machine in cold water/delicate cycle.
Stick: Take care of your stick. It's how you interact with the game- and your pocket is the most important part.
Uniquely Yours It's your stick. It doesn't matter if your friends think it throws badly, as long as it works for you. Everyone's stick is different, but serves the same purpose. It's kind of like shoes- even with the exact same shoes, two people will break them in differently, to make them uniquely theirs.
Keep Your Stick & Back-Up Stick Ready: Nothing breaks in a pocket like use. You want your pocket to throw well- so throw with it. You want it to hold the ball- cradle with it. You want it to shoot right- shoot more. Always be ready to adjust your pocket as you throw around, whether it's with friends or against a wall, or alone at the cage.
Make sure your pocket is pushed out and your mesh in not deformed in any way when storing your stick. Your mesh will eventually harden in whatever shape it is stored. ie. Don't leave shoved in your equipment bag
Store your stick inside, out of the extreme elements, especially during the winter, (Heads can easily crack in cold weather)
Check your shooting strings, over time the strings will come untied.
Occasionally check the screw attaching your head.
***IMPORTANT: After Your Stick Gets Wet
If muddy, rinse your mesh in cold water, then make certain your pocket is pushed out and formed the way you want it. You can crinkle up newspaper to absorb the water out of the mesh. After drying your pocket will shrink back to its normal depth.
