GIRLS PROGRAM INFORMATION

Welcome to the 2024 Minneapolis Youth Lacrosse season! 
 

We look forward to continuing our association's growth and success from our 2023 season and welcoming all players and families to the fields beginning April 8th. 

The following items are touched on below: 

• Field Season Overview
• Anticipated Practice Schedules
• Notable Dates
• Gear Overview
• USA Lacrosse Age & Eligibility Guidelines
• Registration Information

FIELD SEASON OVERVIEW

The Minneapolis Youth Lacrosse Spring/Summer season begins Monday, April 8th, and continues through July 20th (10U's), and July 28th (12U/14U's). Both boys and girls that register with Minneapolis Youth Lacrosse will play through the Great Northern Lacrosse League (GNLL), also known as Homegrown Lacrosse.

Our combined season is divided into three parts; (1) early season practices/clinics, (2) GNLL's competitive spring league, and (3) GNLL's competitive summer league. 

EARLY SEASON PRACTICE/CLINICS:

have proven to be a very effective way for our new and returning players to improve on skills, fundamentals, and game sense, resulting in more competitive play throughout our spring and summer competitive seasons. 

SPRING LEAGUE (MAY):

during the spring league, practices will be held twice per week, with games usually scheduled as double-header games that are played either on Saturdays or Sundays (no games Memorial Day weekend). Locations will either be at Parade Stadium (when Minneapolis hosts the games), or throughout the Metro at the home fields of our opponents.

SUMMER LEAGUE (WEEK OF JUNE 10TH - JULY):

during the summer league, we understand that many kids take trips or attend camps so we try to limit our teams to two events (games + practices) per week; this can result in some weeks with only games and no practices. The following guidance is from GNLL, and is always subject to change:

• No games on Fridays or Wednesday/Thursday July 3-4
• Boys and Girls 12/14U games are generally played on Tue/Thur
• Boys and Girls 10U games are generally played on Mon/Wed

ANTICIPATED PRACTICE SCHEDULES

SPRING

April 8th - May 11th, practices will be held at Parade Field on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays*. 

• Boys 8U/10U and Girl's Teams: 6pm - 7pm (Mon/Wed)
• Boys 12U: 7pm - 8pm (Mon/Wed)
• Boys 14U: 8pm - 9pm (Mon/Wed)

* Saturdays throughout April are more clinic based, and age-level times will be determined after registration is completed and the number of teams is determined. 

May 13th - June 6th practice moves to Bassett's Creek Field (N 1st ½ Ave.). Times may shift for the first two weeks to accommodate daylight.

SUMMER

Beginning June 10th, the summer league games begin (played only M-Th), and generally, there will be two games per week. The games may overlap practice times, in which case only games would happen on those days. This keeps the focus on applying the skills learned during competition.

NOTABLE DATES

• April 8th - Practices begin + Gear Exchange! (bring your old cleats, pads, sticks, gloves, etc.)
• May - Spring League games commence, double-headers on Sat. or Sun.
• May 31 - June 2, Girls Spring State Tournament, location TBD
• June 7th - June 9th, Boys Spring State Tournament @ Maple Grove HS & Fernbrook Fields
• June 10th - Summer League Games begin, single games, 2/week, M-Th.
• Sat July 20th, 10U Summer Jamboree, location TBD, end of 10U season. 
• Friday, Sat & Sun, July 26th - 28th, Girls Summer Youth State Tournament and Jamboree @Maple Grove HS and Fernbrook Fields
• Sat & Sun July 27th - 28th, Boys 12U/14U Summer State Tournament, @Delano High School. 

GEAR OVERVIEW

BOYS GEAR OVERVIEW

Our Boy's programs need full lacrosse gear (lacrosse helmet, non-tethered mouth guard, chest protector NOCSAE certified for the prevention of commotio cordis, elbow pads, gloves, protective cup, cleats, water bottle, and lacrosse stick for position. MAYLA will lend out goalie equipment - throat guard, chest protector, goalie stick to our players in goal. USA Lacrosse has an overview here. 

GIRLS GEAR OVERVIEW

Our Girl's programs require goggles/eye protection (current ASTM standard for women's lacrosse eyewear), women's lacrosse stick, and mouthguard. USA Lacrosse equipment guide. 

Locally, you can get new gear at Northstar Lacrosse in Hopkins, East Side Lacrosse in Chanhassen and at Dick's Sporting Goods and Scheels locations. There are several online retailers as well.  

Used and some new equipment can be found at Play It Again Sports in Minnetonka and Roseville, and at Instant Replay in Richfield. Online, SidelineSwap (marketplace for purchases and sales of used sports equipment). 

We will have our annual gear swap on April 8!

VOLUNTEERING AND COACHING

Minneapolis Area Youth Lacrosse Association is a non-profit volunteer-run organization. Without family volunteers, we cannot function. Each season, we required caregivers/family members for each player to volunteer at least one time for the following: 

1. Team Manager. This is a team's communication liaison between the coach and parents, plans tournament needs/communications, ensures game volunteers are assigned, and plans in-season and end-of-season fun. Please note your interest in this position during your registration. Training and support will be provided. 
2. Parent coaches are a vital part of our organization. No experience is necessary, as we'll provide training for those new to lacrosse. We do our best to pair new coaches alongside past coaches to help with the training. Coaching is a fulfilling opportunity and one of the best ways to get to know this fun, fast, and growing sport!
3. Scoreboard operator during home games and scrimmages (ALL families, on rotation)
4. Game clock operator during home games and scrimmages (ALL families, on rotation)
5. Field set-up for home games (ALL families, on rotation) 
6. Field close-down for home games (ALL families, on rotation)

USA LACROSSE AGE & ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES

AGE LEVELS CHANGE EACH YEAR AS OF SEPTEMBER 1.

2023-2024 AGE GROUPINGS
Effective 9/1/2023 through 8/31/2024

Your player may have aged up to the next age group since their past season. To choose the program age group your player is eligible to participate in, find their birth date in the date ranges below.

•  8U Programs: 9/1/2015 - 8/31/2017
• 10U Programs: 9/1/2013 - 8/31/2015
• 12U Programs: 9/1/2011 - 8/31/2013
• 14U Programs: 6/1/2009 - 8/31/2011

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

BOYS*

• 8U - $150
• 10U - $600
• 12U - $750
• 14U - $750

GIRLS*

• 8U/10U - $400
• 12U - $500
• 14U - $500

* For our families new to lacrosse, we encourage you to take advantage of our installment option and if the sport does not feel like the right fit for your young athlete, please reach out and we can arrange for a prorated refund. We acknowledge the financial commitment for a season and do not want that to be a barrier or deterrent for new players to give the game a chance.

Additionally, we have scholarships available. The Scholarship Application form is available here, or contact registration@mplsyouthlacrosse.com with questions. 

REGISTRATION FOR ALL TEAMS CLOSES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH.

For questions regarding the Girls Program:

WHAT IS Field LACROSSE?

Girls lacrosse is played with 12 players on each team including the goalkeeper. The object of the game is to use a long-handled stick (known as a crosse or lacrosse stick) to catch, cradle, and pass a solid yellow rubber lacrosse ball in an effort to score by throwing the ball into an opponent’s goal. Defensive and offensive strategies are similar to basketball while play in the midfield most resembles soccer. 

HOW IS GIRLS LACROSSE DIFFERENT THAN BOYS?

The biggest difference between boys and girls lacrosse is that there is minimal contact allowed in the girl's game. Incidental body-to-body contact is allowed but dangerous contact is penalized (similar to basketball) and there is no legal stick-to-body contact. The only protective equipment required is a mouth guard and face guard/ goggles.