lacrosse faq

1. Who may participate in Warriors Lacrosse? 

Any child age 6 to 14, excluding high school students. In some limited situations we do allow 5 year olds to play up to age 6. This situation requires a discussion with a Warriors Lacrosse representative. 

Warriors are a 50+ year old Member Club of the Arapahoe Youth League (AYL) and as a result have a specific geographic territory that we serve. We serve the Highlands Ranch, Acres Green, Lone Tree, Littleton (some parts), and Roxborough areas. However, players from outside this territory can still play within the Warriors Lacrosse program but are subject to a few additional requirements. Should you wish to play Warriors Lacrosse or you are unsure as to which Club Territory you live in, please contact one of the Warriors Lacrosse representatives. 

2. When does Lacrosse registration occur? 

Registration for Warriors Lacrosse opens on November 1st. The Warriors will utilize an on-line registration system  for all our sports and sport Camps.  This allows our customers a much more efficient registration process for their players.  Should you have questions about registration please see question 21 below. 

3. Why does Lacrosse registration occur so early for this spring sport? 

The Warriors are a member of the AYL which has several member Lacrosse clubs. Each club must define and commit by the end of February each year as to the number of teams by age and division that will participate in the league. This is required to allow time for the all-volunteer AYL Lacrosse Board to complete detailed plans for the season including game schedule, number of officials required, game fields, etc. This also provides time for Warriors to acquire and train quality coaches to fill any coaching vacancies. 

4. When does the typical Lacrosse season run? 

Practice begins in late February or early March  with a 4 – 5 week pre-season practice schedule. This allows ample time for the players to get into "Lacrosse" shape,  physical conditioning, etc. The regular season starts with the first games being played in mid March. The season is 8 regular season games with the top teams in each age/division of play advancing to the playoffs. Playoffs and our season ending championship are completed no later than the end of May. The season calendar varies year to year by as much as one week. It is best to review the current season calendar listed on our website. 

5. How do I go about registering my child for Warriors Lacrosse? 

Warriors began the use of an on-line registration system in 2010 and will continue this system.  This on-line system makes it far more efficient for our customers to register their child for Lacrosse. Further, Warriors now has the capability to take credit cards for our registration fees and we eliminate the time and expense of mailing registration forms.  

6. What is the cost to play Warriors Lacrosse? 

The cost for Warriors Lacrosse can change from year-to-year primarily based on our field provider’s adjustments in field usage fees.  After February 1st Warriors assesses a late fee of an additional $25 per child. Registration closes by age group when the teams at that age group are full. Generally, registration is open until mid-February but Warriors’ encourages everyone to register as early as possible, hopefully prior to Jan. 1st. After Jan. 15th please check the Warriors website for information regarding potential opening at specific age groups. 

7. What does the registration fee cover? 

The fee covers many items including but not limited to:  

• Registration costs which are league fees, insurance costs, coach background checks, etc.  
• Practice costs such as practice field usage & permits, Coaching and practice equipment.  
• Game costs such as game field usage & permits, including weekly field set up/tear down, official’s costs, website scheduling and score reporting costs, and officials evaluation costs.  
• Warriors’ Lacrosse operating expenses such as bank fees, ongoing coaching evaluations and education, administration costs, copying, etc.

8. What equipment will I have to purchase for my child to play Warriors Lacrosse? 

Each individual player is responsible for his own equipment and uniform.  You must purchase your game jersey, shooter shirt, and game shorts through Warriors at our uniform fitting.   

The required equipment includes a helmet (black preferred but not required). Shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, a protective cup, a mouth guard, and cleats. If purchasing a new cleated shoe please consider purchasing a Lacrosse Cleat, which has a better base specific for Lacrosse action. Warriors and the AYL are extremely concerned about the proper fit of player’s helmets and shoulder pads. Should you plan to purchase used equipment, particularly a helmet, please take the equipment to the Warriors Field House or a reputable retailer to have the prospective purchase reviewed for safety. 

9. Where do we purchase Lacrosse uniforms? 

You must purchase game uniforms which are available for purchase ONLINE after registration is open. 

10. Where do we purchase Lacrosse equipment? 

Lacrosse equipment can be purchased at a sporting goods store or a lacrosse retailer. 

11. How is a new player assigned to a team? Are there tryouts? 

Warriors Lacrosse will hold Player Placements mid fall to evaluate players and ensure they are placed on the correct level team.  

A Lacrosse player is assigned to a team based upon age and experience. Age is determined by grade the current year. We attempt to place a new player on a team with similar experience level. Then if there are multiple choices we will try to match the new player with a team that has other players from the same school the new player attends or within the middle school feeder system. Priority for placement is based on the actual registration date and time from our on-line system. 

New Warriors Lacrosse players may request to play with a friend or a particular coach. This can be noted on the registration form. If a team preference is indicated on the registration form Warriors will try to grant that preference however there are other factors such as team level of competitive play, specific team roster openings, etc, that affect that placement. Generally there will be a conversation between the Parents and a Warriors Lacrosse representative to ensure correct team placement if a specific team preference is indicated. 

12. How are Warriors Lacrosse players placed on teams? 

Players will be placed on teams dependent on a number of factors including Player Placement results, coach selection (Red), coach and friend requests, previous team, etc. Registering early is important to ensure placement on a team. Registration is time stamped.  

13. How many players are on a team? 

Team size can vary depending upon the number of kids registering to play. Warriors’ has target roster sizes, varying by competitive division of play to ensure minimal financial requirements are met.  

14. How are jersey numbers decided? 

Returning players will generally keep their number from the prior year. New players will give three preferences during uniform fittings although there is no guarantee of granting all requests.  

15. Where, when and how often is practice? 

The Warriors pay for permits for practice fields from South Suburban Parks and Recreation, Highlands Ranch Metro District, Douglas County Schools, and other private schools and organizations. All of our practice fields are in the Highlands Ranch, Acres Green, Littleton or Lone Tree area. 

Most teams will practice 2 -3 evenings per week in the preseason and have one practice on Saturdays. The start and end time for practices is determined by the Head Coach and generally takes in to account the Coaches work schedule as well as the school schedule our players are under. For the most part the younger the age of the team the shorter practices run, for example at 1st grade the practice may only run 60 to 90 minutes while at 7th and 8th grade the practice may run 2.5 hours. 

16. How many games are played? Where and when are they scheduled? 

The AYL regular season generally consists of eight games. Teams can qualify for post-season playoffs. The number of games played during the playoffs can vary based upon the number of teams in an age division. 

The AYL is comprised of Member Clubs establishing teams in the South Metro area communities of Littleton, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, SE Denver, South Aurora, Parker, Denver and Castle Rock. Games can be played in any of these locations at specific parks. 

Regular season games are scheduled for Saturdays with the earliest game at 8:30 or 9:00 am and the latest game scheduled for 2:30 or 3:00 pm. On some fields we may have later games being played under the lights starting at 5:00 and 7:00 pm as well.  Post season Playoffs begins immediately following the conclusion of the regular season.  Please understand that games may be postponed by weather, field issues or other problems resulting in game cancelations. Games are typically rescheduled as soon as possible and played on the following Sunday. Playoff and Championship weekends will have games on Saturday and Sunday.  

17. What if we have a family vacation scheduled during the season? 

Lacrosse requires significant preparation and practice as well as a strong commitment to the team. Family vacations during the season are highly discouraged. Depending upon team rules, playing time may be impacted because of the time your player misses because of the vacation. You are encouraged to schedule your vacations prior to or after the season to avoid playing time impacts. If you must schedule a family vacation during the season please inform your Head Coach as soon as possible to understand how your team and your child will be impacted. 

18. What if my child decides after signing up that he does not like Lacrosse and wants to quit. What is the refund policy? 

 All registration fees for Warriors Lacrosse are non-refundable.  

19. Who can be a coach? 

Anyone can apply to coach to be a Head Coach or an Assistant Coach. All coaching candidates will undergo a pre-certification process. The process involves filling out an online application, undergoing a background check and completing an interview with a Warriors Lacrosse representatives. All Warriors coaches are required to do concussion training and attend Warriors Lacrosse coach meetings, as well as attend any mandated yearly AYL coach training. Specific Coaching training and skill/drill information is available to any authorized Warriors Lacrosse coach through a contract Warriors has arranged with an outside firm. All Warriors Lacrosse Head Coaches are evaluated annually both by their Parents/Players on their team as well as the Warriors Lacrosse representatives. Retention as a Warriors Lacrosse Head Coach is offered on a year to year basis based on these evaluations. If interested in coaching Warriors Lacrosse please contact the Warriors Lacrosse representatives directly. 

20. How can I help? 

There are many volunteer opportunities with your team as well as with the Warriors organization.   Your Head Coach will be soliciting their Parent group directly for volunteers for the many team and game day responsibilities.  If you are interested in volunteering your time to the Warriors organization, please contact one of the Warriors Lacrosse representatives directly. 

21. If I have additional questions who do I contact? 

If you have any question regarding the Warriors Lacrosse program that has not been answered above please contact the following VOLUNTEER listed below: Volunteer Lacrosse Director Kristen Coffey