2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse. Player and Parent Handbook. Want It

Transcription

1 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Player and Parent Handbook Want It

2 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Player and Parent Handbook Table of Contents PROGRAM VISION...3 COMMUNICATIONS... 4 Parent Liaisons by School... 4 Team Parents... 4 WARRIOR GIRLS LACROSSE PROGRAM... 5 Coaches... 5 Coaching Staff... 5 Coaches Roles and Responsibilities... 5 Teams... 5 Program Team Structure, Name, and Colors... 5 League: Jeffco... 6 Players... 6 Players Roles and Responsibilities :... 6 Parents... 9 Parents Roles and Responsibilities... 9 Contacting the Coaches Parent Booster Club and Volunteering Program Policies Equipment Tryouts Practices Games Fitness Level Injury Prevention In-Season: Team/Program Activities End of Season General Policies Administration Registering to Play Player Fees Transportation Uniforms and Spirit Packs Fundraising OTHER OPPORTUNITIES New Player Recruitment Off-Season Activities Opportunities Outside of Our Program ATTACHMENTS: Coaching Staff Contact Information and Bios Game Schedule Parent Volunteer Job Descriptions FAQs College Women s Lacrosse: My Daughter Wants to Play in College by: Dina Demara Team Rosters Parent and Player Contact Info

3 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Player and Parent Handbook PROGRAM VISION Welcome to the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program. We are BVSD-unified, CHSAA-sanctioned, varsitylevel, high school athletic program. We have players from high schools within the Boulder and St. Vrain School District boundaries: Broomfield, Centaurus, Boulder, Fairview, Monarch, New Vista, Niwot, Peak to Peak, and Holy Family. We are open to any athlete interested in playing girls lacrosse at the high school level, from the novice to the experienced player. Program Goal: To build the best lacrosse program in the State of Colorado. Our goal is not to win. It is to play together and play hard, then winning takes care of itself. Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Men s Basketball Coach Program Objectives: The objectives of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program are for each and every player to: be the best student, athlete and person she can be, on and off the field improve her individual and team lacrosse skills treat each other with respect; to trust one another and to learn to sacrifice for the TEAM contribute to a cohesive, interconnected group practice and compete with an intensity, a passion, and a level of courage on the field that is second to none be good citizens and positive role models in the schools and community enjoy the journey and strive to have fun Program Values Respect for yourself, your team, your opponent, the officials, the game Responsibility be dependable, do your best, be self-disciplined Support support your teammates, be generous with praise, be forgiving Honesty play by the spirit of the rules, act with integrity Fairness treat others as you wish to be treated, play to win within the rules Commitment to yourself, your team, to learning and growing Trust trust your teammates, on and off the field Sacrifice be willing to make sacrifices for the benefit of the team Be a Good Citizen be a good role model, give back to the community and give back to the sport Dreams are where we want to end up and goals are how we get there. Rick Pitino Each season, we work with players to embrace and commit to our program goals and values and to establish personal and team goals.

4 COMMUNICATIONS Communication is critical given the nature of our district-wide program with players from nine geographically dispersed high schools. We have three methods for you to receive information. It s your responsibility to stay informed by regularly checking the website, your , and the hotline for important, timely updates. Not knowing that something is going on is not an excuse. Website: Yahoo Users Group: We use this group to send s to the players and parents. If you are not already a member, please sign up! If your has changed, please go to the Users Group site to change that information or contact our listserv administrator: warriorgirlslax@comcast.net. Hotline: : When weather may affect games/practice, we ll update the hotline by 2pm. Communications Liaison: Jan Borstein assists with team communications. To contact Jan, warriorgirlslax@comcast.net. Parent Liaisons by School A parent volunteer at each school facilitates school communications; assists with getting important information into the school via PA announcements, s, newsletters, bulletin boards etc.; and represents our program on school-based Booster Clubs. In addition, the liaison provides our coaching staff with information regarding school activities. Boulder Sally Holmes sal.holmes@comcast.net Broomfield Open Centaurus Open Fairview Elizabeth and Bill Erhardt erhardt@me.com Emiko and Tepper Koga emikog8030@infionline.net Holy Family Paula McManus mcpaulajim@comcast.net Monarch Yevett Karpel karpels@q.com New Vista Open Niwot Laura Schaeffer lah9876@yahoo.com Peak to Peak Jim Carroll jcarroll@faegre.com Team Parents A parent volunteer for each team assists with team dinners, snacks, and other activities. Varsity Jann Balue baluebunch@aol.com JV C-Team

5 WARRIOR GIRLS LACROSSE PROGRAM Coaches Coaching Staff Head Coach, Varsity Coach Genny Horning Junior Varsity Coach Hilary Gardner Varsity/JV Assistant Coach Ashley Heilmann C Team Coach Kim Miller Goalie Coach Tepper Koga Volunteer Coaches Julie Price Katie Price Allie Saulsbury * Please see Coaching Staff Contact Information and Bios. Coaches Roles and Responsibilities The coaching staff is 100% committed to this program. This includes putting an infrastructure in place to build our program and the sport of girls lacrosse in Boulder County. We: Have a year-round program of fall ball, clinics, conditioning, practices, scrimmages and summer leagues and camps Work with and support elementary and middle school feeder programs (BVL and YMCA) Provide lacrosse opportunities and experiences to younger girls before they enter high school Recruit novice players at the high school level and provide them opportunities to learn how to play Teach a consistent platform of skills to build upon in following seasons/higher level of play Provide guidance in pursuing lacrosse at the collegiate level. (Please see Attachment: College Women s Lacrosse) More importantly, we are fully committed to each member of this program as a person and a player, on and off the field. This includes all of our players, as well as our parents and the full coaching staff. Each member of your team has a potential for personal greatness; the leader s job is to help them achieve it. John Wooden, Legendary College Basketball Coach Teams The team is the star, never an individual player. John Wooden, Legendary College Basketball Coach Program Team Structure, Name, and Colors We field three teams: Varsity, JV, and C-level. Varsity and JV play a 15-game schedule. Depending on the number of C-level teams statewide, C-team will play a game schedule. Our program is based out of Centaurus High School, South Boulder Road, Lafayette, CO. We practice on both the grass and turf fields. Home games are played in the stadium. Our Athletic Director is Paul Roper. New this year, our program is named Warrior Girls Lacrosse. Colors are royal blue, red, and white.

6 League: Jeffco Colorado has six conferences, or leagues: Centennial, Continental, Jeffco, Metro, Southern and (new this year) Mountain. We play in Jeffco and must play all the teams in our league each season: Chatfield, Columbine, Conifer, Dakota Ridge, Evergreen, Golden, Green Mountain, Ralston Valley, and Wheat Ridge. Game schedules are then filled with teams from other leagues. Players Players Roles and Responsibilities: As coaches, we are making a commitment and an investment in you as a player and as a person. We ask you to do the same for yourself, your team, and the sport of lacrosse. We expect you to be present and on time for all team practices, games, and social activities. We expect 100% commitment from every player and for you to give 100% effort at all practices and games. We ask you to respect and abide by all individual and team rules established by the coaches with regard to practice, participation, attendance, travel with the team, injury, behavior, attire, drugs and alcohol, and academics. We ask you to treat each other with kindness and respect and to be prepared to play whenever and wherever you are asked to play. The Complete Player*: The following are characteristics of a complete player and what we look for and hope to instill in each and every player in our program: Athletic: speedy and quick Tough: mentally and physically Ambidextrous: equally strong with both hands Balanced: balance equals body control Coachable: respectful and eager to try new things Student of the Game: learns every day Ambitious: never satisfied and always looking to improve Fearless: an aggressive decision maker who s not afraid to make mistakes Healthy: conscientious about health and nutrition, respects her body and understands what it takes to perform at a physical peak on a consistent basis Humble: values team success over individual accolades Vocal: not afraid to express herself and get her teammates fired up; understands the importance of communication on and off the field Confident and Self-Assured: recognizes when she s good, but knows there s always work to do Fundamentally Sound: understands the importance of being able to execute the fundamental skills (all the little things) well and consistently Responsive: uses criticism, comments and feedback constructively; makes changes not excuses Courageous: not only had physical courage but the moral courage to do the right things under challenging circumstances Complete: a team player who has the ability to play both offense and defense (* Adopted from Women s Lacrosse by Janine Tucker and Maryalice Yakuchik) Attitude and Behavior: How you handle yourself on and off the field reflects who you are as a person and on the entire program. We expect a positive attitude. Be respectful to yourself and others. Treat each other and your coaches with kindness and respect. Disrespectful or negative comments, behavior or body language are not acceptable. Your attitude and conduct are extremely important factors that will be reflected in playing time. We are not what we think. We are not what we say. Author Unknown We are not what we believe. We are what we do.

7 Physic al Health: Take care of yourself. Playing a high school sport is a huge commitment, of self and of time. Eat well. Get enough sleep. Get in shape and stay in shape. Players must respect their bodies and know their limits. As coaches, we have no way of knowing if a player is injured (aside from the obvious), sick or in pain. Speak up and let us know how you are feeling and if something does not feel right. It is your responsibility to recognize the difference between the discomfort that naturally comes from pushing yourself in an athletic endeavor and injury. We want our players to be in the best physical shape and healthy. Academics and Eligibility: You are a student athlete. Student first. Athlete second. Getting good grades and taking care of your academic responsibilities are extremely important. Letting things slide academically means you are not a true student athlete. With the incredible demands on your time during the season, it means focusing and managing your time will be important. Make sure you keep your academic eligibility. We follow district guidelines around this policy. Each AD secretary will inform us on a weekly basis of each player s eligibility. If you do not keep up your grades and academic eligibility, you are not only letting down yourself but your teammates as well. Time Management: Manage your time and find balance in your life. This is also reflected in your mental and emotional health: you are a student, athlete, friend, and daughter. You are expected to find a way to balance all you do and manage your time and your commitments. Sportsmanship: Let s all be good sports. Help other players up, support your teammates even when things don t go well for you, and don t engage in negative behavior or yelling at anyone, including our opponents and officials. We must remember that the officials are there for each player s safety and verbally attacking them can hinder the progress of the sport in Colorado. Act in a way of which the whole program would be proud. Concept of Team: Lacrosse is a team sport. We are asking you to understand your role on a team and to buy in to the team concept. Have a full sense of what that means and how hard you will have to work and sacrifice to get there. Your understanding of this concept might show in how you handle: less playing time, accepting a reduced role in some area of play, accepting a punishment as a teammate when you didn t commit the error, putting your own needs aside for the good of the team. If you have a conflict with another team member, we expect you to keep it off the field. We encourage you to talk with us and we can help work out any conflicts. Our goal is to have a cohesive and solid team. We need to work together to be successful. All-star teams fail because they rely solely on the individual's talent. [Champions] win because they take that talent and use it inside a system that s designed for the betterment of the team Herb Brooks in Miracle (2004) This can all be summed up in the Athlete s Character Code Be Respectful of yourself, your team, your opponent, the officials, the game Be Responsible be dependable, do your best, be self-disciplined Be Caring support your teammates, be generous with praise, be forgiving Be Honest play by the spirit of rules, act with integrity Be Fair treat others as you wish to be treated, play to win within the rules Be a Good Citizen be a good role model, give back to the community, give back to the sport Communication: On the field and off the field, communication is what builds a team up or breaks it down. Learn how to communicate with your teammates, your captains and your coaches. We are here to help you with this.

8 What you do: Learn to communicate to your coaches and to your teammates, on the field and off. Active talking throughout practice and during games is extremely important. Ask questions! Express yourself clearly and with confidence. Ask for what you want or need to be a better player and person. On the field: Talk to each other, help each other, work with each other. There will be no quicker way to be removed from a game or to be sent to the line for sprint in practice than to yell at or berate another player, whether this player is your teammate or your opponent. Same goes for the officials and the other coaches. Communication is constructive, not destructive. Your coaches will not tolerate any kind of mean-spirited behavior on or off the field. What you don t do: No chatter, no talking in drill lines, no talking in team huddles. No side-bar conversations when a coach or other player is talking. Leave all conversations not pertaining to lacrosse off the field. Please be respectful of your coaches and your fellow teammates. Captains and Leadership: We believe strongly in letting the team lead itself. This requires captains to fully step up into that role. It also requires the other members of the team to empower them to do their job. Let them lead! We elect Varsity captains for the following season at the end each season. We elect JV and C-team captains early in the current season. And, all players should become leaders with yourselves and each other. Whether you are a captain or not, everyone should take on the role of leader in some way throughout the season and the off-season. As you read these statements, ask yourself, how good a leader am I? LEADING BY EXAMPLE: 1. Your actions match your words. 2. Your attitude is positive and unselfish. 3. You accept criticism and correction and are coachable. 4. You listen to your coaches and teammates. 5. You set a high standard of behavior on and off the field. 6. You handle adversity well, staying loyal to the team despite setbacks. 7. You treat everyone with respect. 8. You give your maximum effort in drills, practices, contests. 9. You compete with passion and determination: the heart of a Warrior. BEING A VOCAL LEADER: 1. You seek to know your teammates by initiating conversation. 2. You encourage your teammates, especially those that may be struggling. 3. You affirm each player by commenting on how she contributes to the team. 4. You hold team members accountable by being honest but respectful with them. 5. You appropriately confront teammates when necessary. 6. You start conversations with the coach about issues important to the team. 7. You serve as a liaison between the coach and the other players on the team. 8. You keep confidential information confidential. 9. You have the courage to say what needs to be said, or to do what needs to be done. 10. You serve as an ambassador for the team to the rest of the school and community. Practice: How you play in practice is how you will play in a game. The amount of intensity and interest you demonstrate in our daily practices will directly translate into your and the team s overall intensity on game days. We expect you to participate in every drill, conditioning exercise and scrimmage with your best effort. This includes hustle in between drills and water breaks and staying focused in line or on the

9 sidelines. If you are for some reason (illness or injury) unable to give 110 percent at practice let your coach know at the beginning of practice. You lose, you feel bad sometimes very, very bad. But a much worse feeling is knowing you haven t done everything you possibly could have done to prepare and compete. - John Wooden Spectacular achievement is always preceded by unspectacular preparation. Roger Staubauch, Hall of Fame Quarterback Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it. Lou Holtz, Former College Football Coach Attendance: We expect players to attend all team and program activities: practices, games, meetings, fundraisers, and social activities. If you are sick or conflicting events or circumstances arise, communicate with the coaches prior to practice. You must call your coach by 2 pm for a weekday (Monday Friday) practice or game, or by 2 pm Friday for a Saturday morning practice or game. You cannot ask another player to pass on a message for you. Communicate directly with the coaches. Parents Parents Roles and Responsibilities Your number one priority as a parent is your daughter s health and well-being. As coaches, our number one priority is the same. Our role is to nurture her as a player, a team member, a student athlete, and a person. We ask you to trust that we are constantly working in the best interests of your daughter. We ask you to believe that our fundamental intention is to encourage and support each athlete to be the best lacrosse player and person she can be, on and off the field. And, we ask that you trust and respect the relationships we are building with your daughter. We need your help in this. We ask that you: 1. Encourage your daughter to use direct communication. Players have our cell phone numbers and should call us or speak with us directly, not through you or another teammate. 2. Limit outside distractions. Make appointments and schedule other necessary activities during free periods or on weekends, not during practice times. 3. Keep in mind some basic questions for your daughter that involve self-care and time management: Is she getting enough sleep? Is she eating well and drinking enough water? Is she studying hard enough? Is she finding enough time to relax? Is she able to balance lacrosse demands with schoolwork and other activities and responsibilities? 4. Be parents and not coaches. As parents, it can be extremely rewarding to watch your daughters play a game. It can also be gut wrenching and painful. Please make every effort to support your daughter and encourage her to speak to her coaches as issues and concerns arise. Please don t ask us about your daughter s performance or playing time. We would love to talk about it we just want to talk about it with your daughter. The first level of communication is always between the coach and the player. We promise to honor that and we ask you to as well. Expectations: As a parent of a player in this program, you are expected to: Encourage and support your daughter and the commitment she is making to be a part of this program. Attend games and be a positive, supportive spectator.

10 Support the team by hosting team dinners, sleepovers, and other team-building activities. Volunteer! There are many opportunities: become a team parent or school liaison, join our parent booster club, videotape games, record stats at games, etc. Fundraise. We are looking for ways to raise money to pay for equipment, team clinics, spring break trip, team building activities, videotaping games, and more. Contacting the Coaches Excerpted from: The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting by Dan Doyle On matters of your child s playing time, position and team strategy, bite your tongue; when a coach crosses the line on ethical, professional, sportsmanship or health and safety issues, open your mouth! 1. Do not contact the coach during a game unless your child is attempting to play while too sick or injured to safely do so. 2. Do not contact the coach during the season to question strategy. 3. Do not contact the coach during the season to discuss your child s playing time. It is good practice for your daughter to take responsibility and ask the coach, What can I do to earn more playing time? 4. Do not try to convince the coach to change your child s playing position during the season. It is your daughter s responsibility to ask the coach to try a new position in practice or games. If your daughter is reluctant to approach the coach, help and encourage her by role-playing with her while you take on the role of the coach or suggesting she write a letter to her coach. If it is not an emergency and you are upset with a coach, please use the 24 hour rule. A good night s sleep coupled with further reflection will in many cases produce a much more successful conversation. Parent Booster Club and Volunteering Our parent-led Booster Club meets monthly to discuss administrative and organizational issues, fundraising, and communication. We typically meet the second Tuesday of the month, 7:30pm, at Genny Horning s. Please check the website and listserve for meeting dates and times. President Julie Seidel VP/Treasurer Deb Miller Secretary Mel Nguyen Warrior Girls Lacrosse is essentially a nonprofit organization. Our Booster Club is similar to a board of directors and our parents are our volunteers. This is a parent-led and parent-run organization that functions within BVSD athletic programs, it is not just a group of players and coaches. So much of what we have done and what we do is because of our parent volunteers. It s how we work and it s why we have so many amazing things in place for your daughters. As a parent you are expected to volunteer, to contribute to this program and your daughter s lacrosse experience in high school. We have many opportunities and many needs. Please see the attached list of Parent Volunteer Job Descriptions and contact Deb Miller, Parent Volunteer Coordinator ( or deb.miller@reqall.com), about possibilities and how to get involved.

11 Program Policies Equipment For every practice and game, each player must have a lacrosse stick, goggles, mouthguard and water. She must wear appropriate clothes and shoes for outdoor practices (and, indoor practices when weather dictates). Players should have a pair of cleats for outdoor workouts and athletic shoes with lateral support (not running shoes) for indoor workouts. We have loaner sticks and goggles for new players. Tryouts We hold open tryouts. Spots on any team in any given year are not guaranteed. Everyone is eligible to try out and given a chance to make any team. We also keep fluid teams. The amount of playing time a girl receives is crucial to her development in the sport. Knowing this, the coaching staff will occasionally ask varsity players to play in JV games and JV players to play in C-team games. We believe that this is critical and integral to creating whole players. Conversely, players that show dedication, commitment, and significant improvement may have the opportunity to play up: a JV player could play in a varsity game or a C-team player could play in a JV game. Tryouts are held the first week of practice, Tuesday Friday, February Tuesday, February 17: Player Meeting, 4 pm followed by on-field practice, 5-6:30pm Wednesday, February 18 and Thursday, February 19: Practice, 4:30-6:30pm Friday, February 20: 1-on-1 Player-Coach Meetings, 3-6pm and Practice, 4:30-6:30pm Process: We use our tryouts practice days to observe and interact with players on and off the field. We use the following quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate each player: Fitness and stick skills Scrimmaging and game-like situations Observing overall behavior, on and off the field Conversations among coaches Assessing a player s upside: her raw potential for improvement in the future Selection: At the end of the week of tryouts, the coaching staff will meet to discuss and evaluate each player on the following criteria: Individual skills: How well has the player mastered the fundamentals? Team skills: How well does the player understand and execute team defense, offense and transition? Does this player fit in to our offensive and defensive philosophy? Fitness level: Speed, quickness, agility, hustle, endurance, recovery Attitude, behavior and coachability Position versatility and needs of the team We will meet with each player, one-on-one, at the conclusion of tryouts (Friday, February 20) to discuss the player s performance, place her on a team and be available to answer any questions or concerns. We request all players and parents to be thoughtful over the weekend about team placement. If there are any lingering questions or requests for follow-up, the coaching staff will be available to meet with players the following week. Practices We practice at Centaurus High School on the grass and turf fields. Monday Friday, 4:30-6:30pm. Mandatory for Varsity, JV, and C-level. Saturday, 9:30-11am. Mandatory for Varsity only.

12 Inclement Weather: In the event of inclement weather, the teams still gather. We have indoor gym space at Centaurus, main and south gyms, Monday-Friday, 5-7pm and Saturdays 9-11am. Any practice time and location changes will be posted to the listserve, website and hotline by 2pm on the day in question. Be on Time: Practice starts at 4:30pm. That means you arrive by 4:15pm and are dressed and ready to play at the start of practice. The coaches will be available prior to the start of practice and immediately after. Practice time will not be used for player-coach conversations. If a player is late, running will be involved and the running may involve the entire team, not just the player who was late. Players must sign in with their coach at every practice. Come Prepared for Practice: lacrosse sticks, mouthguards, goggles, water, appropriate shoes and warm clothing. Expect to be outside for all practices and games, but be prepared in the event we move indoors. Come Prepared Mentally: be ready to work and work hard, doing whatever is asked of you. Be focused. Practice with intensity. Pay attention. No chatter and no side conversations. We meet for two hours a day to play lacrosse. Practice time is not social time. I only play well when I m prepared. If I don t practice the way I should, then I won t play the way I know I can. Ivan Lendl, Professional Tennis Player Missing Practices: Players must communicate directly about injuries or health issues they may be experiencing before practice starts. If you do not tell a coach you are injured, we expect you to participate in every part of practice. We expect you to attend practices and games even if you cannot compete. You are expected to be attentive and involved in the game or practice from the sideline. It is never ok to hang out with friends or leave the team during practice or game times. Missing a practice (whether excused or unexcused) will impact your playing time. Coaches will review special or extenuating circumstances. Please schedule dental and doctor appointments at times that don t interfere with practices or games. Thank you for your help in this regard. So much of what we do in games comes directly from what we learn in practice. Don t let your team down and please be ready on time. Be aware, too, of weekend skiing trips. If sickness, over-fatigue, or injury occurs, you are letting down your teammates. Games Fluid Teams: We ask players to sometimes play up a level and sometimes down a level. Varsity players who do not play in the Varsity game will play in the JV game. JV players will play in C-team games. This is not a punishment. We are one program, working together, playing together, helping each other. Playing time in a game situation is critical to improving skills and confidence. We expect every player to have a positive attitude and work hard no matter which team she is playing on. Additionally, players may sometimes be asked to play up a level in a game. In some cases, it may be a permanent move up to a different team. In others, it is a method for coaches to assess a player s readiness. We ask players to remain flexible and continue to work hard and stay positive whether the move is permanent or temporary. Game Schedule: Please see the attached 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Game Schedule. Home games are played at Centaurus and away games at the location listed on the schedule. Directions to away games are available on our website. Game Day Attire: On game days during the season, it is important that each player dress appropriately. Players should wear team sweats (from the spirit pack) or team warm-ups. Express your individuality in other areas of your life. In team sports, the goal is to have everyone look the same on and off the field.

13 Away Games and Buses: Buses to away games depart from the Centaurus parking lot. Players will need to get transportation to and from Centaurus on game days. AD Secretaries at each school will receive a copy of our game schedules and bus departure times. All players competing have permission for early departures on their team s game days. Your coach will let you know what time the bus departs and what time you have permission to leave school. Please let your coach know if any issues arise. Players should plan to travel with the team on the bus to and from all away games. Given that we come from different schools and have limited time together as it is, the coaching staff believes bus rides are an important time for players to bond, prepare for a game, and discuss game outcome. We ask parents to allow players to return to Centaurus on the bus with the rest of the team. In certain circumstances, when a player has another commitment, she may need to return from a game with her parents. When this happens, the player must alert her coach, prior to boarding the bus to leave for the game, that she will be going home with her parents and she must give her coach a note signed by her parent. The coach will not grant permission if the request is made at the game site. In addition, a player may only return with her parent. She may not go home with another player s parent. This rule will be rigidly enforced. Bus Etiquette: Treat the bus driver and our bus with respect. Pay attention during the safety presentation at the beginning of every bus ride. No standing, no shouting. Leave the bus the way we found it: clean and empty. Everything that we take on the bus must come off with us. Use the bus ride down to a game to connect with your teammates and mentally prepare for the game. Away Game Snacks: Away game days are long days. In some cases, players may leave school as early as 1pm and not return home until 10pm. We have tried a few options, but found the best way to nourish players is to provide meals on game days. That s why we ask each parent to volunteer to provide food during a season, by providing food for an away game and/or by hosting a team dinner, in addition to other volunteer opportunities. These meals should be healthy and substantial and also include a drink, such as water, Gatorade, G2 or Propel. Playing Time Policies: Playing time is at the discretion of the coach. Coaches will look at the following when determining starting line-up and playing time: Attendance and participation Effort, dedication, and commitment Coachability Skill level and effort towards improvement Needs of the team Time and score of the game If you have questions about your performance or playing time, ask your coach directly, after a game or during practice time. Coaches will not talk to parents about playing time. Playing in the Game: We expect every player on the field to reflect our program s core values; to play honorably and be good sports; and to respect the other team, the officials, and the game. And, we expect you to be focused and intense and give 100% at all times. If you are tired and unable to perform at your best, you are letting your team down. You should go all out at times and not save some for later. Ask for a sub. Support your team from the sideline and be ready to go back in. When you pace yourself in practice, unconsciously, when the game starts, you pace yourself during the game. You pace yourself and try to pick your spots, which is terrible because there s no substitute for hustle. Red Auerbach, Basketball Coach

14 Sidelin e Beha vior: Time spent on the sideline, when you are not in the game, can be a brief recovery period some, challenging for many and sometimes quite painful for others. We practice day after day to prepare ourselves for game days. So, standing on the sideline and watching your teammates compete is hard. But, it is part of the game. Supporting your team and teammates on the sideline is a role we ask every player to learn. Here is what we expect from you: 1. Pay attention to the game. Know the score and what is happening at all times. 2. Clap and yell and be enthusiastic participants in the game. Get excited when we do something good, especially as it relates to hustle and extra effort. 3. Watch the other team. See what offense the other team is running. Watch their defense. 4. Watch our team. Know and understand what we are doing that s working and know what we are doing that isn t. It is critical for substitutes to know and understand what is happening on the field before they go in. 5. Watch your position. If you play attack, observe the attack and see what is working against the defense and what isn t. If you play defense, watch the plays the opponents are running, figure out who the leading scorers are and the typical location and placement of the shots. 6. Be a student of the game. Use sideline time to learn the things you might not see by playing. This is very important, particularly if you are looking for a way to improve your performance and playing time. 7. Do not ask your coach if you can get in the game. It is certainly the one way you will not get in the game. 8. Support a teammate when she comes out of the game and encourage the player going in. It goes without saying that we will not tolerate any negative comments, outbursts or behavior, on the field and off the field, especially if it involves a teammate, someone else in our program, an opponent, or an official. The coaching staff will deal with any disrespectful or negative comments or behavior swiftly and firmly. Support Our Other Teams: Warrior Girls Lacrosse is a program of three teams. We all represent the program and all support each other and build each other up. If something happens to one player in our program, one team in our program, it happens to all of us. Support your program-mates. Help a novice learn the fundamentals. Teach a JV player game strategy. Encourage an injured Varsity player. We can all learn from each other, so we ask you to be kind, respectful, and supportive of each other. Our Other Teams also include our youth. Lacrosse is growing in Colorado and has become a community here in Boulder. We are always looking for new players. Reach out to our youth playing in the Boulder Valley Lacrosse and YMCA rec programs. Consider teaching girls you know how to play. Volunteer for a lacrosse clinic or camp being run by your coaches or in your neighborhood. Fitness Level Injury Prevention Our off-season practices and conditioning are designed to help players get in shape and stay in shape. We place a strong emphasis on core strength, overall muscle strength, power, agility and speed. As an athlete playing lacrosse, you need to be all these. A strong, healthy, conditioned body is not only more effective and efficient on the field, but is also more resilient and able to avert injury. It is your responsibility to work hard in the off-season and show up on the first day of practice in shape, healthy, strong, and ready to play. Treatment: In the event of an injury, your coaching staff is First Aid/CPR certified and an Athletic Trainer is on-site at all practices and games. Our new AT this year is Ryan Hale. He is available for pre- and post-practice treatment as well as any in-practice emergencies. Emergency Contact Information and Health History: Please complete your health and injury history information authentically and in detail. Your coaches want and need to know about any prior injuries,

15 medical illnesses, medications you are taking or any other relevant information that will enable us to ensure your safety and well-being. Concussion Program: Girls Lacrosse is a non-contact sport. Yet, contact does happen: inadvertent contact with another player and with the ball and with the ground if a player falls. Last season, three players suffered concussions. In response, we have decided to institute a mandatory brain safety test. In the event a player is concussed, she will have a baseline measure of her brain health to assess if there was any damage and determine when it is safe for her to return to play. Each player is required to take this short, easy, free test at the beginning of the season and each and every year since adolescent brains change so much. To take the test, online, at home: 1. Go to: 2. Click on: Take the Test 3. Enter password: brain 4. Complete the personal information page 5. Take the test In-Season: Team/Program Activities As a BVSD-unified team, we face the challenge of unifying our players who gather from nine different schools across the county. Time spent off-field, working together and getting to know each other, helps our teams bond and succeed on the field. A team of players that trust each other, respect each other, like each other, and work well together is a much more formidable opponent than a group of just talented athletes. That s why we plan additional team activities, some lacrosse-related and some not. Participation in these team-based activities is mandatory. Our belief in one another is what unites us and encourages us to be our best. Author Unknown Team Dinners and Brunches: A couple times each season, we gather at a player s home for a team dinner or brunch. These are scheduled after teams have formed and will occur after practice on non-game days. These are not time-consuming endeavors, just an opportunity for us to gather and share a meal. Other Team Building Activities: The coaches plan a couple nights of team building/bonding activities such as a team meeting, ropes course, or bowling. These will take place during practice time and many times are scheduled on days when weather makes a turf or indoor practice challenging. Youth Night: Each season, we plan a youth night during one of our home games. It s a great chance for our youth to attend and watch a high school varsity game and for us to watch the future of Warrior Girls Lacrosse. One of the BVL teams scrimmages during the varsity game half-time. It s a fun night and we hope to make this annual event a bigger draw this year. Spring Break Trip: Saturday, March 21 Thursday, March 26: We are excited for the first-ever, Warrior Girls Lacrosse spring trip to Florida, where we will play and practice at Disney s Wide World of Sports Complex. The Sports Complex is adjacent to the Walt Disney World Resort and provides us with amenities to maximize the training experience: intensive, focused practices; competitive games and scrimmages; and a lot of fun. Each year during spring break, Disney hosts 20 high school girls lacrosse teams. Our players will challenge themselves and experience excellent competition from around the country. We will have one official varsity game on this trip as well as a number of practices, scrimmages, and a round-robin tournament. It will be an intense week, but the players development and experience during this trip will be a major part of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse program, one that will be remembered for years, and one

16 that the underclassmen will look forward to next year. If you have any questions about this year s trip, please contact Emiko Koga at or emikog8030@infionline.net. End of Season Our season does not end with the last in-season, scheduled game. A number of end-of-season activities continue during May. Please keep these in mind as you make plans and commitments. State Playoffs: Varsity Only: State playoffs occur in May each year. This year, 46 Varsity-level lacrosse programs are vying for 16 playoff spots. We have made the state playoffs each of the past three years, with our highest placement at #14 last year. The top two teams from each of the five previously established conferences (Centennial, Continental, JeffCo, Metro and Southern) receive automatic bids. An additional six teams are selected at the end of the season by a panel of CSLA representatives. This year, a new conference has formed in Colorado: the Mountain League. There will be a one game pigtail between the Mountain League winner and the 16 th seed, hosted by the 16 th seed. The State Playoff bracket will be announced by May 4th. End of Season Banquet and Recognitions: We gather at the end of the season to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of the program for that year. It s an opportunity to relive the highlights, recognize accomplishments, honor our athletes, and thank our parents and volunteers. The banquet will be scheduled in May. Each season, besides the awards that we give out within our program, players receive outside recognition for excellence on and off the field: All-American, Academic All-American, All-League Teams (honored at the All League/All-Star Tournament, May 28), and the CHSAA Academic All-State Award. Girls-Boys Game, a.k.a. The Kilt Classic : We have a new tradition of scrimmaging the Boulder High School boys lacrosse team. Sticks are exchanged, goggles are worn, and kilts are shared. It s a fun and safe way to celebrate the similarities in the girls and boys game without adopting any of the checking/impact of the boys game, unless you count the girls tackling the boys. This year, we will follow the game with a family barbeque. General Policies Administration Registering to Play The Boulder Valley School District requires that all athletes register to play lacrosse at their home school. If you attend a BVSD School, you register during your school s regular spring sports registration. If you have any questions about registering, please see your school s Athletic Director or AD Secretary. Players who attend Holy Family, New Vista, Peak to Peak, Niwot, Longmont, or any other school must register at Centaurus with Sue Fischer, AD Secretary, in the main office. The BVSD registration fee is $135/season. Players must also have a current physical to register. If you have trouble getting in to see your physician, try contacting Family Medical Associates (1000 W. South Boulder Road, Suite 110, ) to schedule an appointment. Player Fees BVSD Registration Fee: $135 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program Fee: $100 Spirit Packs: $70 Each season, we fundraise to support our program expenses and create opportunities for our players, such as indoor field space, guest coach clinics, tournament fees, and preseason workouts. Our efforts have

17 successfully brought in revenue for our program; however, in the end, we really end up passing on incremental costs to the players and their families. This year, we will instead assess a $100 program fee to each player to cover our program expenses. This in no way is meant to be prohibitive to participation. We offer an optional coffee/tea fundraiser (see Coffee/Tea below): Players can choose to sell coffee and tea and all proceeds from their individual sales will be applied directly to their individual fee account to offset the $100 player fee. In addition, we will provide scholarships and financial aid to those requesting assistance. Transportation Transportation should never be an issue preventing a girl from joining our program! Players either drive or carpool with other players and parents. We can assist you with transportation to Centaurus if you need it. Please contact Ava Erger, Carpool Coordinator ( or aerger@netzero.com), and she will help match you up with another player or parent. A number of girls also take the bus to Centaurus. The Dash goes from downtown Boulder, out South Boulder Road to Centaurus. The bus stop is right in front of the school. For bus route and schedules, check: Uniforms and Spirit Packs Part of the BVSD registration fee goes towards purchasing uniforms for our program. We distribute uniforms during practice after teams have been made. Varsity players also receive warm-ups. Players provide a deposit check for their uniforms and warm-ups. We collect uniforms and warm-ups at the end of the season and return deposit checks at that time. Checks will only be cashed if uniforms are not returned. Spirit Packs are mandatory this year for all players. The items in the spirit pack will be the same for the next few years, so you will not need to invest in new items every year. This year s spirit pack includes: sweatshirt, sweatpants, T-shirt, and shorts. Again, players will be able to sell coffee/tea to offset this fee or request assistance (see Coffee/Tea below). Spirit pack order forms are due February 24. We also sell fan wear for lacrosse family members and friends. Fundraising Coffee/Tea: Players are invited to sell coffee and tea to defray their expenses. Players earn $5 for every bag of coffee and $2 for each box of tea they sell. Earnings reduce the individual player s program fee, spirit pack cost, and the cost of the spring break trip. Sales take place in November, February and April. The next order is due Friday, February 27. Participation is optional. If you have questions, please contact Anne Shanahan at or shanahanfamily@msn.com. Scrip: The parent booster club participates in a scrip (gift card purchase) program during the school year. About once a month, families have an opportunity to order gift cards at Gift cards are distributed at practice and off-season events about a week after the order deadline. This fundraiser is intended for lacrosse families only we do not want players to out go out and sell scrip. The next scrip order is due Friday, February 27. The program earns anywhere from 2 to 25% on the face value of the gift cards. Hundreds of businesses participate, including Safeway and Albertson s, Macy s, Borders, Barnes & Noble, itunes, Amazon.com, American Eagle, Old Navy and Gap, AMC, Blockbuster, Jamba Juice, Domino s, Noodles, Old Chicago, Home Depot and Lowe s, Dick s and Sports Authority, Disney, and many hotels and other travel-related businesses. Go to the downloads page of our website ( for a complete list.

18 How to get started: 1. Go to and look for the member login box. 2. Choose "Not a member yet?" Select a username and password and enter your contact information. Under classroom, enter you daughter s school. 3. On the next screen, enter our enrollment code: 43CEB5DF To pay online, register for "prestopay." It takes a couple of days to activate this online payment system. 5. We are also happy to accept checks made out to Warrior Girls Lacrosse Booster Club. If you have questions, please contact Anne Shanahan at or shanahanfamily@msn.com. Sponsorships: The players going on the spring break trip solicit sponsorships from local businesses. The proceeds reduce the cost of the team trip. All sponsors are recognized on our website, on the game schedule and roster, and by our announcer at home games. For $100 or more, sponsor logos will be printed on the back of the team workout shirts. For $250, sponsors will have all the benefits listed above, and their logos will be featured on a team banner hanging at the Centaurus athletic field for the spring season. For $500, sponsors will have the benefits listed above except they will have their own banner hanging at the Centaurus athletic field for the spring season. Sponsorship agreements are due when the season starts in February. If you have questions or would like to sponsor the team trip, please contact Anne Shanahan at or shanahanfamily@msn.com. Wine Tasting: Saturday, February 28: For the past three years, parents have organized a wine tasting event at the home of Genny Horning. Tickets cost $20 per person. We offer tastings of about 12 wines from Union Jack Liquor in Louisville. Parents and players prepare appetizers and desserts. It s a fun evening to gather lacrosse parents and friends and raise money for our program. This year our event is Saturday, February 28, 7-10pm. Noodles Night: Wednesday, March 11: Please invite family and friends to Noodles in Louisville on Tuesday, March 11, 5-9 pm. Mention girls lacrosse when you place your order and Noodles will donate 25 percent of your bill to the team. Buy a Noodles gift card through the scrip program and earn another 8 percent for the team. This is a family and friend fundraiser, and not a team dinner. Noodles is located at McCaslin Boulevard and Dillon Road. Pancake Breakfast: November 2009: This coming November, we will host a Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser at the Elks Club in Louisville. Players participate by selling tickets, advertising, and working the event. The Elks club provides the space and the cooks. For $6 per person, attendees get coffee, juice, pancakes, eggs, and bacon or sausage. This is a fun event for our players to work and for our community to support girls lacrosse. Booster Clubs: Boulder, Fairview and Monarch High Schools have all-sport Booster Clubs. Lacrosse parent representatives attend these Booster Clubs to represent our program. In past years, these booster clubs have supported our program, donating funds for essential items such as: Varsity warm-ups, lacrosse equipment, goal nets, a shooting target and a digital video camera. In addition to receiving a portion of the membership dues directly to our program, we also receive a portion of membership and fundraising proceeds from the group. If your daughter attends Boulder, Fairview or Monarch, please consider joining the school s booster club. Scholarships/Financial Aid: We provide scholarships for players to participate in our program and play lacrosse. Scholarships cover program fees, spirit packs, the spring break trip or summer camps. Please see Genny Horning if you would like more information.

19 OTHER OPPORTUNITIES New Player Recruitment We are always looking to grow and build this program and girls lacrosse in Boulder County. Bring friends and sisters to watch your practices and games. Help us introduce lacrosse to younger players. Help teach new players in elementary and middle schools and at clinics and camps. Consider becoming an official for BVLA. There are two programs in Boulder County that feed into our high school program: Boulder Valley YMCA, a rec program for girls in grades 1 st -4 th ( and Boulder Valley Lacrosse, a competitive program for girls in grades 5 th -8 th ( Off-Season Activities We provide year-round activities for all players in the program. This is by no means meant to say lacrosse should be a year-round solo sport for our athletes. Some of our activities are lacrosse-based, some are solely conditioning, and none of them are mandatory. They are options for players to stay in shape and improve their stick skills. The coaching staff strongly endorses cross-training and would prefer all players to participate in other athletic activities and at least one other varsity-level sport at their school. What is required in the off-season? Girls must come in to our season in shape. Tryouts are not a time for starting a conditioning program and players will be assessed on their fitness level during tryouts. Additionally, if girls are not participating in lacrosse-specific activities, the coaching staff strongly recommends players work on their stick skills: play catch with a friend or wall ball. Just as with conditioning, tryouts is not the time to pick up your stick for the first time. Fall: 7v7 indoor scrimmage league, clinics and conditioning (on-field and weight room workouts) Winter: conditioning, indoor practices and workouts Summer: Warrior Girls Lacrosse Summer Camp (July 09), summer league, tournaments, youth camps/clinics Opportunities Outside of Our Program Girls may also be interested in the following opportunities: National Team: Colorado will send one team this year, the Rocky Mountain Team 1, to the National Tournament, Memorial Weekend in Baltimore, MD. Tryouts will be held at Regis Jesuit High School on Saturday, May 2, 2-6pm. Seniors are not allowed to participate. Vail Shootout: U-19 Teams: Colorado will send two teams to the Vail Shootout Tournament, June 28- July 1. Tryouts will be held at Belleview Fields (Cherry Creek) on Sunday, May 31, 1-5pm. Seniors are allowed to play on these teams. Vail Tournament: U-17 Team: Colorado will send one team to the Vail U-17 Tournament, June Tryouts will be held the first week of June. Thank You! Thank you, parents and players, for your efforts and participation throughout the season and throughout the year. As a coaching staff, we notice and appreciate all you do. If you have further thoughts or questions you would like to discuss, we are available and happy to talk with you. Please call or us. We are interested in how we can work together to constantly improve and grow this program and girls lacrosse in Boulder County.

20 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Player and Parent Contract I have read the 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Player and Parent Handbook and I understand and agree to meet the expectations and requirements that are detailed. I accept my individual responsibilities as a member of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse program and agree to abide by these and any other requirements outlined by the coaching staff. I understand that when traveling with others, as when traveling with the team, all the same rules and expectations apply to my behavior. I will meet all team commitments and time lines. I accept all decisions made by the coaching staff. PLAYER CODE OF CONDUCT 1. I accept responsibility for my behavior on and off the field. I understand that what I do or say affects me and other people either positively or negatively. 2. I lead courageously and live with integrity by speaking up against things that are wrong. 3. I act with respect towards myself, my family, my teammates, my coaches, my opponents, my teachers and the spectators at my games and events. 4. I act with respect towards the game of lacrosse itself. 5. I give 100% effort to practices and games. I understand that that effort demonstrates my commitment to the team and my respect for my coaches and teammates. 6. I serve as a role model at all times by acting courteously towards coaches, teammates, opponents, officials and spectators. I understand that it is a privilege to represent my school and my community as a student athlete. I know that this is what builds trust with my teammates and coaches. 7. I know that playing lacrosse in high school requires commitment of my time and energy and that in order to do it right it is requires a sacrifice from me that isn t always easy and is frequently hard. 8. I display good sportsmanship. To everyone. All the time. Plain and simple. 9. I will abide by the policies, rules and guidelines of the sport. 10. I will abide by the policies, rules and guidelines of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program. I commit myself to the goals, guidelines and values of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program. PLAYER DATE PARENT CODE OF CONDUCT 1. I understand and endorse the goals of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program. 2. I support the coaches in implementing this by applauding behavior in my daughter that demonstrates characteristics of Sacrifice, Trustworthiness, Respect, Courage, and Commitment. 3. I serve as a role model for my child by acting courteously towards coaches, officials, other parents and spectators at games and events. 4. I will not approach a coach to speak with her the same day after a game. I will wait until the next day. 5. Prior to speaking with a coach on behalf of my daughter, I will first encourage my her to speak up to the coaching staff. I know this could possibly be challenging for her but I also know the coaches are interested in her general well-being and support what she has to say. 6. I support the team and the program regardless of how much or how little my daughter plays. I will trust the coaches to teach my daughter with competence. 7. I will understand my role as a parent and a positive supporter, not an unofficial coach. 8. I will make sure my expectations are realistic and focus on my daughter s total development rather than solely focusing on her strict lacrosse accomplishments. 9. I understand my role as Booster Club member in terms of the importance of volunteering for the program without expectations of special privilege for my daughter. I commit myself to the goals, guidelines and values of the Warrior Girls Lacrosse Program. PARENT DATE

21 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS BVSD High School Sports Warrior Girls Lacrosse Question: Now that my daughter is on the lacrosse team how does she get to practice and games? How do I make sure she has food, before she plays? Answer: Congratulations on making the team! Players are responsible for their own transportation to and from practice. During the season, practices are held Monday through Friday, 4:30 to 6:30 at Centarus High School. On game days players must be at our home field, Centarus High School one hour prior to a game. Transportation is not provided. On days of away games, players leave on the bus from Centarus. (Again, players are responsible for transportation to Centaurus. Ave Erger is coordinating carpools. Please contact Ava at or aerger@netzero.com. We encourage you to pack a variety of snack items on practice days. On game days, a substantial snack/meal is provided to team members by the parents. Please sign up to provide snacks for an away game. Question: What about school? Answer: Players often miss the last period(s) of school on game days. Managing class work missed is up to the individual student. Your coach will provide your school with game schedules and team rosters. You must notify your teacher directly that you have a game and need to leave school early. Please let your coach know if any issues arise. Question: I know my daughter is responsible for communicating with her coach regarding practice and game specifics, but what if she is sick who and how do I get in touch with to tell them she is too sick to play? Answer: It is the responsibility of the player to notify her coach that she is too sick or injured to attend practice or play in a game. A parent or other player may not be the one to notify. Question: I know uniforms are provided, but what exactly do they receive? Who keeps them? Do they have to wear certain colored socks and shoes? Answer: Uniforms are distributed at the beginning of the season after teams have been determined. Players must bring a deposit check. Checks are returned to players at the end of the season when uniforms are turned back in. Varsity players receive home and away jerseys, skirt, long-sleeved warm-up top and warm-ups. JV And C-team players received home and away jerseys and skirt. Socks are player s choice. Shoes must be cleats for all games and practices. Players must also have athletic shoes with lateral support for indoor workouts. On cold game days, players can wear long-sleeved shirts and pants under their uniforms. They must be black.

22 Question: We also bought a spirit pack. What all is included, and when and where does she need to wear it? Answer: Spirit pack items include: sweatshirt, sweatpants, T-shirt and shorts. Wearing these items at practice is optional. However, on game days, players should wear their spirit pack items or varsity warm-ups to school. Question: Is there any other equipment she needs like an additional mouthguard, or other shoes? Answer: Players are responsible for all equipment, including extra mouthguards. Players may not participate in practices or games without goggles or mouthguards. Players should wear cleats to all practice and games and athletic shoes with lateral support to all indoor practices. Question: I understand there are team dinners to help feed the girls and promote the team. Those that eat together play well together. How often are they, do I have to sign up to do the whole dinner for all teams or can I share the responsibility, and will I get a suggested list of food, carry-out that the girls like? Answer: Each team will host a few team dinners and/or Saturday brunches during the season. As a parent, you are asked to provide a team dinner or a snack for away games. You may share the responsibility. You will be alerted if any player has a food allergy. Otherwise, you can ask your daughter directly what her teammates would like for the team dinner. Question? Remind me on how to find out if practice or game is cancelled, postponed, rescheduled? Will you be sending out team rosters before the first game? Answer: The coaches will alert players the following ways: Listserve, Hotline and Website update. Please check after 2pm on days in questions. Team rosters are distributed in the Player-Parent Handbook and will also be posted on the website. Question? What happens when we make the playoffs? How does that affect the end of season? More practices, More games? How much time will we have to plan all this? Answer: Playoff brackets for Varsity only will be announced May 4 th. Varsity will continue to practice and play as long as they are in the State Playoffs. Question? My daughter is more moody than ever how can I tell if she is frustrated with school, her performance, her team, or coach and what can I as a parent do? Answer: Check in with your daughter. Ask her how she is doing. If any of her frustration or anxiety is lacrosserelated, encourage her to speak with her coach.

23 Hilary Gardner 2009 Warrior Girls Lacrosse Coaching Staff Home Town: Indianapolis, IN JV Head Coach College: Washington University in St. Louis Lacrosse Experience: Park Tudor School, IN (All-American); Wash U Club Coaching Experience: Marquette High School V/JV Co-Coach (Chesterfield, MO); John Burroughs JV Coach 08 (St. Louis, MO); WGL and BVL Fall Ball 08 Ashley Heilmann Home Town: Syracuse, NY V/JV Assistant Coach College: University of Albany a.j.heilmann@gmail.com Lacrosse Experience: Played since middle school; University of Albany Coaching Experience: Camp Wekeela; City of Lakewood summer youth lacrosse camps; Colorado Academy Youth; WGL JV 08 Genny Horning Home Town: Baltimore, MD Varsity Head Coach College: University of Virginia gennyodonnell@yahoo.com Lacrosse Experience: Played since middle school; RPCS, Baltimore; University of Virginia Coaching Experience: Head Coach since Oct 06; JV Coach 05; Volunteer Coach 06; WGL Summer Camps; BVL Youth Clinics and Fall Ball Tepper Koga Home Town: Salt Lake City, UT Goalie Coach College: Johns Hopkins University tepperk@infionline.net Lacrosse Experience: JHU intramurals, Western State Club, Gravediggers Club Coaching Experience: BVLA 8th grade boys 03, Fairview HS JV Asst Coach 04-05, Fairview HS Varsity Asst Coach Kim Miller Home Town: Mechanicsburg, OH C-Team Head Coach College: Wittenberg University kim_lacrosse@hotmail.com Lacrosse Experience: Wittenberg University, Club Lacrosse in England Coaching Experience: England, coached 3 lacrosse teams, helped run the world cup; Montana, Native American reservation; Boulder, WGL C-Level Coach 07-08, BVL Youth Clinics and Fall Ball Julie Price Home Town: Colorado Springs, CO C-Team Volunteer Coach College: University of Colorado julie.price@colorado.edu Lacrosse Experience: Rampart High School Coaching Experience: WGL C-Level Volunteer Coach 08 Katie Price Home Town: St. Louis, MO V/JV Assistant Coach College: Colby College katherine.r.price@gmail.com Lacrosse Experience: Played since middle school; MICDS, St. Louis Coaching Experience: WGL Varsity Asst 08; BVL Youth Clinics and Fall Ball Allie Saulsbury V/JV Assistant Coach allison.saulsbury@colorado.edu

24 College Women s Lacrosse My daughter wants to play in college By: Dina Demara (daughter Izzi) Best Advice: Pick school first and lacrosse second. Division I University of Denver What colleges in Colorado have women s lacrosse? Division II Regis University Fort Lewis College Division III Colorado College Club (~200 colleges nationwide) Colorado State University University of Colorado (Boulder) University of Northern Colorado University of Denver Air Force Academy Colorado School of Mines Metropolitan State College There is a book of lacrosse colleges (Division I, II and III) published every year called the Draw. It provides a summary of average GPA, SAT/ACT scores, student headcount, league, school records, coach info and player rosters for all colleges. It also identifies schools that are preparing to add women s lacrosse (like Boise State in 2012). You can order a copy from Narrowing down schools Preferably get this done during sophomore year (or earlier). One of the best ways of checking out a school is to attend a summer camp, but that is expensive, so narrow down to the top options. Consider available majors. Your daughter may not yet know exactly what her major will be, so does the school have all the possible majors she is considering? Check the cost. Can your family afford this school without an athletic scholarship? Check the admissions requirements. Does your daughters GPA fit with the school? Is your daughter OK with the distance from home? Check the size of the school. Check the lacrosse ranking for the school. Be realistic. Coaches are looking for All Americans and Honorable Mention All Americans. The top 20 schools may not recruit anyone else. Check the roster for geographic information. If there are only players from the local area, the coach may not be interested (or may not have the budget) to look for players further afield. Check the roster for players in your daughter s position. A team will generally only recruit one goalie every other year. If there are a lot of players at her position who will be graduating when or before she would become a freshman, that s the best situation. Check the available housing. Does the school provide on-campus housing for all 4 years? If not, can you find a reasonable place close enough to campus to accommodate early/late practices. Check the activities available. Unless you play club, you may not have the chance to participate, but if you are injured or decide not to play this should be a factor.

25 What s the reality on scholarship money? Division I up to 12 scholarships per team Division II up to 9.9 scholarships per team Division III no athletic scholarships Club pay to play ($1,000-$3,000) Note: Ivy League and Patriot League schools do not offer athletic scholarships. Lacrosse is not a huge sport. Football can have 85 scholarships with 25 for freshmen. Smaller schools will not have the full 12 scholarships available for lacrosse. Athletic scholarships are offered independently each year. The reality for freshmen is that unless you are one of the top recruits in the country (meaning multiple coaches are contacting you or you make All-American honors as a junior), you probably won t get more than $1,000 for an athletic scholarship. The bulk of the money is reserved for upperclassmen who have already proven themselves on the field. Many private schools offer academic scholarships based on your GPA, which will far exceed the athletic scholarship money. This can make a Division III school cheaper than a Division I school. For all levels, there will be fundraising required. So far, Izzi has sold raffle tickets, T-shirts and coupons for a local restaurant (mainly by manning booths at basketball games). How much time do you spend practicing and playing? There are different rules for coaching. Division I, II, III rules set by NCAA. Club rules set by WDIA. Division I: Coach contact from Sept 7 until final Championship games. Division II: Coach contact from Sept7-Nov15 and Jan10 (or 1st day of classes) until final Championship games. Division III: No more than 19 weeks of contact from Sept7-Oct30 and Feb1 until final Championship games. Division I, II, III: No coach contact allowed outside these times unless players are employed (e.g., as counselors) for camps/clinics. Club: Club members pay for their coaches (some may have volunteer coaches), so each club sets their own practice schedule. For Division I, II and III, you can expect to practice every day (7 days a week) during coach contact time and expect to have assigned workouts during coach non-contact time. Actual practice times vary by school. Izzi has at least 3 hours of practice every day including shooting practice, team practice, individual sessions, conditioning and strength (weight) training. Practice times vary. 8PM-11PM team practice followed by strength training at 6:45AM does happen. Games are scheduled without regard to midterms and there can be 3-4 games in a single week. For Club, you can expect to practice several times per week. CU practices M,W,F 6-8, CSU practices M-F 4-6. Games/tournaments are usually on weekends to accommodate travel time. Division I,II,III have some advantages that clubs do not. There is athletic academic help available. There are athletic trainers available. How do you balance school and athletics? It is extremely difficult. You really need to look at what your major is and if you can balance that with athletics. DU players cannot major in education. Their athletic schedule does not mesh with student teaching. At SBU, Izzi did not pass one class her first semester. The coach told her she should pick an easier major and not continue in the sciences (she is a chemistry major). At Regis, there are twin freshmen majoring in nursing. They only plan on playing lacrosse for 2 years. You need to really look closely at how the school supports their athletes in terms of academics. Ask players and parents since the coach will paint a rosy picture. Division I, II, III freshmen are required to spend a certain amount of time in athletic study hall. Club teams do not have this advantage. SBU provides free tutors for all their athletes upon request. Other schools will locate tutors, but athletes are charged.

26 SBU is a small school and professors are flexible when it comes to athletes missing class or needing to take tests at alternate times. But there are still issues with missing labs and not being able to do the experiments at other times. A former Oregon player (now at CU) left in part because professors would not reschedule tests occurring during away games. Players were given an F for the test. What should my daughter be doing? Focus on getting good grades Download the Guide for College Bound Student Athlete ( It is important to be aware that SAT scores and transcripts need to be sent to the NCAA clearing house. Practice, Practice, Practice. One criteria for consideration for All-American is being a two-year varsity lacrosse letter winner Play another sport in high school. This highlights athletic ability and earning a varsity letter in another sport is one of the possible qualifiers toward being considered for All-American. She needs to play where coaches can see her. College coaches will not come to her. Try out for Colorado Select (U15 or U17) teams to play in Vail. She needs to be noticed to make first team honors. Making first team is one of the possible qualifiers for being considered for All-American. Try out for the National Tournament Regional Team. This requires a trip back east to play (at your expense) to the National Tournament and is one of the possible qualifiers for being considered for All- American. If you can afford to have her play club do it. Team 180 and Blue Sky are the main club teams in Colorado. Playing club will really improve her skills as well as giving her a chance to showcase her playing at tournaments where college coaches are in attendance. College coaches also occasionally come to Colorado as guest coaches for club practice. Contact coaches at schools she is interested in. This needs to be done by the player NOT the parent. Fill out the on-line questionnaire. Follow it up with an indicating why she is interested in that particular school and asking to be put on the mailing list for any clinics that the coach will be holding for youth. More on coach/recruit contact later. Go to lacrosse camp. Check for camps that include coaches from the colleges that interest her. She ll get a chance to be in front of coaches but may also make connections with players that have good connections with coaches. Izzi found SBU through her (now) roommate at a clinic at Johns Hopkins. For another take on this, look at Lacrosse Resume and DVD Create a lacrosse resume. You will send this to coaches, provide it at tournaments and camps. It helps to have all the information in one place when you fill out the on-line questionnaires. Izzi s sample is attached. Coaches request game footage. They don t really want a highlight tape. They really want about half a game. A game where you made some great plays, ran really fast and/or recovered after an error that would be ideal. They are looking to see how you do in a game situation. Label the DVD (e.g. Izzi Demara #17 White, Boulder vs. Wheatridge 3/5/2007) You can put together a sheet identifying highlights within a DVD if you want. For example: 1:34 Goal Scored 2:18 Attempted Goal 3:48 Defensive check causing turnover 5:05 Goal Scored 8:13 Ground ball recovered 12:45 Assist for attempted goal Contact with Coaches There are lots of rules regarding coaches contacting you. The exact dates change, so you will need to review the schedule. Download the Guide for College Bound Student Athlete ( In addition to the rough guidelines, the calendar is divided into contact, quiet, evaluation and dead periods. Contact with a parent is treated the same as contact with a recruit. Coaches may not talk with recruits on another campus (e.g. coach for a team playing against DU at DU may not speak to any recruits). Think of it as being on enemy territory. Sophomores thru seniors You may call coaches at your own expense. You may coaches.

27 Sophomores Coaches may NOT call or you. Coaches can only send you brochures for camps and questionnaires. Juniors Coaches may send recruiting materials after Sept 1 of your Junior year Seniors Coaches may call you no more than once per week starting July 1 after your junior year. Coaches may see you off-campus no more than 3 times during your senior year. All You make as many unofficial visits to schools as you would like. You may talk to a coach on campus during an unofficial visit unless the time is marked as a dead period Seniors You may make up to 5 official visits to Division I and II schools after opening day of classes. What do you say when you contact a coach? Initial contact must be filling out the questionnaire on-line. This gets you in the database at the school. Some schools use a service (like a common app), but most are individual. Follow up with an . Tell the coach why you want to attend their school. Be specific ( I m interested in the Biochemistry Major with DNA Forensics, I have relatives in Lynchburg, VA just an hour away and I have enjoyed the time I ve spent in the area ) Follow up with a snail mail copy of your lacrosse resume and a cover letter. At this point, the coaching staff has probably created a folder for your information. Send an no more frequently than once a month. The point is just to get on the coaches radar screen. Tell the coach any good news: o Grades at the end of a semester o Athletic events ( made the Varsity Softball team, competed in the first windsurfing race of the season and came in 2 nd, At the halfway point in the season, I have 22 goals and 14 assists, Attended the DU winter lacrosse clinic ) o Other achievements or activities ( I competed in Academic Decathlon and earned 3 medals, I o volunteered at the Boulder Creek Festival and helped to face paint over 40 children ) Any tournaments or clinics you plan on attending as soon as you know. If the coach might be in the area, there is a chance the coach will look for you on the field. Division I and II coaches may not have face to face contact with you beyond a simple greeting unless you are at their campus. You can introduce yourself, but the coach has to tell you they cannot talk to you and they will terminate the conversation. Nothing personal, just making sure the recruiting rules are followed. July 1 after your junior year is the first time the coach can call you. Official Visits An official visit occurs when you are invited to visit a school by a coach and part of the visit is paid for by the school. This will be during Senior HS year. Large schools may pay for transportation (plane tickets). Smaller schools may only pay for lodging, food and entertainment (e.g. basketball game). Parents may attend at their own expense. If your daughter is invited for an official visit, the school does want her. They are trying to sell her on the school. She needs to use the time to find out if the school (and teammates) are where she want to spend the next 4 years. Athletes on official visits cannot participate in athletics. There will be no lacrosse playing. You will be able to watch the team practice. Alcohol It is a reality in college. The host player and your daughter will sign a conduct pledge, but attending a social function (without parents or coaches) is part of finding out if this is the school for your daughter. What does signing mean and when does it occur? There is early signing in fall of senior year. It usually occurs one week in November. There is spring signing in spring of senior year, usually sometime in April and continuing into the summer. Lacrosse signing dates are usually NOT the same as football signing dates, so don t panic if the news media is covering signing day. NCAA sets signing dates for the various sports. Signing is a commitment to attend a school and be guaranteed to have a slot on the lacrosse team. Once you have signed, you may not play lacrosse at any other school your freshman year. National Letter of Intent is signed if there is athletic scholarship money involved. Letter of Intent is signed if there is no athletic scholarship money involved. This is no signing for club Signing/commitment info is maintained on You should enter your own information when you decide on a school (including club).

28 Elizabeth Izzi Demara Class of Pennsylvania Ave Birthdate: 12/01/1989 Boulder CO Height: 5 8 Weight: 160 Hand: Right Home Telephone: (303) Positions Played: Attack(HS), Defense(Club) edemara@comcast.net Parents: Raymond and Dina Demara Academics: GPA: 3.15 (9 th th th -3.7) PSAT: 147 ACT: 22 SAT: Critical Reading: 500 Math: 490 High School Information Writing: 500 Fairview High School 1515 Greenbriar Blvd Boulder CO High School Lacrosse Information (Jersey #17) Played for Boulder High School Lacrosse (a combined team for Boulder Valley School District) FRESHMAN YEAR o Junior Varsity Team (6-5-1) o Started in all games on the JV team (32 goals, 27 assists) o Best Attack Award SOPHOMORE YEAR o Varsity Team (7-8-1) o Started in all games on the Varsity Team (19 goals, 6 assists) o Named to 2 nd team all Centennial League o Team made the state tournament JUNIOR YEAR o Varsity Team (10-6) o Co-Captain o Started in all games (39 goals, 9 assists) o Named to 2 nd team all Centennial League o Team made the state tournament Club Team Lacrosse Information (Jersey #37) Blue Sky Lacrosse Team coached by Greg Courter, Gary Secora and Gary Gait Plays Defense YR2007 Summer Schedule -June 9-10 Colorado Cup -June IWLCA Tournament -June Gait Team Camp in Gettysburg CAMPS AND CLINICS ATTENDED Jeff Sonke Shooting Clinic (BVLA) Annie Morris Indoor Winter Clinic Denver Elevate Summer Camp Wendy LaHaye/Cora Sexton Fall Clinic Swagger Lax Winter Clinics Icon Lacrosse Winter Team Clinic OTHER SPORTS/AWARDS 3 years of High School Volleyball (Freshman, Sophomore, JV teams) 2005 Rocky Mountain Windsurfing Association Rookie of the Year st place in Junior Class in the Rocky Mountain Windsurfing Association Race Series rd place in Women s Sport at the Toucan Open (US Windsurfing National Racing Tour) Colorado Academic Decathlon Northern Regional: Medals: 1 st in Art Category 2 nd in Speech Category 3 rd in Essay Category OTHER ACTIVITIES -Girl Scouts (Silver Award, Gold Award in progress) -Congressional Bronze Certificate -Member of the 2006/2007 Varsity Academic Decathlon Team for Fairview High School COACH CONTACT INFORMATION High School Lacrosse Coach: Genny Horning Tel: (303) gennyodonnell@yahoo.com Club Lacrosse Coach: Gary Secora Tel: (303) gmsecora@yahoo.com