FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
In what season is lacrosse played? Lacrosse is a spring sport. Maplewood Lacrosse Club teams (3rd-8th) may start weekly practices in late February/early March and ramp up with more practices/games 3-4 weeks later. The K-2 Spring Clinics start later.
How can I get on the list to be notified about spring lacrosse? Fill out this form
Who runs Maplewood Lacrosse Club? President Damon Webber and Michael Doody lead the clubs' day to day operations along with other board members, coaches and parent volunteers.
Does Maplewood Lacrosse Club do any service projects? The Maplewood Lacrosse Club is proud of our legacy of giving. Each year, the club identifies ways for the players to engage with a charitable partner and personally participate in the give back process. In the past we have partnered with the Kenya Lacrosse Club, providing them with equipment to grow their program. We are currently looking looking into organizations for the club to partner with in the upcoming 2026 season.
Can I volunteer to help with the club? We would love your help! We will soon be looking for volunteers to spread the word about clinics and the spring season! If you are interested in running our (pretty low key) social media pages, please reach out. On game days, we rely on volunteers to set-up, clean-up, keep time, line fields and sometimes mow the field (yup, we often have to do that ourselves) and help with the snack/swag stand. We may also be looking for coaches for certain grades, especially for our younger players. We are also looking for volunteers to spearhead our players' service project. Please contact us and let us know you'd like to help. https://maplewoodlacrosseclub.teamsnapsites.com/contact-us
Will my kids years of playing basketball/hockey/football/soccer etc. help with lacrosse? Absolutely and we encourage kids to play a variety of sports! Skills like coordination, agility and game-time thinking are all crucial to lacrosse and it may surprise you to know that basketball is very similar to lacrosse.
Can I play lacrosse and still play other sports? Please please do!!! We encourage players to enjoy other sports during the off season or to just be kids just playing catch in the backyard (with whatever ball they chose that day). While there may be opportunities to join our once a week fall clinics and/or a casual winter league, we do NOT recommend that kids specialize in one sport! Please prioritize playing basketball/hockey in the winter and football, soccer etc. in the Fall or doing the school play! Tons of research shows that when kids focus on one sport and/or don't get breaks from a sport, they are much more likely to get injured AND end up being part of that ugly statistic that shows 70% of kids quit sports by age 13.
What about playing other sports in the spring? Once kids get to 6th grade or so, we do ask that players prioritize lacrosse - but only in the SPRING - as it is a spring sport. By that age, it becomes especially important that players attend most practices and games as it is the only way to grow as an individual, and really play together as a team. As checking becomes a bigger part of the game, learning to check and be checked is also very important for the safety of your child. Some middle schoolers play lower-commitment spring sport like rec baseball or play other off-season sports they love, and as long as they can make most of their lacrosse practices and games, that can work.
What is the commitment? When are games and practices?
For K-2 players, during our main season, we offer a Spring Clinic on Sunday Mornings. It typically starts after SOMSD spring break but may start earlier if Spring Break is late. For 2nd graders, we also try to have a couple of low-key home games (likely following the Spring clinic). We also offer a fall Sunday clinic.
3rd-8th graders typically start mid or late February with weekly pre-season indoor practices, but the season really gets going with outdoor practices in March. (We totally understand some players may not be able to make pre-season practices due to other sports).
Games usually start around the 3rd week March. Typically we play 2-3 games per week including a home game every Sunday sometimes after the K-2 clinic. Teams also play (mostly away) games on weeknights and occasional Saturdays. While we don't have the full schedule until closer to the season start, you are always welcome to reach out to your coaches and ask about it.
Each team's practice schedule is based on our volunteer coaches' availability and our limited field availability. Your team will probably start with 2-3 practices in early spring. Practices will be less frequent on weeks with more games. Please understand that our volunteer coaches have to prioritize work/travel commitments and sometimes that means practices may be updated on Team Snap last minute.
Tournaments: In addition, we usually play in 2 one-day tournaments in the area for 3rd/4th grade and 3 one-day tournaments for 6th-8th grade. We know you have a life outside of lacrosse as do we so we put schedules on Team Snap as soon as games are confirmed.
Will you schedule games during SOMSD Spring Break? Nope! Please enjoy family time or your vacation during Spring Break. (It is possible that some coaches may host a completely optional practice during Spring Break)
Mothers Day? MLC will continue the tradition of keeping Mother's Day off limits. No games, practices or clinics. No getting up early to search for cleats, fill up water bottles and explain to your disappointed kids why you are choosing not go to their game. Whether you choose to sleep past 9 and enjoy homemade Mickey Mouse waffles together as family, take a Pilates class and have brunch with a friend or drive upstate to visit your parents is up to you.
Father's Day? Our season ends before Fathers Day, but we hope all the lacrosse dads have a fun day too.
Where are the spring games? We play other local towns both at home and away. Most away games are 15-30 minutes away or less, although occasionally we play towns that are a bit farther (up to 45 minutes) if its a good match for our group. Home games are typically at Underhill Field on Sundays and occasionally at Ritzer Field behind Columbia HS. Practices are at Ritzer. This is subject to change of course.
What is the Weather Policy?
The primary concern of MLC is the safety of our players, coaches, referees and families.
MLC will always cancel practices and games in the event of lightning, or in response to warnings issued
by the National Weather Service. Cancellations for other adverse weather or field conditions will be at the discretion of MLC team coaches and Maplewood Township.
In the event of thunder or lighting, fields must be closed for a minimum of 30 minutes after the last occurrence before play can resume. Players will be directed to wait in vehicles or in a suitable shelter as available. Coaches, referees, and/or local officials have the authority to delay or cancel play at any time that conditions may be deemed unsafe.
If a practice or game in progress must be cancelled due to weather, a coach will remain at the field until
all players have been picked up. If weather advisories are in effect prior to commencing a practice or game, please be prepared to pick up your player early, or arrange for his transportation home.
Our season begins in March when the weather can be very cold, and ends in June when the weather can be very hot. Ensure that your player is dressed appropriately. A personal water bottle is mandatory for all practices and games. Sunscreen is advised. Note that light rain will not typically prompt a cancellation.
Please download the free LeagueAthletics Mobile app to ensure timely receipt of cancellation notifications on your mobile devices. Additionally, you may also be notified of cancellations via email or phone call.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation and flexibility with respect to any schedule changes that may be required due to inclement weather.
Is boy’s lacrosse a contact sport?
It depends on the age of the players. Lacrosse is a skill-based sport. As players get older, there is more (but still limited) stick and then body checking, but definitely not in the same way as football or hockey.
The rules state that no body checking is allowed up to 5th grade. Bumping, boxing out and screening (similar to basketball) with 2 hands on the stick is allowed - within specific limits and is never allowed from behind. Stick checking is allowed with 2 hands on the stick, but never above the shoulders. Slashing is not allowed.
6th through 8th grade - Specific, limited body checking is permitted, but taking a player out is never allowed -and should never be the intention - even at the highest levels.
Do players sometimes unintentionally or intentionally break these rules? Like in every sport, unfortunately yes they do, there is definitely that risk and of course there are penalties when they do.