Solomons Steelers Lacrosse   (Here is a link to our official website:  http://www.solomonssteelers.net  )

Organization 

We are part of the Southern Maryland Youth Lacrosse Association (SMYLA). (website: www.smyla.org) We are in the Potomac Conference of SMYLA, which includes teams such as the Beach Buccaneers, Calvert, St. Mary’s, Charles County and others. Our home field is Cove Point Park, Field 7. Games generally are Saturday and Sunday, and possibly a Friday night or two under the lights. Practices are held at Mill Creek Middle School, usually three nights each week until the season begins, then typically two nights. Practices begin late February. The first game is mid-March, the last is the league tournament in Bowie on May 19.

The age groups are as follows:
Juniors (U15) Born on or after 9/1/1996
Midgets (U13) Born on or after 9/1/1998
Pee Wees (U11) Born on or after 9/1/2000
Bantams (U9) Born on or after 9/1/2002
Scoopers (U7) Born on or after 9/1/2004

Beginners are welcome at any age!!! Depending on the registration numbers, there may be multiple teams at any level.

The game
If you haven’t seen a game, try this link which has a pretty good representation of the skill level of youth lacrosse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_0HvMt2tGg
If you are interested in getting a head start on skill development, there is a great site with instructional videos. As far as I know, it’s free, and they have some great stuff. http://video.kudda.com/sports/boys+lacrosse
US Lacrosse, the official governing body of the sport, has a website with a ton of information. See the Parents Guide here: http://www.uslacrosse.org/education/parentsguide.phtml

Equipment
Players must provide their own equipment, as follows: stick, helmet, shoulder pads, elbow pads, gloves, protective cup and mouth guard. Rib pads and cleats are optional (football cleats are good if you have them). Unfortunately, equipment is expensive. The best selection is at Lax World in Annapolis. You can also get equipment, possibly at better prices, at Dick’s, Sports Authority and Modells. Online is probably cheapest but you need to know sizing etc. and what you are buying. Used equipment is also available but be sure to look it over well before buying. I sometimes have inexpensive used equipment for purchase, generally smaller size items outgrown by young players.

For full disclosure, here are some rough equipment estimates.
Stick $50
Shoulder pads $40
Elbow pads $40
Gloves $40
Helmet $100
Lax World has a Solomons Lacrosse Day (date TBD) where everything is discounted 10% with our coupon.
Harrows has equipment packages (by mail) that can be ordered through our club. I will have one of the Harrow Rookie Packs (medium) at the in-person registrations for you to see if you are interested. Contact me if you would like to order one of the packages.

(Note: Every parent’s fear is that their child will only play one year. It’s rare that this happens, but if it does, there is definitely a market for used equipment.)

Registration
The following announcement is running in the local papers regarding registration: Solomons Steelers Lacrosse - Register for the Spring 2012 season at Southern Community Center, Lusby, MD, on January 17, 24 and 31 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Boys born after 9/1/96 through 2006 are eligible. Beginners welcome. Information: Jim Sinclair (410) 326-6681, lacrosse@solomonssteelers.net

The 2011 registration fee is $75. This covers referee fees, balls, equipment, supplies, league fees and team insurance. The uniform fee is $45. The player owns the uniform and it can be re-used in future seasons, so its cost can be spread out over a couple of years.

Conclusion
I hope I’ve given you a good idea of what you need to know to help you make a decision about getting your child into lacrosse. What I really can’t convey is the excitement that kids have playing the game and the enjoyment parents have watching. It’s a great sport. I hope you’ll join us.

Coach Jim Sinclair