About SYL

Purpose

History

Times and Locations

US Lacrosse Membership

Cost

Required Equipment

Equipment Acquisition

Coaches

People

Purpose:

to reach boys and girls in grades 1-6 who are interested in playing lacrosse
to expand the sport of lacrosse in Maine
and above all to provide the youth of Scarborough with a vehicle for learning the joys and values of hard work, fair play and team dynamics through athletics

The program teaches the basic skills of lacrosse and provides actual game situations.

History:

Scarborough Youth Lacrosse began in the spring of 1998. In its first season, SYL served just 12 Scarborough boys in first and second grades.

In the 1999 season, the group founded a separate girls' division (the boys' and girls' versions of the sport are very different) and expanded to cover first through fifth grades. 32 players participated.

In the 2000 season, SYL expanded its scope again to cover middle-schoolers. We served 82 players.

For 2001, Middle School players were able to play for an official school program, so SYL contracted back to grades 1-6. We still served 72 players.

In 2002, fueled in part by an explosion of interest on the girls' side, we grew back to 90 players.

For 2003, membership remained level.

Times and Locations:

Sessions will be held on weekdays and weekends from April, 2010 well into June, 2010 as weather and daylight permits. Practices will be primarily instructional with some scrimmages, and will be conducted on Scarborough fields. Games will be played against local or, where available, inter-town opponents. To date, the furthest we have traveled for inter-town contests has been Brunswick and York. Practice and game schedules will be posted on this website. Team administrators will communicate late schedule changes.

US Lacrosse Membership:

SYL still requires membership in U.S. Lacrosse, but we no longer obtain that membership for you. Instead, you now must obtain US Lacrosse membership separately, before registering with SYL. You will need to supply a U.S. Lacrosse membership number as part of your SYL registration, and that membership must be valid through June 15, 2010. SYL will verify that membership before confirming your SYL registration.

Cost (2010 season):

$50.00 (Includes game jersey.) No longer includes U.S. Lacrosse Youth membership and LAX For Kids magazine! You must obtain US Lacrosse membership separately, before registering with SYL.

$5.00 additional if not registering electronically.

All other equipment not included!

Required Equipment:

Each player must provide his or her own equipment as follows:

Boys:

Approved helmet with faceguard
Stick
Gloves
Arm pads
Shoulder pads
Mouthguard
Athletic supporter with cup

Girls:

Goggles
Mouth guard
Stick

We highly recommend cleats for all players!

Equipment Acquisition:

We expect that, as in the past, at least one supplier of equipment will attend our informational meeting (TBA) and offer partial and complete equipment outfits at very reasonable prices.

There also are several retail suppliers nearby, including Play It Again, MVP, and World Cup Sports in Kittery and Freeport. Atlantic Sportswear may have their retail hours again this year. Online suppliers also are plentiful.

We suggest that you survey the retail suppliers prior to the registration meeting. The suppliers who are present at registration will not accept follow-up orders this year.

Coaches:

The coaching staff will comprise a mixture of SYL parents, Scarborough High School varsity players from both the girls' and boys' teams, and other qualified individuals. All coaches will have committed in writing to placing the interests of the athletes ahead of winning games. All head coaches will receive their own copy of Baffled Parent's Guide to Coaching Lacrosse (boys' or girls' version, as appropriate, $14.95) and will strongly be encouraged to employ principals advocated in that book.

Some of the People:

Peter Morin joined us in the 2002 season, apprenticing for 2 years under former head girls coach Graham Pettingill. Peter also has considerable experience in coaching girls basketball, a sport that has a great deal in common with lacrosse.

Dan Barrett founded SYL in 1998 at the behest of his then-first grader. He was introduced to lacrosse in high school,and helped found the Back Bay Lacrosse Club's Middle School Division in the mid 1990s. He has been involved in youth coaching in Scarborough since 1986. He also coached the Maine Select U-13 Boys teams of 2001, 2002 and 2003 as an assistant. He has attened local coaching clinics, and attended coach's training at the US Lacrosse National Convention in both 2002 qand 2004. The National Youth Sport Coaches Association has certified Dan as a youth coach since 1987.