Frequently Asked Questions
When does the lacrosse season start?
The Lacrosse season typically runs from the first Monday in April to the end of June each year. We traditionally hold our annual End of Year Jamboree from 4pm-8m on the 2nd Saturday in June (subject to playoff schedules -more info will be sent to players). Cookout, games, a DJ's, karaoke and more. A great end of the season!
We are reliant of the weather and often "April Showers" will prevent us from being able to get onto outdoor fields.
What age bracket is my child in?
There are different divisions / grade brackets for GIRLS & BOYS.
| K/4 Yr Old Pre-K |
Grades 1 & 2 |
Grades 3 & 4 |
| Grades 5 & 6 |
Grades 7 & 8 |
|
"Sharks" or Kindergarten/ older Pre-K children have a 8 week season... they meet on Saturday afternoon or Sundays.
Grades 1-4 have an 8 game season with a fun Round-Robin Jamboree event on the 9th weekend.
Grade 5-7 have a 9 game season with standings and Championship series on the 10th weekend. The QUARTERFINALS are held MID-WEEK during the 2nd week of June; SEMI-FINALS are held the 2nd Saturday of JUNE and CHAMPIONSHIPS are held the 2nd SUNDAY of June.
There are two divisions (DI and DII). DI is by tryout only.
What team will my child be on? When do we practice?
Teams are selected in MID to LATE March. Expect to be contacted by a coach in late March notifying you of your team placement and practice schedule. The field use meeting is typically held in mate February or early March. Until the town confirms the available fields, we cannot schedule practices.
We ask for your patience. There are appx. 600 players and over 35 teams each year and numerous coaches & field space to coordinate. Please understand that teams will be assigned practice space on a Barrington, Warren, East Providence or Bristol field regardless of residency. We will notify you you of your practice day as soon as possible. The league is already in communication with recreation departments in these towns. Once we confirm this with our coaches, a practice schedule will be released.
All teams except Landsharks & Ladysharks have 2 practice per week. One with their team and one grouped practice with multiple teams and additional coaching support.
Can my child be on the same team with a friend?
Unfortunately we cannot guarantee any requests for specific placement.
We first and foremost have to distribute the players equally by skill. So each team has the same number of experience, mid level and new players. If for example we load up one team with 8 kids who have been playing for 4 years because they all asked to be together, then another team will be lopsided with an excessive amount of lessor skilled players. It is not a fun experience for either group. Killing a team is not a learning experience nor challenging and being beaten week after week can be a crushing experience.
We can make note of written requests but cannot guarantee any requests will be honored.
What is the East Bay Lacrosse Boys Competitive Team program about?
To offer the highest level of play, East Bay participates in the DI level of the RI Youth Lacrosse League. for boys & girls in grades 5 & up. Team selection is made through tryouts only and players can expect to play teams throughout RI with two tournaments in New England.
You will be asked to indicate interest in this higher level of play and pay to attend the tryouts during your registration. All players must complete the standard registration first. All registered are guaranteed a spot on either a DI or a DII team. Those not selected for the DI team will be placed onto a DII team. There are higher fees and committment expectations for the DI programs.
What gear does my child need to play?
Boys: Lacrosse helmet (hockey helmets are not permitted), mouth guard, gloves, cleats, arm pads, shoulder pads, stick and athletic supporter. Landsharks: Stick and mouth guard only.
Girls: Stick, mouth guard, cleats and lacrosse eye protection. Many girls also wear gloves.
Ladysharks: Stick and mouth guard only.
Mouth guards are mandatory for both practices and games. Boys should purchase mouth guards that attach to the helmet.
US Lacrosse has a guide to help you understand the items required and their proper fit. Please use this link & read more under the PARENTS tab: https://www.uslacrosse.org/safety/equipment. East Bay also has some equipment to loan. Please contact
to inquire about this.
Do I need to purchase a uniform for my child?
A new uniform was implemented in Spring 2018. We no longer use the old style unifrom from the Gob Shop.
YES: If the player is a 3rd grader, a new player or has outgrown his/her uniform, you will need to purchase a new uniform. This can be done during registration. Those in EVEN graduation years will be given EVEN uniform numbers. Those in ODD graduating years will be given ODD numbers. Because of this you cannot handdown uniforms.
Can I keep my jersey number? How do I get a new jersey?
In Spring 2018 we moved to a new uniform company and numbering system. Those in EVEN graduation years will be given EVEN uniform numbers. Those in ODD graduating years will be given ODD numbers. Because of this you cannot hand down uniforms.
We work hard to track all the jersey numbers to avoid duplicates on our teams. When a child moves up into a new league this sometimes can cause a conflict in jersey numbers. If a child "borrows" a jersey from a former player this can also cause duplicates. Please DO NOT hand down your uniforms.
You willbe asked to enter your unifrom number during registration. We will cross check this without records and will contact you if we see a conflict. Uniforms must ordered by February 10th or you might not receive yours before the first game.
Why do I have to purchase a US Lacrosse membership?
EBBCLA members voted to support the establishment of a national governing body for the sport of lacrosse. In so doing, EBBCLA decided that all EBBCLA members in good standing would therefore be active members of US Lacrosse. In addition, the benefits to USL membership are substantial. In addition to training, those benefits include a variety of programs, services and discounts. To facilitate this process, we will collect the fee and complete the membership process on your behalf. To play in any RI league you must have a US Lacrosse membership that expires on or after 6/30. All RI Lax programs have the same membership requirement. Check out the US Lacrosse web site for much more info. You will be re-directed to the US Lacrosse website during registration in order to locate your existing membership, renew your existing membership or apply for a new membership. The cost for a youth player membership is $30.00
My child plays two sports and can't make it to every practice or game./ What is the 80/20 rule?
Your child must be committed to this program. In order to create viable teams for our coaches to coach and for our program to commit to the RIYLL game schedule, your player must attend at least 80% of all practices and games. Teammates depend on each other to attend practices and games so please make every effort not to let your team down. If there are extenuating circumstances and your child cannot attend a practice or a game, you must notify the coaches well in advance. If you cannot make these commitments, please do not sign up. NOTE: Players on the DI teams have a higher level of committment and these expectations willbe explained in detail at the tryouts.
What is mandatory volunteering all about?
In order to spread the burden of managing our organization we need everyone to help out with the league work in some fashion at least once during the season. We have a variety of things that you can volunteer to do for a team or the League. Please be sure to tell your child and other family members what volunteer job you selected. This way they will be sure to know when we contact them to coordinate.
I received a notice my child has been wait listed? What should I do?
For now you will have to wait & see if space becomes available. The wait list for all teams is a first in/ first served basis. If a space comes available you child will be moved into the available spot and your credit card charged accordingly. You will be notified immediately of the opening. We will also be working with Atlantic Sports to have spare uniforms available for those late registrations.
