11/8/2014 DFWL Meeting minutes Location: Coppell YMCA
9:05 Meeting called to order by Mike Cook
9:10 Roll call by program. Programs in attendance were: Colleyville, Coppell, Deuces, ESD, Flower Mound, Frisco, Plano West, Hebron, Highland Park, Hillcrest, Keller, Denton Area, Lovejoy, McKinney, Parish, Plano, PYSA, PEL, Southlake, St. Mark’s, FWCD. By proxy: Allen and Rockwall.
Intro by Mike Cook: Fall ball ended successfully. DFWL tourney was a success and partnering with Dallas Lacrosse went very well. Eastfield college was pleased and would like to have us back. For the future, would like to find more fields so more teams can play. Possibility to open up to HS teams?
Coaches/officials meeting is set for 1/13/15 @ Brookhaven Country Club.
Secretary Report: Robin Barron-nothing to report
Treasurer Report: Tracey Perry-Funds raised for DFWL have been deposited. Funds came from partnering with BRIDGE/chumash tourney and from DFWL tourney. Expenses: website, director and trophies. Budget: Budget hasn’t changed that much Summer tourney was the only one we didn’t have on the budget before. Suggestion was made to raise bantam fees by $25, making bantam total now $175 and youth the same at $300. League Athletics (website) was free the first year, but this year will be $1375, plus monthly fee for merchant account and transaction fees. LA bases prices on how many teams. All-star pinnies-Team Lax donated almost $4,000 in pinnies. Need to find another large sponsor. Mike Cook has been speaking to Dick’s Sporting Goods.
Motion was made by Southlake to raise bantam fees by $25. DAL 2nd’s motion. Vote was taken and motion was PASSED unanimously. Fees for bantam are now $175.
Director Report: Desiree Guildea-nothing to report
Mike Cook welcomed Deuces to DFWL
Discussion of spring season: Schedules-will need to have scheduling meeting again and would like to have scheduling committee formed. Discussion of pre-scheduling games by region. Games cannot interfere with HS playoffs. We did a great job of scheduling games, playoffs, all-star games last spring. Officials are interested in direct pay system this year and are looking into different options. There are 3 districts/same as last year. Scheduling committee would need to re-look at districts to even out strengths. Spring break/Easter will affect playoff date.
Discussion of “Hard Date”: If you don’t play your games, it would go down as a tie. 10-12 game total. Semifinal/final round one location. Also need a hard date to have all teams registered and paid for online. Scheduling committee needs to decide. Playoffs encouraged better energy level for D2/D3 levels. Discussion on how we separate teams into divisions: scheduling committee to form and decide. Discussions on how many divisions we should have, speed dating games?, does each program need to put a team in D1?, going grade based?, younger players can play up, but older players cannot play down?
¾ group will not level teams this spring: that was voted on and passed in August. Programs had issues with leveling because some were following it and some were not.
D1 discussion: Some teams who entered D1 and were not successful, did not help team at all. D1 mandate is not realistic, especially for smaller programs. Could we make Gold/Silver bracket for D1? Jamboree to see how teams do?
The current rule states 1 team at D1, 1 team at D2 and rest of teams D3. Southlake made the motion to allow programs to be able to put as many teams in any division as they see fit (grades 3-8) and to add in stipulation that rosters are set. Most did not like that and a comment was made that we have to allow swing players and the majority of the programs run their program like they should.
Southlake made a new motion: Do away with mandate on divisions and allow programs to enter as many teams at any division they want. McKinney 2nd’s. Mike Cook calls the question: If this passes to allow swing players. Vote was taken: Most all approved. Motion PASSED. Only 3 opposed.
Eligibility Process: Committee formed this year. Tried to be more in line with THSLL. Cecil Noble heading this. HS programs moving from D2 to D1: what does that mean for youth if anything? Unless exception is done, we’d refer to THSLL guidelines. Date on when we will be the eligibility guidelines? Eligibility committee is working on swing player issues and we have to honor the game. The eligibility guidelines will be send out electronically in the next few weeks, but the EC will not have the ability to put policy into place.
Comment was made that if you have more than 3 teams, you need to at least have one in D1. Parish made the motion that if you have more than 3 teams in youth (grades 5-8), then you must put one of them in D1. Southlake 2nd’s. Vote was taken and unanimously PASSED.
Spring Chumash? No cost to programs and was very successful this past year.
December 6th: US Coaches clinic. Register your coaches if possible.
Meeting was adjourned at 11:10