Amherst Youth Lacrosse, Inc.

Board or Directors Meeting

Newman Center, UMass

February 16, 2017 Minutes

Present: Andrew MacDougall, Alvie Borell, Pippa Comfort, Charlie Edwards, Cara Foster, Patrick Schilling

Not Present: Sandi Burkett, Rich Ferro, Frank Hein

7:05 start

  1. Welcome and President update - Andrew
  • Coaches meeting update
  • CVYL updates including waiver rules
  1. Approval of 12/3/16 Minutes
  1. Team coach status
  • Boys Bantams – Sam Hazen (HC), Rob McAllister (AC), Rich Ferro (AC)
  • Boys Juniors – Henry Wilson (HC), Rich Ferro (AC)
  • Girls Bantams – Jim Chambers (HC), Cara Foster (AC)
  • Girls Juniors – Pat Schilling (HC), Sandi Burkett (AC)
  1. Current registration status
  • The number of registrants as of 2/16/17 is enough to field teams at every level.
  • Last year had two squads for 12U boys. Could possibly field a second team this year as well (B level) but need another coach at least for game days. (Could practice together.)

5. Mini-mites

  • Pat proposed a couple of options for Mini-mite schedule: Eight Sundays, late April – June, or, twice/week, such as Wednesdays and Sundays, for four weeks May-June.
  • If have Mini-mites concurrent with the regular season, have flexibility to move players back and forth/up and down. If hold Mini-mites in June, could have high school players help out.
  • Could have K/1 do two 30-45” practices back to back. Could do stations so Mini-mites wouldn’t need pads, etc. Keep experience simple with as many touches as possible, but no games. Some 1/2 graders may want real game play; there are other town teams that age.
  • Could do soft stick if have gym space.
  • Pat needs help with Mini-mites
  1. Practice Schedule
  • Parents want to know schedule to see if they can fit lacrosse in.
  • Tentative practice schedule proposed (see attached)
  • Jim Chambers requested M, Th, Sat & Sun for 10U girls.
  • Field options – If all activities at the MS and WW, then 10U boys could have full access to WW while U12 boys, U10 girls and U12 girls would need to share the MS. Don’t need E Street any more.
  • A suggestion was made to keep Bantams at MS b/c of bathrooms and proximity to parking lot.
  • The HS has port-a-potty and can set fields there for 7v7 or 8v8. Pat said can set own schedule.
  • Alvie, Frank and Rich will figure out their field scheduling.
  • Free pre-season injury prevention session 3/29, 4-5:30pm to entail 20” coaches training, 30” kids exercises, 20” coaches training, 30” kids exercises. Need a space. Would separate by gender for Juniors.
  • WHIP program??
  • Amherst College – possibility of using the cage?
  • UMass
  • Pippa to check with Bekki Spencer re. getting the girls on the field with the UMass women’s lacrosse team sometime this spring.
  • Pippa to check with Bekki re. use of space at Boyden, for example; maybe both week-ends during UMass March break.
  • UMass sponsorship?
  1. Uniform and Equipment update
  • Andrew and Pat brought some samples
  • It was proposed that Amherst agree on one logo and colors so that AYL could be consistent with that through all ages. Frank and Peter to coordinate.
  • Pat did some research re. websites where families would order uniforms themselves rather than handing them back in at end of season. Squad Locker is a possibility.
  • Sub-committee to be formed to make decisions re. uniforms and other merch?
  1. 2017 Draft Budget – see attached
  • Can’t count on fundraising numbers.
  • It was suggested that 100 players (25x4) is optimistic given low registration counts.
  • Question was raised about including coaching training in the budget in the future.
  1. Fundraising options – Pat
  • Car wash
  • Golf tournament
  • Cookie decorating party scheduled for 2/23
  • UMass Men’s gamewatch
  • NCAA Championship
  • Add on 5% to merch purchases?
  • Pat proposed a catch-pass-shoot fundraiser for an hour at practice time where each player raises $x per catch, etc.
  1. Other Business
  • Future BOD topics:
  • Town league best practices
  • Website improvements and alternate communication options
  • TeamSNAP app costs $400 for the season
  • League Athletics, remind.com are other options
  • Next coaches meeting will be in early March
  • Next full BOD meeting TBD

Meeting adjourned 8:00 pm

Tentative Practice Schedule

If all activities at the Middle School and Wildwood, then Boys 10U could have full access to Wildwood while Boys 12U, Girls 10U and Girls 12U would need to share the MS.

Recommend Girls 10U stay on two fields at MS while Girls 12U take 1 or 2 fields at the HS.

Sunday / Monday / Tuesday / Wed / Thursday / Friday / Saturday
10U Boys / WW / WW / WW / WW / WW / WW / WW
12U Boys / MS > 2pm / X / MS / X / MS / By Agreement / MS > 12pm
10U Girls / MS < 2pm / MS / X / MS / X / By Agreement / MS < 12pm
12U Girls / HS / HS / HS / HS / HS / HS / HS

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