WLA Girls School League Manual
Registration
Registration details are to be sent out in Term One no later than Friday Week Six. Registrations are due on the Monday in the last week of Term One.
All schools must provide a school league liaison. This person can be a parent, coach, manager or staff member. They will be rostered on to support the running of games on Saturdays. Their role will be to hand out and collect scorecards, answer queries and support umpires when needed. There will be two shifts every Saturday with two people rostered on for each shift. There will be a short training session prior to the season to ensure they have the knowledge required.
All players must register their details using the online registration form.
https://goo.gl/forms/SlKczADL3m7FaxXU2
In the team registration form schools must confirm the teams the players are entered into and the Top 10 in each team, if the school has a team entered into a lower division. This must include a goalie. This will be checked by the representative director, or someone who is equally qualified, against previous teams played for to be approved.
Please note - players can only play down one division if outside the top 10. For example, a player entered into a Premier Division team outside the named top 10, they can only play down into an A Division team, not a B Division team.
A team may register any number of players to their team, however for 10 a side games a maximum of 16 player may be named on game day and for 8 a side games a maximum of 14 players may be named on game day.
Divisions
Premier Division - A minimum of four teams and a maximum of eight teams.
A Division - A minimum of four teams and a maximum of eight teams.
B Division - A minimum of four teams. If there are more than nine teams entered B division will be split into pools. This may be done geographically and there will be cross over games later in the season.
It is preferable for divisions to have even numbers and for the Premier Division to have eight teams to increase exposure of high level play to up and coming teams.
When there are 8 teams in a division the first part of the season will be a full round robin. The second part of the season teams can be split into a top four and bottom four. If there are 7 teams it will split into a top three and bottom four. One more round robin round will be played followed by semis and finals. Alternatively, teams can go straight into quarter finals, semi-finals then grand final. The decision to do this will be based on the results of the first round robin and the closeness of teams abilities.
During the season teams may be relegated or promoted into lower or higher divisions. This will be based on the team's win/loss percentage and also their goal differential. This will be assessed by the League Coordinator and a recommendation will be put to the WLA board to make the final decision.
Grading
Teams will be ranked based off the previous years results, number of NZ level players, number of Waikato Representative players, and number of A Grade Club players in their teams. Proposed divisions will be sent out following registrations closing. .If schools feel their team should be ranked differently and don’t agree with the division they have been placed in they may apply to play a grading round. This will be mid week before the first round robin.
Rules
Are FIL rules. These can be found at http://filacrosse.com/wp-content/themes/sportedge/downloads/FIL_WomensRuleBook2015-18.pdf
Uniforms will have numbers front and back. First year programmes will have one year to obtain uniforms with numbers front and back. When sourcing lacrosse uniforms it is recommended that you get the correct sized numbers. The front number should be 15cm and the back number should be 20cm.
Waikato Lacrosse has a Health and Safety Policy that all people involved with Waikato Lacrosse need to follow. The TIC at your school is expected to make their players, personnel and supporters aware of this policy and how it affects them. This is a condition of entering a Waikato Lacrosse league. The policy is available on our website www.waikatolacrosse.nz and also as a hard copy at games.
First Aid
Teams are responsible for their own first aid equipment. Waikato Lacrosse will endeavor to have ice and first aid supplies at games but this must not be relied on.
Draw
The draw will state a home team and an away team, the team’s main uniform colour and the time and location of the game. If there is a clash of colours the home team will wear their main strip and the away team must supply an alternate strip unless the home team agrees to change colours.
Equipment
All sticks will be FIL legal sticks. Goalie gear must meet lacrosse specifications (maximum thickness of 3cm away from body) but it does not need to be lacrosse specific goalie gear. Compulsory goalie equipment includes; helmet with a throat guard, chest pad, gloves and stick. Optional (and recommended) equipment includes shorts and shin pads.
Waikato Lacrosse will provide equipment for one team to schools for their first year playing in our High School League. In the second year schools will be able to rent one set of equipment. After this time schools may apply to rent equipment and there will be a rental cost involved in this. This application needs to go to the Equipment Coordinator. In this application schools should include information about what they have already done to try to acquire equipment, what equipment they have acquired and their plans to acquire equipment for the future. Please note, applications will only be approved if there is equipment available and it is not a given that you will be able to rent equipment. Equipment can be purchased through fees charged to the players, external funding, internal funding and fundraising. Some schools charge a rental fee for students to borrow a stick. For all loan equipment schools must sign an equipment loan form stating the replacement cost for any lost or damaged equipment.
Waikato Lacrosse will have a set of 15 sticks that can be booked a maximum of three times. This is for schools to use to have their first training/trials to introduce players to lacrosse. This is for schools who expect players to buy their own stick but want to let them try the sport first. These will be booked through the Equipment Coordinator. Sticks will be returned to the Equipment Coordinator on the day of loan after the training to ensure they are available for other schools. Alternatively the sticks can be taken to the next school who is loaning them if this is the more practicable option.
Equipment suppliers
Playing equipment
● Hockey Locker have the STX distributorship in New Zealand. Contact Noel for pricing on lacrosse gear. He can purchase a broad range covering entry level, mid range and high end.
http://www.locker.co.nz/
● Lacrosse Down Under has Brine and STX equipment. Contact Sian or refer to the website.
http://www.lacrossedownunder.co.nz/
● Sports Distributors in Tauranga sell entry level STX lacrosse equipment. They can be contacted for team sets.
http://www.sportsdistributors.co.nz/
● Waikato Lacrosse sells gear to individual players but not as team sets. We currently stock the deBeer Impulse pro2, deBeer Spire, Under Armour Honor and Under Armour Stride sticks. We also have a range of goggles, balls and accessories.
● American websites also have equipment available. Please be aware if you are buying sticks from an American company that we only allow FIL sticks and they will also sell US sticks. Please check if you are unsure before purchasing.
http://www.lacrossemonkey.com/
http://www.sportstop.com/
Game Day
Teams with the first game of the day are in charge of setting up 1x goal and mat. Teams with the final game on their field are in charge of packing down 1x goal and mat. Please ensure those completing these duties know how to set-up/pack down a lacrosse goal.
The home team is responsible for collecting their score sheet from the main table and teams are responsible for filling in their team lists. Both teams will supply one person who is not the coach to score and time the game. A laminated card will be provided with information on the day for people to follow. However please ensure you have shown your timer or scorer how to do their job. The umpire on the day will also be able to provide direction. When the game is finished the home team must return the score card to the main table.
If duties are not complete there will be a 1 point deduction for the team.
If a timer/scorer is not provided there will be a 1 point deduction for the team.
Umpires
Umpires are provided. Please note, we have many developing umpires who are school students and players as well as umpires. If anyone has any issues relating to umpiring you need to approach the table where a school liaison will be there to help direct you to the appropriate person. Games can’t go ahead without umpires and Waikato Lacrosse is always looking for more people to learn how to umpire. If anyone would like to learn more they can contact the Head Umpire, Ursula Johnson, , to discuss an umpiring pathway.