Program Resource

WHAT'S INSIDE

This resource is designed to guide both new and established programs on the requirements and responsibilities of being a program member of the Intermountain Lacrosse Youth League. We hope you find it helpful!

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intermountain Lacrosse
- Motto, Mission, Culture, Message from our Chair
- Youth League Structure
  - Executive Council
  - General Council
  - The Staff
Season Timeline General Overview
New Youth Programs
Seasonal Responsibilities
Hosting Games
Other Resources

IMLAX MOTTO

Grow the Player, Grow the Game, Grow the League

IMLAX MISSION

Intermountain Lacrosse (IMLAX) is dedicated to the promotion, development, and administration of both boys and girls youth league lacrosse in Utah. IMLAX is directly accountable to its members, constantly striving for fairness and excellence in all aspects of the game and focused on providing the experiences that foster lifelong lacrosse participation.

IMLAX CULTURE

At Intermountain Lacrosse, sportsmanship is held to the highest standard. We believe that respect for the game, teammates, opponents, and officials is essential to creating a positive and supportive environment. All members, from players to coaches and spectators, are expected to embody these values in every interaction. Our leaders set the tone by modeling respect and integrity. Coaches must be committed to teaching the game within the rules, emphasizing safe and fair play, and encouraging growth through positive guidance. Parents and spectators are expected to promote positive behavior, avoid negative comments or actions, and empower players to do their best. We strive to foster an atmosphere where everyone can enjoy the sport with dignity and honor.

A MESSAGE FROM OUR EC CHAIR

“IMLAX must first thank you for your willingness to coach and administer lacrosse teams and programs. We are grateful for your commitment of time and energy. This commitment comes with a responsibility to provide a healthy path for young athletes to grow and understand the importance of sportsmanship not only on the field but in everyday life. Kids emulate what we teach and do, so by setting the example of sportsmanship we are laying down a solid foundation for them to follow and ROOTS for them to grow.

ROOTS is a simple guide to help us remember how to instill sportsmanship. It stands for respect. Respect the Rules of the game; respect your Opponent; respect the Officials; respect your Teammates; and respect yourSelf. By emulating ROOTS and instilling it in your players, you make playing lacrosse or any sport more fun and more rewarding with lessons that extend beyond the field – on to the playground, the classroom, the workspace.

IMLAX is grateful for all your work in teaching young athletes how to play lacrosse and how to do it with sportsmanship. Give them the ROOTS to grow.”

Dan Dugan | IMLAX Executive Council Chair

IMLAX Youth League Structure

· Intermountain Lacrosse Youth League serving boys and girls from Kindergarten through 8th grade offering recreational lacrosse competition for 2 seasons, fall and spring.

· It consists of independent youth programs that are affiliated with and organized based on high school boundaries.

· Intermountain Lacrosse is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization governed by the Executive Council, also known as the Board of Directors.

· Each program is entitled to one representative on the General Council, which helps draft policy.

· The league’s staff coordinates and manages all league operations.

For full youth league structure details, please refer to Intermountain Lacrosse Youth League Policy

Executive Council
The Executive Council is responsible for all the affairs of the organization. It consist of 5-9 members. You can find all their responsibilities in the By-Laws.
	Members
	Dan Dugan - Chair Bob Caldwell - Vice Chair Phil Beck - Treasurer James Barker Michelle Buechner Jen Carey Doug Cuneo Landon Clark Stephen Chen


General Council
Members	Responsibilities
Each Program is entitled to one General Council Member. Boys and girls programs of the same affiliated high school are recognized as separate programs, each having a council member.	A General Council meeting is held once per year. The General Council can vote on league policy changes when authorized by the Executive Council. To be valid, votes must be cast by at least 50% plus 1 of the General Council members representing the gender group affected by the policy change.

Staff
Who	What	About
Niki Harding Director niki@imlaxutah.org	Overall Operations Finances	Niki started working at the Utah Lacrosse Association in 2005. With the help of many volunteers, Niki started out administrating girls lacrosse and is now the Director at Intermountain Lacrosse. Niki attended both the University of Utah and BYU with degrees in Exercise and Sports Science and a Masters in Public Administration. Niki coached lacrosse in Utah for over 20 years where she coached youth to college-aged girls. In 2022 she retired after 14 years of coaching at Westminster College, the first NCAA women's lacrosse team in Utah. Niki is excited about the growth of lacrosse in Utah and humbled to play a part in the growth.
Collin Madsen Boys Director collin@imlaxutah.org	Boys’ Youth Boys’ High School Men’s League	Collin is one of Utah's own. He grew up playing in the ULA youth leagues, played high school lacrosse for Olympus High School in Salt Lake City, and went on to play for 3 seasons at Westminster College after his freshman year at NCAA Division II Dominican College in New York State. Collin graduated from Westminster College with a degree in Political Studies in December of 2014, and has continued his dedication to the sport now as an administrator and coach. Collin joined the IMLAX staff in December of 2014 as both the boy's youth and high school league coordinator. When he is not fully immersed in additional lacrosse activities outside of the office, he enjoys taking advantage of Utah's great outdoors!: fishing, hiking, climbing, and skiing to name of few.
Cassie Cottle Girls Director cassie@imlaxutah.org	Girls’ Youth Girls’ High School Women’s League	Cassie was recruited to officiate girls' lacrosse in 2009. She fell in love with the sport and only after a couple of seasons dove in head first to serve as the ULA Women's Officials Chair for 5 years and continues to serve in various volunteer admin roles for the officials' organization. In 2017 she was awarded the "For the Love of the Game" WCLA award, player nominated and the first official to ever be selected. She first earned her rating to officiate at the collegiate level in 2014 and is a USA Lacrosse certified trainer and observer for the women's game officials. Cassie joined Intermountain Lacrosse in January 2023 excited to contribute to the game in a different way. Outside of lacrosse, Cassie enjoys spending time with her husband, two kids, and her dogs.
Michael Britton Office Administrator info@imlaxutah.org	Office Operations Boys’ Gear Rental Member Support	Michael has been working with IMLAX since 2018. He first was introduced to lacrosse in Oklahoma when he was younger. When he got back from his mission he moved to Utah with the rest of his family. His cousins happened to be playing in the IMLAX league which got him interested in how he could help! He is pursuing his education online in Architecture at BYU and The Academy of Art in San Francisco. He enjoys camping, swimming, getting away for the weekends, and hanging out with his friends.

SEASON TIMELINE GENERAL OVERVIEW

Fall vs Spring

FALL SEASON

SPRING SEASON

Registration:

Mid-July through end of August

Registration:

Mid-November through mid-February

Practice:

Allowed to begin mid-August

2 - 3 times per week max

Practice:

Allowed to begin in late February

2 - 3 times per week max

Games:

All teams play 5 games minimum

Saturdays only - no games during fall break

Games:

All teams play 8 games minimum

Primarily Saturdays with some weeknights - no games during spring break

Season Start:

Games begin 1 week following Labor Day weekend

Season Start:

Games begin 2nd or 3rd Saturday in March

Season End:

Mid- to late October - before Halloween

Season End:

Final Saturday of the regular season 2nd Saturday in May

Playoffs/championships conclude before Memorial Day weekend.

IMLAX New Youth Program

Any youth program affiliated with a Utah High School is eligible for admission to Intermountain Lacrosse so long as they meet the following requirements:

· Designate a Program Director

· Establish a Legal Entity

· Commit to and establish at least two teams

· Register the programs and teams (each season)

Designate a Program Director

Program Director responsibilities include:

· Serving as the point of contact for the league, the program’s parents, coaches, and other program administrators.

· Finding coaches for each of the program’s teams and ensure they complete IMLAX coach requirements.

· Securing practice space.

· Managing rosters, including recruiting and meeting the minimum roster requirements.

· Registering the program and teams with IMLAX each season.

· Establishing or maintaining a parent/program board.

· Setting up or maintaining a legal entity representing the program.

· Join GroupSpot to communicate with other program and league directors.

Refer to the Youth Program Seasonal Responsibilities in this document for more details.

Establish a Legal Entity

IMLAX expects the program to have a parent/program board in place and to be working toward establishing a legal entity to represent the youth program (such as an LLC or 501(c)(3)). Your legal entity and board need to be in place by no later than the beginning of year 2 with the league.

Here are some resources to help you establish your board and legal entity:

Establish Teams

· The program must commit to field at least two teams.

· One of the teams must be either a 5th/6th or 7th/8th-grade team.

· Teams are grouped by school grades and gender.

· Each grade grouping corresponds with age guidelines established by USA Lacrosse.

· Each grouping has a different minimum number of players rostered requirement.

· Players cannot play for multiple teams.

Youth League Groupings, Roster Minimums, Format
BOYS				GIRLS
Grade Grouping	USAL	Roster Minimum	Format	Grade Grouping	USAL	Roster Minimum	Format
7th/8th	14U	14	10v10	7th/8th	14U	16	12v12
5th/6th	12U	14	10v10	5th/6th - Spring	12U	16	12v12
3rd/4th	10U	10	7v7	5th/6th - Fall	12U	12	8v8
2nd/3rd	9U	9	6v6	3rd/4th	10U	10	7v7
K/1st	7U	6	4v4	K-2nd	8U	6	4v4

Player Eligibility

Boundary Requirements:

· Players must register for the program that corresponds to the high school boundary they currently live or for the private school they will attend

· If a team does not exist for the corresponding high school, the player must register for the next closest program

Age Requirements:

· Players must play in the grade grouping based on the grade they are currently enrolled in school or meet the age eligibility guidelines established by USA Lacrosse.

Variance Requests:

Boundary variances may be requested in writing and will be considered and approved by the Executive Council.

Age variances to play up one grade may be requested by filling out and obtaining the required signatures on the Age Variance Request form. Requests to play down a grade level or requests to play up more than one grade level will not be considered.

IMLAX Program Member Benefits
Intermountain Lacrosse provides equipment and other services to help you run a successful program.
Athletic Trainers & Officials for Games	Balls & Field Equipment
Field Lining for Games	Free IMLAX Jerseys for the First Season
Free Short-term Stick Rental	Insurance Coverage
Mandatory Background Checks for Coaches	Need-based Player Scholarships
One Free Player Registration For Head Coaches	Registration Management
Team Communication Tools	USA Lacrosse Memberships

Balls
Kindergarten - 4th Grade	40 balls per team per season
5th - 8th Grade	50 balls per team per season
Boys’ Teams	White NOCSAE standard regulation balls
Girls’ Teams	Yellow NOCSAE standard regulation balls

Field Equipment

Goals

2 standard-sized 6'x6' goals

1 shot blocker for each 2nd/3rd boys & 3rd/4th girls

1 3'x3' goal for each K/1st boys & K-2nd girls

Goalkeeper Gear

1 set of goalkeeper gear per team that plays with a goalkeeper is issued to the programs. Age groupings that play with a goalkeeper include: 3rd/4th boys, 5th/6th, & 7th/8th.

Gear is to be kept by the programs and used year after year. IMLAX will replace worn out gear. Below is a list of the gear issued:

Boys:

Goalkeeper Stick
Chest Protector
Throat Guard

Girls:

Goalkeeper Stick
Chest Protector
Throat Guard
Thigh pads (integrated in shorts)
Shin pads
Goalie helmet

Free Short-term Stick Rental

IMLAX lends sticks to programs for special events like program coordinated clinics. You can borrow up to 80 sticks at a time for a weekend or for a couple of days for a weekday event. Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you are interested in reserving sticks, please email info@imlaxutah.org.

Insurance

Insurance is provided through 100% membership with USA Lacrosse. Individual Certificates of Insurance can be provided for city or school entities for field use as needed. If you need one, please visit https://www.usalacrosse.com/usa-lacrosse-insurance-program, and scroll down the page and click “Request Agreement Form” button.

Background Checks

IMLAX covers all costs for league required background checks. All coaches must submit and pass two background checks, one through USA Lacrosse (every two years) and one through Spectrum Security Group (every year). Spectrum Security Group background check is more in depth and localized. Coaches who pass the Spectrum Security check will be issued a badge, which must be worn at every practice and game. If a coach fails the Spectrum Security Group check they will not be allowed to coach even if they pass the background check through USA Lacrosse.

Need-based Scholarships

IMLAX offers scholarships that cover the seasonal registration fee for the league. These scholarships are awarded based on financial need, with typically only one scholarship available per team.

Parents or guardians must submit a scholarship application for consideration. The application period typically runs from the opening of registration until one week before it closes, though exact dates may vary each season. The application can be accessed through our website on the Youth Resources page.

One Free Registration for Head Coaches

Head Coaches may register one player for free. A coupon code will be given to the Program Directors each season. The Program Directors are responsible to ensure the code is given only to the Head Coach of each team and that the code is only used once per Head Coach.

Registration Management & Team Communication Tools
IMLAX carefully selected Demosphere for our registration platform to help meet league operational and communication needs. Listed below are some of the available tools.
Seasonal Registration	All players, coaches, and program administrators must register each season. Program Directors are given access to their program's registrant information. The registration process can be customized to meet the specific needs of each program, including the collection of uniform-related information. We hope in doing this parents only need to register in one place.
Fee Collection	Seasonal registration fees are collected through the platform. Additionally, IMLAX can collect program and uniform fees on behalf of the program, provided the program has established its legal entity. IMLAX retains a small percentage of the amount collected to cover transaction and administrative costs, however, most programs find this service valuable for its convenience, benefiting both program administrators and parents.
Roster Management	Program Directors are granted access to manage their team rosters. Rosters are visible to the team’s coaches, players, and parents. RSVP functions are available through the app so coaches can confirm what players will be attending games or practices.
Schedules	Schedules are available through Demosphere and can be accessed via the team’s page or the app. Any changes to the schedule are updated in real time. IMLAX advises against transferring game schedules to other platforms to avoid errors and ensure that no changes are missed. We recommend directing parents, guardians, and coaches to Demosphere to guarantee they have the most up-to-date and accurate schedule.
Communication	Team communication is streamlined through the registration platform. Coaches and program administrators can easily email their teams or contact individual players' parents or guardians. Additionally, the connected app offers even more convenient communication tools.
Mobile App	The Demosphere 2.0 app is integrated with the registration platform, allowing coaches, parents/guardians, and program administrators to access team information and communicate easily. The app is regularly updated with new features to enhance convenience and usability. Some key tools available in the app include: · A calendar with the game schedule, where coaches can add team practices or other events, and syn with their mobile device calendar. · RSVP functionality for games, practices, or other events. · A chat feature for team-wide or individual parent communication. · The ability to email parents/guardians directly. · A roster with player and parent/guardian contact details accessible to to coaches and administrators. · Notifications for schedule changes.

USA Lacrosse Memberships

Intermountain Lacrosse provides USA Lacrosse memberships to any coach or player whose current membership is set to expire before the end of the season. IMLAX works directly with USA Lacrosse to manually process memberships for all registered players and coaches.

Youth Program Seasonal Responsibilities
Each season, all youth programs must fulfill specific responsibilities to maintain eligibility for membership and competition in the IMLAX Youth League. Program Directors are responsible for ensuring the completion of each requirement, though it is recommended that some tasks be delegated to others within their program for support. The checklist and recommended timeline detail these requirements. You can also see these tasks broken down by month in the IMLAX Program Management Annual Timeline document. Refer to the Youth League Policy and the IMLAX website for additional details on the structure of the league and coaching requirements.
Youth Program Participation Responsibilities
Task	Timeline
Communicate Reminders To Your Program	Ongoing
Attend Required IMLAX Meetings General Council Meeting Preseason Coach Meeting	Annual General Council Meeting: January
	Preseason Coach Meeting:
	For Spring: February	For Fall: August
Create Program Budget	November 1st
Register Program with IMLAX	For Spring: Mid-November	For Fall: Early July
Secure/Reserve Fields for practice for games if you elect to host	Varies per location, typically January and/or early summer. Some open reservations for a full year and others just for a season.
Coordinate Uniform Vender (if applicable)	Typically takes at minimum 3 months from design to delivery. Secure contract with vender early.
Recruit Players and Coaches	All year - but don’t wait until team splits are due to try to fill your teams!
Oversee Coach and Player Rosters ensure all participants are registered & rosters meet the minimum player requirement ensure all coaches are registered & complete the coaching requirements	For Spring: February through March	For Fall: August through September
Report Splits, Bye Dates, & Elect to Host	For Spring: Mid-February	For Fall: Early August
Schedule Practices	When you schedule practices may depend on when you can secure your field space, but practice schedules should be finalized and communicated before the allowed practice dates.
	For Spring: Communicate to players early February	For Fall: Communicate to players early August
Hold Parent Meeting	For Spring: March	For Fall: August
Ensure All Parents/Guardians and Coaches are Connected and Using the App	For Spring: Mid-February	For Fall: Early August
Reconcile Books	For Spring: June	For Fall: November
Legal Entity and Board Maintenance	Varies by program

IMLAX Staff Seasonal Responsibilities

IMLAX staff is responsible for coordinating between programs, including but not limited to:

· managing registration,
· creating game schedules,
· liaising with host programs,
· ensuring the staffing of officials and athletic trainers,
· facilitating boys’ gear rentals,
· monitoring roster minimums to help prevent combinations,
· assisting with the enforcement of league policies,
· handling communication,
· organizing educational offerings such as coach and rules training,
· coordinating all required meetings

Our “Important Dates” document outlines when to expect the completion of these tasks. All updates and information will be communicated to Program Directors through email and/or GroupSpot.

Hosting Games

IMLAX relies on programs to secure field space and host games. Game locations are determined based on field and official availability, with most games scheduled for Saturdays.

As a hosting program, you can select the Saturdays you'd like to host games. You may reserve fields for the entire season or for specific dates, and the IMLAX Boys' and Girls' Directors will do their best to schedule games on those dates. However, depending on the overall schedule, games may not be scheduled for every Saturday your site is reserved.

Whenever possible, all games for your program will be scheduled at your site, but it’s not always possible for every team to play "at home" on the available dates. Typically, 3 to 10 games are scheduled per field, and some of those games may not involve your program’s teams.

IMLAX provides a $12 stipend per game for table personnel, as well as a $25 stipend per field for setup and takedown. You are responsible for coordinating the payment for the individuals handling the table, setup, and takedown. Additionally, IMLAX will reimburse your program for any field rental fees incurred when hosting games.

Hosting Program Responsibilities:

Reserve fields.
Staff the table for each game and arrange payment.
Check fields a couple of days prior to game day to ensure they are lined and ready.
Provide game equipment (per field):
- Goals
- Flip score chart
- Table and chair
- Timer
- 6-7 cones per field
- Pens
- Printed documents (table crew responsibilities, rules charts, scoresheets)
- Sportsmanship yard signs (provided by IMLAX)
Setting up the fields including goals, table, chairs, cones.
Taking down the fields after the games.
Ensure all garbage is picked up.