GYL Travel Tryouts - Boys and Girls 5th – 8th Grade
Welcome to the 2021 GYL season! Please read this email carefully so you fully understand the process and decisions made for travel lacrosse. Tryouts are proceeding as planned for this weekend (March 6 & March 7). Everyone around the State has been waiting for updated guidance with respect to high-risk sports such as boy’s lacrosse. We contacted the Governor’s office and we understand additional information may be available on Thursday. If any updates impact our plans we will send another mail out as soon as possible. As always, please check your e-mail and our website regularly in case anything changes.
In the meantime, we are planning a safe weekend for the kids and it is important that you know how the tryout and placement process works. Please make sure that you are properly registered in our program.
AGE SEGMENTATION. While we still define ourselves as grade-based, there is mandatory age segmentation that all players must fall under based on birth date. This is all detailed on our website. Some players “age up” while others that are young in grade have the option of staying in grade (or playing down). If there’s any confusion, we will be happy to go through all of this with you.
COVID-19 POLICY. It is extremely important that we all adhere to this policy found on our website. We ask that NO parents attend so we can kick the season off without any issues. The Town of Greenwich allows for one parent at a venue. Given the size of our program, we feel it is prudent that parents refrain from watching at this stage of the season. MASKS MUST BE WORN BY ALL PARTICIPANTS! Our COVID-19 guidance will be updated as frequently as required.
TRYOUT DATES. Tryouts are scheduled for March 6, 7, 13 & 14 at Greenwich High School. Times are posted on the website under Key Dates. They will be updated as weather developments dictate. Fingers crossed that we are a go and it’s sunny and warm! We have a contingency plan should GHS not be available. The most frequently asked question is, “how many tryouts do I need to attend?” The simple answer is "The more tryouts you attend, the more accurate your placement will be." If you are comfortable coming to one or two tryouts, that is your call, and we respect your decision. It's about the quality of your participation that matters most. And, if you are happy to play on the lowest team offered for your grade, there is no need to attend tryouts. There is further information about this on the website under the FAQs and Travel Tryouts. For Girls travel only, please let Chris Moxhay know if you cannot attend any of the sessions. There is no need to do so on the boy's side.
PLACEMENT. All players will hear their team placement by Sunday evening, March 14. The girls will get an email with all-grade rosters and boys will receive a phone call. If you do not receive a phone call, sit tight. All GYL travel players will receive a complete travel team placement email with full information included by Monday at noon, March 15th. Individual team emails will be sent the week of March 15 and you will receive team information for the season including practice times and game schedule and coach's expectations. Given the size of each “grade” bracket, we reserve the option to create an A, B and C level team. Combination teams (two grades) can be created to accommodate an uneven number of players across two grades – 5/6 or 7/8. The only other option would be to cut and that is NOT an option for GYL.
PLAYER COMMITMENT. In order to ensure that all our players’ spring seasons are fulfilling and productive, GYL adheres to a straightforward commitment policy. Our expectation is that players will honor their commitments to their teams, make GYL your extracurricular spring season priority and will attend all team practices and games. Late arrivals or early departures due to unexcused conflicts will be treated as absences and will result in loss of playing time in games. Certain exceptions (religious holidays, family events, school events, etc.) will be permitted. Please see the GYL website for the full commitment policy.
TEAM SCHEDULES. Everything will be posted on the website by the end of tryouts. The game schedule is a work in progress, and games will start to be uploaded by the end of March but more can be added. Please remember that you will have two practices a week and something on BOTH Saturday and Sunday throughout the entire season. If nothing is posted for a particular day, don't assume there is nothing. Your coach will communicate all of this to you and if there are any discrepancies, please go directly to your coach.
The March practice schedule will be posted on the website or by clicking the Schedules link on the GYL homepage. This will be communicated by your coach. Full weekday practices will begin by Monday, March 29th. All GHS practices will commence at 6:30 pm and run until 7:45 pm and possibly later as daylight accommodates. Some teams might start at 6:00 pm depending on GHS field availability. Please bear with us. GHS is a challenge for all of us to navigate. If you are not at GHS, you will be starting at 6:00 pm and ending at 730 pm. Coaches will communicate times and locations to all of you.
GOALS AND EXPECTATIONS. GYL’s goal is to foster a fun, competitive and developmental environment for all players. We ask that you abide by our Code of Conduct and that you embrace the concept of “team”. Your coach will review their expectations of the team and of you! We ask that the players communicate directly with coaches for the best experience regarding placement, position, play time and any concern they might have. Parents are certainly welcome to communicate but we ask that the player/coach dynamic be primary.
INTRO TO TRAVEL LACROSSE. There will be a specific e-mail sent to parents and players in our third and forth grade Intro to Travel program in the coming weeks.
REMINDERS FOR THIS WEEKEND:
Check the web site often for the latest information on tryouts
Arrive early to pick up your assigned tryout pinny and maintain 6 feet from other people
All personnel (players, coaches, etc.) must wear a mask
No parents permitted to attend tryouts
Dress warm as it will be cold
We expect to send a brief update on Friday March 5th with any changes or updates
Please contact Pat Coleman directly if you have any questions about any of this or any aspect of GYL. We wish you all a fun and productive spring season!