The 2009 Kent Island Lacrosse Season is quickly approaching - here are some updates:
1) Our new web URL is www.kentislandlax.com - please make the correction to your browser "favorites" now.
2) Online registration is now OPEN. We will host two in-person registration dates in January for those wishing to pay by check.
3) Our new colors - blue/white/silver to match KIHS - will be here for 2009, with new uniforms and spirit wear.
4) We have a new Board of Directors.
5) As usual, we are in constant need of fundraisers and volunteers - please contribute wherever you can.
Thanks,
The Kent Island Youth Lacrosse Board of Directors
KentIsland Youth Lacrosse to Adopt New Colors for 2009 Season
The Board of Kent Island Youth Lacrosse has voted to change the club’s colors from our current gold & black to the navy, silver, & white of KentIslandHigh School. This change will take affect beginning with the 2009 lacrosse season.
Why the change?... And why not until next year?
Community spirit and identity, and uniformity are the main reasons. At the high school level KentIsland is identified by blue, silver and white. It makes sense to have our youth players mirror the look of the older kids in our community.
As our players progress through Kent Island Youth Lacrosse, we become the “feeder system” for our high school program. The skills, techniques, and sportsmanship they learn through Kent Island Youth Lacrosse will be carried with them into high school. We want to adopt the blue, silver and white in support of our high school program.
With the wear and tear that our uniforms go through, we generally replace our jerseys about every 3 years. We’ll be due to replace the jerseys after this year, so before the 2009 season is a good time to make the color change.
Waiting until next season will allow us another year of fund raising (Crab Cake Shack!!) to help us with the cost of new uniforms.
Will there be any impact to the 2008 season as a result of the upcoming change?
Not really. All the teams will continue to wear black & gold. But because we will not need our current jerseys after this season, we will not require a jersey deposit this year like we’ve collected in the past. Players will be able to keep their jersey from this upcoming season as they will not need to be returned to the club.
The only other impact to this season is that we are discontinuing sales of black & gold spirit wear. So, there will be no black/gold lacrosse shorts available for this upcoming season with the KI Lacrosse logo embroidered on them. If your child does not have a pair of the KI Lacrosse shorts, he or she should wear just plain black shorts.
ARCHIVE - 2007
Move Play to Anne Arundel County
To all our Valued Members,
On Tuesday, November 27, 2007, the Board of Directors for Kent Island Youth Lacrosse voted to move all our teams to the Anne Arundel County Youth Lacrosse League for the 2008 season. In 2007, we had 7 teams participate in the Anne Arundel County League, and it was truly a positive experience. The AA County league offers our players the following:
Age groups are tied to the school year beginning in 2008. Age cut off date will be Sept 1 vs. Jan 1.
More opportunity to compete regardless of skill level. At the upper levels, U13 and U15, Anne Arundel County offers 4 competition levels, AA, A, B and C. The Board believes that kids need to compete in order to learn. Winning or losing by large margins does not teach a kid anything. With 4 competition levels we can now place teams based on skill, and allow them to compete in tight games each week, which makes it more interesting, more exciting, and it teaches the kids to compete versus just participate.
More games, expect 10 - 12 games.
Playoffs and championships at each of the competitive levels for U13 and U15. Championships at great venues like AACC stadium or Broadneck's turf field.
Automatic invitations of the U11 teams to the Bilderback Tournament.
U9 teams play 10 on 10, versus 7 on 7 - which allows more playing time at U9.
Age eligible 9th graders can play at the U15 level.
The venues are closer, as we play Broadneck, Severna Park, and Annapolis. The furthest we drove last year was GORC, which is in Odenton still a whole lot closer than Salisbury, Delaware or Beach.
Better Organization.
All games scheduled by the County, and published on a website.
Professional Referees who manage the game, the sidelines, and kids – at every game.
All rain outs are automatically rescheduled by the County.
On-line win/lose records are posted for the U13 and U15 Levels...
Rules are enforced and adhered to - Severe penalties, including expulsion, if rules are not followed.
The coaching was very professional and very good.
Considering the experience those teams and players had last year, the Board believes this decision is in the best interest of our kids and our organization. Also keep in mind that the growth of our organization has forced us to look for more than the Eastern Shore can offer. We had close to 500 kids in our program in 2007, which is twice the size of any other program on the shore. With 163 teams on the boys side alone, AA County offers a much better environment for our kids to grow, and develop, their lacrosse skills.
We recognize that some parents will disagree with this decision, however the Board respectfully requests that everyone give it a chance and take the time to experience this other league. You might find it's a better fit for our kids, and our program.
