The 24-Hour Rule
Youth sports can be an emotional experience. The physical activity of the kids can often spill onto the sidelines and into the stands and create strong reactions in coaches and parents. All of our coaches volunteer their time to help coach your Lancer.
As parents, we will not always agree with a coach’s decision. However, it is important to recognize that the coach’s role is to make decisions for the team first and a player second. Also, we need to understand that most players are not aware of any problem until we, as parents, bring it to their attention.
For parents, it is important to separate their child’s sports development from game time emotions.
For this reason, Lancers Lacrosse adopted the “24 HOUR RULE” which simply states, that coaches will not discuss a game, or situation in a game, until at least 24 hours after the fact.
This means that parents/guardians are not allowed to confront a coach, team, player, board member, or league official to discuss any “negative” game or practice situation(s) with the coaching and Board of Directors until at least 24 hours has passed from the completion of the game or practice.
For reference, a confrontation consists of any conversation, which elevated from a normal speaking tone and demeanor to one which involves yelling, profanity, or derogatory comments toward said coach, team, player, board member or official.
Lacrosse is a quick paced, emotional sport. Physical battles and tough calls among other things can spill on to the bench and tends to create strong reactions from coaches and parents. The intense emotional aspect of lacrosse is one of the reasons it makes exciting entertainment, but it is important to have a ‘cooling off’ period so that emotions do not cloud judgment.
If parents respect the 24 hour rule, their concerns are MORE likely to be fully addressed in a reasonable discussion. More importantly, the kid’s enjoyment of a game won’t be marred by an ill-timed confrontation. The intent of this rule is to move an emotional and confrontational discussion away from the presence of the players, and to allow the parties to ‘cool off’, compose themselves, and put the incident or situation that occurred in the game in perspective before meeting to discuss it.
Violation of the 24 hour rule policy will result in Parent being suspended for 7 calendar days.
Code of Conduct
Players, coaches, officials, parents and spectators are to conduct themselves in a manner that "Honors the Game" and demonstrates respect to other players, coaches, officials, parents, spectators and fans. In becoming a member of the lacrosse community an individual assumes certain obligations and responsibilities to the game of lacrosse and its participants. The essential elements in this "Code of Conduct" are HONESTY and INTEGRITY. Those who conduct themselves in a manner that reflects these elements will bring credit to the sport of lacrosse, themselves, their team and their organization.
It is only through such conduct that our sport can continue to earn and maintain a positive image and make its full contribution to amateur sports in the United States and around the world. USA Lacrosse supports the following behaviors for those who participate in the sport or are involved in any way with USA Lacrosse. The following essential elements of the "Code of Conduct" must be followed:
● Sportsmanship and teaching the concepts of fair play are essential to the game and must be taught at all levels and developed both at home and on the field during practices and games.
● The value of good sportsmanship, the concepts of fair play, and the skills of the game should always be placed above winning.
● The safety and welfare of the players are of primary importance.
● Coaches must always be aware of the tremendous influence they have on their players. They are to strive to be positive role models in dealing with young people, as well as adults.
● Coaches should always demonstrate positive behaviors and reinforce them to players, parents, officials and spectators alike. Players should be specifically encouraged and positively reinforced by coaches to demonstrate respect for teammates, opponents, officials and spectators.
● Players should always demonstrate positive behavior and respect toward teammates, opponents, coaches, officials, parents and spectators.
● Coaches, players, parents and spectators are expected to demonstrate the utmost respect for officials and reinforce that respect to players/teammates. Coaches are also expected to educate their players as to the important role of lacrosse officials and reinforce the ideal of respect for the official to players/teammates.
● Grievances or misunderstandings between coaches, officials or any other parties involved with the sport should be communicated through the proper channels and procedures, never on or about the field of play in view of spectators or participants.
● Officials are professionals and are therefore expected to conduct themselves as such and in a manner that demonstrates total impartiality, courtesy and fairness to all parties.
● Spectators involved with the game must never permit anyone to openly or maliciously criticize, badger, harass or threaten an official, coach, player or opponent.
● Coaches must be able to demonstrate a solid knowledge of the rules of lacrosse, and should adhere to the rules in both the letter and the spirit of the game.
● Coaches should provide a basic knowledge of the rules to both players and spectators within his/her program. Attempts to manipulate rules in an effort to take unfair advantage of an opponent, or to teach deliberate unsportsmanlike conduct, is considered unacceptable conduct.
● Eligibility requirements, at all levels of the game, must be followed. Rules and requirements such as age, previous level of participation, team transfers, etc, have been established to encourage and maximize participation, fair play and to promote safety.