Eden Prairie Lacrosse Association

The Eden Prairie Lacrosse Association (EPLA) intends to participate in a summer lacrosse league governed by Youth Lacrosse of Minnesota (YLM).  The YLM forms leagues at the 8U, 10U, 12U, and 14U age levels. Below you will find tentative information about our season. 

 

Philosophy:  

The mission of the EPLA is to teach the game of lacrosse, while having fun, building self-esteem and fostering good sportsmanship. Each age group will have a mix of players with varying skills - some have never picked up a stick while others have played for years. Our goal is to meet all developmental needs while having fun. To accomplish this we will:

 

• Teach individual skills such as cradling, catching, throwing, scooping ground balls and shooting.
• Teach team skills such as strategies related to offense and defense.
• Teach good sportsmanship by focusing on respect for coaches, referees, teammates, and the opposing team.
• Make everyone feel welcomed and valued. Our program is designed for all players to receive equitable playing time.

 

Winning is not the main goal - having fun and developing a love of the game are paramount.

 

Teams:

The EPLA expects to field the following teams this summer:

• 8U: 2 teams (balanced teams)
• 10U: 2 teams (balanced teams)
• 12U A: 1 team
• 12U B: 1 team
• 14U A: 1 team
• 14U B: 1 team

 

Age Group Cutoffs: 

US Lacrosse, the YLM and GNLL, and the EPLA designate the age groups as follows:

• 8U:   Born 9/1/2015 to 8/31/2017
• 10U: Born 9/1/2013 to 8/31/2015
• 12U: Born 9/1/2011 to 8/31/2013
• 14U: Born 6/1/2009* to 8/31/2011

 * 6/1/2009 cut-off date applies to players who have not yet entered 9th grade.

 

You are required to register your child with the correct age-appropriate group in conjunction with the birth date on your USA Lacrosse registration.  Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of games for Eden Prairie and possible eliminations from tournaments.

 

Boys born after 8/31/2017 are welcome to play in 8U. Each season we have a number of boys who do this and have a great experience.

 

Evaluation Schedule:  

All players who want to play will make a team.

Evaluations will be held early May with dates to be finalized and are expected to be back to back evenings. The U12 and U14 age groups will have an A & B team. The U8 and U10 teams will be split by skill as evenly as possible.

 

Practice Schedule:

Practices will begin for all levels on Thursday May 4th (weather dependent) and then will follow the schedule below.

• 8U & 10U at Staring Lake Fields
• 12U at Lower Flying Cloud Fields
• 14U at CMS Turf Field

 

Game/Tournament Schedule:  

Regular season games will likely begin the week of June 3, 2024. Regular season games are typically scheduled on Monday through Thursday evenings. Each age level typically plays the following number of regular season games: 

• 8U = 6 games, 2 local weekend tournaments
• 10U = 8 games, 2 local weekend tournaments
• 12U & 14U = 10 games, 1 local weekend tournament, state tournament

 

State Tournament: We expect all 12U and 14U teams to play in the YLM’s state tournament on Saturday, July 27, 2024 and Sunday, July 28, 2024.

 

Registration Fees and Fundraiser:  

Inclusive of the aforementioned practices, games, and tournaments, registration fees also include game shorts and a shooter shirt (T-shirt) for each player to keep and use of a game jersey for the season (to be returned at the end of the season). Note this year we have increased the fees for the 2024 season by a small incremental amount, which allows us to exclude the pizza fundraiser. Our fee schedule per player for the 2024 summer season is as follows:

• 8U:   $200 ($25 increase)
• 10U: $300 ($25 increase)
• 12U: $450 ($25 increase)
• 14U: $500 ($25 increase)
• Goalies: New this year, athletes committing to play goalie for the season will receive 50% off registration fees.  Opportunities to try the goalie position will remain available for all athletes.  Please reach out to Robyn Kippley (robynkippley@gmail.com) for a registration discount code.

 

US Lacrosse Membership:

Players are required to have a current membership ($35) with USA Lacrosse to participate in EPLA and YLM programs. You will need your player’s USA Lacrosse number in order to complete registration. If a player is not currently a member, you will need to go to https://www.usalacrosse.com/membership to register.

 

Scholarships:  

The EPLA will provide partial scholarships to players needing assistance based on need and/or circumstance. Please contact Robyn Kippley (robynkippley@gmail.com) to apply for a scholarship.

 

Equipment: 

Players will need the following equipment to play:

• Helmet
• Chest protector
• Lacrosse gloves
• Stick
• Protective cup
• Mouth guard
• Cleats (encouraged)

The EPLA does have a limited amount of equipment that may be borrowed by players who are new to lacrosse. Please contact Chris Hanson (612-207-5034) if you have any questions on equipment.

 

Stayed tuned and watch social media for upcoming sessions this winter, including try lacrosse for free, and used equipment drive.

This registration session will allow you to complete contact information and submit payment.  To complete registration through our secure site, please have your Visa, MasterCard, or Discover information available.  Following the completion of this registration, you will see a charge on your account from Eden Prairie Lacrosse.