Frequently Asked Questions

Upper Merion Lacrosse Club is a non-profit girls and boys lacrosse club. We are members of PAGLA (Philadelphia Area Girls Lacrosse Association) and SEPYLA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Youth Lacrosse Association).
The club is designed to develop the skills and love of the game of lacrosse.

Any girl or boy living in Upper Merion Township currently in grades K to 8.

1. All players need sneakers, cleats, a colored mouth guard, protective gear, and a lacrosse stick. In addition the following items:
   • Girls require protective eyewear (goggles)
   • Boys require a helmet, certified chest pads, elbow pads, protective cup
2. Absolutely no jewelry! If you are planning on getting your child's ears pierced, please know that they will be required to remove their earrings at games and practices.
3. Equipment can be purchased at Sports Authority, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Kelly’s Sports, Lacrosse Unlimited, Laxilla, and Longstreth.

Additionally, our club has a loaner program for those families interested in borrowing equipment for the season.

A great resource for information about the equipment for boys/girls: https://www.usalacrosse.com/equipment

This fee covers: all practices and games, officials' fees, team equipment and balls, one tournament per season, some off-season clinics, and coaches’ background checks.

Yes. The USA Lacrosse fee is in addition to the registration fee and is non-returnable. Besides membership offerings like Lacrosse Magazine, USA Lacrosse provides insurance coverage (beyond personal coverage) to our young athletes and their coaches. This coverage is a mandatory requirement for the facilities that we use and for all tournaments, clinics and camps. Athletes must join or update their US Lacrosse membership before registering to play with Upper Merion Lacrosse. https://www.usalacrosse.com/join

Yes, we do not want the cost of this sport to prevent young athletes from enjoying this game. Please contact UMLC at uppermerionlacrosseclub@gmail.com or reach out to our Board President or one of our Head Coaches (on our Contact page) to discuss your needs. All requests are kept strictly confidential.

Absolutely not! It is never too late to pick up a stick and start learning!

A great resource for information about lacrosse is USA Lacrosse. There is information for parents, players, coaches, and more.

Grades 3-8 will begin practicing in early March.
Grades K-2 will begin practicing on Saturday mornings at the end of March.
All teams will be notified by e-mail in mid-February of their start date.

Practice day/time will be determined by facility availability and posted in mid-February.

• All K-2 players will practice on Saturdays from 9:30-11:00am.
• Grades 3-4 and 5-6 will practice at least twice a week March-May.
• Grades 7-8 will practice at least twice a week in March and once a week in April and May.

• Kindergarten will be involved in clinics and will not play any organized games with other clubs.
• Grades 1-2: This group will play in at least two “playdays” that usually occur on Saturday afternoon. There will also be a playday at our home field in May.
• Grades 3-8: As a member of the Pennsylvania Area Girls Youth Lacrosse Association (PAGLA) games are played on Saturdays and occasionally Sundays. Schedules are usually stacked so that if a rain out occurs games may not be made up due to time constraints.

You will be notified by email of your practice and game schedule in mid-February. Each team will be set up in TeamSnap. You can find important announcements and information through the TeamSnap app and website. Information will be shared with you about how to join the team and access your athlete's team information as soon as it has been set up.

Coaches need to be informed regarding ALL health issues. We recommend that athletes give their coach/ team manager an inhaler marked with their name, to be kept in the team first aid box. In addition, athletes must bring an inhaler to each practice and game.

Spring weather can be fickle. We do not play in a downpour, but we DO play in light rain. Play will be suspended in a heavy downpour and/or with the threat of thunder and lightning.

Please make sure the email and mobile numbers on file are current. You can log into your account to view your current information. Make sure all boxes are correctly marked on the system to allow for e-mail and/or text alerts. Also, please check your email spam settings to allow mass emails from our system. You may also check with the coach to ensure that your athlete has been added to the correct team.

We are thrilled that your athlete wishes to continue playing lacrosse through the summer, however we do not recommend any one summer tournament team over another nor are we associated with any specific team. Each player is unique and it is up to you to find the best fit for your athlete and your own schedules. There are numerous travel teams available to different levels of players. Late in the season, our coaches may have more information about summer programs that they may share.

Thank you! Our league is run 100% by volunteers. Lacrosse experience is not necessary in all positions! We are in constant need of dedicated folks willing to help with equipment, field lining, merchandise, etc. We are also always adding new coaches to our coaching staff. If interested in helping, please contact us at uppermerionlacrosseclub@gmail.com.

You, the parent, are equally as important to your child's positive lacrosse experience as the coach of the team. In order for your child to get the most out of playing lacrosse, it is important that you do the following:

1. Be supportive of your child by giving encouragement and showing an interest in his or her team. Positive reinforcement encourages learning and fun.
2. Attend games whenever possible. If you cannot attend, ask about your child’s experience, not whether the team won or lost. Some questions that you might ask before asking about the final score include: "Did you try as hard as you could? Did you have fun? Did you learn anything today that might make you a better player in the future?"
3. Be a positive role model by displaying good sportsmanship at all times to coaches, officials, opponents and your child’s teammates. "Honoring the Game" is an important part of what US Lacrosse represents. Help us by honoring the game in your behavior as a spectator.
4. Let your child set their own goals and play the game for themself. Be your child’s "home court advantage" by giving them your unconditional support regardless of how well they perform.
5. Let the coach coach. Refrain from giving your child advice when they are playing. Use positive reinforcement with your child’s coach. Let the coach know when they are doing a good job.
6. Respect the decisions of the referee. This is an important part of honoring the game. Your child will pay more attention to how you act than to what you say.
7. Read the rulebook. A full understanding of the rules will help you enjoy the game and educate others.
8. Get to know who is in charge. Meet with the leadership of the program, whether it’s school sponsored or recreational, to discuss topics such as cost, practice and game scheduling, insurance coverage, emergency procedures, etc.
9. Get involved! A great way to support your child's lacrosse experience is by becoming a volunteer for the program.
10. Sit back and enjoy the game. Remember, lacrosse is played for FUN.