11/26/24 – Frequently Asked Lacrosse Questions

November 26, 2024 Athletic Department Blog Updates

Print

Following the board announcement regarding boys’ and girls’ lacrosse, our office has received additional questions about the upcoming season. We fully understand that many of our bylaws and procedures are new to many of our member school teams and representatives from the time when it was managed as a club sport (not sanctioned for a KHSAA championship).

To ensure consistent communication, we’ve put together this Frequently Asked Questions blog post, addressing some of the common queries we’ve received about lacrosse. Please note that this post will be updated as new questions come in and should serve as a helpful reference for our coaches. Since lacrosse will follow similar guidelines to our other sports regarding coaching requirements and championships, your Athletic Director will also continue to be a valuable resource for additional information and is required to be involved for the sport to comply with Federal OCR guidelines.

Frequently Asked Lacrosse Questions

Are there restrictions on what days we can schedule games?

• There are no restrictions on what days games can be played at this time other than the restriction on playing games on four consecutive days (Monday to Thursday) during the school that is contained in the Bylaws. We are hopeful that official numbers will continue to grow and allow for a full schedule.
• We also strongly feel that our officials all working under one statewide association will help alleviate the need to restrict games to certain nights as has helped in other sports.
• However, there is no guarantee that the original schedules won’t have to be altered. Assignors hired by the Regional Policy Boards will be able to evaluate officials’ numbers as we approach the spring season and will be in communication if changes to the original schedules are needed. Coaches should be prepared for some scheduling changes during these early years.

Will the KHSAA decide who we play or assist with making the regular season schedule?

• The KHSAA does not dictate regular season schedules. Coaches and AD’s should work together to plan their regular season schedules.
• If a region determines that the regions are to be seeded, then those games become mandatory and count against the overall limit of games. 

What restrictions are in place for the regular season in terms of number of contests?

• Boys’ teams should not exceed 18 regular season games and girls’ should not exceed 21 regular season games.
• Non-varsity teams have the same contest limitations as varsity teams.
• The first official practice for lacrosse is Feb 3
• Regular season games may begin on March 3 and should conclude no later than May 7.

Are scrimmages allowed before the season begins?

• Teams are allowed 2 scrimmages prior to the first official game and after the first allowable date for practice.
• Scrimmages must be completed prior to the first regular season contest.

Can my school schedule a regular season game against a conglomerate, cooperative or club team?

• No

Can my school schedule one of its two scrimmages against a conglomerate, cooperative or club team?

• Yes

If a school isn’t fielding a lacrosse team this year, can a student play for another area school that will have a team?

• No. A student desiring to participate shall be enrolled as a full-time student and receive credit through the member school at which participation is desired or be a student at a “feeder” school in the same school district governed by the same local board of education as defined and interpreted under Bylaw 4.

How many times will I have to play the other teams in my region?

• If regions decide to seed teams for the regional tournament, each team must play every other team in the region at least once.
• Some regions may opt by majority vote to play teams twice during the regular season to ensure both home and away matchups, which is decided at the regional seeding and site selection meeting prior to the beginning of the season.
• If schedule changes are necessary due to the availability of officials, regional games should take priority, especially when seeding is involved.

Will there be any changes in the postseason plan and format in the future?

• Yes, as the format will continue to evolve.
• It will be recommended to the Board of Control in January that the postseason event be revised to mirror the adopted format for volleyball.
• While the number of participating teams is considerably lower in lacrosse, it is likely that the best plan for expanding and growing the sport is to include the region’s runner-up teams.

How do I enter my schedule in Arbiter?

• Coaches should coordinate with their AD to enter schedules
• For step-by-step instructions on how to upload a schedule template, please refer to Mr. Catron’s scribe page
• Single games can be added by logging into Arbiter and going to “Schedule” and “Add New”

How do we determine seeding the regional tournament?

• Regional ADs and/ or coaches should meet to discuss seeding prior to the beginning of the season.
• If there is a conflict between the desires of the ADs and those of the coaches, the AD’s decision shall prevail.
• A majority vote is required to make these seeding decisions. 
• Per Bylaw 22, all schools should be aware that by adopting a seeding plan, all schools are entering into an enforceable contract whether or not a signed contract is executed.
• Once it has been determined to seed a district with four (4) or more teams, the method of seeding shall be decided such as:
  • How many times are teams going to play each other, for example, if more than once, which one is the tiebreaker?
  • What are other tiebreakers in the event more than two (2) teams are tied? This will become the official record for the future, so all possible tie-breakers should be discussed.
  • What basic criteria shall be used for seeding?
• Following completion of the meeting, seeding criteria should be submitted to the KHSAA office. (GE form will be sent out by email)
• If no seeding plan is determined prior to the first game or if a seeding plan includes any random chance as a tie-breaker (coin toss, draw, etc.), then seeding will be done by RPI

Are coinflips allowed to be used as a tiebreaker for seeding purposes?

• No

How do we determine where the Regional Tournament will take place each year?

• Regional ADs and/ or coaches should meet to discuss a site rotation prior to the beginning of the season, and the regions are to be played during the window of days as determined by the Association.
• A site selection plan requires a majority vote of the participating schools.
• The recommended site selection plan will be submitted electronically using Form GE58 (Region Site Selection Plan) to the Commissioner’s office for input for future years.

Are there any required pieces of training for lacrosse coaches?

• All lacrosse coaches must comply with the Bylaw 25 requirements of the KHSAA.
• The requirements include the KHSAA Sport Safety Course and the Lacrosse Rules Clinic, EAP mandatory training, and CPR/First Aid/AED training, among the other items listed in Bylaw 25.
• For coaches with less than 64-college hours, additional courses are required.
• You can find all of the KHSAA Bylaws and additional requirements here
• Additional training may be required at the school level.

For questions about lacrosse, please reach out to Assistant Commissioner Abby Jackson at ajackson@khsaa.org

– KHSAA –

About the Kentucky High School Athletic Association

The Kentucky High School Athletic Association was organized in 1917 and is the agency designated by the Kentucky Department of Education to manage high school athletics in the Commonwealth. The Association is a voluntary nonprofit 501(c)3 organization made up of 289 member schools, both public and non-public. The KHSAA awards 229 state championships to 72 teams and 270 individuals in 21 sports and six sport-activities, funds catastrophic insurance coverage for its more than 109,000 rostered member school student-athletes, provides coaching education and sports safety programs for more than 12,000 coaches and licenses and facilitates the distribution of training material for over 4,000 contest officials.

Print