North Shore Lacrosse

Q. What leagues do you offer?

A. We offer the Boys High School Fall Leagues and Winter Super Leagues Indoors, with all games in North Andover MA.  Homegrown Lacrosse has just completed their new indoor turf facility, and we have been fortunate enough to be invited as one of their lead tenants.  Games are on Sunday mornings starting at 8, 9, 10, and 11 AM.  Get up early, be productive, get a workout, and get home for Kickoff!

A.  We offer the Boy’s and Girl’s High School Summer Leagues for Varsity level players, and JV players looking to make their respective varsity team next year.  This League has attracted players and teams from the Essex and Middlesex County areas, and cities in the Greater Boston area.  Starting in 2011 we will have TWO REGIONAL choices for players either on the North Shore of Massachusetts OR the Merrimack Valley region.

A. We also offer the Pro League. We are currently expanding the Pro League to encompass the larger Metro Boston area, including those above and near the I495 loop, and those club teams in the Southern NH area.

A. Boy’s Middle School League for incoming 7/8th graders only, with a 5 team limit per league. 

Q. What is the league format? Rosters will include a minimum of 18 players, maximum of 23 position players.  For the Pro League Teams, a minimum of 18 paid players with a maximum of 23 position players per roster.  Fall/WInter League 14-15 players per roster (one goalie), 2 3 2 Format.

• (10 vs. 10) - (3) attack, (3) defense, (3) midfielders, plus a goalie - for the Men’s Divisions.
• (11 vs. 11) - for the Women’s Divisions.
• 7 v 7 Fall and Winter Leagues
• Round Robin Format including Playoffs and Championship
• Full Field for all leagues, including FieldTurf at EC, BF, and Manchester MA
• Each middle and high school game consists of (2) 25 minute running time periods with a 3 min. half-time.
• Stop time in the last (1) Minute of each half.
• Games are regulated by certified referees
• Overtime...A game ending in a tie will remain a tie during regular season games. A game ending in a tie will be decided by a sudden-death overtime during playoffs/championship

• No fighting or alcohol will be tolerated
• Games cancelled due to weather are subject to rescheduling availability
• All field equipment, including mouthguards, is required
• Each player will receive a league reversible game jersey
• Game Results, Standings and Highlights will be posted the web site
• All players must be US Lacrosse Member

Q.  What is the skill level in the Varsity League?

A.  The skill level is very competitive in the varsity league.  Obviously, we do our best to maintain the competition, but once in a while, we do have a team start out 0-3…with better consistency and coaching, they tend to do well as the year progresses.

Q.  What is the skill level in the Pro League?

A. These players will play collegiate lacrosse after leaving high school.  Often, each team will have a few graduating players who will be attending any number of Div I, II, and III lacrosse programs, with the rest of the team heading in that direction.  There are freshman, sophomores, juniors, and incoming seniors in this league who meet this criteria.

Q. What is the PRO League?

A. The Pro League was designed to bring the best club, travel, private, prep, and serious public teams together in one league to play each other all summer. In order to supplement the monotonous weekend tournaments springing up all over the eastern seaboard, we wanted our local teams playing against the best competition IN THEIR BACKYARDS!  No other league brings so many great players in one league on the field at one time.

Q.  How do I make a Pro League team?

A.  You have to be a member of one of the club teams, which hold their own tryouts and are unrelated to the North Shore Lacrosse League.  We accepted only full teams-we are in the business of running a GREAT LEAGUE, not creating teams just to make a schedule.  If you want to join a Pro League team, you need to make any one of many local club teams including the RAPTORS, NORTHEASTERS, NESLL, ST. JOHN’S PREP VARSITY, MALDEN CATHOLIC, etc.

Q.    When does registration open for the Varsity League?

A.    We open on-line registration on January 1st for the Men and Women’s Varsity Leagues

Q.  When does registration open for the Pro League?

A.   It opens when your adult team representative committs, send us a roster, and we send you the link.  There is NO open enrollment for the Pro League.

Q.  What age do I have to be to play for the North Shore Lacrosse Varsity League?

A.   You need to be no older than 18 and have graduated that June to play that summer.

A.   You need to be no younger than 14  or going into the 9th grade

A.   For the WOMEN, special considerations are accepted due to the non-contact nature.

Some 7th and 8th grade girls are allowed with a parental note and a player bio/history that demonstrate adequate lacrosse skill

Q. Why do I have to be a member of US Lacrosse?

A.  We support the non profit by asking all of our players to be members of the national body.

Q.  Does this mean we have free insurance through US Lacrosse?

A.  No, we purchase our insurance to be sure YOU are covered.  We cannot depend on the chance that someone in the league may not be a member of US Lacrosse.

Q. When are your Varsity League games played?

A.  The men’s league plays on Tuesday and Thursday nights at 6 PM thru 10 PM, depending on number of teams.

A.  The women’s league plays on Wednesday nights at 6 PM thru 10 PM, depending on number of teams.

Q.  When does the Pro League play?

A.  Every Monday night from 7-10 PM, all summer at Endicott College for the Northeast Division.

Q.  Why Tues/Thurs. for Varsity men?

A.  Consistency.  We want you playing lacrosse all summer, two times per week, at night-this allows you to figure out in advance your work schedules, rides to games, and other committments well in advance.  We expect you to be at each game.

Q.  Why Wed. only for Varsity women?

A.  Consistency and by popular demand.  Once per week was determined to be a more attractive option, particularly with work and weekend tournament commitments.  We expect you to be at each game. In 2009 the two games per week format is being changed to once per week in order to get better attendance and therefore better competitiveness. There will be limits on team size and limits on league size to ensure playing time, and an equal number of games as in years past.

Q.  Where are your games played?  

A.  The Girls and Boys Varsity League games are played at Endicott College in Beverly, on turf, and at the Pingree School in Hamilton/Wenham, on grass (for now).  Turf shoes/cleats or sneakers can be worn at Endicott College.

A.  The Pro League will be at Endicott on Turf 90% of the time or MC/Manchester Essex on Turf.

A.  Merrimack Valley League in 2011 location TBD.

Q. How do you hire your coaches?

A.  We hire our Varsity League coaches based on recommendations and playing experience. For both men and women, we look for those who have collegiate playing experience, can committ to a fun experience, rotate players equally and accordingly, and serve as role models for the reinforcement of respect in all aspects of the game of lacrosse.

Q. Do you hire all of your coaches?

A.  YES!  We pay all of our coaches in the Varsity League because we want them dependable and committed.

Q. Would you like to submit a question?

A.  YES!  I will email you at craig@northshorelacrosse.com so other players and parents can learn more about your league!

Here are some questions from recent emails that may be helpful….

Q. Wanted to find out if there is room for a girls varsity team this summer? Ideally we would put one together made up mostly from girls in Ipswich. Is it possible to do this or do you randomly allocate the kids?

A. (4/1/08) Thanks for inquiring; we do have room for a women’s team.  We plan on having 7-10 women’s teams based on past years, usually filling up by the first week of June.  I seem to fill up earlier every year, so if there are girls interested in Ipswich, the sooner the better.  I hate to say no to a girl or boy who wants to play, but unfortunately it happens often.

On the girl’s side, we have both open registration and “team” registration-at the same time without the coaches or team rep worrying about player fees or committments.  This means that each player can sign up as an individual, and request that they will be placed on the “Ipswich” team when they register.  It is actually an input field each player or parent can customize to make sure they are on the right team.  The other option, if you want to keep a specific “team” together, is to send me a roster of Ipswich players, (just names), and we would match that roster up with our database.  Anyone else from Ipswich by geography would be placed in the “free agent” pool.

For example, Hamilton Wenham always puts a team in, but does so by individuals signing up and registering on their own and indicating “Ham/Wenham”.  Another team, the Homegrown Girl’s teams are entering as entire teams, with the club actually sending in one check for all the girls on one roster.