Lacrosse Players
Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the U.S.. Bozeman Lacrosse is the largest lacrosse program in Montana. Our boys high school team has won the state championship for the past 6 years. Our girls high school team has won the state championship for 5 of the past 7 years.
General Overview of Lacrosse Information
Our national organization, USA Lacrosse has excellent information on all aspects of the sport. Learn more about High School Lacrosse from USA Lacrosse
Girls Lacrosse Game Overview from USA Lacrosse Girls/Women’s Rules of Lacrosse from USA Lacrosse
Boys Lacrosse Game Overview from USA Lacrosse Boys/Men’s Rules of Lacrosse from USA Lacrosse
Bozeman Lacrosse Teams
MHSLA and Bozeman Lacrosse field two different levels of teams each spring season, dependent on player numbers. The first level, D1 teams, are those players which coaches determine will be the best fit for our top competitive teams. The second level, D2 teams, are those players who don’t yet have a position on the D1 roster. Players typically will not move between rosters once the season games begin in April, unless an injury requires a substitution. Separate leagues and state tournaments exist for D1 and D2 teams. MOST younger players (freshmen and sophomores) will play on D2. MOST seniors and juniors will play on D1. There are always exceptions due to individual skills and the depth of the roster for each position. Questions on team placement should always be brought to the coach from the player directly.
Spring Season Travel
High school lacrosse in Montana involves a large amount of travel during the spring season. Games are played with teams from Kalispell, Great Falls, Missoula, Helena, Billings, Jackson, and Cody, WY. We may also schedule tournaments out of state if possible to gain additional games against more competitive teams.
Arrangements with other families or players can be found for players who need help getting to games and/or practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not if it’s in the same season.
If you want to play a school sanctioned sport in the fall or winter you can still play spring lacrosse.
If you want to play a school sanctioned sport in the spring, you will not be able to play lacrosse unless you have direct permission from BOTH COACHES- lacrosse and the other sport. This is typically not possible due to overlapping practices.
No. Fall ball is optional for those that want extra time on the field.
No. We have had players on our teams from as far away as Butte and West Yellowstone. You will just need to be sure you can make the practices and games every night.
Probably. Lacrosse is a highly skilled, very athletic sport. If you’re generally athletic, have decent hand-eye coordination we suggest you come to Fall Ball and learn the game. Otherwise, please reach out to the head coach for your gender and see if they think it’s a good fit for you.
Your coaches will ask that you plan your work schedule so you do not miss any practices or games. If you have to work please discuss this with the head coach prior to registration.
The Headwaters Youth program costs are supported by about 130 more registrations each season. Youth coaches are often parent volunteers while in high school our coaches are all paid, and their travel is covered. Additionally, each high school game takes 1-2 more officials to officiate, and lasts usually .5-1 hour longer. This is a very large difference in officiating fees. Finally, field fees are higher for high school due to the limit on types of fields we can practice and play on (the city won’t allow practice or games on most grass.).
Please see this memo from the Montana High School Sports Association on weather related cancelations.
During games, officials will determine when games are called on account of weather. During practices, coaches will make determinations using this memo as a guideline:
Our coaches are required to take the Concussion in Sports Course through USA Lacrosse.
We also recommend every player and parent also take the course. It is free and available here: https://nfhslearn.com/courses/concussion-in-sports-2
(From USA Lacrosse) About the Course:
The NFHS has teamed up with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to educate coaches, officials, parents and students on the importance of proper concussion recognition and management in high school sports. This course highlights the impact of sports-related concussion on athletes, teaches how to recognize a suspected concussion, and provides protocols to manage a suspected concussion with steps to help players return to play safely after a concussion.
Lacrosse Parents
Parent Meeting
Each spring there is a mandatory parent meeting (one for boys, one for girls). Please watch for emails and make sure to attend. At this meeting you will be provided the information pertinent to the season, meet the coaching staff, and learn the expectations they have for your player and yourself as a parent supporting your player.
General information
We ask that you allow your players to work with their coaches without your oversight whenever possible. If you have questions for coaches, please have your player contact them directly. Coaches will not respond to parent questions if they involve playing time or team selection and the player has not first had a discussion with the coach.
Communications for high school lacrosse will be different from what you had with the youth organization. Your players will be asked by the coaching staff to be responsible, respectful, and to behave as young adults learning to be self-reliant. Questions on this should be brought up to the coaches at the parent meeting.
Code of Conduct
Bozeman, MHSLA and the MT Lacrosse Officials Association all adhere to strict rules on parent and player conduct. Parents who act inappropriately at games may be asked to leave. Please see the Bozeman Lacrosse Code of Conduct for complete information. Both parents and players must agree to abide by the rules at registration.
Volunteer
There are a variety of ways you can support Bozeman Lacrosse through giving your time. Below are some options.
Volunteer to be a team manager. Contact the program director for your players’ program (boysprogram.bhslax@gmail.com or girlsprogram.bhslax@gmail.com) and submit your desire to help.
Volunteer to assist with field duties. During in-town games and/or tournaments field set-up and take-down is much easier with many hands. Please reach out to fields.bhslax@gmail.com if you’re willing to help with this.
Fundraising assistance. Do you have a knack for fundraising or some generous donors in mind? If you would like to assist with fundraising please reach out to fundraising.bhslax@gmail.com.
Become a statistician. Every game needs stats recorded and uploaded to the MHSLA website. Statisticians sit at a central table each game. You’ll receive training and login information through MHSLA. If you’re interested in being a statistician for your players’ team please reach out to the applicable program manager (boysprogram.bhslax@gmail.com or girlsprogram.bhslax@gmail.com).
Join the board or serve on a committee. Voting and non-voting board members support every aspect our of organization. Meetings are usually in person, once a month. Time required for each position varies on the time of year. Committees may be formed to provide assistance to board members for specific events. If you are interested in joining the board or a committee, please reach out to the board president at president.bhslax@gmail.com.
If you have skills to share and don’t see a fit above, please reach out to the board president just to see if there is a place for you. We appreciate your willingness to help! president.bhslax@gmail.com.
Officiate
Lacrosse games are not possible without officials. Please consider being trained and providing this vital resource for our sport. Visit mtloa.com to learn more.