Image: Rick Flax

12th Annual 

Steamboat Classic Lacrosse Tournament

2015 Details, Dates, and Signup Info

Hello 2015 Lacrosse Families, Players, and Coaches! Here you can find all info regarding the 2015 Steamboat Classic Lacrosse Tournament, our 12th edition. It will take place over Memorial Day Weekend again, the 23-24 of May, 2015. 

This year's tournament should be familiar to those who have participated before, with a four-game format that uses point accumulation to decide champions. The cost is still $625-$675 per team, depending on if you make the early-rate cutoff date (March 1, details below). 

Also, please know that we are putting together hotel and condo deals that will be available for your teams through Mountain Resorts and some other housing companies and hotels. The links to these discounted rates will be available at the top of our steamboatyouthlacrosse.org homepage later this January. 

PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE THE "STEAMBOAT CLASSIC" WITH ANY OTHER TOURNAMENT IN THE AREA. WE ARE THE ONLY STEAMBOAT LACROSSE TOURNAMENT OPERATED BY LOCALS FOR OVER A DECADE!

In an effort to make things easy for you, we put ALL TOURNAMENT INFO on this post. As new info becomes available, it will be added to this post and emailed to teams that are signed up. If you have a question, scroll down and you should be able to find the answer. Please read all info carefully, and if you have any questions, contact Tournament Director Andy Flax (steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com). 

TOURNAMENT DETAILS:

-Memorial Day Weekend 2015 

   -May 23-24, Saturday and Sunday

   -No games Monday 

-4 game guarantee

   -Point accumulation format to decide winner (wins, losses, and ties worth different point amounts)

   -Champions will be decided for each skill division in each age division

-Tournament Age Divisions:

   -U10/11 

   -U12

   -U13

   -U15

-Look below (scroll to the bottom of this post) for full Tournament Rules and Age Guidelines. Note that we follow US Lacrosse Age Guidelines. These are stricter than both CYLA (Colorado Youth Lacrosse Association) and AYL, so if you are in these leagues, your ages match up fine. If you are in another league and are not sure, please see the table at the bottom of this post. Email Andy Flax at steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com for clarification. No girls' divisions, sorry. 

-Tournament Skill Divisions and Details:

   -Low/Mid Level: Many leagues call these teams "Blue" (Low-Level) and "White" (Mid-Level).

   -High Level: Many leagues call these teams "Red" 

-All Low/"Blue" and Mid/"White" teams will play in a combined skill division (Low/Mid Level) within their own age group.  We generally get enough Low/"Blue" and Mid/"White" teams at each age level for those teams to play mostly teams of their same skill level (Low vs. Low and Mid vs. Mid), but Low/"Blue" teams may play some Mid/"White" teams. 

-High/"Red" teams MAY BE ASKED to play up an age division (against that age's Mid/"White" teams, not Low/"Blue" teams) if there are not enough "Red" teams at their own age level. This won't happen at the U15 age, as there is no higher age. Even though we anticipate having enough teams for both a Mid/Low and a High division at each age, if you are a High/"Red" team, please prepare for both possibilities: 1) playing up an age level with Mid/"White" teams of that age, and 2) playing with High/"Red" teams of your age if enough sign up. 

-Coaches may be contacted by tournament director Andy Flax to discuss proper fit for team. If tournament director does not feel that there is a proper fit, a team will not be allowed to participate. This is an invitational tournament - tournament director can, for any reason, decide not to allow a team to participate. Teams may be waitlisted to allow more level-appropriate teams to enter. When considering a team, we look at whether they will be an appropriate fit, their past conduct at our event, their sign-up date, and other elements. 

-Game times will be determined by May 8 and will be emailed to the team coach. Teams should anticipate spending two nights in Steamboat (Please see our Hotel/Condo deals at the top of the steamboatyouthlacrosse.org homepage beginning in late January). We understand that many of teams travel from far away and we will will try to accommodate for driving time. Please do not request game times.

-Our Playing fields are located at these Steamboat Parks and Schools:

   -Emerald and Dudley Parks 

   -Whistler Parks 

   -Steamboat Springs High School 

   -Ski Town Fields

   -Christian Heritage Fields

NOTE: Maps to all fields will be included in the info packet sent to teams on May 8. 

SIGN-UP CALENDAR:

JAN 1-May 1- Sign-up open. See "Team Sign-Up Process" below to sign your team up. Please contact Andy Flax with any questions at steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com

March 1- Early Sign-up (save $50) ends. To be eligible for early signup, a team must complete Step 3 (below, under "Team Sign-Up Process") on or before March 1. This means all materials postmarked/emailed by then.

May 1- All Sign-ups Close, All checks/rosters for invited teams must be postdated/emailed by today or earlier. Signups could close earlier if tournament fills up, but May 1 will remain the deadline to get your materials postdated/emailed by. 

MAY 8- All Tournament Info Sent to Coach Emails 

TEAM SIGN-UP PROCESS:

1. Send an email to steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com. This will be your team's Invitation Request. Please include: 

A) Program Name (and Team Name if different from Program Name)

B) Age Division (U10/11, U12, U13, and U14/15 are our 4 age divisions)

C) Level of play, ie: Low/"Blue," Mid/"White," or High/"Red." We generally separate into a Low/Mid ("Blue"/"White") skill division and a High ("Red") skill division in each age. 

D) Name, Email, Phone # FOR ALL THREE: COACH, TEAM MANAGER, & PROGRAM DIRECTOR

E) Returning Team? (Is %75 of your team returning to our tourney from last year?)

F) # of players

G) Is your team a part of a League? If so, what league? 

H) Who insures your team? Are you all (coaches and players) US Lacrosse Members, or does your league insure you for tournaments (including ours)?

NOTE: IF YOU ARE SIGNING UP MORE THAN ONE TEAM AT A TIME, YOU CAN SEND JUST ONE EMAIL INVITE-REQUEST, BUT PLEASE LABEL EACH TEAM'S INFO SEPARATELY. THIS STEP IS FOR TEAMS TO SIGN UP, INDIVIDUAL PLAYER INFO WILL BE COLLECTED LATER.

2. Receive Invitation OR Waitlist Notice through email (allow 1 week for response)

-If Tournament Director must contact you about your team's fit, he will contact you before you get an invitation or a waitlist notice.

3. Send In Check and Roster (If Invited in Step 2):

-Send your Check and Roster to: Steamboat Lacrosse LLC, 1097 Saratoga Ave Steamboat Springs, CO 80487

   -If you wish, you may email your roster to steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com at the time you send your check

   -IF YOU DO NOT GET THE CHECK AND ROSTER POSTMARKED/EMAILED BY MAY 1, YOU LOSE YOUR SPOT!

   -All Checks will be deposited immediately and are NON-REFUNDABLE*

      *Unless Weather Refund Policy is enacted (See Weather Refund Policy under Tournament Rules below) 

-Check Details:

   -Make payable to Steamboat Lacrosse LLC

   -$625 per team if postmarked on or before March 1, $675 if postmarked after March 1

      -Roster must be postmarked/emailed on or before March 1 as well to get the discount

-Roster Details: 

   -You must use the roster template provided (template will be emailed along with your Invite, like last year)

   -IF YOUR ROSTER IS NOT ON OUR TEMPLATE, WE WILL NOT ACCEPT IT

   -We will ask that your players provide the following info:

      -Names

      -Signatures (each player and their guardian)

      -Birthdays

      -Current grades in school (Nobody who has entered 9th-grade/high shool can play, regardless of age)

      -US Lacrosse Numbers

NOTE: IF YOUR TEAM IS NOT US LACROSSE MEMBERS, PLEASE PROVIDE PROOF OF INSURANCE COVERING YOUR PLAYERS AND COACHES AT OUR TOURNAMENT. ATTACH THIS PROOF TO THE REST OF THE ROSTER INFO.

NOTE: ANY CHANGES TO ROSTERS (ie: forgot a player) MADE AFTER THE ROSTER IS SUBMITTED RESULT IN A $50 FEE PER CHANGE. DIRECTOR CAN CHOOSE TO NOT ALLOW CHANGES AT ALL. NO CHANGES AFTER MAY 1. IF CHANGES HAPPEN AFTER THE EARLY-SIGNUP DEAL, TEAMS MUST ALSO PAY BACK THE $50 DISCOUNT (IF THEY RECEIVED IT). NO REFUNDS WILL BE GIVEN FOR TEAMS WHO DROP OUT AFTER THEIR CHECK IS RECEIVED. All CHECKS ARE DEPOSITED IMMEDIATELY AND ARE NON-REFUNDABLE, UNLESS THE WEATHER REFUND POLICY IS ENACTED. PLEASE SEE THE WEATHER REFUND POLICY AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST.

4. Receive Email Confirmation of all materials received, spot is now locked 

-If you have not received this confirmation a couple weeks after sending your materials in, contact Andy Flax at steamboatlaxclassic@gmail.com.

5. Receive Tournament Info

-This will happen on May 8th, will be sent to the head coach, and will include:

   -Your team's Division (ie: U12 Mid/Low)

   -The Tournament Schedule

   -Maps to Playing Fields

   -Tournament Scoring System and Game Details 

   -Team Expectations

   -Tournament Locations

   -Lodging Information

   -Restaurant Deals

   -And More!

12th Annual 

Steamboat Classic Lacrosse Tournament

2015 Rules

Age Guidelines (US Lacrosse):

2015 Age Grouping Quick Reference Table

We will follow US Lacrosse Rules and Guidelines (Click Here for link), unless they differ from what is stated below:

1. Stick Checking - Winding up on a slap check, whether the ball carrier has one or two hands on the stick, should be called a slash and could even be unnecessary roughness.

2.Unnecessary Roughness/Unsportsmanlike Conduct - Both of these penalties could be mandatory 3 minute unreleasable penalties. If a player or coach has more than one of these in a game, it’s a mandatory ejection. KEEP IT CLEAN!

3. Clock - 20 Minute running halves, OT is five minute periods of sudden death until someone scores. Running clock only stops for official timeout if winning team has an injured player in the last 2 minutes. 5 minute halftime. Penalties are also running time; therefore, it is unsportsmanlike conduct for a man-down team to in any way delay the start of play after the ball goes out of bounds. 

4. Timeouts - One minute, one per team per half, none in sudden death, winning teams can’t use their timeout in the last four minutes of the game, a man-down team can’t call a timeout once the man-down penalty clock starts to run (they can call timeout right after the penalty is called, but only before the penalty clock begins).

5. Penalties - Technical foul is 45 seconds, personal foul is 90 seconds.

6. Body Checking -Each division will probably have players that are playing up a level. Therefore, referees are encouraged to call games  tighter than most of us are accustomed to ensure everyone’s safety.

U-15/U-14/U-13 Rules - Body Checking is permitted. To be legal, a body check should be delivered in a generally upright position with both hands on the stick and the player initiating the check may not use his lowered head or shoulder to make the initial contact. Running full speed to initiate body contact should be an illegal body check, one minute penalty. Translation: PLAY THE BALL. U-12 Rules - Upright body checks are allowed. Running full speed to initiate body contact should be an illegal body check, one minute penalty. Lowering a shoulder to initiate body contact should be an illegal body check, one minute penalty. U-11 Rules-No body checking, Legal pushes and legal holds are allowed.

7. Stick Dimensions - Please note that US Lacrosse defers to NFHS rules for stick dimensions, exept for the following modification that we will follow FOR U10/11 ONLY:

We will use NFHS stick rules, exept for the modification above. 

Weather Refund Policy: If games cannot be played due to uncontrollable circumstances (according to Tournament Director) such as bad weather, teams will receive refunds accordingly:

2 games played: $75 refund

1 game played: $275 refund

0 games played: full refund

Games may be shortened to 15 minute running halves if necessary in the event of uncontrollable circumstances. These shortened games will be considered games played.

Questions? Email Andy Flax at