BOUNDARIES / ELIGIBILITY

One of the main objectives of the programs comprising the SSL is to promote Lacrosse

at the youth levels (grades K-8) while preparing our youth players to play with their

respective High School programs whenever possible. In support of this, youth programs

will draw from geographic boundaries set by the league and will generally align with

High School catchment areas. All clubs within the South Sound League must clearly

define their catchment areas on their website and during the registration process. Clubs

must present to the SSL Board any catchment area changes and receive two-thirds

vote of approval for the requested changes. Catchment area disputes between clubs

will be presented to the SSL board for resolution.

The Following criteria will be used to determine the program/club eligibility for each player:

1) The first determining factor will be based on the current school of attendance. Players

must play with the program associated or affiliated with their school of attendance within

their home club catchment area. A High Schools catchment area is defined as all public

schools (Elementary & JuniorHigh) that naturally feed into a common High School.

Example of a single High Schools catchment area:

HIGH SCHOOL

JUNIOR HIGH – JUNIOR HIGH

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL – ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

In the event a player attends a “shared” school that feeds into two or more High Schools

the player's home address will be used to determine program eligibility in which they

participate. A program that registers a player(s) from a shared school must notify the

other club to which that school of all players registered to include registration

information. Any player receiving an approved academic or athletic waiver to attend a

school outside their normal catchment area will register and play for the program

associated with the new attending school. The players must be able to provide a copy of

an approved school district waiver upon registration to the new program. Players

enrolled and participating in specialty education programs that do not require a district

attendance waiver during Elementary and Junior High that naturally returns to their

Home High School will continue to register and play with their home program. These

programs include but are not limited to the following examples. (STEM, PAGE, QUEST,

or other Special Learning Programs)

2) Players attending a non-public school, private school, tribal school, home schooled

and the like, that does not have their own youth lacrosse program will default to the

player's home club catchment area as defined by the residence of the player. In many

cases homeschooled students are permitted to participate in school based athletic

programs. In this situation the student would register and play with the program

associated or affiliated with that school.

3) There are several public schools (K-8) within the State of Washington that are not

associated or aligned directly with a High School. In this situation players will register

with the club/program that is associated or affiliated within that geographical boundary

area. In the event strong numbers allow, a club may request to form to provide the

student athletes within that school’s geographic boundaries or catchment area. These

boundaries will be based on the school’s catchment area or independent school district

depending on what’s best for the forming program, neighboring programs and the league.

4) In the unusual circumstance a youth player attends a school or resides in an area

that is not covered by any lacrosse organization or program, that player will register on

the waitlist of the closest bordering program based on the home address of the player.

5) During years of a School boundary change the SSL board will carefully examine

these new boundaries along with the effective club/program to determine if any changes

are required. In most cases a program’s rising 8th graders would be allowed to choose

between staying with their current organization during their final year of youth Lacrosse

or choosing to move to the new organization when directly affected by a district

boundary change.

6) No program will actively “recruit” players who do not meet eligibility requirements for

their program as listed above. The players must attend a school that is within the

programs catchment area or meet the address requirements to qualify to play for a

program. Recruiting being defined as contact by a Coach/Board member or anyone

(parent, player) with knowledge of an otherwise ineligible player in an attempt to

influence in any way to become eligible for a program outside their program.

7) Wait lists: If a program is full and cannot accept a player onto the roster, the home

program may choose to create a waitlist. If this occurs, that waitlisted player may apply

to programs outside their home program pending acceptance off the waitlist. The

outside program/club must be the next closest program/club based on the player's

home address. If that player is accepted onto an outside program, he must obtain a

written confirmation from their home program no more than three weeks prior to the first

scheduled league games confirming that they cannot accept the player for that season

(and have not accepted any subsequent wait listed players). Any such exception for a

waitlisted player is valid for one-year only. Further, no outside player can be accepted

unless all in-program players are already on the roster. There are no grandfather rights

to retain this player on an ongoing basis. These final two conditions are to ensure that

no outside program players are accepted until all in-program players are accepted

(even those that apply after the “official” registration date). Exception: If a program has

an early registration period for returning players and a returning player did not register

during this period and thus has become wait listed, then that player may not play for an

outside program.

8) Hardship Waiver Request: A player may request a waiver to play for an outside

program due to hardship. The outside or accepting program must first request and

receive a release of the player from the player's home program. Once received, the SSL

Representative of the outside or accepting program must then notify the SSL Executive

Board during the next scheduled league meeting of a proposed waiver. When

presenting this waiver, the representative must be prepared to share any clarifying

details pertaining to the waiver. Upon completion of these steps listed ,the waiver will be

voted on by the Board of Directors. In the event two or more clubs are unable to agree

the matter will be presented to the SSL Board of Directors and must receive a two-thirds

majority for an approval from the SSL Board of Directors. This vote must take place no

less than three weeks prior to the first SSL game for that player's division.

*Note, any request for a hardship waiver must show a true hardship to the player and/or

family. Waiver consideration will not be considered solely based on a convenience or

preference. All approved waivers are valid for one season only. If approved, the

waivered player must return to their home program the following season or resubmit a

waiver request.9) All boundary complaints or questions will be reviewed by a boundary committee

formed by the president of SSL. Any willful violation will result in the offending team

being removed from the end of season tournament and the parent club placed on

probation for the following season. *If a violation is found and the offending club fixes

the boundary dispute prior to the next scheduled game for that team, no sanctions

against that team/club will be made. Any games played with the ineligible player will still

result in a forfeit and be recorded as a 1-0 win for the opposing team.