SFYLL PROGRAM TRANSFER GUIDELINES

New players may register in any South Florida Youth Lacrosse League (SFYLL) program/location that suits them without any specific requirements regarding location. However, the SFYLL has determined that it is in the best interest of all programs that players who start with a program (HOME PROGRAM) remain with that program for their youth experience.  If a player wishes to switch programs within the SFYLL after having played for another team, they must meet certain exceptions and conditions.

Players may only transfer between recreation programs if they have a valid reason, such as a new program opening in their town, relocating to a new area, experiencing relevant changes in family circumstances (e.g., divorce), or if the current program no longer offers a team in the player's gender/age division. To support their transfer request, players and their families should provide documentation or evidence based on one of these valid reasons.

Transfers for reasons such as seeking better competition, playing for a travel coach, or playing time will not be allowed. Players are not permitted to move to another program due to travel coaches or travel team recruitment.

If a player does not qualify for an approved transfer but still desires to transfer programs, they will need to sit out one season of the league. After that, they can choose a new HOME PROGRAM without needing to follow the SFYLL TRANSFER protocols. However, after moving to a new program under this circumstance, the player will not be allowed to return to the previous HOME PROGRAM without approvals from both programs.

PARENT REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSFER: Players must complete the SFYLL TRANSFER REQUEST FORM (linked below) and submit to the director of their current program for approval. Any transfer requests that do not meet the established criteria or are deemed to be for improper motives will be denied.  The HOME PROGRAM director may wish to meet with the family to discuss the transfer request before approval.

PROGRAM DIRECTOR REQUIREMENTS ON TRANSFERS:

• Program Directors are required to ensure the transfer rules are provided to registrants before or during registration and must receive electronic confirmation the parent has read and agrees to abide by the rules at the time of their registration.  
• Program Directors should also gather information at registration such as years of experience and previous SFYLL program played (if any) to help raise a flag on any player that may be subject to SFYLL Transfer Rules.
• Program Directors are responsible for reviewing registration and the data provided on new players to the program to identify potential transfer players.   Those players should be contacted to confirm they are following the transfer request guidelines.
• Program Directors must promptly respond to any transfer request in a timely manner and promptly approve requests if they are within the rules and guidelines herein.
• Program Directors are to deny participation in their program to any players wishing to transfer into their program who have not followed the SFYLL PROGRAM TRANSFER GUIDELINES and submitted an approved SFYLL TRANFER REQUEST FORM.  No player is allow to participate with the new program until such time as the proper approvals have been approved and received.

We understand there are times when extenuating circumstances may come into play.  After following the guidelines and procedures herein, should a parent or program wish to appeal a transfer denial request, a written appeal can be submitted to the president of the SFYLL (pete@davielacrosse.com) for review by the SFYLL executive board.  All decisions by the board will be final.

PLAYER PENALTIES:   Should a parent not follow guidelines, including providing misleading or false information in the transfer request, the player will be suspended from league play for 1 season.

PROGRAM PENALTIES: Program Directors are responsible for reviewing registrations of new players to their program in order to identify possible transfer players. If a program does not follow the guidelines and knowingly or unknowingly allows a player to participate in their program who has illegally transferred, the SFYLL will direct the program to immediately remove the player. In addition, the program will be assessed a $500 fine and will have a future scheduled game canceled for the team with the rostered illegal player.

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AGE DIVISIONS

Below are the league age divisions which are based on USA Lacrosse guidelines and tie to the birth dates used by the public school system to determine grade.  Our league uses DATE OF BIRTH for division criteria NOT GRADE IN SCHOOL.

PLAYERS PLAYING DOWN A DIVISION

The league will no longer allow any players to play down an age division FOR ANY REASON.   Any program, coach, or parent who allows this to happen will be suspended and the offending program will be fined by the league.   All parties are responsible to enforce this rule.

AGE EXCEPTION RULE 14U ONLY

Purpose: 

To accommodate 14U PLAYERS ONLY whose birthdates fall within a short window outside the standard eligibility dates without compromising the integrity and competitiveness of the league.  When a child is first enrolled in school and the birthdate is very close to the cutoff date, it is not uncommon for parents to request to enroll their child in the younger grade.   This is frequently allowed by school districts.  8th graders who fall in this category would normally be excluded from playing rec lacrosse with their classmates.

Standard Eligibility Dates: 

The SFYLL follows standard USA Lacrosse guidelines for age divisions which mirrors the birthdate window used by school systems to determine grade.  That birthday window is for players born between September 1 and August 31  (the specific dates/years for our 2025 season are 9/1/2010 [oldest] to 8/31/2012 [youngest]).  By rule, players born in August 2010 are outside of the allowed birthdate window.

Exception Criteria: 

Eligibility Window: 

   14U players ONLY, with birthdates that fall within 15 days outside of the standard OLDEST eligibility dates, may be considered for an exception.  For example, if the standard range is September 1, 2010, to August 31, 2012, under this exception, players born from August 17, 2010, to August 31, 2010, may apply for a league exception, as long as the following conditions are met:

1. Player is not enrolled in a high school or is being home schooled at a 9th grade level.
2. Player is not participating on a spring high school varsity or JV lacrosse team
3. Player is not participating on a spring middle school lacrosse team

Application Process: 

    Parents or guardians must submit a written request for an exception to the program's director, board or designated committee.

    Requests should include the player's full name, date of birth, and a brief explanation of the reason for the exception request.  The SFYLL 14U Age Exception application form is on the league website www.sfyll.com

     Parents must attest that all conditions are met and agree that should any condition change, they will remove their child from the program.

Final Authority: 

     The Executive Board of the SFYLL retains the right to make final decisions regarding all exception requests and may set additional criteria as deemed necessary to maintain league integrity.

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ENFORCEMENT AND RESOLUTION OF DISPUTES

The Executive Board will serve as the enforcement body that will address any league infractions during the season and will assess penalties as per the guidelines or as appropriate for any other issue.  Submit and issues you have 1st to your program director and if not resolved, then send an email with the particulars and your contact  information to the LEAGUE PRESIDENT

All of our rules are based off the US Lacrosse/National Federation of State High School Associations book. http://www.uslacrosse.org/rules/girls-rules

Girls Youth Field Markings: USL Girl's Youth Lacrosse Guidebook 3rd edition p 22: 

The base rules are in the front of the book with any youth specific youth rules being identified in the Youth Section at the back.

Any SFYLL adjustments or highlights will be stated separately and included on the Game Day Rules.

All coaches, officials and administrators should have a copy of (and read) the 2023 Rule Books as well as the US Lacrosse Youth Rules and Best Practices Guidebooks. We did not rewrite the entire Rule Book. It is up to the coaches to be knowledgeable about the specifics of the age group they coach.

General Rules

• NO players who play on a high school team (freshman, JV or Varsity)
• “All youth registered with on organization and a member of that organizations team roster cannot be transferred to another organization’s team during the season or post season.” NVYLL, rule 1.2.4
• Programs wishing to play in the league must submit an application for admission with all details of the program and the host organization.  Consideration will be given to programs already in existence.
• Programs in the league are expected to use best efforts to grow their program to ultimately field at least 1 team at each division.
• No Play down at all in both Boys and Girls division.
• Players may play up 1 grade only if their program does not offer a team at their age group.  Teams that are unable to field a complete roster for games may allow players to play up to fill roster for games.
• When a program has more than 1 team at an age group, program organizers must have a mechanism in place to ensure that all skill levels are equally distributed throughout multiple teams in an age group. (No creation of “All Star” Teams).  A description of the method used to allocate players needs to be submitted to the league president prior to the start of game play each season.  
• Each Program should do all it can to hold a mandatory coaches meeting prior to the start of the season to review league rules, bylaws, etc. as well as go over what has been agreed upon by the SFYLL.
• Coaching on field:
  • 6U & 8U, Only One coach on field during play. Coach is not allowed to carry stick or wear lacrosse gloves while on field.
  • All other divisions, No coaches allowed on field during play.
• Absolutely, no blatant hitting, all hitting should be limited to the “One Step” rule.
• No lowering of the head or shoulder or running from long distances to make a hit.
• No one handed uncontrolled stick check
• No unnecessary roughness on ground balls,
• Players may not play on multiple teams within their program or in another program.  One team only per player.
• No tomahawk stick checks (these are the same as the one handed stick checks above)
• All Members of SFYLL must be members of US lacrosse. 

Scheduling

• There should be a Zero Tolerance policy for teams that do not show for games or cancel a game once the game is confirmed on the schedule.
• Each participating member of the SFYLL shall schedule a Home/Away game with other members to allow all members to play each other. This should be done prior to other games being schedule, thereby allowing each SFYLL team a chance to schedule each other.

Equipment Rules

• Stick Size, as adopted by US Lacrosse guidelines
  • 6U, 8U Max pole length is 42"
  • 10U Max. pole length is 52”
  • 12U, 14U Max pole length is 72”

Uniforms

Numbers are to be at least 8 inches centered on back and 6 inches on front. Numbers must be in a contrasting color to the jersey and be clearly visible to an official from anywhere on the field.

Field Usage

Home field responsibilities

• There should be a League representative on hand at each game to take control of situations that appear to be getting out of hand.

Games

• Penalties will be served as follows:
  • 6U  Change of possession, on field instruction from Ref and Coach
  • 8U Change of possession, Offending player is sent off the field and must stay off the field for the time of his penalty. Another player may replace him on the field (no Man Up/Down). Manage aggressive multiple foul players accordingly
  • 10U, 12U, 14U Full time serving penalties (30 sec is 30 sec, 1 min is 1 min etc. _ NO LONGER EXTENDED TIMES)
• Length of Game as follows:
  • 6U: 10 minute running quarters
  •   8U/10U: 12 minute running quarters
  • 12U/14U: 15 minute running quarters
• No more than 4 long poles on field at one time
• Referees are required for games at all age groups

Conduct

a) Parents/Spectators
b) Coaches
c) Players
d) Board Members

Protests

Protest Info TO COME