Don’t let a lack of financial resources prevent your child from playing lacrosse. KidSport™ and A4K (Athletics for Kids) are two resources that can help. Both programs have helped many kids in BC play sports regardless of their financial situation.

KidSport™
The KidSport™ Fund is a program of Sport BC designed to "remove the financial obstacles that prevent underprivileged children from playing sport in British Columbia".

Since 1993, the KidSport™ Fund has:
• Raised and allocated over $2,000,000 in grants for kids throughout British Columbia.
• Assisted over 20,000 kids between the ages of six and 18
• Provided grants to nearly 800 minor sport organizations in 150 communities throughout BC, to fund children who might not otherwise have had access to an organized sport experience.

Each child who applies is eligible for up to $150 for one season of sport. The grant is usually provided directly to the league, club or sport organization.

A child is eligible to apply for one sport per year.

All applications are kept strictly confidential. In most many cases children participating do not know that they have received funding.

Find out more information and how to receive funds HERE or visit their home page www.kidsport.ca

A4K
Athletics For Kids (A4K) holds the belief: all children should be able to participate in organized amateur sport, regardless of financial constraints of parents or guardians. It was developed by Shane Collins and five other North Shore business people who are committed to the organization’s mandate.

A4K operates throughout the Province of British Columbia. It relies on financial support from private sector corporate sponsors and individuals. Monies go directly towards meeting the children’s needs and all amounts are tax deductible through the A4K fully registered non-profit society.

All information is treated as private and confidential.

Find out more information or find out how to apply for assistance HERE or visit their home page at www.a4k.ca. You can also contact Craig Knapton at info@a4k.ca or 604-985-5676.

All Tryouts are held at Burnaby 8-Rinks
All times are 4 to 6pm except Feb 20th which is 4 to 5:30

Febrary 16, 2007
Midget (born 1991 - 1992)
4pm - 6pm

February 20, 2007
Pee Wee (born 1995 - 1996)
4pm - 5:30pm

February 23, 2007
Bantam (born 1993 - 1994)
4pm - 6pm

March 2, 2007
Midget (born 1991 - 1992)
4pm - 6pm

March 9, 2007
Bantam (born 1993 - 1994)
4pm - 6pm

March 14, 2007
Novice (born 1997 - 1998)
4pm - 6pm

March 15, 2007
Pee Wee (born 1995 - 1996)
4pm - 6pm

March 16, 2007
Novice (born 1997 - 1998)
4pm - 6pm

Registration forms for both new and returning players are available at Time Out Sports.

Box lacrosse registration is now open for returning players. Register early for a chance to win! All returning players registered by January 17th will be entered into a prize draw for a new lacrosse stick, donated by Brine (last year's winner was Oliver Massey).

Please visit our Registration Page for details.

Our Association and Minor sports have a problem. We do not have enough Referees!!!

Our young referees only make it an average of 3 years before quitting. The number one reason they quit is that they are not having fun. The number one reason they are not having fun is from Coaches and Parents yelling at them.

We need to change this.

At all your Son or Daughters games please consider the following before you yell:

1. The Referee on the floor is no different than your child you are watching play the sport. Would you yell and scream at your child when they make a mistake?

2. In our association over 50% of our referees are first year Referees, They will make as many mistakes as any first year player makes playing the game.(maybe more)

3. Part of the challenges a new Referee needs to develop is their confidence. Being yelled and screamed at by Parents who are 30 years older than them is a big problem.

4. Your screaming and yelling will not change the way a Referee calls a game.

What we ask of our Parents in our association is the following:

1. Treat all the Players and Referees with respect. When you cheer, do it with compliments only. If you have a problem with a Referee and would like to offer some constructive criticism you may call our Head Referee Jim Werner @ 604-988-0345. Before 9 pm or at work 604-523-6515 between 6 am and 3 pm.

2. If you can’t control your emotions kindly leave the arena until you get control of your emotions then return and support our association and your team by leading by example.

Some facts about our officials:

1. We currently have over 30 officials 10 first year, 10 2-3 year and 10 with over 3 years of refing experience.

2. The training takes 8 hours in a class room, and is followed by a test.

3. Most officials will get between 6-12 games per season to officiate.

4. 95 % of officials play for our association as players from Pee Wee to Senior lacrosse

5. Being a ref is no different than being in a trade, you go to school to learn the basic, but most of the practical learning is done on the floor while officiating a game.

6. All refs are like players and coaches; they go to the game to do the best job they can.

7. All refs like players and coaches will make mistakes during a game.

8. Most games have two refs to watch 12 players on the floor. Most games have at least 17 parents per team, 17 players per team and 2-5 bench people watching the same game. Most parents watch their Son or Daughter while they are on the floor. You can see the refs are at an unfair advantage when it comes to viewing the play.

9. With close to 100 sets of eyes watching the same game as the refs 2 sets, you can see a potential for a missed call or a call which is viewed different on the floor from the officials angle of site.

10. Lacrosse is one of the few games that you can abuse the officials. Don’t try it in Rugby there is zero tolerance and it is refreshing.

11. The problem is not isolated to the North Shore; it seems to be a culture that is in most associations.

I would like to change this, and it starts with our own association.

If you get a kick out of berating and verbally abusing fellow association members, please stay home.

If would like to make a difference and send a message to all associations about sportsmanship, fair play, and at the same time support our officials as we do most everyone else we interact with through out the day, please come out to the games, cheer for your Son or Daughter, be loud, be positive, show your support for all aspects of the game, and please lead by example. It will go a long way to building a better association which can only improve our level of play on the floor by players and officials.

PS: We are still looking for some volunteers to sit on our Board. If you have a couple of hours a week and would like to make a difference to our association please call Paul Fenney our president.

Thanks and have a great Season

Jim Werner
Head Official for North Shore Minor Lacrosse

Team Photo Day is Sunday, April 23rd. Check with your coach or team managers to find out what time you need to be at Harry Jerome.