Program Overview – Olympic Lacrosse
Henry Youth Lacrosse will once again host a local “Sixes” lacrosse league this fall for Middle School Boys. We are also expanding the program to include High School Boys this year! What is Sixes? Sixes is 6v6 lacrosse (five field players and one goalie). The flow of the game is similar to basketball – as is the pace. Sixes lacrosse is the format that will be played in the 2028 Summer Olympic Games (less than two years away!). This is a great opportunity for our local players to learn the version of the game that will be played in the Olympics!
All players who register for the Fall Sixes league will be divided into separate teams (drafted by coaches). We would like to have at least 3 teams per-division (minimum of 10 players per-team). Each team will have its own coach, which includes experienced youth and high school coaches, as well as current/former college lacrosse players from our area (more details to come). Unlike last year, we will not group players by school – though players may be drafted to the same team, depending on who each coach chooses for their teams.
Last fall each team played 8 games and a semi-final/championship on the last weekend of the season (it was a lot of fun). Practices and games are held at East Lake Elementary (unless otherwise specified).
NOTE: Sixes is all short sticks – no defensive sticks. It is valuable for long stick defenders to learn how to play defense with a short stick (and all “field players” play offense and defense in Sixes). Don’t miss your chance to compete this fall – register for our Sixes League by signing up for the Fall Season here (same registration as our Elementary School season).
If you have any questions, please contact Coach Jeremy at 404.641.9023 or jeremy@henryyouthlax.org.
Important Dates:
- NOW: Registration is NOW open. Please register ASAP to secure your player’s spot.
- EARLY REGISTRATION: Register BEFORE August 1st to save $30 on registration. Discounts are automatically applied to registrations received before August 1st. No discounts will be offered AFTER August 1st.
- REGISTRATION DEADLINE: The registration deadline is August 24th. We need all players to register by this date to help us finalize rosters and schedules before the first week of practices.
- LATE REGISTRATION: If you are reading this on/after August 24th, we WILL accept late registrations through September 1st. A $20 late registration fee is automatically added to registrations received AFTER August 24th.
- PRACTICE START DATE: Practices will start the week of August 24th. Each team’s coaches will finalize practice days, times and locations before the end of the registration cycle.
- OPENING DAY: We plan to play our first games the first weekend of September.
- END OF SEASON: We plan to complete all regular season games before the end of October.
- NOTE: We plan to minimize conflicts with other sports or regular commitments players may have (based on the information parents provide during the registration process). For example, we do not plan to have games/practices on Wednesday or Thursday nights OR Saturday mornings this fall. If you have other conflicts, please let us know and we will do our best.
FEES & EQUIPMENT INFO
- REGISTRATION: Registration for the Fall Season is $185. This covers officials for our games, supplies for practices/games, field-related expenses, and a reversible game jersey (pinnie) for your player. Remember, if you register BEFORE August 1st, registration is discounted by $30 (only $155). If you plan to join us this fall, PLEASE register before August 1st to SAVE $$$. No discounts will be issued after August 1st. As mentioned above, the registration deadline is August 24th. We need all possible players to register by August 24th (at the latest) to enable our coaches to finalize rosters and schedules (and for our team to order the correct number and sizes for player jerseys). To help us, and to avoid the late registration fee, we ask you to PLEASE register before the August 24th deadline. Thank you!
- REFUND POLICY: If your player is unable to participate after you register him, please refer to the timeline below regarding HYL’s cancellation policy. There are obviously situations where a refund may be merited, regardless of date of cancellation. If you have such a situation, please feel free to contact us. Our leadership team will make a final determination regarding any refunds – but our standard policy for general cancellations is as follows:
- Before August 1st: 100%
- After August 1st/Before August 15th: 50%
- After August 15th: No Refunds After August 15th.
- USA LACROSSE MEMBERSHIP: all players are required to have a USA Lacrosse (USAL) Membership (for insurance). Memberships are $35 per-year. New players and current players with Memberships that expire before November 2026 will need to purchase/renew a Membership (this is part of the registration process). If you purchased/renewed a Membership HYL’s Spring Season OR Summer Camp, you will not need to pay this fee for the fall.
- EQUIPMENT: all players must be “fully equipped.” For boys lacrosse, this includes a NOCSAE/SEI certified helmet and shoulder pads, arm protection (elbow pads, arm pads or arm guards – vary by position), gloves, mouthguard, protective cup, lacrosse stick and cleats (football, soccer or lacrosse cleats are acceptable). We realize equipment can be overwhelming for new players/parents. We recommend you do NOT purchase equipment until you have had a chance to speak with your coach(es). Coaches will review what your player needs – and help save you $$$. We often have donated or discounted equipment options. We do recommend new players get a lacrosse stick in advance to practice with. If you are unsure what to get, please contact Coach Jeremy at 404.641.9023 (phone/text) or jeremy@henryyouthlax.org (email). We recommend StringKing (a leading manufacturer) for beginners to advanced skill-level players. We also have a discount program you can take advantage of. Please reach out!
How Will Teams Be Formed?
We will divide players into separate, equal and competitive teams as much as possible. Unlike last fall where we organized teams by school, we will draft players this season to help balance out the teams and make teams more competitive (which should be more fun for all teams/participants). Coaches will make adjustments as necessary to keep the competition fun throughout the season.
If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to contact Coach Jeremy at 404.641.9023 or jeremy@henryyouthlax.org.
What Do We Need To Know About Sixes Lacrosse?
- Sixes is a fast-paced, compact version of field lacrosse
- It combines the most exciting aspects of lacrosse, but encourages a more open style of play with quick transitions and non-stop, high-scoring action
- This version of the game was created in 2018 to accelerate global growth, increase accessibility and approachability, create greater competitive balance, and reduce cost and complexity of participation – it’s also the format that will be played at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles (Sixes is “Olympic Lacrosse”)
As far as basic rules go, here are some quick highlights:
- 6v6 (including goalies) – 12 players per team
- :30 second shot clock
- 8-min running-time quarters
- Games are approximately 45-mins long
- No specialist positions like traditional field lacrosse – just runners and goalies (no long poles)
- Faceoffs are only at the start of each quarter – goalies clear on shots after that
- Simplified rules – no offsides, automatic turnovers on out-of-bounds/saves/goals, shot clock expiration, etc.
For more information on Sixes, we recommend reading our recent blog post OR visiting World Lacrosse’s website here.