Winter Box Lacrosse

Box Lacrosse Henry County Georgia

BOX LACROSSE PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Henry Youth Lacrosse will offer Box Lacrosse this winter at the Inline Hockey Rink at Avalon Park in McDonough, Georgia. We are currently registering players for the following grade/age groups:

  • Elementary School Boys – Grades 6th-8th
  • Middle School Boys – Grades 6th-8th
  • High School Boys – Grades 8th-12th
  • Adult Men – Ages 18+

If you are familiar with our Box Lacrosse Program, and want to go directly to the sign-up form, please click on the blue “Register for Winter Box” button below.

If you would like additional details about our program or have questions, we have provided this information below. Please refer to the index for a summary of the information you can find on this page (you can click on any listing in the index to jump directly to that section).

Once you’ve reviewed this information, if you still have questions or need assistance, please contact Jeremy Porter, our program director for the Winter Box Lacrosse Program at 404.641.9023 (text preferred) or jeremy@henryouthlax.org. Thank you for your interest – we hope you can join us at the rink this winter!

REGISTER FOR WINTER BOX
Box Lacrosse for Elementary School Students

Our Elementary School Boys had a blast playing box last winter! We hope to have even more players join us to learn this version of the game – and of course, to have a chance to play A LOT during December and January!

ADDITIONAL BOX LACROSSE PROGRAM DETAILS

Here is an Index of additional program details we have included below. You can click on any item in the Index to jump to that section.

TEAMS, FORMAT AND SCHEDULE

Team assignments, game formats and schedules will ultimately be determined by the number of players who register for each group. To help you with your decision on whether or not to register for our Winter Box Lacrosse Program, here is what you can expect based on the level of participation we have for each group:

  • If we only have enough players for 2 teams in a group, we will play weekly pickup-style games (we will divide players up and play 1-2 games per-week).
  • If we have enough players for 3 or more teams, we will divide players fairly/evenly across Teams and produce a schedule for each week’s games.
  • We plan to separate our High School and Adult groups this year. Please encourage your friends and teammates to sign-up so we can avoid having to combine these groups again.
  • We expect our Middle School, High School and Adult groups to play traditional 6v6 Box Lacrosse. Our Elementary School group may play other small-sided games (3v3, 4v4, 5v5) depending on participation levels. If we have at least 14 players for any group, we will likely play 6v6 most weeks.
  • All games will follow USA Lacrosse Box Lacrosse Rules – we will primarily enforce rules for player safety and to maintain a fair, fun competitive environment for games.
  • Our schedule may vary depending on the number of players/teams we have for the program. At this time, we have reserved the following “rink time” for each group:
    • SATURDAY: 9AM-10AM – Elementary School Boys
    • SATURDAY: 11AM-1PM – Middle School Boys
    • SUNDAY: 2PM-4PM – High School Boys (to accommodate for players’ Saturday winter sports conflicts and/or Sunday morning church conflicts)
    • SUNDAY: 4PM-6PM – Adult Men
  • If we have enough players registered, we will play our first games the weekend after Thanksgiving! This is Saturday, November 29th and Sunday, November 30th. If we do not have enough players signed up OR the rink is not yet available (the youth hockey program is wrapping up its fall season), we will begin the following weekend (Saturday, December 6th and Sunday, December 7th).

At this time, we do believe there is enough interest for us to have enough players in each age group. We will keep all registered players updated of any changes as we work to finalize details.

Important: we have included a survey question in our registration form for you to share your preference for game days and/or time of day for your group. We will take this information into consideration when putting the final schedule together. Our goal is to minimize as many possible schedule conflicts so we can have a great turnout each week! Thank you in advance for sharing your feedback.

REGISTRATION

Registration for the Winter Box Lacrosse Program is $50 for the season. This includes all games scheduled during the season (a minimum of 7 games). Elementary, Middle School and High School players will also have the opportunity to learn Box Lacrosse Skills from our coaches through organized practices and/or skills clinics over the course of this program (these sessions will be offered at no additional cost.

To register for the Winter Box Lacrosse Program, please complete our registration form here. Once you complete the registration form, please pay your registration fee prior to the first week’s games (tentatively scheduled to begin the weekend after Thanksgiving). Teams will play on Saturdays OR Sundays through mid-to-late January (end dates will vary for each group – for example, our Adult Men will likely end the 3rd week of January when many of our adult college players will return to school.

We have multiple registration options available. Please pay your registration (or your child’s registration) via the most convenient option from the choices below:

  • VENMO: if paying via Venmo, please send your payment to @henryyouthlax
  • CASHAPP: if paying via CashApp, please send your payment to $HenryYouthLax
  • ZELLE: if paying via Zelle, please send your payment via email to jeremy@henryyouthlax.org or via text to 404.641.9023
  • PAYPAL: if paying via PayPal, please submit your payment at PayPal.Me/HenryYouthLax
  • CHECK: if paying via Check, please make checks payable to “Henry Youth Lacrosse”. You can either hand-deliver your check to Coach Jeremy (or any HYL Coach) or you can mail your payment in advance to: Henry Youth Lacrosse, 1062 Laurel Ridge Drive, McDonough, GA 30252.
  • CASH: if you would prefer to pay cash, you can pay Coach Jeremy in-person the first week of games.

Discounts and/or Financial Assistance

We do our best to keep registration costs as low as possible. For comparison, there are two other “recreational” box lacrosse programs offered in the Metro Atlanta Area this winter that we are aware of. While both programs are great, one is $179 per-player and plays on Sundays in Norcross. The other is $225 per-player and plays on either Saturday or Sunday in Suwanee or Marietta. Considering the alternatives, we hope you’ll agree that $50 is fair for more than 7 “game days” (and for Elementary School, Middle School and High School players will also include some instructional practice or skills clinics at no additional charge).

While fees are necessary to enable us to offer programs like this and we’ve kept the registration cost to a minimum, discounts may be available for new, first-time players or families registering multiple players from the same household. In addition, if you/your child would like to participate, but are unable to afford the full amount, please contact Coach Jeremy at 404.641.9023. We will do our best to come up with a solution. Our ultimate goal is to have as many players participating in lacrosse as possible. Thank you in advance for your support and participation!

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

All players (including goalies) can play with their existing lacrosse gear (field lacrosse gear). The only exception is footwear and some sticks. For footwear, we play on an inline hockey rink. Non-marking tennis shoes, sneakers, or box lacrosse shoes (athletic shoes with good traction) are recommended for box – the playing surface is slick). For sticks, only short-sticks (and goalie sticks for goalies) are allowed (there are no defense sticks or “long poles” in box lacrosse).

INTRODUCTION TO BOX LACROSSE

If you’ve never heard of Box Lacrosse, it is an exciting, fast-paced version of the game played indoors on a rink the size of a hockey arena. Instead of grass or turf, players compete on a smooth composite surface surrounded by boards and glass, just like hockey. Games are typically played 6v6 — five runners and one goalie — with continuous substitutions through the bench area and time served in a penalty box for fouls. The smaller 4’x4’ goals, tighter playing area, and boards create an up-tempo, physical style of play where quick ball movement, creative stickwork, and sharp decision-making are essential.

While field lacrosse emphasizes open-field transition and positional play, box lacrosse focuses on tight-space skills, pick-and-roll offense, and defensive toughness. Players learn to protect the ball under pressure, shoot accurately in traffic, and communicate effectively in close quarters. Many top college and professional players credit box lacrosse for developing their stick skills, lacrosse IQ, and toughness. For our youth players, box season is a fun and competitive way to stay active in the winter, build confidence, and take their game to the next level.

Are you/your player new to lacrosse? No worries! We always have new players in all age groups who are trying things out for the first time. Our coaches and players are happy to show you the ropes and get you up to speed as quickly as possible. While some skills can take a while to develop, anyone will be able to participate on their first day trying lacrosse. We encourage all beginners to come out and try lacrosse – it’s a lot of fun!

BENEFITS OF BOX LACROSSE FOR TRADITIONAL LACROSSE PLAYERS

If you already have some lacrosse experience, you will benefit significantly from playing box this winter. It is hands-down the best format of the game for accelerating skill development. Here are the major benefits of playing box for traditional “field lacrosse” players:

  • Improves stick skills: Constant tight-space play forces players to use both hands and develop quicker, more accurate passing and shooting.
  • Enhances finishing ability: The smaller 4’x4’ goals and high goalie skill level teach players to be creative and precise with shot placement.
  • Sharpens decision-making: Fast pace and limited space require instant reads and quick, confident decisions under pressure.
  • Builds toughness and confidence: Physical play against boards and in close quarters develops mental and physical resilience.
  • Strengthens defensive fundamentals: Defenders improve footwork, body positioning, and communication in tight coverage situations.
  • Encourages off-ball movement: Players learn to set effective picks, cut decisively, and find open space to create scoring opportunities.
  • Develops better transition play: Quick changes of possession and end-to-end action reinforce fast-break awareness and conditioning.
  • Boosts goalie skills: Goalies face more shots in tighter windows, helping them refine angles, reactions, and communication.
  • Teaches teamwork and spacing: The smaller floor demands coordination, trust, and efficient use of space among all players.
  • Translates directly to field success: The skills, instincts, and confidence built in box lacrosse carry over to every position in the field game.

QUESTIONS?

If you have questions or need additional information regarding our Winter Box Lacrosse Program, please contact Coach Jeremy at 404.641.9023 or jeremy@henryyouthlax.org. Thank you in advance for your interest in our Winter Box Lacrosse Program – we hope you can join us this year!

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE MCDONOUGH YOUTH INLINE HOCKEY ASSOCIATION!

HYL’s Winter Box Lacrosse Program would not be possible without the support of Mike Ennis and the leadership team at The McDonough Youth Inline Hockey Association (MYIHA). The inline hockey rink at Avalon Park is their home arena and they have graciously allowed us to use the facility to support our efforts to grow the game of lacrosse in Henry County. Please keep this in mind as you use the facility – we are their guests and we should treat their facility with respect and always leave things better than we found it. With this in mind, if you/your child is interested in playing hockey, please return the favor and check out the programs offered by MYIHA. We are grateful for their support and would also like to see them continue to succeed in their efforts to grow the sport of inline hockey in our area. Thank you!

THANKS TO OUR 2025 HYL SPONSORS!

A BIG part of the reason we are able to keep registration costs to a minimum is due to the support we have from some incredible organizations that have generously provided support for us in 2025. Our 2025 Sponsors include:

We are grateful for the support of these great organizations in 2025! It’s worth noting that Pull-A-Part, M.R. Roberson Roofing Inc., Diversified Fire & Safety and ATLSouth Lacrosse Club have been HYL Sponsors every year since we started. Their support, combined with the support of our NEW 2025 Sponsors, not only helps us to keep costs down, but also helped us make lacrosse more accessible for more than 20 different families in our community this year. We are grateful for their support – if you are able to show your support for any of our sponsors, we couldn’t recommend their organizations more!

For additional details on our 2025 Sponsors or for additional information on how your organization can help for 2026, please visit our Sponsors Page here. Thanks again!

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