Updated 1/25/11

After reading this entire article please contact our Equipment Directors if you have questions.

General Equipment Guidelines: Please read these guidelines carefully to save yourself time and money. 

Equipment Issue for SYC Lacrosse Programs

• Boys:  SYC Lacrosse provides boys game uniforms, helmets, shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves, and goalie equipment and goalie sticks.  Boys must provide their own lacrosse sticks (except goalies), mouthpieces, soccer or football shoes, athletic supporters, and protective cups.  If desired, boys may wear their own rib pads.  Players will receive SYC Lacrosse reversible practice vests (or “pennies”), which the players keep.
• Girls:  SYC Lacrosse provides girls game uniforms and goalie equipment and goalie sticks.  Girls must provide their own lacrosse sticks (except goalies), mouthpieces, soccer shoes, and per league rules, their own protective eyewear (goggles).  Players will receive SYC Lacrosse reversible practice vests (or “pennies”), which the players keep.
• Boys in U9-U15 Divisions must wear full equipment. 
• SYC Lacrosse team uniforms may be worn only during SYC Lacrosse games, except when Head Coaches or League Directors grant permission to wear them for special events.  Game jerseys, shorts, or kilts may NOT be worn for practice sessions.
• The U7 Division is a coed, non-contact division.  Thus, Boys in the U7 Division must only wear a helmet and gloves, which will be provided by SYC Lacrosse. Girls must provide and wear their own protective eyewear (goggles), which they will be able to use for several years.
• All helmets and goggles worn by SYC Lacrosse players must meet National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (“NOCSAE”) standards and should comply with the SYC Lacrosse color scheme.

Renting SYC Equipment for Non-SYC Programs (June 2011 - January 2012)

• GREAT DEAL:  To encourage players to participate in off-season lacrosse programs, SYC members need only pay one $25 rental fee for the entire June to January period!
• SYC member families must complete an equipment rental agreement and secure the equipment with a hold check (see below).
• Don’t forget to turn in your game uniform! 

Cleaning Lacrosse Equipment

To keep equipment from getting too musty, parents should clean it once every 2-3 weeks of use.  Prior to returning it to SYC Lacrosse, all equipment MUST be cleaned as set forth below:

• Shoulder pads, arm pads, gloves and goalie pads - machine wash, cold water, on the delicate cycle, and then drip dry for at least 48 hours or tumble dry on low heat.  Do not store equipment in bags when not is use – let it breath!
• Helmets - completely remove any tape or stickers that were placed on the helmet after it was issued, and wipe clean inside and out with a wet cloth and mild detergent. 
• Players that fail to clean equipment or the uniform before returning it must pay a $25 cleaning fee.

Important Notices

Handling individual equipment issues for players that fail to attend the club’s scheduled equipment sessions creates the most work for our volunteers.  Accordingly, the Lacrosse Committee has been forced to create incentives in the form of late fees and “holds” to encourage players to pick up or return gear on time.  We hope that these steps will enable the Committee and our other volunteers to focus more time and energy on programs that directly enhance player development, rather than spending precious volunteer time on equipment issues.

• Equipment and uniforms will be issued and returned at the SYC Warehouse, 7075 Newington Road, Unit-G Lorton, VA 22079. 
• Equipment and uniform issue and return dates and times will be posted on the SYC Lacrosse web page.
• Equipment and uniforms should not be returned to the SYC Warehouse during normal office hours.  To help us maintain accurate records, equipment and uniforms should be returned during scheduled equipment sessions, or for late returns, to the Commissioner or Equipment Directors.
• Each player’s parent or legal guardian must complete an Equipment Issue Agreement to obtain SYC Lacrosse equipment for the Spring season, or the Fall In-House Season; or an Equipment Rental Agreement to obtain equipment for lacrosse activities not offered by SYC.  
• Players that fail to attend equipment or uniform issue dates, and need to make individual arrangements to obtain equipment or uniforms, must pay a $25 administrative fee.
• Families that fail to return equipment and uniforms to the SYC Warehouse by posted deadlines must pay late fees.  Subject to a $200 maximum, late fees of $25 may be assessed on a monthly basis, starting from return deadlines and continuing until a family clears all issues with outstanding equipment or uniforms.
• A $200 “hold” will be required to receive boys equipment and uniforms.  A $75 “hold” will be required to receive girls uniforms.  A player’s family must provide a check or cash (no credit cards may be taken) for holds.  The check will not be cashed unless the player fails to return equipment or uniforms during an equipment return date at the end of the season.  If the player misses the equipment return dates, the hold will be applied towards any fees owed, and any remainder will be refunded when the equipment or uniform is returned. 
• The player’s family must accept responsibility for any missing equipment or uniform, or any damage to the equipment or uniform beyond normal wear and tear, by reimbursing SYC Lacrosse according to the costs established on the equipment agreements. 
• If a player fails to return the equipment or uniform, all members of his or her family will be prohibited from registering for any Springfield-South County Youth Club sport activity until the equipment and uniform are returned, or paid for by the family.  

Players that have rented or borrowed gear for fall-winter programs must attend to get game shorts and update paperwork (or return gear if they are not playing this spring) ~ those failing to attend will be assessed a $25 late fee.