ARTICLE I Name

The name of this Association shall be the Southern Maryland Youth Lacrosse Association.

ARTICLE II Purpose and Objective

The purpose of the Association is to promote and develop the growth of lacrosse at the youth level.

ARTICLE III Membership

Founding membership consists of the following teams:

Bowie Lacrosse Club

Calvert Lacrosse Club

Prince Georges County Lacrosse Club South Bowie Lacrosse Club

ARTICLE IV Expansion

1. Organizations may apply for entrance into this Association prior to the yearly October meeting.

2. Criteria for entrance shall include: 

•          a home field for hosting games, 

•          a solid organizational base, and

•          the ability to field teams at the Junior, Midget, and PeeWee levels.        

3. Discussion and consideration will take place at a closed meeting of the members.  A two-thirds affirmative vote will affirm an organization's entrance into the Association.

ARTICLE V League Fees

1. League fees will be assessed to each member on a yearly basis.  These fees are intended to cover the expenses of League Championship awards and overhead costs.

2. Referee fees are the full responsibility of the host team.

3. League fees are due from each member on March 1 of each year.  Any League fees not paid by March 17 will be assessed a twenty percent (20%) penalty.  Any member with outstanding League fees during season play will forfeit all games played until full payment is made.

ARTICLE VI Team Division

Junior Team - To be eligible to play on the Junior Team, a player must be fourteen (14) years old or younger on December 31 of the current season. A ninth grader meeting the age eligibility is not eligible for play at the Junior level if he or she is on any Varsity or Junior Varsity lacrosse team or any other comparable team, including club level.

Midget Team - To be eligible to play on the Midget Team, a player must be twelve (12) years old or younger on December 31 of the current season.

Pee Wee Team - To be eligible to play on the Pee Wee Team, a player must be ten (10) years old or younger on December 31 of the current season.

ARTICLE VII Rosters

1. Each team shall submit to the League Commissioner a complete roster detailing the following information regarding each player:

First and last names  Complete date of birth 

2. There is no limit as to the number of players allowed to be included on a roster.  However, limits may exist regarding end-of-season awards.

3. A preliminary roster, including each player’s name, date of birth, jersey number, and position, shall be in the hands of the League Commissioner no later than March 1 of the current season.  Any team not submitting a roster by March 1 will be ineligible for League play.

4. Roster amendments may be made prior to April 1, at which time a complete and final roster shall be submitted to the League Commissioner.  If a subsequent roster is not forthcoming, it will be presumed that no amendments have been made, and the preliminary roster will be accepted as final.  Any program experiencing extraordinary hardship, such as inability to field a team or play games, may apply to the Rules and Discipline Committee for an exception to this rule.  The petitioning team must supply full explanation why they should be permitted to add a player after April 1.  In no event can a player be added after April 15.  This rule applies to the hardship of the team, NOT the hardship of an individual player.

5. In submitting rosters to the League Commissioner, the League Representative is assuming responsibility that the information included is accurate.

ARTICLE VIII League Officers and Duties

Officers of this Association and their duties shall be as follows:

Commissioner - Preside over meetings and receive notice of suspensions.

Secretary - Take appropriate notes at meetings and notify members of upcoming meetings.

Treasurer - Control the money of the League.

Statistician - Receive game results and statistics and make periodic reports of League standings to League Representatives.

League Liaison - Represent the League as Liaison to U. S. Lacrosse and facilitate post season All-Star Games.

Officers will be elected at a League meeting in October of each year.  Terms shall be one year and shall run from October to October.  Officers may vote only if they are the League Representatives from their particular organization.  Their election as an officer of this Organization does not give them voting authority.

ARTICLE IX Meetings and Voting

A full League meeting will be held in October of each year at which time officers for the upcoming season will be elected and rules and guidelines for the upcoming season will be reviewed.

Members holding current, paid membership in the League, shall select one voting representative, referred to as the "League Representative," to vote on their behalf at League meetings.  Each member team, through its League Representative, is entitled to one vote only. Decisions at meetings will be decided by a poll of the League Representatives with a majority vote carrying the decision.

ARTICLE X Statistics

1. Upon completion of a game, each team shall report the scoring and statistics to the League Statistician as soon as possible.

2. League standings will be determined by the point system.  A team will be awarded two points for a win, one point for a tie, and zero points for a loss.  Points will be awarded for League games only. At the end of the season, the team in each division with the most points will be declared the Division Champion.

3. Ties will be broken in the following order: 

•          Head-to-head win/loss record.

•          Head-to-head least goals allowed.

•          Win/loss record within division.

•          Least goals allowed in division.

4. The League Championship will be determined by a playoff/tournament series.

ARTICLE XI Changes or Amendments to By-Laws

In order to amend the By-Laws, a proposed change must be submitted in writing to all League Representatives at least thirty days prior to a vote on the amendment.  A majority vote will pass an amendment.

ARTICLE XII Play of Game

1. The rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations will govern the play of games except as otherwise designated in the SMYLA By-Laws and/or the SMYLA Handbook.

2. Junior, Midget, and PeeWee games shall consist of four quarters, each 8 minutes in duration, stopping on the whistle.

3. There shall be a two-minute break between the first and second quarters and the third and fourth quarters. There shall be a five-minute break between halves.

4. One five-minute sudden victory overtime period will be played in any game that is tied at the end of four full quarters of play.  If the tie is not broken during that time, a second five-minute sudden victory overtime period will be played.  If the tie is not broken after the two overtime periods, the game will be recorded as a tie game and each team will receive one point. (revised 11/2/08 to add a second overtime period)

5. If during the game, one team leads the other team by five (5) or more goals, the team with the least number of goals shall be awarded possession of the ball at the midfield line in lieu of a faceoff.

ARTICLE XIII Game Change or Cancellation

1. It is the responsibility of the Home Team to notify the Referee's Association of any change or cancellation of games.

2. Efforts will be made to complete a game once it has begun.  However, if an official terminates a game during play, it will be considered a complete game if terminated after the referee's whistle beginning play in the third quarter.  If a game is terminated prior to the referee's whistle beginning the third quarter; it will be considered an incomplete game and shall be replayed in its entirety.

ARTICLE XIV Fighting and Ejections

1. It is the responsibility of each coach to ensure that his team acts in a sportsmanlike manner.  Fighting will not be tolerated.  The following penalties for fighting will be enforced:

•                      First Offense – Mandatory two-game suspension from play.  Rules and Discipline has the authority to suspend player for balance of the season if the facts warrant.

•                      Second Offense – Mandatory four-game suspension from play.  Rules and Discipline has the authority to suspend player for balance of the season if the facts warrant.

Game suspensions are for league games and will carry over into tournament play and/or the following season. Offending team coach is responsible to notify the League President immediately in the event of an ejection for fighting.

2. Any player ejected for leaving the bench area during an altercation shall be suspended for the season.

3. Should the entire team leave its bench area during an altercation, that team shall forfeit the game.

4. Should both teams leave their bench area during an altercation, both teams shall forfeit the game, and no points will be awarded to either team.

5. Should an official during a game eject the head coach of a team, that team shall be caused to forfeit the game at that point.

ARTICLE XV Home Team Responsibilities

1. The home team shall be responsible for ensuring that there is no conflict in jersey colors. If there is a conflict, it is the responsibility of the home team to make the change in jerseys.

2. The home team shall ensure that the field is properly lined and mowed.  Fields should be prepared for play one-half hour prior to game time.  Failure to have a field prepared one-half hour in advance may result in a three-minute non-releasable penalty at the start of game play.  This rule is not to be interpreted to imply that a field is necessarily going to be "available" for play one-half hour prior to game time.  When multiple games are scheduled, this may not be possible.  However, this rule should be interpreted to imply that a field should be "prepared" (i.e. goals strung and in place, field lined, etc.) for play one-half hour prior to the first game of the day.

3. The home team shall ensure that the goal nets are properly secured and that the goals are of legal size and design. Adhering to "lacrosse etiquette" when hosting games, the visitor's goal shall be the first available.

4. The home team shall provide a scoring area to include a scoring table, a timekeeper, a game clock, a penalty clock, a substitution horn, and a ballboy at each end of the field.  If ballboys are unavailable, four balls may be substituted in the out-of-bounds area behind each goal. The home team shall provide the official scorer.

ARTICLE XVI

U. S. Lacrosse and All-Star Games

1. Prior to each season, a League Liaison will be selected by the League to represent this Association with U. S. Lacrosse and other teams participating in all-star play.

2. The Association will attempt to rotate this representation among the League to allow each coach an opportunity to participate.

3. League Representatives will meet to make year-end all-star selections.