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WEEK 10 - Final Week of the 2021 Season
Happy Father's Day
My parents traveled the country watching me play lacrosse, rarely missing a game through high school and college. On a trip to a critical game during my senior year of high school, teammates yelled to me in the back of the bus, "Hey Mike, the police have your Dad pulled over up here". He was speeding through the Virginia countryside to watch me play. We had a magical season - winning that game, a league championship and earning the program's first national ranking in only its sixth year of existence. The program never looked back - perennially ranked and ending a handful of seasons at #1 in the nation.
The AYLA board members volunteer our time growing the sport in Hawaii to provide our kids with incredible lacrosse opportunities. We're working hard so that by the time my now 1st and 4th grader are in high school, I too can embarrass them on the way to a lacrosse game - in Hawaii - with national implications… USA Lacrosse reached out last week to see if we wanted to submit nominations for All-America recognition. We don't think we're there yet, but we will be soon!
Thanks Dad. Happy Father's Day to all of the AYLA dads. Thanks for your continued support of the AYLA and lacrosse in Hawaii.
Administrative Items this Week
Health Check-In Form - This remains a City & County requirement. Please fill out the form prior to play. The form is located at: AYLA Health Check-In 6/20/2021 (google.com)
Rental Equipment Return - If you plan on returning to AYLA during our off-season programming or next season, feel free to keep your equipment. Hit the wall and work on throwing and catching year round. If you are graduating, have outgrown your equipment or will not be on-island next season, please turn in your equipment after you play this Sunday.
Picture Downloads - Thanks again to Laura & Kevin for the incredible photographs last week. If you had your picture taken you can pull it down from Flickr. Search for
to pull down your shots.
Thank your Coach - A huge mahalo to all of the volunteers that helped out this season - board members, volunteers and coaches. Your time has impacted many and has helped to grow the sport in this amazing place. If you haven't volunteered in the past, please consider doing so next season.
Thanks for your support and flexibility as we safely navigated COVID and pulled of a great season. We'll be in touch soon with plans for the off-season.
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We hope everyone is enjoying the lacrosse season to date. It’s awesome to see some great enthusiasm and competition on the fields. Week 3 is this Sunday – same time, same place.
To play this week all participants must be registered with US Lacrosse and AYLA. This is very important for the league’s, and your, insurance coverage. You can register by accessing the red "Register Here" button on:
Aloha Youth Lacrosse Association (alohalax.org)
- If your child wants to play but the financial burden is too great, financial aid is available. Please email
for financial aid consideration. We want everyone on the field!
- If you’re having difficulty registering on the website – 1) you may have to refresh your browser when you get back into the AYLA site to update your US Lacrosse status, 2) if you’re still having trouble, please print out or screenshot your US Lacrosse registration and bring it with you on Sunday and 3) if you are registered with a credit from last year and receive a “Registration Deleted” notice, please let us know, this is a glitch and we want you to play...
All participants this season will need to fill out a Covid Questionnaire and be temperature checked each week. You can complete the form on-site or ahead of time at: https://forms.gle/mXypLgrhT7Xokj9n9
Equipment – We will no longer be handing out equipment at the park. If you need equipment going forward, please email
to schedule an appointment at our storage location in Kaka’ako.
Please factor in the time for the health screen and registration check to ensure the kids get maximum time on the field.
Look forward to seeing everyone on Sunday at the Park!
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Lacrosse is back in Kapiolani Park (Rugby and surrounding fields between the Kalakaua Ave tennis courts and the Paki Avenue parking lots with check in on the Paki Ave side of the Park).
Please join as at the following times, by age group, regardless of your geographic area or school affiliation:
Girls grades K – 5 10:00 AM
Girls grades 6 – 12 11:30 AM
Boys grades K – 2 10:00 AM
Boys grades 3 – 5 11:00 AM
Boys grades 6 – 8 12:30 PM
Boys grades 9 – 12 2:00 PM
Given the late start due to Covid restrictions, we will have a 10-week season with a skill improvement session followed by a scrimmage game each week. Teams will be selected on a weekly basis to ensure the greatest level of competitiveness. Teams will not be defined by area or school affiliations for this unique season. Practices during the week are not currently contemplated, however, smaller group sessions on weekdays may emerge based on interest, coaching and field availability.
We’re committed to having the most fun this season in the safest environment possible. We are following the City & County guidelines which include some notable rules we must adhere to:
- All participants must fill out a health check list and be temperature screened prior to participation in lacrosse.
- “All coaches, referees, players, parents/guardians must comply with physical distancing and mask wearing” per Honolulu.gov.
- “No spectators are allowed in the vicinity of the field at issue” per Honolulu.gov.
Registration is open and a QR code will be available at the field for immediate sign up. All participants need to be registered with U.S. Lacrosse and AYLA.
Registration
A little complicated based on curtailing last season due to COVID. Please bear with the lengthy formula…
Everyone: All participants will have to become active U.S. Lacrosse members. The fee is $30 for ages 14 and below and $35 for high schoolers. U.S. Lacrosse provides our insurance coverage throughout the season which is of prime importance. You also get a great magazine to keep tabs on the sport and an incredible reference library at www.uslacrosse.org.
If you registered last year and did not get a refund: You are set to play without any further charges beyond an updated U.S. Lacrosse membership. Your fees from last season will cover this season. If you have yet to pick up your jersey from last year, we’ll have them available each Sunday to start the season. You will have a credit remaining on your AYLA account for future use.
If you registered last year, received a refund and want to play this year: You need to sign up for U.S. Lacrosse. You have already paid for your jersey. If you have not picked it up already it will be available during the first few Sundays. The registration fee for this season is $40.
If you’re new to the AYLA: You’ll need to sign up with U.S. Lacrosse and register for AYLA at the $40 fee. If you would like a reversible AYLA jersey, they are available for $40. If not, any reversible jersey may be used during this season.
Equipment: Thanks to a generous grant of equipment this off-season from Operation Baggataway (https://www.facebook.com/opbaggataway/), we will provide rental equipment to those who need it free of charge. If you have rental equipment from last season, please bring it with you for use (or exchange if kids have grown) this season. Please email
if you need equipment for this season.
We are working to make this the most affordable lacrosse season allowing access and exposure to the most kids possible. As always, financial aid is available based on need. Please reach out if you’d like to apply.
We hope you and your family remain safe and we look forward to seeing you at the Park on Sunday.
Mahalo,
The AYLA Board of Directors
Mike Barstis – President
808-647-2750
