Frequently Asked Questions

Coastal Rays Lacrosse also has a Parent & Player Handbook you can access here: Parent and Player Handbook

Team Selection FAQs

Does Coastal Ray Lacrosse make cuts?

CRL does not make cuts. We want to grow the sport in the area, so having every girl that wants to play have a safe space to learn and develop her skills is one of our main goals. 

Why is registration and team selection so early to the season start date?

CRL needs to know the amount of athletes they will have so they can then make plans for tournament registration. A lot of tournaments have early registration cut off dates so the earlier CRL can get registration done the better. 

What is the team selection process?

Players will come to team selection day(s) to be evaluated by the CRL coaches and guest coaches if available to get an outside perspective. These days are run usually as stations where each coach can evaluate each athlete on a specific skill. 

How are teams created?

Teams are created based on High School graduation year, skill, and player position. Most tournaments make divisions based on grad years so we have to be aware of how we structure our teams, so we don’t have younger girls playing against older girls at tournaments.  

Why is there a mixed Grad year team?

Sometimes based on registration numbers, we don’t have enough of the same grad years to make a complete team. We then combine close grad years to make a mix team that will play together. By doing this process we avoid cutting players who want to play or making a player play up a division who might not be ready.

How many players will be on each team?

CRL tries to have 18-20 girls on each team. In the summer, their might be more girls on each team since the summer heat can cause the need for more players. 

Does practice attendance effect playing time?

Missing practice without prior coach notice will impact play time. Use TeamSnap for communications. 

Tournament FAQs

Which tournaments will we be attending each season?

Tournaments will vary with each season. CRL tries very hard to send each of our teams to tournaments that will be a good fit for them and challenge their skills. At the time of registration, CRL likes to have tournaments for that season posted. Sometimes those can change due to unforeseen circumstances but CRL will keep all families updated on any changes. 

Are the players/families responsible for travel?

Yes, CRL does not cover any costs surrounding travel. Parents/Guardians are responsible for getting their players to and from tournaments and getting lodging if necessary. Some girls have carpooled and shared hotel rooms to help costs. 

How many games will teams play each tournament and when will the schedules be available?

Each tournament will vary. But most will have the teams playing at least 4 games over the 2 days. Depending on the bracket play on Sunday team might have additional games. Tournament schedules are usually made available a week prior to the tournament. Apps like Tourneymachine will have schedules organized by tournament and team.  

How are tournament divisions set up?

Every tournament classifies its pools a little differently, so depending on skill level, CRL selects a fitting level for each team. Our highest skilled level “A” players would be a level “C” in Virginia or Maryland and a “B” in Charlotte.
We place our players at a competitive level where we hope to get them challenged and get some success.  We DO NOT know what teams are playing in what tournaments until about 2 weeks before the tournament.  We are normally given an opportunity to make a request for a change of schedule however it is not always granted.  Also with so many teams popping up, we are not always sure of their records.  PLUS there are programs that will pull in “guest” players from wherever to stack a team.  Winning a tournament is touted as their success, we measure our success by player and team growth and development.

How and when do we have to complete tournament waivers?

Each tournament usually has a player waiver, for the parent or guardian to complete before the player can compete. These tournament waivers will be emailed out to CRL families 1-2 weeks before that tournament. It is important to fill these out asap, so the player is eligible to play at the tournament.

What if we can't attend every tournament?

If you can’t attend a tournament or can only make it to one day of a two day tournament tell your players coach as soon as possible.   

Are guest players allowed?

CRL will only allow guest players if a team’s coach needs extra players for a tournament based on numbers. If a team is short a few players or won’t have any subs we can reach out to some guest players for that one tournament. Guest players are not to be used over players on the team, they are to provide relief for the CRL team members. Board members will approve all guest players.  

General FAQs

Is there a communication platform for CRL?

Yes! We take advantage of our current registration platform TeamSnap for team communication. Through registration and team placement, each family will automatically be placed on a team on TeamSnap. Coaches will use the app for communication and attendance. Many of our coaches are NHCS employees and can not use their personal emails/phone numbers for any communications.  TeamSnap Help

What is the refund policy

Coastal Rays Lacrosse does not issue refunds after payment. The only refunds the Board will consider will be injury-associated refunds when the participant can no longer participate. Registrations can not be transferred from one player to another player.

Are there other CRL programs other than travel teams?

Yes! CRL has winter indoor sessions and various clinics throughout the year. 

When are the Summer and Fall seasons?

Exact times will vary each year. Usually the Summer season will run from mid-May through June/early July. The Fall season could start around September and run through early November. 

Are there are practice only options?

No, for travel seasons the only option is for players to sign up for tournament play.