Dear Red Hawks Parents,

Team rosters have been submitted to the League, so our 2018 season has officially started.  A few notes before we kick it into high gear:

Uniforms are being delivered this week.  On receipt of your uniform, please enter your player’s number into Teamsnap.  This helps rostering during games and is critical to ensure we obviate potential issues with duplicate numbers in advance.  If you have issues with the uniform or uniform delivery, please email paige@encorebrand.com and cc our Red Hawk uniform manager Leslie Wood lesliewood@gmail.com.

Team Managers: we require a Team Manager for every team to ensure the season runs smoothly.  Duties are primarily contacting the opposing team in advance to confirm games, contacting parents if a practice or game is rained out, and supporting the coach in minor admin duties.  When your coach asks, please consider helping in this role.  It’s easy to divide duties between two team parents.  The Red Hawks is a non-profit, volunteer-based organization and we welcome your contributions and participation at every level.

Fundraising Dinner: we’d like to repeat the success of our charitable dinner and drinks event last year: tentatively scheduled for May 19, this event helps close the funding gap between the cost of registration and the real cost of running the club, and raise additional funds for our Red Hawks’ Player Grant program.  Last year we raised essential funds at the event which contribute directly to securing excellent coaches and providing clinics, purchasing equipment and paying for facilities, and underwriting the exorbitant field rental costs the club incurs every year. We’re looking for one or more event organizers to arrange catering and to plan the evening (no need to solicit donations). We are in need of a venue, so please let me know if you might consider hosting the event in your home (we expect ~60 people).  Please let me know at tyler@redhawkslacrosse.org if you would like to know more about what we’ve done previously and what its organization entails.

Spirit Wear: the Spirit Wear store is open: get your Red Hawks hats, t-shirts, and jackets here.  Store closes 21 Feb and goods are delivered three weeks thereafter.  If you ordered gear previously it has already arrived, and I will be passing it to coaches to bring to practice.

Gear Bags: boys bags have arrived and girls bags should arrive this week.  If you ordered a bag, Leslie Wood will be in-touch directly to arrange pickup.  We’ll open the Gear Bag store again next fall.

Concussions: concussions are rare but they happen, and our club follows a strict procedure before a player is allowed back into the game.  You read the concussion protocol as part of the registration process, but please ensure you are familiar with concussion symptoms.  Our introduction is here: http://www.redhawkslacrosse.org/concussions/

Playing Time: we aim to foster a love of the game and we want to see all Red Hawks have a great experience this season with plenty of time on the field. Playing time will vary by age group, skill level, and your coaches’ playing time philosophy, which they should explain to you and their players directly in advance of the season.  If you should have issues, please speak to the coach first; our Boys Director, JT Wheeler (boysdirector@redhawkslacrosse.org), Girls Director, Keith Janosky (girlsdirector@redhawkslacrosse.org) and I are always available to consult thereafter.  One exception is the 14 level, where we expect players to self-advocate directly with their coach in the first instance, in advance of their high school experience.

I’d like to extend an especially warm welcome to our new Red Hawks families.  This is a great game that always attracts a great group of people — in my ten years with the club our family has made some wonderful friends and seen some great lacrosse and very happy kids.  I wish all Red Hawks parents and players that and more in the 2018 season.

Play On!

-Tyler Bell
President, West Valley Red Hawks Lacrosse
http://redhawkslacrosse.org

 

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