Dear Past, Current and Future Red Hawks Families,
You may not have known this, but since 2019, the NCJLA has adopted a boundaries resolution. This means that the NCJLA designates certain geographical areas to which certain lacrosse clubs have exclusive rights to players in those geographical areas. This was adopted due to problems with certain clubs “poaching” players from other clubs for competitive reasons. This practice was against NCJLA’s mission for encouraging players to play within their own communities during the spring. Many other sports, such as baseball, football, and basketball, have long had the same approach which lacrosse in northern California finally had to adopt.
Because there is some misinformation out there on this issue, we feel the need to share with you the current rules. Here they are:
If you live in the following school districts (regardless of whether your child attends the public schools in them), you are in exclusive West Valley Red Hawks territory. The Red Hawks are willing and planning to have teams at ALL age levels for boys AND girls. If you live in one of these school districts, your child MUST register with the Red Hawks for the 2022 season (or go thru the petition process outlined below):`
Los Gatos Union School District
Saratoga Union School District
Loma Prieta Joint Union School District
Lakeside Joint Union School District
Moreland School District
Cambrian Unified School District (except for zip codes 95117, 95118 and 95124 in which
you may choose either club)
Campbell Union School District (except for zip codes 95117, 95118 and 95124 in which
you may choose either club)
The San Jose Vipers/Extreme club has exclusive rights ONLY to those who live in the boundaries of the San Jose Unified School District and for those attending Discovery Charter.
All other areas and school districts are shared, which means families may choose between the San Jose Vipers/Extreme and the West Valley Red Hawks. This includes all areas and school districts in Santa Clara, San Jose (including Union,, Franklin-McKinley and East San Jose), Cupertino and all other areas which are not in the San Jose Unified School District. Contrary to what might be advertised on the Vipers/Extreme website, the NCJLA has made it very clear that the Vipers/Extreme club does not have exclusive rights to any players who live anywhere outside of the San Jose Unified School District and Discovery Charter. If you are advised otherwise by anyone other than NCJLA itself, the information you are being told is inaccurate.
If you live in the San Jose Unified School District, Discovery Charter or one of the other school districts named above, you MUST petition for a release from your designated club in order to play for another club. Likewise, if you live in the West Valley Red Hawks exclusive boundaries, before registering with any other club, you are REQUIRED to 1) Complete NCJLA’s online release request form here: Play Out of Area Disclosure Form, 2) to email the Red Hawks club president (rob@redhawkslacrosse.org) to request such release, and 3) receive approval of the release from the Red Hawks president or NCJLA should the request be denied by the Red Hawks. Without the release, you may not play for any other NCJLA club. If you do, the other club’s roster will be considered an illegal roster by NCJLA and all games in which that player played shall be forfeited.
Rumors of one club or the other potentially not having a team at a particular age group is not a proper or allowable reason for changing clubs. For 2022, the Red Hawks are willing to and plan to provide teams at all youth age levels for boys and girls. If you have already registered with another NCJLA club, but are in the Red Hawks’ exclusive boundaries, you MUST seek the petition immediately. Your player will not be allowed to play for another club without a release from the Red Hawks.
There is a “grandfather” exception for those who played for the Vipers/Extreme in 2021 who register by December 15, 2021.
So…why these rules and why should they be followed? For some who do not wish to follow these rules, this may even seem a bit heavy handed. This goes back to the history and good purpose for these rules. NCJLA promotes kids playing in their local communities during the spring season. Having these rules promotes this mission and support clubs from other clubs “poaching” their kids which might work out for some kids who wish to play outside their designated boundaries, but which ends up hurting kids who want to play for their designated club. It depletes teams, hurts competition and causes unnecessary instability and friction between clubs. This rule applies to coaches too (a coach cannot change clubs and coach players from their previous club for one year - NCJLA Rule 13). So, the rules are there for a good reason and should be followed by all to make the system work best for all.
We at the Red Hawks are friendly with neighboring clubs and have reached out to them and offered to work with them to help one another in the event of help is needed with coaches, sharing players to make teams, etc. We do not poach players, coaches, website pages or anything else from other clubs. In fact, other clubs are populated by coaches we trained and developed. We are purely in this for the kids. Unlike some others, none of us takes a dime for managing the Red Hawks nor even for running travel clubs which host players in our program. Go ahead and ask them if they’ve been with us. We are not in this to feed other clubs we manage to make a buck. Most of our board doesn’t even have kids playing in the program anymore. So, our sole interest is serving the best interests of this club and the community which it serves. We’re unique that way.
We hope this clarifies the registration questions. If not, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at rob@redhawkslacrosse.org with your questions or comments. We are literally here for you. Time to get your registrations in and uniforms ordered! We’re looking forward to a fun and successful 2022 Spring Season!
Rob Bohn
President
West Valley Red Hawks Lacrosse Club
(408) 460-4382