Adoption of the US Lacrosse Gold Stick Standards of Excellence provides an extraordinary opportunity for parents, coaches and sports administrators to positively influence the development and growth of the next generation of lacrosse players. The Gold Stick Standards embody the "Honor the Game" culture of our sport, and articulate the most worthy objectives of youth sports programs. The Gold Stick Standards present a framework of values that establish high but attainable standards of quality, standards to which all youth sports programs should aspire. Lacrosse leagues that adopt and practice these standards are US Lacrosse Gold Stick programs. 

The Gold Stick program is a critical element of US Lacrosse’s effort to develop and deploy national standards for the youth game. The first step in this endeavor was the US Lacrosse Youth Rules rolled out in 2012. Part of the continued deployment of USL National Standards will be solidifying US Lacrosse regional and Chapter infrastructure. US Lacrosse is moving to an eight (8) region structure, in which 8 regional staff will be launched by 2015. The USL regional staff will be the key point people to work with our Chapter network to ensure that US Lacrosse programs and services are being deployed to the local constituent organizations embodied by groups/leagues. Supporting the Gold Stick program will be a critical point of emphasis for the regional staff and Chapters.

Development History
Headed by the Sport Development department, through a series of numerous engagements and strategy sessions over the past six months, a core team of US Lacrosse Programs, Education & Training, Membership & Groups, Games Administration, Marketing & Communications, IT and COO staff lead the development of these Standards. Target focus groups were conducted to vet the purpose, definition, appropriateness and desired impact of each Standard, with specific focus place on the boy’s and girl’s youth game constituents. Furthermore, to ensure the integrity and viability of the Standards, countless calls, meetings and interactions were made to vet the Standards and future self-recognition program with a large and diverse group of USL Board, Game and Chapter leaders, as well as youth league leadership across the country. This group included:

US Lacrosse Leadership
Board of Directors
Specific M&W Game Committee/Subcommittee Members
Sport Development Committee/Subcommittees

Chapter Leadership
CT, North TX, NorCal, Utah Lacrosse Assoc, Hampton Roads, Colorado

Team/Program Leadership
Past BRIDGE Affiliates, First Stick Program Pilot Groups, Cockeysville Boys (MYLA), Hereford (MYLA), MAYLA town (GA), Smithtown Township (LI)

League Leadership
MBYLL, MBGLL, NCJLA, CONNY, JGLA, North Jersey Junior Boys, SEPYLA (Philly), PAGLA (Philly), Hampton Roads (VA), Youth Lacrosse Minnesota, Minnesota Schoolgirls, Metro Atlanta Youth Lacrosse, Atlanta Youth Lacrosse, Northern Virginia Youth Lacrosse, North Texas Youth Lacrosse League, South Florida Youth Lacrosse, Treasure Valley Youth Lacrosse (ID), CYLA and CGLA (CO), Orange County Lacrosse Assoc, Hudson Valley Lacrosse Assoc, Triad Youth Lacrosse (NC)