What Do I Need to Know Before Starting a Chapter?
Chapters are extensions of the national office. While US Lacrosse maintains a close, programmatic and strategic relationship with our chapters, each chapter is separate and distinct. Chapters remain their own corporation that serves its constituent’s, elects board members and manages affairs as deemed appropriate under the chapter by-laws.
When starting a chapter there are prerequisites that need to be in place before consideration for provisional status. A crucial aspect of these first steps are the reasons your steering committee has for wanting to start your own chapter, along with open dialogue with the existing chapter in your area and with US Lacrosse. A chapter’s primary responsibilities should be to:
• Offer the programs, services & benefits built at national to all constituents in your local community as far as the chapter boundaries reach.
• Operate its own programs, services and events in accordance with the US Lacrosse mission and Chapter Agreement.
• Remain fully compliant with US Lacrosse.
• Utilize and abide by the 2009 Chapters Operation Manual.
• The chapter should be seen as the educational, hierarchical, unbiased support system for any and all leagues within the chapter boundaries. This especially pertains to chapters who co-exist as a league!
US Lacrosse will consider any member who requests to start a new chapter. However, a formal invitation from US Lacrosse with the provisional chapter application and guidelines will only be given after an initial correspondence identifies the true reasons why a steering committee wants to create and maintain a new chapter as well as their understanding of the purpose of a chapter and then fulfillment of the US Lacrosse mission and strategic plan.
Click here to contact your current local chapter: http://www.uslacrosse.org/chapters/index.phtml.
What is the Purpose of a US Lacrosse Chapter?
Along with the implementation of our programs to local constituents, chapters should be able to:
• Maintain an up-to-date chapter web site
• Board members should make themselves available on a regular basis to members for questions and inquiries.
• Support, follow and believe in the US Lacrosse mission
• Promote membership
• File compliance documents annually to national
• File a Form 990 or the e-Postcard/990-N with the IRS on time according to their filing requirements every year.
Women’s Division All-American and Academic All-American responsibilities of a chapter:
To assign a chair and committee to implement the Women’s Division High School All-American & Academic All-American Processes. The chapter president assigns/elects a chair to run the process and the AA chair selects a committee of local coaches and umpires to review the nominations. A separate chair can be selected to handle the Academic AA process.
***The Men’s Division All-American & Academic All-American processes are run by a local US Lacrosse High School Area Chairman. This chairman may or may not be a chapter board member and the area he represents does not necessarily coincide with our chapter boundaries, so this process differs from the women’s side. These processes occur under the supervision of the Women’s Division High School Committee and the Men’s Division High School Committee. Both volunteer boards of US Lacrosse.
US Lacrosse Chapters and Administration of Leagues
• Please click here to read US Lacrosse’s policy regarding chapter operation of leagues
(from the 2009 Chapter Operations Manual).
Programs, Services & Support Systems Available to Chapters:
Sport Development
Coaches Education Program Educational Clinics & Online Workshops (Level 1 and 2 now available)
Officials Training
Fast Break Initiative
Physical Education Curriculum
New Start Program
Positive Coaching Alliance Workshops
Equipment Grant Program
Youth Council
Chapters
Chapter Quarterly Revenue Sharing Program
Chapter Rebate Program
Chapters Advisory Council (with Council Advisors offering one-on-one support)
Chapter Network System
Men’s and Women’s National Teams
Men’s and Women’s National Team Player Clinics
Men’s National Team Exhibition Games
Men’s and Women’s Champions Challenge
Women’s Division Stars & Stripes Event
Special Events
U-13 and U-15 National Youth Festivals
Women’s Division National Tournament
Men’s Division National Senior Showcase
Women’s Division Intercollegiate Championships
US Lacrosse U-15 National Championship 
US Lacrosse Annual National Coaches Convention & Vendor Exhibition
National Hall of Fame Induction Celebration
New Chapter Evaluation Package Requirements and Checklist
Once you have read and understand the philosophy and requirements behind maintaining a US Lacrosse chapter and determined this is something you and your group would like to do, please contact Erin Sturgis, Director of Chapter Relations, for the official new chapter application and guidelines document. You may contact Sturgis by e-mail at esturgis@uslacrosse.org.
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