This page provides general information to families who are interested in participating in minor box lacrosse.  While we have done our best to provide up to date and accurate information here, this information may change without notice based on Provincial, Island and local lacrosse association rule and policy changes.

The Season

The box lacrosse regular season runs from April to June.  Team practices can start as early as mid-February before the start of the season.  

U13, U15 and U17 teams may choose to participate in “playdowns” in late June and early July for the opportunity to play in BCLA Provincial Championships held in July.

Player Registration

Registration opens in January.

You are encouraged to register early to confirm your child’s place on a team, subject to sufficient numbers to field a team in that division.  It also allows the Association to allocate coaches, set practice times, and declare teams as early as possible. 

The maximum team size is 18 runners and 2 goalies.  After the maximum registrations for a division are received, a wait list will be established. Additional teams in each division will be determined at the sole discretion of the Association based on the number of players on the wait list.

There are options for financial support for registration fees.

Player Divisions

Development Divisions (non contact):

U7 (Mini Tyke) – ages 5 and 6 in the calendar year

U9 (Tyke) – ages 7 and 8 in the calendar year

U11 (Novice) – ages 9 and 10 in the calendar year

Competitive Divisions (contact play):

U13 (Peewee) – ages 11 and 12 in the calendar year

U15 (Bantam) – ages 13 and 14 in the calendar year

U17 (Midget) – ages 15 and 16 in the calendar year

Do Children Need Previous Sports Experience to Play?

Lacrosse involves running, pivoting, and passing. There are transferrable skills from many sports and activities, such as basketball and hockey, as well as any activity that develops hand-eye coordination and motor skills.

No lacrosse experience is necessary to play, but experience in other activities may be helpful for new players in competitive divisions.   

Winter Learn-to-Play School Program

CVLA volunteers and senior players bring lacrosse to elementary schools in partnership with School District 71.  Learn-to-Play sessions rotate through the schools. CVLA volunteers try to visit as many schools as possible each winter.  

Learn-to-Play Drop In Sessions

These friendly sessions are held in mid-January and early February and focus on introducing new players to the game. No experience is necessary and players will be shown some basic skills, participate in fun drills and even scrimmage games.  Players do not need to be registered.  Parents/guardians will need to sign a waiver and release of claims for your child to participate.  

Watch the website news for dates, time and locations. Sessions are held indoors in a gymnasium.  Full equipment is not required and players just need to bring a hockey helmet with cage and hockey gloves. Sticks are provided by the Association.

Pre-Season Team Practices

Team coaches may call team practices starting in mid-February through March before the regular season begins. These practices take place indoors in a gymnasium and outdoors at the Martin Park outdoor box.

Practices at Martin Park are weather dependent. The Martin Park outdoor lacrosse box is located on 20^th Street near Willemar Avenue in Courtenay.  

New un-registered players are welcome at pre-season practices. Registration is open until the end of March.

Your coach or manager will let you know when all required equipment must be worn.  All equipment is typically required for practices at the Martin Park box. 

Regular Season Practices – April to June

Full equipment is mandatory for all players for these practices. Players must be registered to play.

Team practice days are usually determined in early March based on coach availability.

Practice Days:  One-hour team practices take place twice each week, either on  

• Monday and Wednesday evenings, OR
• Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

Practice Times:  U7 and U9 team practices usually begin at 5:30 or 6 p.m. with older division teams taking the later time slots.

U13, U15 and U17 teams may have dryland training before box practice.

Practice Locations:  Once the ice is removed from the Sports Centre arena in April,

• the first weekly practice is held in the Sports Centre arena at 3001 Vanier Drive, and
• the second weekly practice is held at the Martin Park outdoor lacrosse box on 20th Street near Willemar Avenue.

Games

Games for all divisions start in April.  Teams play 12 to 14 games in the season. The game schedule is developed by the Island Commission at the end of March. CVLA team managers use the TeamSnap app to send out the schedule to players, to confirm player availability, and to assign parent scorekeepers and timekeepers.

The typical box lacrosse regular season for each division:

U7/U9/U11: Games start the third weekend of April and end the second weekend of June.

U13: Games start the first weekend of April and end mid-June.

U15: Games start the first weekend of April and end last weekend of June.

U17: Games start the first weekend of April and end first weekend of July.

For U7, U9 and U11 divisions, Comox Valley participates in North Island group of teams that may include Campbell River, Oceanside (Parksville-Qualicum), Port Alberni, Nanaimo, and Cowichan. Games are held on weekends and teams travel to these communities for ‘away’ games.

U13, U15 and U17 division games are held from Campbell River to Victoria throughout the season.  Teams travel for ‘away’ games.

Tournaments

Tournaments are a great way to team-build and to build friendships! 

Each team typically attends at least one tournament during the season. Younger divisions usually attend on-Island tournaments. Older division teams may choose to travel off-Island.

The Association pays the tournament fees for one tournament for each team during the season. If a team wishes to attend a second tournament, tournament fees must be paid by the parents or through team fundraising. 

Parent Participation

There are a lot of opportunities for parent participation!  Parents can operate the clock and scoreboard for home games, and participate in team fundraising to support tournament and other team costs.  Your team manager will reach out to parents to learn these roles.

Parents can also participate as team manager and team coach or assistant coach.  Coaching clinics and referee clinics are held in February and March, usually in Nanaimo.

Additional parent participation is encouraged for any home tournaments or Provincial tournaments hosted by the Association.

Team Fundraising

Parents and players can participate in team fundraising to assist with team tournament travel, team shirts, and year end parties.  Fundraising is organized by team parent volunteers with support from the Association Head Manager or Fundraising Manager.