Memorandum on New Clubs, Mergers and Transfers

Oregon Youth Lacrosse

Memorandum re: New Clubs, Mergers and Transfers in 2020 season.

In the ever-shifting landscape of Oregon lacrosse, there are frequently new clubs that arise or existing clubs that, for organization reasons or because of enrollment numbers, desire to merge. OYL supports such moves insofar as they contribute to the growth of the game at the youth level and are sufficiently sustainable as to promote stability rather than the inverse. As such, OYL has compiled the following guidelines for new clubs, mergers, transfers and how this impacts the rec. level vs. the select level.

OYL takes seriously the position it holds as the governing body of youth lacrosse in Oregon. These guidelines are put into place not to stifle any player’s or program’s desires, but to ensure an environment in which the game can grow, competitive balance can be fostered, and participants can be confident that all players and clubs are subject to the same expectations. The goal is to help provide a level playing field.

1. New Clubs and Mergers

OYL considers mergers and newly created organizations to be the same for the purposes of these guidelines. A club that merges with another has therefore become a new entity, and is subject to the same expectations as newly created organizations.

New Organizations shall email OYL or a member of OYL’s board (for whom information is on OYL’s website) and provide or demonstrate the following:

• They have access to field space via association with a Parks and Rec, School District, or other organization.
• They are a recognized organization (registered with the IRS or affiliated with a registered non-profit), with a current Oregon State business registration.
• They have an organized board of directors.
• Provide contact names, postal addresses, phone numbers, email addresses,
• and, if available website URL.
• Provide insurance carrier name and contact information (board and
• players).
• Provide an estimated number of rec teams at each level.
• Provide an estimated number of select teams at each level.
• Provide a statement of the high school team(s) with which they are
• affiliated.
• Provide a statement that they have no conflicts with other OYL members.
• Agree to use only OYL or USL Certified Referees
• Agree to adhere to OYL approved rules set for all grade levels.
• Provide a plan for growth of the game in the club's area.
• Agree to pay OYL dues.

Merging teams need to provide the following:

• Reason for the merger.
• Is the merger temporary or until numbers are increased?
• Does the merger affect rec teams, select teams, or both?
• What school affiliations are affected?

Finally, some provision for how this information gets to us - an email with all of this in one place, or something - would be helpful as a policy so that when we send this, they have a checklist and a way to return it.

2. Transfers: Players from one club playing for another

a. If a player is, by virtue of prior participation or location, expected to play for a club that is unable to field a team at that player’s level, the player in question may still participate if:

1. There is a club regionally adjacent to the player’s rec club that is willing to accept the player.
2. All players from the player’s rec club play for the same new club. In other words, the agreement is not between a club and a player, but between two clubs.
3. Players from one club may not disperse among several clubs, but rather are required to partner as a group with the club that offers them space.
4. If a player moves from one club to another and the player is eligible to play for that new club each year for 3 years, then that player may continue to play for the new club even if circumstances change and the player would otherwise be ineligible for transfer.
5. All transfers must be approved by OYL.

3. Select

a. The competitive balance of the select level is not governed by OYL. As select is now only tournament teams, there are no regional or club-based requirements by OYL regarding who may play with or for whom.

b. OYL member clubs that participate in rec tournaments comprised of OYL member clubs are subject to the above.