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Subscribe to our NewsletterPlayday (Girls) & Thunderbolt (Boys) Tournaments - Team Registrations Now Open!!
Lightning Lacrosse is thrilled to announce the 2024 dates for the Playday (girls) and Thunderbolt (boys) youth lacrosse tournaments in West Windsor Community Park! Playday (girl's tournament) and Thunderbolt (boy's tournament) bring together dozens of teams for some of the best recreational youth lacrosse in Central Jersey! Tournament t-shirts will be available for purchase. Food, apparel, and lacrosse vendors will be on-site on tournament days.
Both tournaments will host "A" and "B" level pools at the 3/4, 5/6 & 7/8 levels to help ensure competitive play. Every team will play four games. For Thunderbolt (boys), in the first round of pool play, each team will play three opponents. In the second round of play, the #1 seed will face the #2 seed for the championship, the #3 seed will face the #4 seed for third place, and the #5 seed will face the #6 seed for bragging rights. Medals awarded to the top three finishing teams in each division in both tournaments. For Playday (girls), there will only be four first round games played. Playday will not have any second round play or medals awarded. All participating players and coaches must be registered with USA Lacrosse. Registration is strictly on a first come, first serve basis. Registration not complete until payment has been made.
A variety of different sponsorship opportunities are available. Please email ken.topolewski@gmail.com for additional information.
Additional tournament/game format details are as follows:
Dates/times: Playday - Saturday, April 27, 2024 / Thunderbolt - Sunday, April 28, 2024 (no rain dates)
Game details: All 3/4, 5/6, & 7/8 teams will play four games.
Price: $600 per team (plus processing fees). Payment must be made by card payment through TourneyMachine using the links below. If you need to roll over a balance from the 2023 tournament, please email ken.topolewski@gmail.com.
Playday registration: https://tourneymachine.com/E139176
Thunderbolt registration: https://tourneymachine.com/E139162
Game length: Two 20-minute halves with two minute half time (master horn determines the start and stop of game play).
Clock format: Strictly running time (clock does not stop for timeouts, injuries, etc).
Field size: 5/6 and 7/8 games on regulation size lacrosse fields (3/4 games on smaller size fields).
Team strength: 3/4 games will play 7v7 format with goalie (5/6 and 7/8 games will play regulation number of players).
Timeouts: One one-minute timeout per team per half (no timeouts in the final two minutes of each game).
Tie breaking: In the event two teams have the same winning percentage, the team with head-to-head win (if applicable) will be the higher seed. The third tie breaker is most goals scored.
Tied scores: Pool play games can end in a tie. Second round (i.e., medal round) games cannot end in a tie. Bravehearts will be used to determine the winners in second round play in the event that the score is tied after 40 minutes of play.
Schedule, scores, and standings: Lightning will use TourneyMachine again to post schedules, scores, and standings.
New for 2024: For Thunderbolt (boys), we're doing away with bracket play in the second round after pool play. All teams will play four games: three games in pool play followed by one second round game against a closely seeded opponent (e.g., #1 seed plays #2 seed for championship, #3 seed plays #4 seed for third place). Please see spreadsheet illustration below for 7/8A (Green) and 7/8B (Red) scheduling for Thunderbolt (boys). Also, we're no longer accepting checks by mail; payment must be made by card through TourneyMachine. For Playday (girls), there will be four first round games only (i.e., no second round games and no medals awarded).
Spring 2024 - Player Registration Now Open
Lightning Lacrosse player registration is now open for Spring 2024! Season runs from early March until early June (Little Laxer season runs from early April until early June). Register before February 1, 2024 to receive $25 early bird discount off regular price listed below! New for 2024, protect player registration fee from injuries and unforeseen circumstances through TeamSnap's RegSaver insurance coverage. All players must be registered with USA Lacrosse ($35 per player) in order to sign up with Lightning. New for 2024, parents will be responsible for adding or renewing each child's USA Lacrosse membership themselves (i.e., Lightning no longer includes the price of USA Lacrosse membership in its registration fees). Please use the below link to add or renew a USA Lacrosse membership. And please use the last link below to look up each child's USA Lacrosse number. New for 2024, all families will pay a refundable $150 volunteer bond (one per family - regardless of number of players) as part of the registration. Volunteer bonds will be refunded at the end of the season provided that volunteer hours are fulfilled. Little Laxers have no volunteer commitment so their bonds will be refunded immediately after registration. New for 2024, custom uniforms can only be purchased during the registration process. Please be sure to add this optional fee to your registration if you plan to purchase a custom uniform.
Lightning Lacrosse has an equipment lending program available to new and existing players. An email with more information will be sent out regarding equipment lending as the season gets closer.
Lightning Lacrosse offers a two-week trial period for new players to try the sport and receive a full refund (excluding the cost of the $35 USA Lacrosse membership and any custom uniform purchases) for withdrawal, but the player must sign up for a USA Lacrosse membership and complete the registration form below. There are no refunds for injuries or changed circumstances, and no refunds after the two-week trial period for new players.
Lightning Player Registration Link: https://go.teamsnap.com/forms/403107
USA Lacrosse Membership Sign-Up Link: https://www.usalacrosse.com/membership
USA Lacrosse Membership Number Look-Up Link: https://pub.usalacrosse.com/
Little Laxers - $70 per player; no organized games; no equipment or uniform required; Little Laxer sessions are held on Sunday afternoons each week for the season; no volunteer commitment is required (mandatory $150 volunteer bond will be immediately refunded after registration)
1st/2nd Grade - $90 per player; equipment and uniform required; player receives a photo plaque as part of registration (included in the registration fee); expect one practice per week and 5-10 organized game(s) predominantly on the weekends; parents are obligated to provide two hours of volunteer service to the club in order to receive a refund of the volunteer bond at the end of the season
3rd/4th Grade - $230 per player; equipment and uniform required; player receives a photo plaque as part of registration (included in the registration fee); expect two practices per week and 15-25 organized game(s) predominantly on the weekends; parents are obligated to provide four hours of volunteer service to the club in order to receive a refund of the volunteer bond at the end of the season
5th/6th Grade - $260 per player; equipment and uniform required; player receives a photo plaque as part of registration (included in the registration fee); expect two practices per week and 15-25 organized game(s) predominantly on the weekends; parents are obligated to provide four hours of volunteer service to the club in order to receive a refund of the volunteer bond at the end of the season
7th/8th Grade - $260 per player; equipment and uniform required; player receives a photo plaque as part of registration (included in the registration fee); expect two practices per week and 15-25 organized game(s) predominantly on the weekends; parents are obligated to provide four hours of volunteer service to the club in order to receive a refund of the volunteer bond at the end of the season
Lightning Lacrosse COVID-19 Safety Protocol and Action Plan
Lightning Lacrosse has created this revised COVID-19 Safety Protocol and Action Plan (“the Plan”) to reduce COVID-19 tranmission risk. Lightning is staying abreast of federal, state and local public health guidelines and mandates. Lightning will also follow local guidance from school districts, state athletic associations and USA Lacrosse.
Lightning is confident that with the cooperation of parents, players, coaches, volunteers, officials, and opponents, the Plan will help mitigate the COVID-19 transmission risk and keep us on the lacrosse fields.
General Requirements
- Masks covering the nose and mouth will be optional for all coaches, volunteers, officials, and spectators at all Lightning lacrosse sessions and for the duration of such activities.
- Lightning coaches will have available supplies of face masks and disinfecting sprays that can be used throughout the course of the season. However, parents are expected to provide players with face masks (including extras) and disinfecting products for each Lightning event - where desired.
- TeamSnap will be a critical tool during the Lightning lacrosse season. TeamSnap will be used for all lacrosse sessions. All registered players, coaches, and volunteers for each team must be listed and active in TeamSnap. For each Lightning event (i.e., practices, games, tournaments, and other activities), parents must track player availability and attendance through TeamSnap. Coaches and volunteers must also track their attendance through TeamSnap. In addition, TeamSnap will have a series of health screening questions that must be completed before each Lightning event. Players, coaches and volunteers must clear the health screening questions in order to participate in each Lightning event. Repeated failure to track either attendance or clear the health screening questions through TeamSnap will result in the individual being precluded from participating in Lightning events.
Practice Requirements
- Coaches will plan and execute group practices with an emphasis on maintaining adequate social distance between players. Player huddles will be limited, and drills will be designed with an emphasis on individual skill development. Team drills requiring player-to-player contact will be limited to the extent feasible to minimize the time each player is in close physical contact with other players.
- With the exception of lacrosse sticks and goalie protective chest pads, the sharing of lacrosse equipment will be discouraged.
Requirements Regarding COVID-19 Symptoms or Diagnosis
- After a player, coach, volunteer, or other participant has experienced symptoms of, or tested positive for, COVID-19, that individual and everyone in that individual’s household, will be prohibited from participating in all Lightning events until at least 14 days from the date of diagnosis, with a minimum of 72 hours symptom free.
- In accordance with the signed waiver, individuals testing positive for COVID-19 must be reported to Lightning immediately. Reporting must be made to Ken Topolewski (ken.topolewski@gmail.com).
- Lightning will notify everyone listed on TeamSnap for a particular group when a player, volunteer, coach, or opponent has tested positive for COVID-19.
- After experiencing symptoms of, or testing positive for, COVID-19, individuals require clearance from a licensed medical professional or waiting for the required time period to pass before return to play can be granted.
Lightning 2022 Tax Information
Lightning Lacrosse is designated as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization with the IRS. As such, Lightning's tax information is a matter of public record. In accordance with tax requirements, Lightning Lacrosse recently filed its 2022 IRS Form 990. Please contact ken.topolewski@gmail.com if you would like to obtain a copy of Lightning's most recent 990 filing, or any of the other tax documents (e.g., IRS Form 1023, IRS determination letter) applicable to the club.
West Windsor Community Park Field Map
Please use this park map to locate field assignments within West Windsor Community Park for Thunderbolt and Playday lacrosse tournaments:
https://www.scribblemaps.com/maps/view/West-Windsor-Community-Park/Playday2023
Lightning Lacrosse Boy's 7/8 Championship Team Photo
Congratulations to Lightning Lacrosse's Boy's 7th and 8th Grade Team - 2022 Thunderbolt Tournament's Yellow Division Champs!!!
