When Are Tryouts Held?

Tryouts for our summer 2012 travel teams will be held at Cleveland State’s Dome facility.  The times and age groups are below. 

• Friday December 2, 2011 from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM – 5th to 8th graders (U15, U14 and U13).  (See Flyer)
  
  
• Friday December 16, 2011 from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM – 9th to 11th graders (Elite, Select and Rising). (See Flyer)

For more information please visit the tryout page

Travel Team Offerings

Burning River Lacrosse offers the following travel teams:

Elite
Our Elite Team is composed of the top 22+ players regardless of their grade.  The team competes on the national stage in the most competitive national recruiting tournaments with the greatest likelihood of college exposure. 

Select (Juniors and Sophomores)
Our Select Team is composed of Juniors and top players in the class of 2014.  The team competes on the national stage in the most competitive national recruiting tournaments with the greatest likelihood of college exposure. 

Rising Star (Sophomores and Freshman)
Our Rising Star Team is composed of Sophomores and top players in the class of 2015. The team competes on both the national and regional stage at fundamental skills development tournaments with an eye towards improvement for future recruiting tournaments.

U15 Team
As per the new US Lacrosse guidelines, all players must have been born after August 31, 1996. The team is designed to provide an opportunity to 14 and 15 year olds to compete at both national and regional fundamental skills development tournaments with an eye towards individual and team skills improvement, competitive rivalry, and developing a love of the game. 

U14 Team
As per the new US Lacrosse guidelines, all players must have been born after August 31, 1997. The team is designed to provide an opportunity to 13 and 14 year olds to compete at both national and regional fundamental skills development tournaments with an eye towards individual and team skills improvement, competitive rivalry, and developing a love of the game. 

U13 Team
As per the new US Lacrosse guidelines, all players must have been born after August 31, 1998.  The team are designed to provide an opportunity to 12 and 13 year olds to compete at both national and regional fundamental skills development tournaments with an eye towards individual and team skills improvement, competitive rivalry, and developing a love of the game. 

Note: The composition of the teams is subject to change including but not limited to playing freshman on the Select team and/or playing sophomores on the Rising Star team as circumstances may require.

Travel Team Overview

Overview
Burning River Lacrosse’s travel teams were founded in 2006 to showcase Northern Ohio lacrosse players who are highly skilled but also of high character. Unlike other travel teams that only accept coaches' recommendations, Burning River Lacrosse holds tryouts so that every player with an interest can showcase his talent and make a case for making the team.  As a result, our players are not primarily from 1 or 2 teams but are from numerous programs.  In fact, our 2010 teams had players from over 35 schools and all 4 regions in Ohio (Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati). 

Since the inception of Burning River Lacrosse, our teams have consistently finished at or near the top of the tournaments they have entered.  In each of the last four years multiple Burning River Lacrosse teams have won or finished as a runner up at national tournaments (2010 (Elite, Select, U15), 2009 (Select, U15) and 2008 (Elite, Rising Star).  In 2009’s our Select team (High School but no Seniors) finished 2nd in the nation (losing in the Championship game 6-4 to the Copperheads (GA) after outscoring opponents 59-12 in the five previous Tournament games). In 2010 our U15 team made the national semifinals at the Dick's Tournament of champions.

For those new to the program the Parent feedback has been extremely positive.  As one parent commented:

My son plays for BURNING RIVER Lacrosse.   The program is a parents dream.  They:

• select kids based on ability and character
• choose the “right tournament” to get exposure and/or help the player develop
• work doggedly to help a player get recruited and/or improve their skills
• divide playing time up based on everyone getting a chance to show their skills equally

My son has been with this program since he was 12 and we have nothing but great things to say.

Objective
With the exception of our elite team whose goal is college recruitment, our program is designed to teach players the fundamental skills and advanced strategy of a higher-level lacrosse program. While we believe the competitive nature of our program accelerates our players' development; the competitive element can become destructive if our participants lose sight of the basic goal of our program which is to improve fundamental skills.

It is our belief that by participating in our program, our players will develop the physical and mental skills to play at a higher-level program (college or high school) and develop the fundamental skills of the game. 

While we believe that winning is important, it is not the primary goal of our program, especially at the younger levels.  At the younger levels our belief is that it is more important to teach than to win. This should not be interpreted as any less of a commitment to winning; however, we are much more concerned about our players’ skill development than the number of tournaments we win. We will focus on skill development, and the importance of consistently putting forth a complete effort rather than the results from that effort. In turn, we will coach and teach at a higher level, allow the players to grow to young adults and treat your son with respect and without the verbal berating that frequently occurs in youth sports.

Eligibility
Elite and Select - Open to all, Players must still be in school, no player can be graduating in 2012.

Rising Team- Open to all players at the Sophomore or lower levels. No players graduating in 2013 may make this team.

U15 Team - All players must have been born after August 31, 1996.

U14 Team - All players must have been born after August 31, 1997.

U13 Team - All players must have been born after August 31, 1998.

Commitment
All players and parents should be aware of the commitment required for this team.  Should you be selected for a team, it is expected that you will attend and participate in all tournaments.  In addition it is expected that you will do your best to attend all practices.  Note: we realize this is difficult / impossible for our out of town players (Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati) but ask for a best effort.  If you are selected and you cannot make such a commitment, please do not accept a spot on the team. Important: If you make the team but can not make all 3 summer tournaments (Elite and Select Teams) we will attempt to find a replacement.  Should that replacement be able to attend all 3 tournaments we will give him your starting spot and you will moved to an alternate position for the tournament(s) you can attend.  This policy is in place because it is extremely difficult to find replacements and we need to have the broadest latitude in searching for them.

Practice
Prior to the tournaments the teams will be holding practices.  Full details will be provided to all selected players.

Playing Time
We do not take players to tournaments so that they can sit or help with our finances.  If you were selected for the team, you have talent and you need to showcase that talent.  To that end, all players who attend a tournament play in the games.  Game time is normally allocated in a fairly even manner with all players rotating in and out during the course of a game.  The exception to this is in the last quarter of close games / games with a tough opponent at recruiting tournaments when we have to win to move on.  Under those circumstances playing time will not be evenly distributed.

Uniforms
If selected, players must purchase
1)      A pair of Burning River shorts ($40)
2)      A Burning River sublimated pinnie ($30).

Payments
Burning River Lacrosse requires 100% of all tournament costs and 100% of your uniform cost to be paid before the start of the summer tournament season. A full timeline will be given to you if your son is selected.  If you have any questions or concerns about this policy you may contact us directly.

Transportation
To help insure the safety of all participants and limit the number of people driving separately, we normally arrange for charter bus transportation to and from the tournaments.  In cases where we only have 1 team attending a tournament we do not charter a bus as the cost (approximately $175 per person) would be prohibitively high.  You are welcome to drive your son separately if you so chose, but we would prefer that he does not drive himself to the tournaments. 

Tournament Format
The format depends on the tournament we are at but most are similar to the following:
1) 5 or 6 games.
2) Games are (2) 23 minute halves running time. 
3) 3 minute half-time and one time out per team in the second half.

Tournament Rules and Regulations
The vast majority of the tournaments are officiated under high school HS rules
1) Down, Set, Whistle on Faceoffs
2) 20 second count to clear
3) 10 seconds to get it in

Expected behavior
You are considered to be an ambassador for both Burning River Lacrosse (specifically) and Northern Ohio lacrosse (in general).  Therefore, all normal team travel rules are in effect concerning your behavior and actions and the resulting consequences (if you do not know what these rules are ask first). 

Tournaments By Team

For 2012 Burning River Lacrosse is tentatively scheduled to attend the following Summer / Fall tournaments:

Elite
June 9, 2012                       Mercyhurst Showcase (Erie, PA) - Scrimmages
June 23-25, 2012                 King of the Hill (Philadelphia, PA)  - 100+ coaches in 2010/11
June 29 - July 1, 2012          MVP Tournament at Rider University (NJ) - 120+ coaches in 2010/11
July 6-7, 2012                     Syracuse Shootout (Syracuse, NY) - 60+ coaches in 2010/11     
November 10-11, 2012         UP Lax (Annapolis, MD) - 100+ coaches in 2010/11     

Select (Juniors and Sophomores)
June 9, 2012                       Mercyhurst Showcase (Erie, PA) - Scrimmages
June 16-17, 2012                 Lake Erie Shootout (Buffalo, NY)
June 29 - July 1, 2012          MVP Tournament at Rider University (NJ) - 120+ coaches in 2010/11
July 6-7, 2012                     Syracuse Shootout (Syracuse, NY) - 60+ coaches in 2010/11     
November 10-11, 2012        UP Lax (Annapolis, MD) - 100+ coaches in 2010/11     

Rising Star (Sophomores and Freshman)
June 16-17, 2012                 Lake Erie Shootout (Buffalo, NY)
July 7-8, 2012                      NDP/Dick's Sporting Goods Atlantic Cup (Emmitsburg, MD)
November 10-11, 2012         UP Lax (Annapolis, MD)    

U15 Team
June 16-17, 2012                 Lake Erie Shootout (Buffalo, NY)
July 9-10, 2012                    NDP/Dick's Sporting Goods Atlantic Cup (Emmitsburg, MD)
October 27, 2012                 Presidents Cup (Washington, PA)

U14 Team
June 16-17, 2012                 Lake Erie Shootout (Buffalo, NY)
July 21-22, 2012                  Hershery Shootout (Hershey, PA) or Local (Cleveland) Tournament

U13 Team
June 16-17, 2012                 Lake Erie Shootout (Buffalo, NY)
July 21-22, 2012                  Hershery Shootout (Hershey, PA) or Local (Cleveland) Tournament


Note
The Burning River Lacrosse staff believes these tournaments provide our players with the best opportunity to:

1. Attract the attention of college coaches
   1. Nearly all of 2012 Players have committed to play in college. The majority of 2013 and 2014 players have already received letters of interest from colleges,
   2. Primarily of importance to Elite and Select teams
2. Improve individual (stick skills), positional (Attack, Midfield, Defense and Goaltending), and team (Transition and Set Piece Offense and Defense) lacrosse skills
3. Face new and higher level competition, and
4. Develop a love for the game.

Tournaments Cost

Tournament costs are determined based on tournament fees, lodging, food, bus/transportation to event, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc.  This year’s (2012) approximate tournament costs are below.  There is no separate fee for making the team.  Note: All players who attend all the tournaments for their team receive a price discount (compared to the individual events costs) and free registration (a $150 saving) to our shooting/fundamental skills camp.

Mercyhurst Showcase (Erie, PA) - Elite and Select Teams ($50)
This is a one day tournament with 6 teams to get ready for the Summer recruiting tournaments. It is attended by local college coaches who want to get a early look at our players. The cost includes tournament fees, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package.

Lake Erie Showcase (Buffalo, NY) - All Teams Except The Elite Team ($375)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (off campus hotel), bus/transportation to event, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package. If your son stays with you, you can subtract $50. If your son drives with you, you can subtract an additional $50.

King of the Hill (Philadelphia, PA) - Elite Team ($575)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (on campus dorms), coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: This does not include transportation – you must find your own way/carpool to this tournament because a bus would cost over $175 per player.

MVP tournament (Rider University, NJ) - Elite and Select Teams ($575)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (on campus dorms), food, bus/transportation to event, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc.

NDP / Dick’s Sporting Goods Atlantic Cup (Emmitsburg, MD) - 2015 and 2016 teams ($425)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (off campus hotel), bus/transportation to event, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package. If your son stays with you, you can subtract $50. If your son drives with you, you can subtract an additional $50.

Syracuse Shootout (Syracuse, NY)- Elite and 2014 Teams ($425)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (off campus hotel), coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: This does not include transportation – you must find your own way/carpool to this tournament. You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package. If your son stays with you, you can subtract $50.

Hershey Shootout (Hershey, PA) - U14 and U13 Teams ($400)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (off campus hotel), coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: This does not include transportation – you must find your own way/carpool to this tournament. You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package. If your son stays with you, you can subtract an additional $50.

President's Cup (Washington, PA) - 2016 team ($100)
The cost includes tournament fees, coaching, coach’s transportation, administrative fees, etc. Note: This does not include transportation – you must find your own way/carpool to this tournament because a bus would cost over $175 per player. You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package.

UP Lax (Annapolis, MD) - Elite, 2014/2015 Teams ($475)
The cost includes tournament fees, lodging (off campus hotel), bus/transportation to event, coaching, coach’s transportation/lodging, administrative fees, etc. Note: You must bring money for food as it is not included in the tournament package. If your son stays with you, you can subtract an additional $50. If your son drives with you, you can subtract an additional $50.