Colonels Youth Lacrosse

Lots going on so I am going to jump right in:  

STATUS UPDATE: REGISTRATION

Registration will open next week on November 4.  You will receive an email from me that day with the link to register.  We will also be posting the news on the Colonels Youth Lacrosse Facebook page.
Good News (Part 1): Our registration site is hosted by USA Lacrosse.  This means one-stop shopping!  No more logging into USA Lacrosse to renew your player’s membership, then pulling up our team’s registration page.  You will be able to do both things at once and pay your USA Lacrosse membership fee and our registration fee in one single transaction - all without the $3.00 service charge! 
Good News (Part 2): The CYL registration fee will be $55 lower than the middle school registration fee last season: $175 (plus sales tax)! 
STATUS UPDATE: UNIFORMS

I want to say a word about uniforms because you’re going to see reference to this on the registration site: the jersey, uniform shorts, and practice pinnie will be required, but the shooter shirt will be optional.

In designing the uniform, the aim has been to make at least the shorts and shooter shirt (the uniform T shirt that goes under the pads) adaptable to spirit wear or athletic wear for the kids to wear when they’re in high school.  This has been in recognition of the fact that so many players will only use this uniform for one year.  For the shooter shirt, that means making it plain – plain to the point that, when you consider how much of the shirt is covered by pads and the jersey, there is little difference between the shooter shirt and any white shirt.  So, we have decided to make the shooter shirt optional.  For games, I am going to insist that players wear a white T-shirt under their uniform (other than cold weather games where everyone adds a layer of clothes), but it won’t have to be the uniform shooter shirt.  Not purchasing the shooter shirt will save about $37 (factoring in sales tax).    

FYI: we’ll release uniform designs when final, and we will be taking orders during the first two weeks of practice in January.

STATUS UPDATE: SCHEDULING

Our first game for the Spring 2025 season will be Tuesday March 4 and our last game will be Thursday, May 8.  We will have some familiar foes, some new opponents, and we’ll face off against some old friends.  
Like last season (for 8th grade parents), game days are Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Between the starting and ending points of the season (and keeping Holy Thursday and spring break clear of games) we have only 17 possible game days to play 11-12 games.  Therefore, several weeks will have two games and one practice. 
We will have one Sunday game, March 16.  It will be in the early evening (5:00 / 6:00 pm start times).
I do not yet have a practice schedule.  However, in general, I hope to have practice on Saturday morning as well as two weekday evenings.  Whichever days we get, I expect the schedule will be pretty constant until March, at which point, we’re going to have to work around the CCH lacrosse team’s game schedule to some degree.  
PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE

I want to recognize and publicly thank the following, who have volunteered to be on the President’s Committee: Julane Becker and Emily Minardi, who are heading up our marketing efforts; Alex Edmondson who is heading up our fundraising efforts; and Amy Lantz who is heading up spirit wear and uniforms.
I am still looking for help to manage home games – specifically, taking responsibility for getting volunteers to (a) help set up cones, goals and game balls on the field, collect and re-position game balls at halftime and put everything away after the game, (b) make sure we have a spotter, scoreboard operator, and announcer for the games.  Please contact me at colonelsyouthlax@gmail.com if you’re interested in helping in this manner.

HELMETS:

I know this is somewhat random, but I’ve gotten questions from a couple of parents who were thinking of getting new helmets.  So I wanted to share some information.

For this season and for CYL purposes, everything design wise (for helmet decals) will be based on a white helmet.  A white helmet would be ideal, but if you have a different color, it’s fine.  Do not – I repeat, DO NOT – feel compelled to go out and spend money on a new helmet this year just because of color. 
If your son plays for CCH next year (or the year after), you will need a white helmet….. -er, probably.  Here’s the best information I have on that.  Right now, the CCH Varsity and JV teams use player-owned helmets, and they are required to be white.  Coach Pat Ciuccio has been pushing for the school to provide helmets, and he would like them to be blue with black accents.  All I know is that the school is not doing this for the 2025 season.  Might a change happen at some point during our boys’ high school careers?  Maybe, maybe not.  Coach Pat intends to keep asking.  You now have the most up to date information I have, and your guess about the future of this issue is as good as mine.
For anyone looking to buy, I have some thoughts on used helmets and ideas of where to look.  Contact me at colonelsyouthlax@gmail.com and we can discuss offline.

As an aside, if your son wears a Cascade CPV-R helmet or CPX-R helmet, please send me an email at colonelsyouthlax@gmail.com I may ask to borrow it and get it scanned so that helmet decals can be made for that model.

NON-CYL FALL PROGRAMMING:

I want to strongly encourage everyone to register for the Bulldogs Skills and Drills clinic happening at Griffin Elite on November 9, 16, and 23. This program is a great way to knock the rust off, especially for players who have been in other sports since May and haven’t been engaged with lacrosse much since then.  You can register here: https://www.nkylacrosse.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1790241  I am, thankfully, no longer involved in the planning of this event, but it is my understanding that once again these sessions will be led by our local high school coaches, which is always very popular with the players.

Please note for any players’ friends who want to try lacrosse before fully committing to Colonels Youth Lacrosse, you can use the same link to register for “Learn to Lax,” the program for first-time players.  I will be among the Learn to Lax instructors so everyone in my sessions on November 9 and 16 will be able to get a sense, as a new player, what CYL will be like.

INDOOR LEAGUE

I now have information on pricing (see prior newsletters for additional details).  The cost per player is $199.00.  This is more than I knew / thought (honestly, I think they raised the prices from last year).  But for what it is worth…. I think this will be a good league, and players will get a lot out of it.  

From the summer survey, I had the following down as definitely interested in participating: Luke Kiely, Ben Daley, Reid Heuker, Killian Ross, John Minardi, Reed Kathman, Graham Vollrath, Wyatt Kuhlman, Simon Thom.  From the same survey, I have the following down as maybe: Cooper Lantz, Miles Woolf, Alex Ruyak, Jacob Neubacher, Blake Becker, Logan Kiely.  I apologize, but if you’ve sent me a follow up email on this since then, I may not have tracked all of those here.

Below is a two-question Google survey which should take under a minute to fill out.  Now that you have the pricing, in addition to knowing the location, the possible game days and times, let me know if your player is in or out. Please let me know ASAP:

https://forms.gle/HGhJTyS1TiiQ2PiP9

MISCELLANY

Remain on the lookout for goalies! I’m optimistic we have one goalie, but I’d like to have between two and four for the season.  As previously explained, what we’re looking for is good hand-eye coordination, no fear, and quick feet.
If you want a spouse or other parent added to my distribution list, please reply to me (please don’t reply to all) with the email address.  Happy to add them.
If you have any lacrosse-related questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Alex Edmondson
FINAL POINT
Please spread the word about CYL and registration, particularly any potential 7th grade players since our population of experienced players is 8th grade heavy.  Please follow us on Facebook and share our posts about registration.

Thank you and Go Colonels!

--
Jason Kuhlman
Head Coach Boys Middle School
President, Colonels Youth Lacrosse, Inc.

I’m not counting, but…. Registration for the first CYL team will be opening in about 40 days and our first practice is 15 weeks away.  I am excited and terrified!!

STATUS UPDATE

The Board of Directors of Colonels Youth Lacrosse, Inc., has met and elected officers for the upcoming year.  They are:

President: Jason Kuhlman
Vice President: Tony Bacigalupo
Treasurer: Steve Ross
Secretary: Susan Colvin
Lacrosse Commissioner: Alex Edmondson
 

Covington Catholic Lacrosse Head Coach, Pat Ciuccio, and Assistant Principal, Matthew Hansman, are also members of our board.

As you can see, we have a new email account for the organization (colonelsyouthlax@gmail.com).  We are also now on Facebook.  If you are Facebook friends with me, I’ve invited you to follow the page.  Otherwise, please look up Colonels Youth Lacrosse, follow us and invite your friends to follow us, especially if they might be interested in lacrosse.  The page is pretty basic right now, but we hope to make it more informative and interesting over time.

PRESIDENT’S COMMITTEE

Our organization’s bylaws, which are based on Colonels Youth Football’s bylaws, places the board of directors as an oversight committee with the “day-to-day” work of the organization being left to a “President’s Committee” (fear not, “day-to-day” is not literal).  I will be sending a separate email to all those who expressed interest in helping when responding to our initial survey back in June.  If you do not receive an email from me today about the President’s Committee and want to help, please send me an email tomorrow so I can loop you in next week.

INDOOR BOX LEAGUE

I had hoped to have more of an update for you on this, but I have contacted Velocity and confirmed the winter session is happening but that registration is not yet open.  I am still awaiting another email with more information.  Again, summarizing what I do know, the Velocity Lacrosse league will take place at Gametime Training Center in Fairfield.  There will be 7 games, and if the schedule from last year is used this year, tentatively plan on games being Thursday or Friday nights.  The cost of this, which I do not yet know, is not included in spring season registration.

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS

The Bulldogs’ Fall Clinics are right around the corner.  It will consist of three, one-hour sessions at Griffin Elite on November 9, 16, and 23.  For returning players, the Skills and Drills program is a good chance to shake the rust off and be coached by the local high school coaches.  For new players, the Learn to Lax program is a great opportunity to learn the basic skills of the game and have fun doing so.  I will be an instructor for Learn to Lax for the first two dates (November 9 and 16).  If your player has any friends interested in trying out lacrosse and would want to talk to me about our program, signing up for Learn to Lax would be a great way to kill two birds with one stone.

In case you haven’t heard me make this point before: have no hesitation about participating in Bulldogs functions like the Fall Clinics – which are really good programs (if I do say so myself).  Our split from the Bulldogs was completely amicable. I still sit on their board in an advisory capacity.  Long term, the Bulldogs will remain a feeder for CYL and in turn for the high school team.  I can tell you, our players (both experienced and new players / future Colonels) will be welcomed with open arms at the Fall Clinics, even though we’ll be trying our best to beat the Bulldogs middle school team in the spring.  

MISCELLANY

Be on the lookout for goalies! As previously explained, by rule we must have a properly equipped goalie on the field for each game, and right now, we don't have anyone with experience in cage.  Number one attribute for a goalie: good hand-eye coordination.  Second: no fear.  Third, quick feet, even if otherwise slow.
 

If you want a spouse or other parent added to my distribution list, please reply to me (please don’t reply to all) with the email address.  Happy to add them.
 

If you have any lacrosse-related questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Alex Edmondson.
 

Thank you and Go Colonels!

--
Jason Kuhlman
Head Coach Boys Middle School
President, Colonels Youth Lacrosse, Inc.

So, so much going on as we all settle back into the school routine, and with fall sports in full swing at this point.  I will therefore be as brief as I am capable of being.

SUMMER / TRAVEL TEAMS

Congratulations to all players who tried out and club travel teams for the 2024-2025 season.  I hope you make the most of these opportunities to play and get better!

INDOOR BOX LEAGUE

Second, based on the survey responses, I do plan to put together an indoor box team to play in January and February.  Between the unconditional Yes’s and the Maybe’s, we have enough interest and room for a few more.  I wanted to let everyone know because basketball signups are coming up, and some have mentioned that whether we do a box team will affect their decision making on basketball.

We will play in the Velocity Lacrosse league at Gametime Training Center in Fairfield.  It is about a 40-minute drive from Edgewood (adjust accordingly based on your address).  There will be 7 games, and if the schedule from last year is used this year, tentatively plan on games being Thursday or Friday nights.  I do not have information on pricing yet.  Velocity has not published information about their winter 2025 league yet, except to say they’re hosting one.  Please understand: this will be an add-on cost, not included in spring season registration.

STATUS UPDATE

We have created Colonels Youth Lacrosse, Inc., a Kentucky nonprofit corporation.  We will be having our initial board meeting in September (we have several CCH faculty / administration on our board and they need to settle into the school year, too!).  Several survey respondents indicated interest in helping with the behind the scenes work of the program, and following our board meeting I will be reaching out to you about taking you up on your offers of assistance.

MISCELLANY

Be on the lookout for goalies! As previously explained, by rule we must have a properly equipped goalie on the field for each game, and of all the kids we have coming over from the Bulldogs, there isn’t a goalie among them.   Number one attribute for a goalie: good hand-eye coordination.  Second: no fear.  Third, quick feet, even if otherwise slow.
 

If you want a spouse or other parent added to my distribution list, please reply to me (please don’t reply to all) with the email address.  Happy to add them.
 

If you have any lacrosse-related questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me or Alex Edmondson.
 

Thank you and Go Colonels!

Jason C. Kuhlman, Esq.