BSA Troop 200 Lacrosse Policy
Adopted 5/1/2006
Re: Use or possession of Lacrosse items during Troop events

Policy:
No Youth and/or Adult shall possess and/or use on any BSA Troop 200 event, 
any store purchased item related to the sport of Lacrosse.  This includes, 
but is not limited to store purchased Lacrosse sticks and/or Lacrosse 
balls, unless it is for the specific purpose of earning/teaching a BSA 
approved merit badge.


Associated memo:
May 2, 2006
Dear Parents and Scouts of Troop 200,

This past weekend we had several Scouts bring Lacrosse sticks
and balls to play with during the camping trip.  We had several incidents
occur that have caused me and the other adult leaders concern for the 
safety of our Scouts and to our equipment and vehicles.  No one is in 
trouble and nothing was done wrong.  However we had one Scout hit in
the face resulting in a bloody nose and we had Troop trailers hit by 
the hard rubber balls, resulting in large dents.  We in no way have 
any problem with the sport of Lacrosse per se, but we are concerned that
there is a danger to our Scouts because there is no protective equipment
being used.  I do know that when Lacrosse is played as an organized 
game there are helmets and face and hand protection used by the participants.

The other issue that concerned the Troop committee is the density of 
the hard rubber ball and the velocity that can be generated by the 
slinging motion used to throw the ball with the stick.  These issues 
combined with the large number of people that we take camping and the 
density in which we are packed in the camp sites we feel make this 
a safety issue that we need to address.  We can keep the Scouts 
from playing around the equipment, campsites and vehicles but we cannot
make sure that when the go to throw these balls around, that they are 
doing it safely and that all have and are using the appropriate safety 
equipment.  This is not an activity that I am comfortable having on 
camping trips because of the danger to the participants as well as to 
others in the area.  We have no training and no capability to offer 
this activity as an organized event and without this we do not 
feel comfortable nor do we want the liability of a Scout or a personal 
vehicle being injured or damaged by one of these hard rubber balls.  

We are asking that Scouts not bring Lacrosse sticks to any Troop
activities.  We want all of our Scouts to have fun and to be able to pursue
their interests however, we do have to be concerned for the safety of all
participants and we feel that this poses enough of a danger to warrant this
action.  

If you have any questions or concerns please call or talk to me at a
meeting and I will be happy to discuss this with you.  I do feel that any
activity that needlessly places our Scouts in danger needs to be addressed 
and corrected.  I do not want to squash any Scout's interests but I do 
have a responsibility to make this program as safe a possible.  Please
read and follow the attached Troop policy so that we prevent any injury
and damage to property in the future.

Thanks,
Tommy Grubbs
Scoutmaster, Troop 200
919 387 6319