Mission
Statement
The
United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) is an
organization comprised of member colleges and universities which
sponsor intercollegiate lacrosse for men.
The
Association is entrusted to enhance and develop intercollegiate
lacrosse by providing leadership, management, and services to its
membership so that student-athletes, coaches, and other constituent
groups will realize the maximum benefit from the sport of lacrosse.
USILA
provides the following services to its members:
- Game
officiating
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Statistics, rankings, and record keeping
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Recognition of players, coaches, and other contributors
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Setting and enforcing standards of ethics
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Representation of its members to national organizations
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The fostering of effective communication among members
and other constituent groups
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Election
to Membership
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An institution wishing to become a member of the Association shall
make application to the Executive Director using the appropriate
form.
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The Executive Director shall determine whether the applying institution
is eligible for membership.
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Election to membership of eligible applicants shall be by majority
vote of the Membership at the Annual Convention or by two-thirds
vote of the Executive Board.
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The Director of Athletics or appropriate institutional authority
must endorse the application for active membership.
Privileges
of Membership extended to institutions and their official representatives,
teams, and/or players:
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Representation and vote at the Annual Convention
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Officiating services
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Participation in sanctioned league play
- Consideration
of players for All-American recognition, individual awards, and
North-South selection
- Consideration
for in-season ranking system.
- Services
of the Office of the Executive Director
- Inclusion
of schedules, records and statistical data in the official records
composed by the Executive Director
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Eligible for election to office and serve on Association committees
The
USILA Code of Conduct
Introduction
Lacrosse is the oldest American game. Native Americans have played
it since long before the colonies were settled, and at the club
and collegiate level it has been played since the late 1800's. This
increases the importance of a sense of community among those who
play, coach, work and follows the game of college lacrosse. To establish
and maintain a sense of community, we cannot ignore the way the
game itself is played and the responsibilities we as coaches and
administrators have to the game.
Responsibilities
to the Game
Coaches
are role models. As such, they shall always conduct themselves so
as to maintain the highest principles, integrity and dignity of
the game of lacrosse.
Coaches
are responsible for knowing, understanding and following all the
rules of the game as established and directed by the NCAA Lacrosse
Committee, the USILA and the conference in which the coach participates.
The coaches must adhere to both the letter and the spirit of all
the rules.
It is the coach's responsibility to make sure that all players understand
the rules and their spirit. All participants in the game of lacrosse
must adhere to the letter and spirit of all the rules.
Game officials - like coaches and players - are major participants
in the game. The coach shall neither exhibit nor tolerate any behavior
from others (staff and squad) - verbal or otherwise - that might
reflect poorly on an official. This includes, but is not limited
to arguing a judgment call in such a manner as to incite players
and spectators against an official. There are approved methods by
which a coach may comment on an official's performance (rating cards,
a call to the DAA and/or the NCO). Public displays of displeasure
- before, during or after a contest - are not among these approved
methods.
It is the responsibility of the institution to provide a safe environment
for officials, fans and competitors. A game administrator should
be present at all contests.
Responsibility
to the Student-Athlete
Despite the pressures on coaches to win contests, that pressure
needs to be kept in balance with the objective of instilling the
highest ideals and character traits in their players. The safety
and welfare of the players should always be uppermost in their mind
and these values must never be sacrificed for personal prestige
or personal gain.
Coaches should never teach their players tactics or skills designed
to circumvent the intent of the rulebook and the standards of fair
play. The rule exists to protect the players and provide a common
standard by which final results will be determined.
Whenever
players exhibit unsportsmanlike behavior on their own, it is the
responsibility of the coach to address that behavior and put an
end to it. Coaches are responsible for the conduct of their players.
Responsibility
to the Officials
All
game officials - including but not limited to on-field officials,
scoreboard operators, scorers, host personnel - shall at all times
be treated in a professional and courteous manner.
In particular, officials should be treated with respect at all times
and it is the particular responsibility of the host coach to insure
for the safety and well being of these officials in that host facility.
Although officials have the ability to flag a coach for inappropriate
or unsportsmanlike conduct, it is incumbent upon the coach to deport
himself in such a way that every effort is made to avoid penalties
of this nature.
Coaches wishing to express displeasure with an official's conduct
must follow the proper procedure as established by the USILA (via
DAA's, NCO and if necessary, the Ethics Procedures).
Coaches
should be sensitive to the impropriety of private meetings with
officials before, during or after the contest, without the presence
of a representative of the opposing team.
At no time is it appropriate to use the media as a vehicle in which
to criticize officials in general, or any NCAA or conference committee
or its policies. Not only are specific or general criticisms through
the media inappropriate, so too are emphatic "No Comment" remarks,
or disguised criticism ("My athletic director told me not to comment
on the officiating.").
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