WCLL Week 4 (2/16 - 2/22): Schedule, Thoughts, & Scores

[laxmom]

Hope they consider relocating the game to UCSB's turf field, although I doubt Whittier will want to give up their home field advantage. Someone call the coach(es). We are really looking forward to two great back to back games this weekend.

[jtlax]

If a team is willing to put down the money necessary to make a trip to California from out of state, the least the hosting team can do is make absolutely sure the game will be played. I know there are a couple teams from our league travelling down to cali this weekend for games, and it would truly be dissapointing if they get their games cancelled because of rain. This is not a situation I believe we should just "deal with". Action should be taken to avoid a conflict. Teams are forking out a lot of money to come down there, and whether or not the game will be played should not be question. I understand that finding alternate fields are not easy, but the matter of fact is that it must be done. Rain or shine, you will play your game at Oregon or any other Northwest team. The same must be true for California.

[CATLAX MAN]

I know for sure that at least one coach, and I assume all the others are too, have already been trying to secure an alternate location. Sometimes, alternate fields just can't be found. However, be assured they they are working hard so that you are not inconvenienced.

[TrojanLaxman5]

I just have to make a comment on the idea of cancelling a game because of rain. You Californians need to have backup fields to play on when it is raining. I play for Oregon, and this fall we went down to Stanford only to find out the games were cancelled because of a little drizzle. We practice in rain almost every day. It really pisses me off that games are cancelled because of rain. Honestly, it could be a lot worse. To all teams that will potentially cancel a game due to rain, here's my advice: Find a turf field (or an all weather field), and have it as a backup plan at all times. It is simply inexcusable to cancel a game due to rain. You have teams travelling from all over the nation to play you, and rain cannot be a factor in whether or not the game is played.

Thanks for letting us know that it could be worse and that cancelled games piss you off... Your rant is honestly just part of the frustration that we deal with every single time it rains whether it's practice or games. CatlaxMan is dead on, we simply don't have other options.

Take our school, we're located in urban Los Angeles where there aren't many fields to begin with. Then take into account that all the regulation fields controlled by varsity teams (football, soccer, etc) and the university athletic department has total control over them. Most club lacrosse programs at big universities like USC and UCLA are just peons; when Pete Carroll says we can't use their field; we can't use it, that's it.

To insinuate that we're not tough enough to practice/play through the rain is ridiculous, and to critize programs for things that are totally out of their control (turf field availability) is pretty silly. Oh, and FYI, although it's not an out of conference game, our coach has been on the phone all afternoon trying to find an alternate field to play on if LMU won't let us this weekend; we do the best with what we have and I'm sure all other programs do as well...

[TrojanLaxman5]

Chapman vs. UCLA

3 min left in 3rd Quarter

Chapman 7, UCLA 2

More updates to follow as I get them (if I'm able)...

[bste_lax]

Chapman vs. UCLA

3 min left in 3rd Quarter

Chapman 7, UCLA 2

Interesting a little. Some people have talked down Chapmen as losing some and UCLA had sort of been talked up as improving alot. Aside from UCSB so far, the WCLL looks a little more unpredictable this year compared to past.

[TrojanLaxman5]

Chapman vs. UCLA

FINAL (unofficial)

Chapman 11, UCLA 5

Our coaches said that Chapman moved the ball well but UCLA didn't play particularly strong tonight. Maybe Chapman is better than everyone's been giving them credit for on the board...

[the lax]

THANK god Chapman. Good recovery Coach Donnelly.

By the way, Chapman has Nike jerseys.

[jimmy]

Maybe Chapman is better than everyone's been giving them credit for on the board...

That's why we play the game.
Unless you are CSU,BYU, and UCSB there will always be doubt about a team's legitimacy. It's all about, your last game...contender or pretender. Chapman still has alot of work to do to become a contender.

Joe

[CPLaxGM]

I want to thank JTLAX for his staggering insight on playing games in the rain. In all my years of playing and coaching, I had never considered finding a turf field to play on. Wow, our problems are now solved. Thanks.

Sarcasm aside, for us there is not a turf field within a 100 mile radius, and that's no exaggeration. I have never seen it, but I hear that UCSB has a new turf field on campus; if that's the case that would be the closest one to SLO just over 100 miles away. As for backup grass fields, in our many years as a team we have managed to get kicked off, banned, and exiled from every available field in the area. In the past, we have even resorted to unapproved commandeering of fields, which nearly got us banned from the university.

I am certainly not unsympathetic to JTLAX' complaint about traveling to Stanford and having their games cancelled. In the late 1990's, when we were in Division B North we made the 11 hour trip to Humboldt only to have the game cancelled. Needless to say, we weren't pleased. And that's exactly the kind of situation we are trying to avoid. According to WCLL rules, we have to notify a team 48 hours prior to a possible cancellation, and no less than 24 hours before an actual cancellation. The problem is that our school could care less about the WCLL rules. So if we tell a team on Friday morning that the game is on, and then the school cancels on us on Saturday even though they gave us the go ahead the day before (which has happened) than we are screwed. Then we have to make the game up at the opposing team's field, and possibly pay for their wasted travel expenses (as ruled by the league in past years).

I don't actually disagree with some of what JTLAX is saying. If we were hosting a team from out of state this weekend, with plane tickets already purchased and plans already set in stone, than we would find a way to make it work. I am not sure how, but we would try to find a way. If we have to cancel a game with a California team, than we almost always can find another game date later on in the year. We are working on rescheduling the game with UCSD, and I am confident that game will still get played this season.

With the flash flood warnings in effect for most of southern California this weekend, I am guessing that there will be a lot of postponed games these next couple of days. With the mudslides that hit the southland during the last major storm, I don't think anyone that doesn't absolutely have to travel is going to want to be out on the roads down here this weekend.

Marc Lea
CP Lacrosse

[Bluevelvet]

I want to thank JTLAX for his staggering insight on playing games in the rain. In all my years of playing and coaching, I had never considered finding a turf field to play on. Wow, our problems are now solved. Thanks.

Sarcasm aside, for us there is not a turf field within a 100 mile radius, and that's no exaggeration. I have never seen it, but I hear that UCSB has a new turf field on campus; if that's the case that would be the closest one to SLO just over 100 miles away.

My sentiments exactly. What an arrogant post by jtlax.
Before lacrosse became a CIF sport in 2002, there were 3 turf fields in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Only 2 were available for lacrosse. Berkeley High, James Logan High (no lacrosse team) and Cal. There maybe a few more now. Piedmont has one. SI prep may have one, but they are scarce even in Nor Cal. In the Southland they don't get enough rain to build turf fields. They just close the grass fields for a day or 2, until it dries out, and then play the game at a later time.

[sdsuspect4L]

On the subject. Chico's game tonight vs. Cal got canceled because of rain and there are no other fields under lights. But Cal v washington and Chico v. Wash will be played rain or shine.

[TrojanLaxman5]

USC at LMU is cancelled for tomorrow, but will likely be rescheduled for Monday at 1pm. More details as soon as we know...

[CATLAX MAN]

As of right now (4:00 PST), the SB v. Whittier game is still on, barring another major downpour. It still could be cancelled, but it has not been yet. The SB v. UCSD will be played on the new SB turf field, so that is on for sure.

[CATLAX MAN]

The 2 Santa Clara games scheduled for this weekend (vs. Gonzaga & Dominican) have been moved from Santa Clara to the Dominican University field in Marin County. Dates & times remain the same.