MCLA Eligibility

[James Foote]

If this is covered already, my apologies. I didn't have any luck finding any info. But here is my situation:

I played two years of ball at UCF for the 2003 and 2004 spring seasons. I have heard that you have 6 consecutive years in which you can play 4 years of ball. I'm at Colorado-Denver now and am playing for the Metro State Men's Team (same campus, players from both schools can play). We are an independent club team this year but are hoping to join the RMLC for the 2008 season. If the rule is 4 consecutive years, I'm in a tough spot. If not, let me know. Thanks in advance for your help.

[SDSULAX]

You have 4 years to play, you can take your whole life to play them if you are in school and otherwise eligible.

[Dulax31]

You have 4 years to play, you can take your whole life to play them if you are in school and otherwise eligible.

http://forums.collegelax.us/viewtopic.p ... sc&start=0

[univduke21]

After your first year, you must are allowed 4 years of time, and it must be completed within 6 years of the start date.

[Danny Hogan]

not in division 3 or MCLA

SDSU has it right

[Beta]

I agree, SDSU is correct...I recently inquired on that same subject.

If you only had 4 years to play your last 3 seasons after your first...BYU's brothers on their missions wouldn't be eligible after their 2 year trip that is usually taken starting age 19, 20, 21..ish.

[John Paul]

However, if you are playing for a college club team now, even if it's not MCLA, you are burning a year of your four. Any college team counts, no matter how loose it is, as long as it's recognized by the school as a school organization/team.

[UofMLaxGoalie11]

So lets say in some "hypothetical" situation, Player A attends University X for one year but never suits up or plays a game, then transfers to University Y for a couple years. Can Player A then transfer back to University X at any time down the road and still play for the duration of his time there as long as it is 4 years or less?

[John Paul]

Yes

[James Foote]

However, if you are playing for a college club team now, even if it's not MCLA, you are burning a year of your four. Any college team counts, no matter how loose it is, as long as it's recognized by the school as a school organization/team.

Thanks for your help. I'll be in grad school next year and was hoping I'd have one year left.

[OAKS]

However, if you are playing for a college club team now, even if it's not MCLA, you are burning a year of your four. Any college team counts, no matter how loose it is, as long as it's recognized by the school as a school organization/team.

Thanks for your help. I'll be in grad school next year and was hoping I'd have one year left.

Except that for the MCLA, your grad school has to be the same school as your undergrad for you to have eligibility. If you did take undergrad classes out there, I would guess you would still be eligible though.

I personally feel this rule needs to be revised now that any year of playing at any college counts toward MCLA eligibility. I'm guessing it was originally put in place to keep varsity guys who are getting grad degrees from stacking MCLA teams, but if they still have eligibility left, why not let them play?

[Danny Hogan]

i think it was originally changed so that guys who played on established club teams (UF, FSU, Oakland) dont' get a fresh eligibility clock because they finally joined the MCLA.

When UF joined the USLIA in 2001, we were all technically "freshman". They changed the rule around 2002 or 2003 to encompass all years played on a school-recognized team.

[DwinsChamps]

However, if you are playing for a college club team now, even if it's not MCLA, you are burning a year of your four. Any college team counts, no matter how loose it is, as long as it's recognized by the school as a school organization/team.

Hmm. I know of a few people who have transferred from non-MCLA schools, after playing a year of recognized club lacrosse, into MCLA schools. Yet, they didn't lose any eligibility. Have violations occured?

As for OAKS' comment, I'd like to know more about the reasoning behind the "grad school" rule. I was hoping to finish my MCLA eligibility by playing a season, in grad school, at the U of Texas....this rule is disconcerting.

[James Foote]

However, if you are playing for a college club team now, even if it's not MCLA, you are burning a year of your four. Any college team counts, no matter how loose it is, as long as it's recognized by the school as a school organization/team.

Thanks for your help. I'll be in grad school next year and was hoping I'd have one year left.

Except that for the MCLA, your grad school has to be the same school as your undergrad for you to have eligibility. If you did take undergrad classes out there, I would guess you would still be eligible though.

I personally feel this rule needs to be revised now that any year of playing at any college counts toward MCLA eligibility. I'm guessing it was originally put in place to keep varsity guys who are getting grad degrees from stacking MCLA teams, but if they still have eligibility left, why not let them play?

Definitely. I'll still be at CU-Denver for grad school. I knew the rules changed early on and but hadn't been concerned with them because I thought my playing days in the MCLA were over. I moved out here to coach, but things worked out and have been able to play. Either way, I'll have one year left and that's as far as I plan on taking it.

[Bronco1]

I'm going to be falling into the "Grad School Student-Player" category next year. I will be attending the same school where I received my undergraduate degree, but just out of curiosity, how many credits do I need to take to be eligible in the Spring '08? John Paul, can you help me out with this one?