1st START LACROSSE Register
Young children running with lacrosse sticks at a 1st Start session

Their first stick.
Their first team.
Their first goal.

The starter program for kids ages 3 to 9 across the Philly area — learning the basics of the game, having a blast doing it, going home proud. No experience needed. Just bring a stick and sneakers.

Beginner friendlyMost kids have never held a stick.
Bring a stickAnd sneakers or cleats. Nothing else.
Parents stayYou're there for the whole session.
One hour a weekShort enough for little attention spans.
How it works

No experience necessary

1

Pick your location

Five locations across the Main Line, Delco, and Philadelphia.

2

Bring a stick and sneakers

Cleats work too, but sneakers are all they need. No pads, no helmet — nothing else to buy before you know whether they like it.

3

Play the season

One hour a week of games, drills disguised as games, and water breaks. They leave tired, grinning, and with a favorite coach.

Two programs

1st Start and BuildUp

Most families start with 1st Start and move to BuildUp when their child is ready.

Start here

1st Start

ages 3 to 7 · no experience

An hour a week of games, first catches and first goals. Most kids arrive having never held a stick.

  • Bring a stick and sneakers — that's the whole kit
  • Sixty minutes a week, five locations
  • Parents stay on the sideline for the full session
when they're ready
The next step

BuildUp

ages 5½ to 9 · some experience

For players who've done a season or two and want a real challenge. Full gear, real sticks, boys and girls coached separately.

  • Boys in helmet, gloves and pads · girls in goggles
  • Capped at 20 per side, so coaching stays close
  • Not for complete beginners — 1st Start comes first

Not sure which fits? Email Coach John — he'll tell you straight, including what gear to buy.

Schedule

WINTER 2026–27 ages 3 to 9

Registration is through LeagueApps, which adds an $8 processing fee.

Kids raising their sticks together at the end of a session
sticks up, every week
The whole group and their coaches after a session
coach in the shark suit, obviously
What to expect

One hour that feels like recess

Sessions are sixty minutes with water breaks built in. Coaches are experienced players who are very good with small humans having a big day.

  • Bring your own stick. Sneakers or cleats, either is fine.
  • Boys and girls play together, split by age when it helps.
  • Parents stay for the whole session — that one isn't optional.
  • Shy kids are normal. Coaches are used to a slow first week.
Parents ask

The questions we get most

Does my child need any equipment?

A stick, and sneakers or cleats — either works. (Most kids wear sneakers.) That's the whole list: no pads, no helmet, no goggles at 1st Start. If you're not sure which stick, email Coach John before you buy one.

My child is three. Is that too young?

Three is our starting age, and plenty of our players are exactly that. Sessions are built around short games and constant movement for that reason.

What happens if it rains?

We'll email you as early as we can, and advise about potential make-up sessions.

Do I need to stay and watch?

Yes — we ask that a parent or guardian stays for the whole session. Most want to anyway; it's the best hour of the week.

What if my child is shy and won't join in?

Very common, and completely fine. Coaches are used to a first week spent watching from the edge. Almost every kid is in the middle of it by week two or three.

Who’s playing?

The player’s details, exactly as you’d like coaches to have them.

Parent or guardian

Who we’ll email about the session, and who to call if we need to.

Before the first session

Two things every family agrees to, and the waiver.

Read the waiver

John’s participant waiver and release goes here, word for word — the same text parents agree to on LeagueApps today.

Review and pay

Total

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    Join the waitlist

    This session is full. If a spot opens, Coach John emails families in the order they joined.

    You’re on the list

    Preview: on the live site, this adds you to John’s waitlist and sends a confirmation email.