U17 Overage Players

U17 Overage Player Options in Ontario Lacrosse

From non-contact and modified-contact programs to progressive minor divisions, the “A” Qualifier Program, EPIC Lacrosse, Team Ontario, and elite Junior and Senior leagues, Ontario Lacrosse offers the most comprehensive player development pathway in Canada.

Anchored in Sport Canada’s Long-Term Athlete Development (LTAD) model, the Ontario Lacrosse player development pathway is designed to guide athletes through age-appropriate training and competition opportunities at every stage.

This page provides an overview of the opportunities available to overage U17 players within the OLA. The pathways outlined reflect the most common options and are intended to help players and families make informed decisions that align with their goals and aspirations in the sport.

Definitions

The following definitions are provided to more clearly understand the terms used on this page.

  • A Junior team with access to U17 and/or U22 players under OLA regulations. Team affiliations are either automatic (between teams in the same municipality) or negotiated (between teams outside of their municipality).

    Reference: R6.08; R7.05(c); MR5.03(a); MR5.01

  • A Junior team with limited access to U17 and/or U22 players under OLA regulations

    Reference: R8.01(b); R8.03; MR5.08; MR5.09

  • The minor lacrosse Association which organizes and governs minor lacrosse programs within a municipal boundary.

  • The annual, national Junior “A” lacrosse championship tournament between the provincial champions from Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.

  • The annual, national Junior “B” lacrosse championship tournament between the provincial champions from across Canada.

  • Distance from the player’s residential address to the closest municipal boundary of an OLA Association having a team(s) for which the player is eligible. Applicable to U22 player options.

    Reference: MR2.09(b);

  • Distance from the player’s residential address to the closest municipal boundary of an OLA Junior club. If the difference in distance between the two (or more) closest municipalities with a Junior team is 8 km or less, the player may choose between the two (or more) teams. Applicable to Junior player options.

    Reference: R6.26(a)

  • Tiered levels of competition for overage U17 and U22 players toward most competitive: Junior “C”→ Junior “B”→ OJLL

  • Refers to teams of 17-21 year-olds competing in the OLA Junior “A”, “B” or “C” leagues.

  • The residence rule in the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) pertains to the eligibility of players based on their place of residence (i.e.: players play where they live). This rule mandates players play with the club in the municipality in which they reside (unless released by that club to the next closest centre).

    Reference: R5.06; MR2.10; MR2.11; MR3.02; MR3.04(a)

  • Most elite level of Junior competition sanctioned by the Ontario Lacrosse Association (also known as Junior “A” lacrosse).

  • Junior “A” League Draft of overage U17 players held annually in January. Each OJLL franchise selects two players eligible from minor organizations operating outside of Junior “A” centres.

    Reference: R6.32 to R6.40

  • Refers to the approval/permission granted by a U22 or Junior team holding a player’s rights for that player to participate with another Junior team on a temporary basis. Permission to Run/Try Out is not a release.

  • To properly complete a registration in the online OLA registration program.

    Reference: OR1.1; OR11.1; R6.03; R6.25; MR2.01; MR2.02; MR2.04(a); MR2.08; MR2.09(a); MR3.09;

  • A formal approval by an Association for a player to participate with a team in the next closest centre to his residential address (minor) or by a Junior club to trade a player to another Junior team (Junior).

    Reference: R6.07; R6.12; R6.15(b); R6.25; R6.26; R6. 27; R6.28(a); R6.29(a); R6.31(a); R6.34(f); R6.34(g); R6.35

  • A formal approval by an Association for a U22 player to participate with a team outside of his residential address or by a Junior club to another Junior club of a higher skill level without next closest club considerations.

    Reference: R6.31(a)

  • The permanent address is the location where a person resides. Temporary addresses for the purpose of high school, college and/or university are not considered permanent addresses for the application of the OLA Residence Rule

  • The player is officially listed as a team member eligible to participate in a specific season or competition. Prior to online registration, the term was used interchangeably with the term “signed”.

  • Recognized OLA minor competition age division for 17–21 year-old players.

I AM A U17 OVERAGE PLAYER WITH JUNIOR AND/OR U22 TEAM(S) IN THE SAME MUNICIPALITY IN WHICH I RESIDE

MY PLAYER OPTIONS ARE:

  1. Register online and continue to play for your minor lacrosse Association with their U22 team.

  2. Register online with your minor lacrosse Association U22 team and may be directly released to any Junior team in the province, with the approval of the highest skill level Junior team in your municipality.

  3. Should you not be rostered by the U22 team or should your minor lacrosse Association not offer a U22 team for you to play on, your option is to register and play with the next closest minor lacrosse Association that offers a U22 program.

  4. Register to try out for the Junior team(s) in the same municipality in which you reside. If rostered, play with your Junior team.

  5. Should you not be rostered by the Junior team(s) in the same municipality in which you reside, your option is to register and roster with the next closest Junior lacrosse program. Your local Junior and/or U22 team(s) will supply a RELEASE to proceed to the next closest Junior lacrosse program.

  6. Should you wish to try out for a Junior team(s) of a higher skill category than the team(s) in the same municipality in which you reside, your option is to register and try out with the next closest higher skill category Junior lacrosse program. Your local Junior and/or U22 team(s) will supply a PERMISSION TO RUN/TRY OUT email to proceed with the try out. Prior to rostering with the next closest higher skill category Junior team, you may return to roster and play with your resident team(s).

  7. If an OJLL (Junior “A”) team operates in the same municipality in which you reside, you may play with their Junior affiliated team.

I AM A U17 OVERAGE PLAYER WITHout JUNIOR AND/OR U22 TEAM(S) IN THE SAME MUNICIPALITY IN WHICH I RESIDE

MY PLAYER OPTIONS ARE:

  1. Register and play with the next closest minor lacrosse Association that offers a U22 program.

  2. Register with the next closest minor lacrosse Association that offers a U22 program and may be directly released to any Junior team in the province.

  3. Register to try out for the Junior team(s) in the next closest municipality to your residential address. If rostered, play with that Junior team, which now becomes your home club for purposes of the OLA residence rule.

  4. Should you not be rostered by the Junior team(s) in the next closest municipality to your residential address, you may continue to explore Junior tryout opportunities with Junior team(s) next closest to your residential address. Junior Team(s) will supply a RELEASE to proceed to the next closest Junior lacrosse program.

I AM A U17 OVERAGE PLAYER DRAFTED BY A Junior A TEAM

MY PLAYER OPTIONS ARE:

  • Register and roster with the Ontario Junior “A” Lacrosse League (OJLL) team to which you were drafted. Your opportunity to play in the OJLL remains exclusively with the team drafting you, or should your player rights be traded, with a competing OJLL team.

  • Register and roster with the Junior “B”, Junior “C” or U22 team in the same municipality in which you reside.

  • Should there be no Junior “B”, Junior “C” or U22 team in the municipality in which you reside, try out for the Junior “B”, Junior “C” or U22 team in the next closest municipality to your residential address. If rostered, play with that Junior “B”, Junior “C” or U22 team, which now becomes your home club for purposes of the OLA residence rule.

    Notes:

  • Should you roster with any Junior “B”, Junior “C” or U22 team, you are eligible to play an unlimited number of OJLL regular season, playoff and/or Minto Cup games, with your drafted team.

  • As a drafted player, rostered or unrostered, you are restricted to OJLL participation with the team to which you were drafted.

More information