Winter 2025 – 2026 Season

There will be two Indianapolis Checkers Teams during the 2025-2026 Winter Season, each with an active roster size of 19-22 players and a practice roster size of 10-12 players.

(1) 2032/33 Peewee Team – Includes players graduating from high school in 2032 and 2033. However, a player cannot turn 13 before June 1, 2026. In that case, players must be born on or after June 1, 2013; otherwise, they must play up with our Bantam team. We will also consider exceptional 2034 players for this team.

(2) 2030/31 Bantam Team – Includes players graduating from high school in 2030 and 2031. However, a player cannot turn 15 before June 1, 2026. In that case, players must be born on or after June 1, 2011; otherwise, they must play up one age division (known as “Midget”). Since we do not currently have a Midget team, any 8th grader born before June 1, 2011, is welcome to join our Bantam practice roster. Then, if they are interested, we will help him find free-agent opportunities with other teams participating in the same tournaments this winter.

Peewee & Bantam Practice Rosters: We will accept 10–12 players as practice-only members on each team. The practice roster may be the best option for your son if he is unable to attend our scheduled tournaments, wants to test out his interest in box lacrosse, and/or wants to develop his skills. Practice roster players are encouraged to attend as many practices as possible to continue learning and improving their box lacrosse skills. It is always possible that a practice roster player could be invited to the active roster for a tournament weekend (at a single-tournament cost) due to circumstances such as illness, injury, or unforeseen scheduling conflicts.

Schedule & Cost Details

Tryouts: Tryout Registration ($40)

• • Location: Union FC Indy (5616 S 700 E, Whitestown, IN 46075)
  • Sunday, November 2
    • 2032/33: Peewee 8:00 am – 10:00 am
    • 2030/31: Bantam 10:00 am – Noon
  • Tuesday, November 4
    • 2032/33: Peewee 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
    • 2030/31: Bantam 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
  • Tryout Registration ($40)
    • Tryout Pinnie Included
    • Option for purchasing discounted equipment (kidney pads & bicep pads)
• Schedule: Sunday, December 7 – Sunday, January 25
  • Holiday Break December 22 – January 4
• 2 Tournaments
  • Champions Cup – Columbus, OH on December 20 – 21 (turf)
  • Great Lax Box Classic – Canton, MI on January 24 – 25 (turf)
• Team Practices
  • Four, two-hour practices
  • Sunday Mornings on December 7, December 14, January 11, and January 18
  • Peewee: 8:30 am – 10:30 am
  • Bantam: 10:00 am – Noon
  • Location: Union FC Indy, 5616 S 700 E, Whitestown, IN 46075
  • Surface: Turf (cleats and turf shoes permitted)
• Optional. Skills & Scrimmage Sessions
  • Four, 90-minute sessions
  • Tuesday Evenings on December 9, December 16, January 13, and January 20
  • All Ages: 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
  • Location: Ellenberger Park, 5301 E St Clair St, Indianapolis, IN 46219
  • Surface: Sport Court (only gym/gum-bottom shoes permitted; no cleats or turf shoes)
• In-Progress Play Day in Indianapolis
  • We are working to host exhibition games at Ellenberger Park on Sunday, January 4, with other Midwest teams, including the Louisville Monarchs, Resolute, and East Ave. During this time, we may also combine our active and practice rosters for formal scrimmages.
• Costs
  • Player Registration (Active Roster): $650 – Includes 8 practices totaling 14 hours, 2 tournaments with professional photo and video content captured, and 1 tentative home play day.
    • Monthly Payment Plan Available: $50 due by 11/9 (upon registration), $300 due by 12/9, and $300 due by 1/9
  • Indianapolis Checkers Uniform: $120 – Includes home jersey, away jersey, and shorts (if not already owned), and is required for Active Roster players.
  • Player Registration (Practice Roster): $300 – Includes 8 practices totaling 14 hours, and 1 tentative home play day. The Indianapolis Checkers uniform is optional for practice roster players. Wearing the Indianapolis Checkers tryout pinnie is suitable.
    • Monthly Payment Plan Available: $50 due by 11/9 (upon registration), $125 due by 12/9, and $125 due by 1/9

Two Tryout Options

• Primary, 2-Hour Tryout on Sunday, November 2nd, 2025
  • Peewee: 8:00 am – 10:00 am
  • Bantam: 10:00 am – Noon
  • Location: Union FC Indy, 5616 S 700 E, Whitestown, IN 46075
  • Surface: Turf (cleats and turf shoes permitted)
  • Cost: $40 (Reversible, Indianapolis Checkers Pinnie Included)
  • Tryout Registration Link

• Alternative Option is a  1-hour tryout on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025
  • Peewee: 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
  • Bantam: 8:00 pm – 9:00 pm
  • Location: Union FC Indy, 5616 S 700 E, Whitestown, IN 46075
  • Surface: Turf (cleats and turf shoes permitted)
  • Cost: $40 (Reversible, Indianapolis Checkers Pinnie Included)
  • Tryout Registration Link

Post Tryouts Expectations

After tryouts, players will be invited to the active roster or the practice roster in waves and have up to one week to confirm their acceptance by registering for the season. It’s also likely that some players will not be invited to either roster due to their experience and readiness levels for competitive box lacrosse. We will work directly with those families to offer training and skill development opportunities this Winter.

• Active Roster Players will be expected to commit to attending at least three of our four team practices, as many Skills & Scrimmage sessions as possible, and both of the scheduled tournaments in Columbus, OH, and Canton, MI.
• Practice Roster Players are invited to attend as many of our four team practices as possible, all four skills, and scrimmage sessions in order to continue to learn about and develop their box lacrosse game. It’s always possible that a practice roster player is invited to the active roster for a tournament weekend due to various circumstances. Additionally, the practice roster might be the best, proactive option for your son if he’s unable to make the tournament and still wants the skill development time.

Additional Equipment:

Box lacrosse requires two additional pieces of equipment and an alternative helmet option.

McFly Lacrosse has a limited, discounted inventory of the required additional equipment available for purchase when registering for tryouts.

1. [Required] Rib Guards / Kidney Pads / aka “Ribbies” (~$49)– These are a necessary investment for box lacrosse due to the ability to set moving screens and off-ball picks. Cross-checking is legal in box lacrosse. Suggested options include the Warrior Fatboy Next Rib Guards, of which I encourage you to measure your child to ensure proper sizing. Or the Gait GC3 Box Lacrosse Kidney Pads. We’re seeing more of these pads being worn in the field lacrosse game today.
2. [Required] Bicep Pads ($39 to $49) – These are an important investment for box lacrosse due to the defensive techniques that allow for cross-checking into the bicep area. These larger bicep pads take all the impact. Suggested options include the Warrior Fatboy Box Lacrosse Bicep Pads, specifically the Junior size (suitable for this age group), and the Maverik Max Lacrosse Bicep Pad.
3. [Optional] Box Lacrosse Helmet (~$199) – The typical lacrosse field helmet has a brim to block the sun. Indoors, you do not need that, so you can wear a different helmet that also provides a slightly better field of view. The CBX Box Helmet is a good option for youth players. Please ensure that you measure your son’s head before purchasing to ensure a correct fit. You are more than welcome to wear a traditional, field lacrosse helmet, and most youth players do.
4. Goalie Equipment – McFly Lacrosse will have three sets of the additional, required goalie equipment on-site for use, including uppers, pants, legs, and box-lacrosse-specific gloves. All goalies should provide their own personal helmet with throat protector, goalie stick, and athletic supporter.

Additional Protection / Insurance

McFLy Lacrosse and the Indianapolis Checkers are working to become a member program of the USBOXLA. In the meantime, individual US Box Lacrosse Association membership is required per player for $45 per year here: https://membership-usboxla.wildapricot.org/