Weather Policy

Tournament Cancelation - In the event of the total cancellation of the Liberty Lacrosse Shootout due to actual or threatening weather conditions, teams will receive their pre-ordered player T-shirts and a partial refund of their Tournament registration fee.

• The Tournament has fixed costs and expenses relating to field rental and facilities, equipment rentals, event planning, marketing, website hosting/maintenance, staging and set-up, event t-shirts design and production, insurance, staffing/personnel, administrative and other matters regardless of cancellation due to weather. Tournament organizers will use their best efforts to forward partial refunds to coaches or team administrators promptly after refund amounts are determined. Partial refunds will not exceed fifty percent (50%) of the registration fee.
• The owner of the GCVSA Line Road Field Complex, not tournament organizations, has final say whether the Tournament will take place in whole or in part, or will proceed in a modified format, due to the weather conditions. All teams are expected to respect the decisions of the owner of the field complex.
• The Tournament will endeavor to transmit updates via email to coaches if there are cancellations, postponements or delays, using contact information given to us during the registration process. Additionally, every attempt will be made to update information on the website www.libertylacrosse.com. The tournament will also try to provide updates on the Philadelphia Lacrosse Association website's Event Calendar - www.palacrosse.com Communications often take place under difficult and quickly moving circumstances. Coaches are responsible for further notifying their teams regarding the status of the Tournament.
• The Tournament will endeavor to schedule make-up games if games are cancelled in the rare case of a team failing to field a squad, whether due to weather conditions or otherwise. Efforts will depend on the willingness of other teams to play, potentially back-to-back. No refunds will be paid due to a team's failure to field a registered squad. Such a team will damage its chance to play in future tournaments.
• There are no rain dates.

Weather-Related Adjustments During the Tournament - In the event of adverse or threatening weather, including excess heat and/or humidity or un-playable field conditions, Tournament organizers reserve the right to:

• Cancel further play.
• Reduce game times in order to catch up with schedule.
• Revise the schedule.
• Interrupt and suspend games as necessary; games that are continued from the point of interruption may be subject to modified rules if they resume, as circumstances warrant.
• Finish or end games before inclement weather arrives or to preserve field conditions; games will be deemed official at the point of termination regardless of actual duration.

Additionally:

• All games canceled due to weather will be considered a 4-2 WIN for BOTH teams.
• No refunds will be issued due to any weather-related adjustments during the Tournament.
• Officials are expected to follow established safety rules and suspend games for the appropriate interval(s) of time if there are lightning strikes in the vicinity of the event (typically not less than 30 minutes after last sound of thunder or last sighting of lightening). The Tournament will resume the schedule after clearance from the Assigning Official or his designee.

Caution – Threatening Storm Conditions

• Weather conditions can change rapidly and all teams, players, coaches, parents and fans should be prepared to vacate the field in as orderly a fashion as possible and to find safety in their vehicles, whether they are located on the GCVSA Line Road Complex or off-site in the fields adjacent to the event. There is no reliable shelter on the site. Coaches and team administrators are asked to ensure that their teams vacate the field (and potentially the site) as quickly and orderly as possible.


• It is NOT ADVISABLE to seek shelter under team tents on an otherwise open field during adverse weather conditions, including lightening storms. All coaches, players and others are expected to use common sense and reasonably prudent judgment when dealing with adverse or threatening weather conditions. This includes anticipating the arrival of inclement weather, disseminating a safety plan for the team, and packing up and transporting items from the field complex in advance of arriving conditions (or leaving those items behind while seeking shelter when circumstances warrant). Please distribute parking passes to SUVs and larger cars to optimize temporary shelter on site. Please remain in vehicles until dangerous conditions have passed.

Caution – Heat Related Illness
As a reminder, coaches should communicate with all players, parents and others associated with the team to take precautions to avoid the risk of heat-related illnesses, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke. We would defer to medical journals for a more complete discussion on heat-related illnesses, but there are a few things to remember and a few precautions to take:

• Break up exposure to hot temperatures; cool off after physical exertion
  • Find shade areas under trees, tents and umbrellas
  • Limit physical exertion
  • Wear loose fitting clothing
  • Cool off in the comfort of an air conditioned car from time to time
  • Put cool, wet towels, bandannas or compresses on the shoulders or head
• Avoid dehydration – plan ahead and drink extra water to replace fluid loss.
  • Players should hydrate themselves prior to the event
  • Players should replace fluids at a rate that equals the loss of water from sweating (teams should plan to have their own water. The Tournament will endeavor to provide water coolers and/or ice on the fields.
  • Replace electrolytes by eating a small amount of food with your water or by drinking specially-formulated electrolyte replacement drinks (Gatorade will be available in Vendor Village)
  • Increase salt intake
  • Thirst is the first sign of dehydration; players should drink sufficient amounts of fluids before they feel thirsty in order to prevent dehydration
• Signs of heat-related syndromes can appear suddenly. They include:
  • Heat cramps
  • Headache
  • Fatigue
  • Feeling faint or dizzy
  • Heavy sweating
  • Nausea
  • Rapid, weak heartbeat
  • Low blood pressure
  • Cool, moist, pale skin
  • Low-grade fever
  • Heat cramps
  • Dark-colored urine
• If you suspect heat exhaustion:
  • Seek out the nearest Tournament Athletic Trainer. There is a first aid station at the Tournament Information Tent
  • Get the person out of the sun and into a shady or air-conditioned location (such as a car)
  • Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly
  • Loosen or remove the person's clothing
  • Have the person drink cool water or other nonalcoholic beverage without caffeine
  • Cool the person by spraying or sponging him or her with cool water and fanning
  • Monitor the person carefully. Heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke
  • If fever greater than 102 F (38.9 C), fainting, confusion or seizures occur, call 911 for emergency medical help.

Thank you for your patience and understanding in connection with circumstances beyond our control.