Lightning and Severe Weather Policy

This policy applies to all programs, leagues, camps, clinics, practices, games, tournaments, and other activities operated by L4 Lacrosse LLC, including the Bluegrass Lacrosse League.

The safety of athletes, coaches, officials, staff members, and spectators is the highest priority of L4 Lacrosse. Weather conditions will be monitored before and throughout all outdoor activities. L4 Lacrosse may delay, suspend, modify, relocate, postpone, or cancel an activity whenever weather conditions create a potential safety risk.

When Play Will Be Suspended

All outdoor activity will be suspended immediately when:

• Thunder is heard;

• Lightning is seen;

• A lightning-detection system or weather-monitoring service indicates an immediate threat;

• A severe thunderstorm warning, tornado warning, or other dangerous-weather warning affects the playing location;

• High winds, hail, heavy rain, flooding, or field conditions create an unsafe environment; or

• An L4 Lacrosse representative, facility representative, athletic trainer, official, or other qualified authority determines that conditions are unsafe.

​

If thunder can be heard, lightning is close enough to present a danger. Activities will be suspended even when it is not raining at the field.

Once a suspension is announced, all play, warmups, practices, and other field activities must stop immediately. Players may not remain on the field, use an adjacent field, play catch, or return to the playing area until L4 Lacrosse has officially authorized a return.

Safe Shelter

Players, coaches, officials, staff members, and spectators must leave the field and seek shelter immediately.

Approved shelter includes:

• A substantial, fully enclosed building with electrical wiring and plumbing; or

• A fully enclosed, hard-topped vehicle with the windows closed.

If no approved building is immediately available, families should return to their personal vehicles. Players should remain with their parent or guardian whenever possible. Coaches are not responsible for supervising players inside individual family vehicles.

The following locations are not safe lightning shelters:

• Tents or team canopies;

• Pavilions or picnic shelters;

• Dugouts or covered benches;

• Sheds or small outdoor structures;

• Porches, overhangs, or carports;

• Golf carts or other open vehicles;

• Areas under or near trees;

• Fences, light poles, goals, bleachers, or other metal objects; and

• Any open area near the playing field.

No individual should remain outside to watch the storm, retrieve equipment, take photographs, or wait for additional instructions.

​

Required Waiting Period

Outdoor activity may not resume until at least 30 continuous minutes have passed since the last observed lightning flash or the last sound of thunder.

Each new flash of lightning or sound of thunder restarts the 30-minute waiting period.

The end of rain, appearance of sunlight, or movement of a storm away from the field does not eliminate the required waiting period. Participants must remain in approved shelter until L4 Lacrosse provides an official all-clear.

Severe Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, and High Winds

When a severe thunderstorm warning, tornado warning, or destructive-wind warning affects the facility, all participants and spectators must follow instructions from L4 Lacrosse, facility management, emergency officials, and local authorities.

During a tornado warning, individuals should move to the facility’s designated severe-weather shelter when one is available. If sheltering inside a building, move to a small interior room on the lowest available level, away from windows and exterior doors.

Activities will remain suspended until the applicable warning has expired, the immediate threat has passed, and L4 Lacrosse determines that the facility and playing conditions are safe.

Authority to Suspend and Resume Play

An L4 Lacrosse Site Director or designated L4 Lacrosse representative will monitor conditions and has the authority to delay, suspend, modify, postpone, or cancel an activity.

Game officials, facility management, athletic trainers, emergency personnel, and other qualified authorities may also stop play when they identify an immediate safety concern.

The decision to resume an L4 Lacrosse or Bluegrass Lacrosse League activity will be made by the L4 Lacrosse Site Director or designated representative, in consultation with game officials, facility management, medical personnel, or emergency authorities when appropriate.

Coaches, teams, players, and spectators may not independently resume activity. An official all-clear from L4 Lacrosse is required before anyone returns to the field.

L4 Lacrosse may cancel the remainder of an activity when repeated delays, approaching storms, field conditions, darkness, facility limitations, or scheduling restrictions make a safe return impractical.

Communication

Weather delays, resumptions, schedule changes, and cancellations will be communicated through available league channels, which may include announcements at the facility, email, text message, the L4 Lacrosse website, the L4 Lacrosse app, or social media.

Families should continue monitoring official communication while remaining in approved shelter. A lack of immediate communication does not authorize anyone to leave shelter or return to the field.

Individual Safety Decisions

Parents and guardians may remove their athlete from an activity at any time if they believe conditions are unsafe. An athlete will not be penalized for following a parent or guardian’s reasonable safety decision.

L4 Lacrosse LLC reserves the right to take precautions beyond the minimum requirements of this policy whenever circumstances warrant. No game, practice, camp, clinic, or league activity takes priority over participant safety.