Don Jones Kiddie Lax Est. 2016
Don Jones Kiddie Lax was created in honor of the late Don Jones whom, unexpectedly passed in 2015. He was an integral part of the Chester Mendham Lacrosse program. The Jones family established the Kiddie Lax Program in his honor and to carry out his mission to evolve the CMLAX program. The program provides all new Kindergarten and 1st graders their first lacrosse stick. Don firmly believed “If you just get the stick into the child’s hand at an early age and make it FUN they will fall in love with the game”. In addition to starter equipment, new joiners get six weeks of learn to play lacrosse sessions. These sessions are filled with the sound of children giggling with excitement while learning game FUNdamentals of lacrosse. This is the exact spirit of lacrosse that Don wanted everyone to experience.
About Don and CMLax
Growing up Don played box lacrosse in the summer in Canada. He was also a member of the Montclair State Lacrosse Team. The Jones family first joined CMLax community when their son Trevor was in 2nd grade. The 2nd/3rd grade program was getting off the ground. The coaches used whatever was available including plastic sticks and bike helmets. It was FUN! It accomplished the job of “Getting the stick into a child’s hands”. When it came time for Trevor to join the 4th grade team Don embraced the role of being the head coach for the 4th and 5th grade boys team.
Don was a CM Lax coach for 10 years. The first 5 years he went on to develop and guide an amazing group of boys that included his son Trevor all the way through 8th grade. Don was always thinking about what the teams needed to learn/know/do to be successful at the next level. The 8th grade team practice emulated the high school team’s practice. This made for a successfully transitions. The players did not any bad habits and knew the team drills. He also helped foster girls’ lacrosse. Here he played the role of dad having one on one father daughter lacrosse time.
Striving to be at the next level meant much more than a structured practices. Don fostered a sense of community within the lacrosse world. He organized various outings to Mendham high school games as well as college Final Four lacrosse game. Mr. and Mrs. Jones attended all of their son’s high school and college game. The numbers speak for themselves 12 of the 8th grader boys players that Don mentored went on to play lacrosse in college at D1,D2, or D3 colleges. CM Lax gave the fundamentals to be successful at the next level.
After his son finished college Don jumped back in CMLax for another 5 years! This time he focused his efforts on the 8th grade program. This allowed him to implement lessons learned from years of coaching and observing. He had a well thought-out plan to make the program everything it needed to be for his grandchildren to join and be equip with the tools to win a state championship: FUNdamentals, community, and leveling-up.
Don Jones CM LAX FUNdamentals:
- FUNdamentals – “Get the stick in the child’s hand and with time it will become an extension of the body”
- Leveling-Up - Provide next level coaching and support.
- Community – CMLax is always supporting you! It’s a club you are in forever! No matter if you play in hs or college it’s a community build upon support!
Visionary Coach
Don was an all-star coach whom made it appoint to “develop every player at every level”. He gave the game an immeasurable amount of dedication through years of commitment, planning, continuous education, and love. It has paid itself forward 10-fold providing a program for ALL children to fall in love with the game. Spring 2023 three of his grandchildren will be member of CMLAX and 1 more will be joining in 2 years. We are forever grateful for his contributions.
Registration instructions
Please read program overviews for our respective Boys and Girls Programs as well as grade level offerings. Our website combines our Boys and Girls Pre-K, K through 8th grade registrations as well as the annual renewal of US Lacrosse member registration online which is required by all players and coaches for insurance protection.
We also encourage you to VOLUNTEER this Spring season as we want to grow the sport among our youth by offering more training and develop a bigger LAX spirit within our communities. Thank you!
Registration Instructions: Parents will need to click on REGISTER ONLINE button (on top right or left of home page) and then sign in with EMAIL address only. The site will then automatically return a PASSWORD to your email account which parents can then change during child’s registration process. Please select Boys or Girls on pull down tab and drill down to appropriate age group for current school year to register your children. There will be at least 2 points to submit credit card information for EACH CHILD as system now automatically renews the required US Lacrosse membership [$30 children and coaches $55] directly to US Lacrosse AND then returns to complete CMLAX registration & payment. Receipt confirmations are returned via email. WE RECOMMEND PAYING FOR EACH CHILD SEPARATELY AT END OF EACH REGISTRATION.
If you experience problems with your US lacrosse member ID # during registration contact them at 410-235-6882. You MUST RENEW annually and a full 12 months is added to end date even if not expired. Once paid expiration date will update and then send you back to cmlax section.
Please ensure parents list an active email and cell # that is visible on roster at a minimum for communications of all games/practices/weather updates in Spring.
Additionally, volunteer COACHES/asst coaches will be able to register in same manner. If you coach both Boys and Girls then please register twice. See the top 2 boxes to volunteer in Register Online. Coaches/Committee and Board members should list their email/cell # as “public” for easier communication from entire membership. Upcoming training clinics posted below and on right.