FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

July 30, 2020

TORONTO, ON—The Ontario Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse League (OJALL) board of governors voted on July 17, 2020 to extend league eligibility to 22U beginning in 2021. This change to the league’s policy paper would allow all players who have not reached their 22nd birthday by January 1 of each playing year the ability to play Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse in Ontario.

Canadian Lacrosse Association (CLA) and Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) rules currently limit junior age players to five seasons of competition from the ages of 17 to 21. However, the CLA voted recently to extend the Midget division to include 17 year olds—a change set to take effect in 2022. If the Ontario Lacrosse Association (OLA) takes direction from the CLA, the decision made by the OJALL would restore league eligibility to five years within one year. 

“This is something the league has been discussing for a long time,” said Board Chair Jason Shuttleworth. “It shouldn’t be viewed as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic—we believe extending junior eligibility to 22U aligns with the current competitive lacrosse landscape.”

The extension to 22U will allow all players who were eligible to play in the COVID-19-cancelled season the ability to restore a season of competition—this decision was especially important to players who were approaching the end of junior eligibility in 2020 and OJALL teams will not exclude them from competing in any championships the league is involved with.

The league is set to make a number of announcements ahead of its return to play. For the latest news and updates follow OJALL on Twitter and Instagram. 

ABOUT THE OJALL

The Ontario Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse League (OJALL), founded in 1933, is a Canadian junior men’s box lacrosse league based in Ontario, Canada. The OJALL currently consists of eleven (11) teams located in southern Ontario and is widely considered the most competitive junior men’s box lacrosse league in the world.

MEDIA CONTACT

PR@ontariojuniorlacrosse.com