General Information


Event Description
 
The Santa Barbara Showdown is a premiere lacrosse event played in a beautiful part of the world. Santa Barbara County sits between Southern California and Central California with the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez mountains in view simultaneously from most vantages. The SB Showdown will be played at the Santa Barbara Polo Club, on the third highest rated polo surface in the United States.

Polo Club Rules

  1. No dogs allowed. Please leave your pets at home.
  2. There is no parking available for motor homes or cars with RV trailers or any vehicle that takes up more than one parking spot.
  3. There is no parking for charter buses or school buses. Those may drop off, leave, park off site and then return when your team is ready to be picked up. 

Showdown Schedule On Mobile App

Tournament Rules

U.S. Lacrosse rules for the different age groups will be used on the field at the SB Showdown unless otherwise stated here. Print them from the U.S. Lacrosse website or bring your rule book with you.

  1. Summer teams may stay together for this tournament.
  2. Home team (listed first on the schedule) wears their white jersey.
  3. Games are 20 minute running halves and a 5 minute halftime. A central clock will be used and an air horn will signal the start and stop of halves.  Time will not be kept at the field. 
  4. All substitution is done on the fly and there will be no horn during dead balls.
  5. Overtime will not be played in preliminary games. Ties remain a tie through all preliminary games (pool play) & consolation games (3rd place or lower).
  6. A semifinal or first place game tie in regulation will result in a next goal wins (sudden victory) overtime of up to 5 minutes. There is no change of ends during the 5 minute period. Should a 6 minute overtime not break the tie a second 5 minute overtime will be played.  
  7. No coaching timeouts allowed during this running clock format. This prevents icing the game at the end.
  8. Standings are determined using 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
  9. If a team will be borrowing players the coach must declare it ahead of time and the team using a borrowed player will automatically be in the consolation bracket. Please advise us at admin@sbshowdown.com if you will be borrowing players so we will know to route your team to the consolation bracket before Sunday play begins.
  10. A team loaning players is not affected and may accept their player(s) back at any time.
  11. Both coaches and both referees please agree to final score and sign the score card each game.
  12. Tie in standings tie-breakers.
    1. Group play with 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie and 0 points for a loss.
    2. Head to head results if a two -way tie.
    3. Fewest goals allowed for a multiple team tie. After multiple team tie is resolved back to #2, head to head results.
    4. Net goal differential.
    5. Coin toss if 1 - 4 do not break the tie.
  13. Boys Division specific rules include the following:
    1. Penalties: Personal fouls will result in a 90 second EMO situation. Technical fouls are 45 seconds, running time. The 'No Take-Out Check Rule' will be enforced. Zero helmet to helmet or body to helmet checks permited.
    2. Expulsion: Officials report on the score card the name and the number of any player expelled for fighting. The player is suspended for the remainder of the tournament.
    3. Mercy Rule: For 2025/26 & 2023/24 Divisions only, the trailing team has the option of possession instead of a face-off if down by 4 goals.
    4. Use Of Ineligible Or Illegal Players: A team whose opponent has used an ineligible or illegal player should report the incident to the director. Teams in violation will forfeit that game.
  14. Girls Division specific rules include the following:
    1. All standard U.S. Lacrosse rules, including misconduct (yellow and red cards) apply.
    2. Mercy Rule: For 2025/26 & 2023/24 Divisions only, the trailing team has the option of possession instead of a draw if down by 4 goals.
    3. 2025/26 Division = 7 v. 7 on a shorter field, 6 field players and a goalie or 7 field players, no offsides rule, one coach allowed on the field, no stick checking, modifield pocket okay, substitution allowed after a card, no shooting from a free position if no goal keeper & offensive three seconds called if defender is in a "checkable" position. 
    4. 2023/24 Division = 12 v. 12, regulation field, modified stick checking (below the shoulder), regulation sticks & offensive three seconds called if defender is in a "checkable" position. 
    5. 2021/22 Division = Full checking and all other U.S. Lacrosse rules for this age group.
    6. 2020 Division = Full checking but any check toward the head is a mandatory red card.
    7. 2019 Division & Older = Regular high school rules regarding checking.
    8. See pages 20 & 21 of the U.S. Lacrosse Youth Girls Guidebook for more details about our 2025/26 & 2023/24 division.
    9. See pages 74 - 78 of the U.S. Lacrosse Girls Rulebook for more detail on U13 & U15 specifics.

Borrowing Player Rules

* Main rule is a player plays for ONE team ONLY.
  1. Rosters are frozen at the start time of the first game for each team.
  2. If a team uses a borrowed player or players, then the team using the borrowed players may not advance to the semifinals in their division. Placement in the 5th Place bracket is automatic. 
  3. This is the case for the team picking up players. The team the players return to (regular team) is unaffected.
  4. This is the case for players moving within a club. The borrowing rule applies on a team by team basis.
  5. Please declare ahead of time if you are borrowing players so your team may be disqualified from the semifinals by writing to admin@sbshowdown.com. 
 
Event Dates & Times
 
Saturday
October 15, 2016
8am to 6pm
Sunday
October 16, 2016
8am to 4pm
 
 

Format

Championship play with either pool play Saturday and then brackets on Sunday or all brackets both days, depending on number of teams in the divsion. All teams play 3 games on Saturday and 2 games on Sunday. All teams are required to play both days and complete their entire schedule.

Boys Divisions

By H.S. Grad Year
Description
H.S. Elite Division Top Team Around, Any High School Grad Year, Players From Multiple Schools
H.S. Gold Division A Next Best Team, Any High School Grad Year, Players From Multiple Schools
H.S. Blue Division Competitive Team, Any High School Grad Year, Players From A Single School
H.S. White Division Younger single source high school teams made up freshmen and sophomores.
2020 Division Players Graduating High School In 2020 or younger.
2021/22 Division Players Graduating High School In 2021 or 2022
2023/24 Division Players Graduating High School  in 2023 or 2024
2025/26 Division Players Graduating High School In 2025 Or Later (7 v. 7 On A Small Field)
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
 
Girls Divisions
 
By H.S. Grad Year
Description
H.S. Elite Division Top Team Around, Any High School Grad Year, Players From Multiple Schools
H.S. Gold Division A Next Best Team, Any High School Grad Year, Players From Multiple Schools
H.S. Open Division A Next Best Team, Any High School Grad Year, Players From Multiple or Single Schools
2018/19 Division Players Graduating High School In 2018 or younger.
2020 Division Players Graduating High School In 2020 or younger.
2021/22 Division Players Graduating High School In 2021 or 2022
2023/24 Division Players Graduating High School In 2023 or 2024
2025/26 Division Players Graduating In 2025 Or Later (7 v. 7 On A Small Field)
 

 

 
 
 

 

 
 
Summer teams may stay together for the SB Showdown even though it's the first fall tournament of the year. Consider it the last summer tournament of the year. However, if your club rolls over with the start of the school year and you'd prefer you may start a new season and move young players up.

The 2017 Divisions (HS Elite, HS Gold, HS Varsity, HS JV) include grades up through senior year and, if applicable, a PG year (13th grade). This is primarily to include Canadian school system teams but could also apply to New England prep school systems, etc. that offer a PG year. The SB Showdown Eligibility Committee will rule on any issues brought to light and any decision rendered will be final on the spot. 

All divisions will play on Saturday & Sunday and every team must complete their schedule through the last game.

Locations

The SB Showdown will be played at one location. 

Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club (Map)
3300 Via Real
Carpinteria, CA 93013
Website - http://www.sbpolo.com

Directions

Please use your GPS to navigate to 3300 Via Real, Carpinteria, CA 93013 (Map) or use this link to our Printed Directions.

Field Map

Click The Map


Parking

Parking on-site at the Polo Club is $10 per car per entry each day. Overflow parking, if needed, will be annouced prior to the event and a courtesy shuttle will be provided. Drop off and immediate exit at the polo club is also offered.

  1. Two day parking passes are available for sale on Saturday. Save time and be in the fast lane on Sunday morning by buying both days at one time on Saturday. Please have $20 cash ready for the attendant. 
  2. There is no parking available for motor homes or cars with RV trailers or any vehicle that takes up more than one parking spot.
  3. There is no parking for charter buses or school buses. Those may drop off, leave, park off site and then return when your team is ready to be picked up. 

Registration

Team Entry Fee Divisions
$1,200.00 USD 2025 Division (7 v. 7, Small Field)
$1,700.00 USD 2017-2024 Divisions

 

 

Non-Refundable Entry Fee:  Due to the pre-planning and commitment to expenses related to such a major undertaking as the SB Showdown all payments are non-refundable. No refunds can be given for weather cancelation if the Polo Club closes the fields. The SB Showdown can not refund individuals who are unable to attend when their team won't refund them. The SB Showdown can not refund teams that come up short on players or change their plans to participate. We apologize in advance for this situation.

Please see our Travel Insurance recommendation to cover all possible losses due to field closure, flight cancellation or, even, your entire team becoming too sick to travel before you depart for Santa Barbara if you would like to cover yourself.

Discounts:  $250 per team discount for registration paid before July 15th. There's an additional $150 per team discount for multiple teams. (Two or more receive $150 discount per team). Total possible discounts equal $400 per team if early bird and multiple team discounts are applied by paying in full for all teams in a club before July 15th.

Late Fee:  $250 is the late fee if a team hasn't paid in full by midnight on September 1st. This is automatically applied

Player Fee:  $0.  There is no player fee when playing on a registered team but all players are required to register online for insurance purposes and for their parent or legal guardian to electronically sign the participant waiver. 

Accommodations

The Santa Barbara Showdown has partnered with Traveling Teams to help individuals and teams with hotel reservations with dedicated travel company style assistance. The Showdown is a Stay To Play tournament starting with the 2015 event. This is only for teams that choose to use a hotel. Local teams and families choosing to drive from home each day are not required to get a hotel. See our Hotels & Travel section (top menu bar) for more information.

First-Aid, Athletic Trainers & Paramedics

The Santa Barbara Showdown provides comprehensive sports medicine care for the athletes participating in the event.  For the comfort and safety of everyone we will have multiple medical stations staffed with Certified Athletic Trainers to provide immediate on-field response for injuries.  There will also be an ambulance stationed at the event for prompt response in the case of an emergency.  
 
The Medical Headquarters will have Certified Athletic Trainers and a Physical Therapist to assess and treat athletes with all types of sports injuries, aches and pains.  Additionally, athletes will have access to Athletic Trainers for pregame taping, wrapping and ice for post game treatment. All medical services are included with your team entry fee, including athletic and kinesiotaping for injuries.  The Medical HQ will also have a recovery area with foam rollers, stretching mats and other recovery tools for athletes to loosen up and recover between games.  
 
Medical Services for the Santa Barbara Showdown are coordinated and supervised by Wyatt Blue of Gameday Athletic Trainers.  For more information about medical services for this event please refer to Gameday Athletic Trainers website at GamedayTrainers.com or email Wyatt Blue at GamedayTrainers@gmail.com.

Marketing

We have a few additional marketing opportunities available. The Showdown is a $712,000 economic impact event with more than 5,000 youth players and family coming to Santa Barbara County. Interested businesses please contact Conor Quinn at conor@sbshowdown.com or by phone to (310) 699-8877.

Need More Information

If you need additional information please Contact Us.

 
 

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