2025 Border Wars: Everything You Need to Know

The fifth annual Border Wars takes place the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville, Ontario and the Utica University Nexus Centre in Utica, New York from December 19-21, 2025.

The high-level box lacrosse tournament is put on in partnership with Toronto Rock Athletics and the US Box Lacrosse Association (USBOXLA). The three-day event will feature both boys & girls divisions ranging from U11 to High School Elite. A total of 76 teams across 14 staked divisions will compete in 199 games in order to determine this year’s gold, silver and bronze medal winners.

Whether you’re playing, coaching or cheering from the stands, here’s everything you’ll need to know for the 2025 edition of Border Wars at the TRAC.

Schedule, Scores and Standings

Click the bar above or go to tracathletics.com/2025-border-wars-oakville-utica-schedule-scores-and-standings to see participating teams, schedules and standings. Game results and standings will be updated during the tournament. Follow TRAC Athletics on Instagram @TRACAthletics for updates throughout the weekend.

Note: The only games not showing a specific date/time on Tourney Machine are the HSE Girls Gold Medal Game (Blue Turf) and HSE Girls Bronze Medal Game (Red Turf), both of which take place at 10am on Sunday. 

Divisions

All TRAC-based divisions can be found below. Divisions on the Tourney Machine schedule are organized by grad-year classification. We ask all teams to please adhere to the age restrictions outlined for each division below. Use of an illegal/overage player will result in the offending player being removed from the event and their team losing & transferring all points in games they appeared in. Additional rules regarding age restrictions have been provided to all club directors.

BOYS HSE – 2026/2027 ON – DOB 2009, 2008, and 2007 born after June 1
BOYS U17 – 2028/2029 ON – DOB 2011, 2010, and 2009 born after June 1
BOYS U15 – 2030/2031 ON – DOB 2013, 2012, and 2011 born after June 1
BOYS U13 – 2032/2033 ON – DOB 2015, 2014, and 2013 born after June 1
GIRLS HSE – 2026/2027 ON – DOB 2009, 2008, and 2007 born after June 1

Tournament Rules

For TRAC-based divisions only, Border Wars will be using the National Lacrosse League Official Rules 2025-26, with these additional changes and reminders:

All games will consist of a 2-minute warmup, three 13-minute periods, and 2-minute intermissions between periods.

Running clock unless the score is within two with under two minutes to play in the final period.

There are no ties. During round robin & playoff games, tied games will immediately go to a three-player shootout, and continue with an additional player for each team if the shootout remains tied. During medal games, tied games will go to a 5-minute sudden death OT period, and if still tied, a 3-player shootout.

Ten seconds to clear half (not eight).

Plastic goalie sticks only (no wooden sticks) – spoons only, no walls.

Over and back rule will be enforced.

NLL line up on face-offs.

Dunking and diving permitted, as per NLL rules.

Junior box nets will be used for all divisions, not NLL-sized nets.

Players issued a fighting major will be ejected from that game, in addition to their team being assessed a 5-minute major. TRAC & Tournament staff will review the severity of each fighting incident during the event and may issue additional discipline.

Tiebreakers

If two or more teams are tied in the standings, the following will be used to break the tie:

Most wins in final standings (both against tied- and non-tied teams)

Most wins in games ONLY including the tied teams

If still tied, the tie will be broken using the following in order until the tie is broken:

Highest Goal Differential in all tournament games

Lowest Goals Against in all tournament games

Highest Goals For in all tournament games

Highest Goal Differential in games between the tied teams

Lowest Goals Against in games between the tied teams

Coin flip(s)

Facility

The Toronto Rock Athletic Centre is an indoor turf facility. No field cleats are allowed on any surface. Turf or basketball shoes can be worn.

All dressing rooms can be found between the two turf pads and can be accessed through the floor’s main doors. See the tournament schedule to confirm your game time and what floor you’re playing on.

Some areas on the second floor will be blocked off for event staff, including JVI Sports Network, who will be filming all games which will later be available on the JVI YouTube channel.

Toronto Rock Athletic Centre
1132 Invicta Dr.
Oakville, ON
L6H 6G1

Dressing-Room Assignments

Dressing room assignments can be found on the TV monitors found just before entering either the red or blue turf pad inside the TRAC. Both your dressing room number and whether you’re the home or away team will be listed. These are not your dressing rooms for the entire day – do not your leave your equipment or any personal belongings behind.

Trainers for Injured Players

At the TRAC, staff from the Toronto Rock Sports Medicine & Wellness Centre will be on site for every game.

If you should sustain an injury during a game, a trainer will be alerted and address the injury on the floor. At the TRAC, trainers will be stationed in the hallway that connects the two pads if you require any further assistance for injuries.

Visit TorontoRockSportsMed.com for more info on the Toronto Rock Sports Medicine & Wellness Centre, which is located on the second floor of the TRAC towards the back of the building.

All-Tournament Teams & MVPs

In the weeks after Border Wars, TRAC Athletics and USBOXLA will announce All-Tournament Teams, plus a Most Valuable Player selection for every division. See last year’s team medal winners, All-Tournament Teams and MVP picks below…

Border Wars: 🥇🥈🥉 winners at this year’s record-breaking tournament hosted at the TRAC & Nexus Centerhttps://t.co/3rGfzFuqi8

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) December 23, 2024

A total of 62 teams and nearly one thousand players took part in the biggest Border Wars ever last month in Oakville, ON and Utica, NY.

See the players that stood out most on this year’s All-Tournament Teams, plus the eleven that were selected as MVP. https://t.co/8rsVmVNlER

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) January 14, 2025

Event Apparel

NEW!! Custom 2025 Border Wars apparel will be available at the Toronto Rock Lacrosse Shop inside the TRAC (main floor, to your left after entering the main doors and just past the snack bar) and on the blue-turf side jus inside the doors. Get your exclusive event merch early, as it is expected to sell out quickly.

Peach Coffee Co.

LEAVE YOUR COFFEE AT HOME! Saturday and Sunday Peach Coffee Co. will be on-site with their mobile coffee cart ready to serve coffee, tea, and specialty drinks! Peach Coffee will also have baked goods on-site for purchase as well. They accept cash, debit/credit and applepay. For more info on Peach Coffee Co. visit PeachCoffeeCo.com or visit one of their locations in Burlington, Oakville or Ancaster.

 

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