Parents this is for you!
Before your child can run on the lacrosse field your need to ensure they have the right equipment to be safe. Today I will be talking about the equipment your child needs to get the maximum protection while not being weighed down in gear. First, find out if your child will be playing as an offense, defense, or goalie as different positions require different gear. Look at the checklists below to ensure your child has everything they need to be safe and have fun.
Offensive players (attack or midfielders) require:
- Helmet
- Mouth guard
- Chest and shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Lacrosse gloves
- Lacrosse cleats
- Offensive shaft (30 inches or between 40-42 inches including the head)
- Offensive head (offensive heads are generally skinner to improve accuracy)
Defensive players (D-poles or Long Stick Midfielders "LSM") require:
- Helmet
- Mouth guard
- Chest and shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Lacrosse gloves
- Lacrosse cleats
- Defensive shaft (52-72 inches including the head for men, 37-72 inches including the head for youth players)
- Defensive head (defensive heads are generally wider to increase the chance to knock down a shot or intercept a pass)
Goalies:
- Helmet
- Mouth guard
- Neck guard (neck guards attach to the helmet)
- Chest and shoulder pads
- Elbow pads
- Lacrosse goalie gloves (goalie gloves have more padding)
- Shin guards
- Lacrosse cleats
- Goalie shaft (40-72 inches for men, 36-42 inches for youth players)
- Goalie head (much larger than other players heads to increase chance of blocking the ball)
- (Goalies are sometimes allowed to wear sweatpants while in goal)
ALL MALE PLAYERS SHOULD WEAR CUPS WHEN PLAYING LACROSSE