Advantages of Different Lacrosse Sticks

Overview

Lacrosse is a sport that is played with 10 players on the playing field at a time. For these 10 players, there are four positions, and each position has rules that govern what that player can and cannot do. There are also regulations that cover the lacrosse stick that may be used at each position. The stick for each position has two measurements that are governed. One of the measurements is the length of the stick. This measurement is taken from the bottom end of the stick to the topmost part of the head. The head of the lacrosse stick is what the webbing is attached to and forms a pocket in the net. The other measurement that is governed by regulations is the width of the head. The lacrosse stick for each position has its own advantages.

Positions

The four positions for a game of lacrosse are goalie, defense, midfield and attack. One good method for understanding the roles of these positions is to think about their positions on the field. Although there are indoor lacrosse games, with similar rules, many lacrosse games are played on a football field. There is one goal near each end and a line across the middle of the field, at the 50-yard line. The defense players are allowed only to play on the defensive side of the mid-line. The attack players are only allowed to play on the offensive half of play. Midfielders may play on either side of the midline.

Attack Players

Because of the configuration of players, it is the midfield players and the attack players who are the ones that do all of the scoring. Attack players, because they remain on the offensive end of the field, need sticks that are devoted to scoring. These are the shortest sticks, which makes them accurate and the throws and shots they produce, quick. Their short sticks also make it more difficult for defense players to check their sticks because an attack player can hold the entire stick away from the defensive player, protecting the stick.

Midfield Players

Midfield players, because they can play on both ends of the field, have sticks that are hybrids of attack sticks and defensive sticks. They are longer than attack sticks but shorter than defensive sticks. This allows them to take advantage of the shortness for quick, accurate shots and passes while being long enough to have defensive uses.

Defensive Players

Defensive players have the longest sticks. Although they are not very efficient at taking shots, being relatively slow and cumbersome, they have the advantage of reach. Defensive players can use their long sticks to try to dislodge the ball from the other team's attack and midfield players.

Goalies

Goalies have special sticks that have very wide heads. These sticks are relatively short also, which is an advantage for the goalie so the stick can be moved and turned quickly to block shots. The wide head also is an advantage in that it offers a greater opportunity to block a larger area of the goal.