Lacrosse has gained popularity in the United States in recent years as a youth sport. In the game, team members use a netted sticks to drive an eight-inch rubber ball past the opposing team’s goalie. While game play for boys' and girls' lacrosse is similar, a player’s position and the different rules on body contact for male and female game play require specific equipment for players between the ages of five and 15.
Lacrosse Stick for Boys
In the boys' game, each player needs a crosse, or a lacrosse stick, constructed from wood, laminated wood, or synthetic material. The length of the lacrosse stick depends on his position in the game. Attackmen and midfielders must have a 40- to 42-inch stick. Defensemen must have a 52- to 72-inch stick. The head of the crosse, upon which the netting is attached, must be 6 1/2 to 10 inches wide. The head of the goalkeeper’s crosse can be 10 to 12 inches wide.
Lacrosse Stick for Girls
Female youth lacrosse players need a crosse made of wood, laminated wood, or synthetic material, from 35 1/2 to 43 1/4 inches long. The head of the lacrosse stick, with the netting, must be 7 to 9 inches wide. In the girls' game, the goalkeeper’s stick can be up to 48 inches long, with the head up to 12 inches wide.
Protective Gear
Both boys and girls must wear a highly visible, colored mouthpiece. Since the boys' game allows body contact, all male players must wear gloves, a protective helmet with a face mask, a chin pad, and a cupped, four-point chin strap. With the exception of the goalkeeper, boys must wear shoulder, arm, and rib pads. Additionally, boys must wear athletic supporters and protective cups. While girls aren't required to wear a helmet, they must wear eye protection. Female youth players must wear padding on thighs, shins, and some form of abdominal and pelvic protection. US Lacrosse, the national governing body for the game, also recommends that girls wear close-fitting gloves, nose guards, and soft head gear.
Goalkeeper Equipment
In addition to a helmet, mouthpiece, gloves, and a protective cup, the goalkeeper in boys' lacrosse must wear a throat and chest protector. Female goalies must wear a helmet with face mask, a separate throat protector, padded gloves, a mouthpiece, and a chest protector. The goalkeeper in the girls' game also may wear padding on her arms, legs, and shoulders, as long as it doesn’t excessively increase the size of her body.
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