Lacrosse is a sport played by men, women and youth teams in the U.S. -- the sport's governing body is U.S. Lacrosse. The game is of Native American origin, and involves two teams attempting to score goals using a small rubber ball and a specialized lacrosse stick, which is similar to a hockey stick with a mesh head that can hold and catch the lacrosse ball.
Lacrosse Stick
A lacrosse stick, also known as a crosse, is carried by each player on a lacrosse team. Up to four members of a lacrosse team may carry a long crosse, measuring between 52 and 72 inches in length. These are most commonly used by players in defense or midfield positions. The remaining players use short crosses, which measure between 40 and 42 inches in length. The crosse used by the goalkeeper may be anywhere from 40 to 72 inches in total length. The crosse sizes used in youth and women's games may be smaller.
Helmet
In men's lacrosse, helmets similar to those worn in American football are required for all players. According to Donald M. Fisher's 2002 book "Lacrosse: A History of the Game," body contact between players is allowed in men's lacrosse, and so an individual player's head, neck, face and mouth are protected with a solid helmet. The rules of women's lacrosse are different, prohibiting most deliberate physical contact between players. In women's lacrosse, helmets are not typically used -- players will wear only a mouth guard and small face guard around the eye area instead of a full helmet.
Gloves
Between the late 19th century and the mid-1930s, men's and women's lacrosse games were played to the same rules. The current forms of the game have evolved so that male lacrosse players typically wear heavy protective gloves, while female players may play gloveless or wearing thin, light gloves. Again, the function of the heavy and thick men's lacrosse gloves is to protect a player's hands and wrists from the physical contact inherent in lacrosse played to contemporary men's rules.
Pads
Women's lacrosse is typically played without protective padding, but men's teams may use body pads similar to those used by ice hockey players or American footballers. The purpose of these pads is to protect the player's body from injury on contact. A set of shoulder pads costs between $50 and $130 as of December 2010. A set of elbow pads costs in the $20 to $50 range. The goalie in a lacrosse team is the only player who also wears a chest protector during a game.
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