Primarily popular in North America, lacrosse traces its roots to games played by Native American tribes at the time of European settlement. Despite the long history of contact between European and Native civilizations, the game of lacrosse never received formal rules or exported to other countries until the mid-19th century. Given the game's relatively short history as an organized sport, rules regulating the length of players' sticks remain under constant revision.
Men's Sticks
The allowable lengths of lacrosse sticks, or crosses, vary depending on a player's position on the field. Based on the 2010 recommendations of U.S. Lacrosse, crosses used in post-collegiate play should adhere to the NCAA's rules, with a maximum of six crosses over 52 inches allowed on the field at any time. According to the 2011-2012 NCAA Rules and Interpretations, three crosse lengths are allowed: 40-to-42 inch short crosses, primarily for offensive players; 52-to-72 inch long crosses for defensive players; and 40-to-72 inch crosses for goalkeepers. Although some professional leagues, such as the National Lacrosse League, have different length restrictions for fielders, the maximum allowable length for men's lacrosse sticks at all levels of play remains 72 inches.
Women's Sticks
Reflecting the sport's history in battles and warfare, only men traditionally played lacrosse. With women's lacrosse a relatively-recent addition to the sporting world, Thomas Vennum Jr. of U.S. Lacrosse still claims that modern women's lacrosse more closely resembles the game traditionally played by Native Americans than men's. Similar to men's lacrosse, both the 2010-2011 NCAA Rules and Interpretations and the U.S. Lacrosse 2011 Women's Rulebook dictate different maximum lengths for fielders and goalkeepers. While fielders are limited to crosses ranging from 35 1/2 to 43 1/4 inches, female goalkeepers are allowed to use crosses that measure up to 48" long under both rulebooks.
Youth Sticks
In an effort to promote the game, as well as safe play, among younger people, U.S. Lacrosse publishes separate rulebooks for boys and girls under 15 years of age. Endorsed by the National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, the U.S. Lacrosse stick length rules for girls under 15, high school girls over 15 and adult women are all the same, with the maximum allowable length set at 48 inches for goalies. Despite such similarities between girls' and womens' lacrosse, the rules for boys' youth lacrosse sticks differ from those of mens'. Divided into offensive and defensive players, boys' youth lacrosse sticks range from 37 to 40 inches for offensive players and up to 72 inches for defensive players. For older male high school players, the NFHS uses the NCAA's rules for men's crosses, with 40-to-42 inch short crosses, 52-to-72 inch long crosses and 40-to-72 inch goalie crosses.
Choosing the Right Stick
As with other stick sports, such as ice and field hockey, taller lacrosse players generally feel more comfortable with longer crosses. Reflecting the rules at all levels of play, stick to shorter, more maneuverable crosses if you generally play offense, reserving the longer sticks for defensive play and goalkeeping. Although these suggestions serve as a general guideline, comfort and personal preference remain the most important factors in choosing the right crosse.
References
- "U.S. Lacrosse"; Museum & Hall of Fame: History; Thomas Vennum Jr.
- U.S. Lacrosse: US Lacrosse Men's Division Post-Collegiate Club Council: Recommended Rules of Play for 2010
- NCAA: Men's Lacrosse: 2011 and 2012 Rules and Interpretations
- NLL: 2011 Rulebook
- NCAA: Women's Lacrosse: 2010 and 2011 Rules and Interpretations
- U.S. Lacrosse: 2011 Women's Rulebook
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