Lacrosse stick length regulations differ, depending on your age, gender, position and the level at which you play. While girls in sixth grade play with the same U.S. Lacrosse stick regulations as teens and adults, the stick length requirements for sixth-grade boys differ from those of older male players. Using the rules published by U.S. Lacrosse, sixth-grade lacrosse players can use a range of different stick lengths.
Rules
While U.S. Lacrosse represents an attempt at formalizing the rules of the game for all levels of play, schools and youth leagues do not have to adhere to the rules. Instead, they may use these rules, the rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations, or NFHS, or a variation of either to determine stick length regulations. In addition, as stick length regulations differ for players 11 and under and those 12 and up, stick length requirements may differ for younger and older sixth-grade students, who typically range from age 11 to 12.
Boys Lightning Division
U.S. Lacrosse divides sixth-grade students into the Lightning Division, an 11-and-under, noncompetitive group, and the Junior Division, a competitive 13-and-under group. Boys in the Lightning Division adhere to the stick length regulations of U.S. Lacrosse, which divides stick lengths into two groups: short crosses for offensive players and longer ones for goalies and defensive players. For sixth-grade students who are 11 and under, short crosses must be between 37 and 40 inches, while long crosses can range from 37 to 72 inches in length.
Boys Junior Division
According to U.S. Lacrosse, boys over the age of 11 should adhere to the rules of the NFHS. While boys in the Lightning Division can use either short or long crosses, the NFHS uses different stick length regulations for offense, defense and goalkeeping. Older sixth-grade students in the Junior Division can use 40- to 42-inch short crosses, 52- to 72-inch long ones or a 40- to 72-inch crosse for the goalkeeper.
Girls
U.S. Lacrosse uses the same stick length regulations for girls' and women's lacrosse. As the NFHS endorses the U.S. Lacrosse rules for girls, there are no differences between the stick length regulations of the two. Similar to the boys' Lightning Division, U.S. Lacrosse divides sixth-grade girls' stick lengths into two groups: field crosses and keeper crosses. While fielders can use crosses between 35 1/2 and 43 1/4 inches in length, keepers are allowed to use crosses ranging from 35 1/2 to 48 inches.
Member Comments