Are you a new lacrosse player trying to figure out what equipment you need?

Are you an existing player who would like to upgrade her stick from the one you bought 4 years ago?
 

Required Lacrosse Equipment

• Women’s lacrosse stick
• Lacrosse goggles
• Mouthguard

Stick

• A complete women’s stick (shaft and strung head)
  • Expensive sticks are designed for experienced players who are looking for a specific set of attributes, some of which make them hard to use for newer players
  • The regulations around stringing have been liberalized in the past few years (mesh is now legal in the women’s game), but you must have a stick for women’s lacrosse
  • For younger (grades 1-6) players
    • We generally recommend against purchasing a “youth” stick – your young player will be better served by growing into a standard stick
    • Do NOT purchase a “mini” stick
    • The shaft of the stick can be cut down if it is interfering with your player’s throwing/catching/cradling action, but please wait until the first practice to get your coach’s input before cutting the shaft
    • An entry-level complete stick typically costs $35-$50.
    • Most manufacturers offer “Beginner” or “Starter” packages with an entry-level stick and goggles (in a range of colors), plus either a stick bag or backpack (generally in the $80-$100 range)
  • For older (grades 7-8) players
    • If your player might be interested in playing in high school, consider a higher-end stick
      • Composite shafts are available range of shapes and sizes, and feel warmer during cold practices
      • Heads designed to optimize for different skills, such as ground balls, accurate shooting, quick release, etc. are available
    • A mid-range complete stick is typically in the $70-$140 range

Lacrosse Goggles

• Beginning in 2020, all field players must wear protective eye gear that is SEI certified to meet the ASTM F3077 standard
  • You can find a list of approved lacrosse goggles here on the US Lacrosse website
  • It has been our experience that “mini” or “youth” goggles are often too small, even for younger players
  • Lacrosse goggles have a rigid frame/cage that can be very uncomfortable if ill-fitting – it is a good idea to have your player try on the goggles before purchase (remember, they are worn for the entire practice and games)

Mouthguards

• All players must use a mouthguard
  • Mouthguards must be colored (other than white)
  • For field players, no straps or tabs may protrude from the mouthguard
• Most mouthguards can be molded to your player’s mouth at home, but this type of mouthguard is not appropriate for players with braces
  • Non-moldable mouthguards are available for players with braces
• Consider a hard case for your player’s mouthguard – wet mouthguards and plastic baggies are frequently a poor combination
• It is a good idea to have a backup mouthguard in your player’s gear – they cannot play without one and mouthguards are frequently lost or chewed into bits

Additional Equipment

• Footwear: our teams play on natural grass and artificial turf fields
  • Soccer or lacrosse cleats are suitable for all surfaces, wet or dry
  • Sneakers generally work well on dry grass and turf, but can be dangerously slippery when conditions are wet
  • Turf shoes are great for wet or dry turf or dry grass, but can be slippery on wet grass
• Gloves: girls’ lacrosse gloves (or any light glove with a non-slippery palm) can be helpful during cold practices and games – boys’ lacrosse gloves are not appropriate
• Balls: NGYL supplies balls for practices and games, but consider purchasing a few for your player to use at home (but leave these at home – we have yet to find a way to mark balls in a way that stays legible after more than a few minutes of use)
  • Parents or siblings can help their player with catching/throwing skills at home – if you have a lacrosse stick, great, but a parent or sibling with a baseball/softball mitt is a great practice partner
• Clothing:  Your registration fee includes a uniform for your player, but clothing layers are necessary for cold conditions (players may wear layers under their uniform during games)

Where To Shop

• Metro-West lacrosse-focused stores
  • Lacrosse Unlimited (55 Central St., Wellesley)
  • Monkey Sports (949 Providence Hwy, Norwood)
• Metro-West sporting goods stores with lacrosse gear
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods (180 Providence Highway, Dedham)
  • Natick Outdoor Store (38 North Ave, Natick)
• Online
  • SportStop.com
  • Lacrossemonkey.com
  • Lax.com
  • Lacrosseunlimited.com
  • Sportsunlimitedinc.com
  • Dickssportinggoods.com