Equipment for Box Lacrosse
Players (runners) must wear the
following:
Goalies
must supply the following:
*
These items are supplied by the Oswego Lacrosse
Club, in limited quantities!
Lacrosse
Equipment: Everything you needed to
know, but were afraid to ask!
Lacrosse doesn’t have to be terribly expensive to get
started. Beginners’ sticks are available for $25 - $35, and are usually just last year’s model. Almost all of them come with soft mesh
pockets, although hard mesh (or “duramesh”) is
better. A new, expensive stick doesn’t
work any better than a cheaper, older model.
And a good pocket is more important than the stick it’s in.
Buy a “short
stick” – 40–42” in length, as opposed to a defenseman’s stick (72”
long). Every kid needs to start with a
short stick; they can’t physically control a long stick.
Used sticks are also a good way to go (garage sales, Play it
Again Sports, Craig’s List, etc.). Check
the plastic for any cracks or weak spots.
Don’t worry about the pocket – sticks can always be re-strung. And handles are interchangeable.
Shafts – anything will work.
Wood or aluminum shafts are fine.
There is no need for a beginner to use a $200 titanium alloy shaft; he
won’t know what to do with it. Also,
shafts are often cut down to 38” for younger kids; you don’t want to hack away on a $200 piece of metal!
It is important to buy a regulation stick, i.e. not
the “Fiddlestix” or toy sticks seen in some local
stores. They are too small for a regular
ball to be caught, and they break easily.
Box lacrosse sticks (4 ½ wide, 2 inches tighter than a 6 ½ inch field
lacrosse stick) are okay for summer use, but are not legal for school use. So you’re better off getting a NCAA approved stick. (Most youth / beginner sticks are NCAA
approved).
Helmets are provided by the OLC. I would suggest not buying your own until
you’ve tried several on. Kids outgrow
them before they outwear them. It might be good to have a buddy system, where
you buy used equipment from an older player, and then sell
it to a younger kid. If you insist on
buying your own, I recommend the Cascade helmets, royal blue, with white visor,
to match the school helmets. For youth
players, Valken Lacrosse makes a helmet for under
$100. Be wary of used helmets; check
carefully for cracks and rusted facemasks.
Hockey helmets are also okay for lacrosse, and a great way to get more
use from what you already have.
Gloves are also provided by the OLC, but should be the first
piece of lacrosse equipment you buy once your son/daughter has decided to stick
with the game. (It’s only a matter of
time). Hockey gloves are okay, but do
not flex the way lacrosse gloves do (or should), which limits kids’ stick
handling abilities. Again, youth gloves
can be purchased for $40 or less, but try ours out first before running to the
store.
Shoulder
pads are required, and I always
recommend those with shoulder caps and good chest protection. OLC has several small pads available for
use. Hockey pads are legal, but the big
ones tend to be too bulky; the older, lighter styles are better for
lacrosse. Remember, lacrosse is played
in the air, so players have to be able to raise their arms and sticks above
their shoulders!
Arm pads are also required for protection against stick checks, and falling on the floor. Good elbow protection is a must. We do not supply these because they get so
much use and abuse. I always recommend
arm pads with a hard surface, versus the soft shell pads.
Back &
rib pads are hard plastic pads made
specifically for box lacrosse. The OLC
has several sizes and pads available for use (Gait and STX).
Bicep pads are also hard plastic pads specifically for box
lacrosse. We have several for you to use. They simply tie onto the shoulder pads.
Jock straps
and protective cups are a must! Those things don’t grow back! The newer “banana” cups are much better than
the old flat Bike cups; they are much more comfortable and protect against
funny bounces that lacrosse balls seem to take.
And girls should wear a “Jill!”
Mouth guards (molded to size, so kids can breathe and talk to each
other), sneakers, T-shirt and shorts complete the practice gear. Many players like to bring their own water
bottles to practice, which is fine. Put your name on yours!
Goalies are a whole different ball game! Goalie equipment is very specialized (and
expensive), so the OLC provides the sticks
and equipment so everybody can try it out without having to buy their
own.
However, we have some hockey goalies who like to wear
their own goalie equipment, and that is fine.
The upper body pads are very
similar (lacrosse pads allow more flexibility for throwing), and the pants are the same. Trappers and catching gloves are not legal
for lacrosse; lacrosse goalies wear special goalie gloves (provided) or regular hockey gloves. Regulation lacrosse gloves are not heavy
enough for goalies.
Goalie cups are great, but double-cupping (one cup inside a bigger
cup) also works well, and allows more kids to play in the nets. Leg
guards are lacrosse-specific; the OLC has several sizes available.
Goalie sticks and equipment are very expensive and
hard to get. You are welcome to borrow
them, but please be sure to return
everything to the equipment room after practices and games. If we are at a
tournament and you will be using the equipment all weekend, be sure to air it out and let it dry between games! It
also takes a fair amount of time to get this equipment on, so be sure to show
up at least 20-30 minutes early so
you can put the pads on properly.
Goalies should always stretch out (and go to the
bathroom) before gearing up, because
once you’re dressed, you’re dressed for the night!
Playing box
lacrosse goalie is a great way for hockey goalies to practice off-season
without getting burned out. And in
Hopefully this answers some of the questions people
have about the equipment. By using
hockey equipment, shopping carefully, and working with older players, you can
save a significant amount of money. If you have any questions about equipment,
please contact the Oswego Lacrosse Club!
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