en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en fr nl es en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en fr en en en en en en fr en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en fr en en en en fr fr nl en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en en
The stick (la crosse) is the most important element of the sport. It entails a ‘head’ and a shaft. There are many different brands and models, which gives every player the possibility to personalize their stick to their own personal wishes. Where the attack players play with a short stick, the defensive players play with a longer stick, called a long pole. For beginners, we recommend buying a (cheaper) beginners stick, which will allow the players to learn the basics of the game.
AVERAGE COSTS OF A COMPLETE STICK: 140€
Because men’s lacrosse is a full-contact sport, it is mandatory to wear a helmet; the players’ safety is priority number one. Helmets are made of a sturdy exterior, with foam on the inside for comfort and to break the shock. The most popular brands are Cascade, Warrior and STX. Before buying a new helmet, it is very important to check the security norms developed by “NOCSAE”.
Because gloves protect the players’ hands from contact with opponents’ sticks, they are also mandatory for men. The quality of the gloves and technology used to manufacture it depend on the level of the game and the position of the player. The gloves the goalie uses are more filled than the gloves from field players, because the goalie has to stop the ball from entering the goal.
The contact in between their wrist and elbow is prohibited. The use of arm protection is therefor not mandatory, but many players do wear them. After all: better safe than sorry! There are different types of arm protection, with different sizes, thickness, etc. Attack players often use sturdier and bigger elbow protection to protect a bigger area of their arm. Defensive players mostly wear elbow protection only covering their elbow, with more flexible material.
Rib protection is mostly made of soft material, with some more robust pieces to protect the ribcage against blows and other injuries resulting from an opponent’s stick.
A mouthguard is a real must-have. Even though the helmet protects the head against many injuries, a mouthguard reduces the shock and therefore reduces the chance of a concussion after a hard blow. Not unimportantly, a mouthguard also makes sure that you won’t loose any teeth so you can still show your best smile after a rough lacrosse game. We recommend the SISU mouth guards, they are more expensive than the other brands, but more comfortable because they are thin and still very strong.
AVERAGE COSTS: 15€ (SISU : 30€)
Just like the men’s sticks, the women’s stick composed of a “head” and a shaft. Women’s sticks are very different from men’s sticks. The biggest difference is that the men have a deep “pocket” (the area of the head with which players catch the ball) in the head of their stick, and the women’s pocket is much more narrow. Also in women’s sticks we have a great variety of brands and models, so also women can endlessly customise their stick. For beginners, it suffices to buy a basic stick to learn to play lacrosse with.
Opposed to men’s lacrosse, women’s lacrosse doesn’t allow much physical contact. This is why women don’t need much protection. Goggles (protection glasses) protect the eyes and nose in case of contact with the ball or an opponent’s stick (which is prohibited, but can happen every once in a while). Goggles are constructed out of a frame with (mostly) titanium bars and silicone padding for comfort. They are not made mandatory in all countries, but in Belgium, players are not allowed on the field without.
A mouthguard is the last necessary item in a women’s lacrosse bag. Wear a mouth guard at all times, to protect against all (small) accidents on the field. We recommend the SISU mouthguards, they are more expensive than the other brands, but more comfortable because they are thin and still very strong.