Equipment Requirements + Recommendations for MIGLAXers!
Women's lacrosse rules are specifically designed to limit physical contact between players. As a result of the lack of contact, the only protective equipment required is:
- Women's stick (different than a boys lacrosse stick)
- Colored Mouth Guard (no white/clear)
- Protective Eyewear (Goggles) US Lacrosse approved list
- Cleats are recommended but not required
Please review equipment information and recommendations from Coach Lyndsey Gillis below:
GIRLS LACROSSE STICKS
When buying a girls’ lacrosse stick, remember that you get what you pay for! There are lots of affordable options with decent string jobs coming straight from the manufacturer. However, some of the best pockets (or potential pockets) are those that are personally strung by folks that give a little extra love, care and attention to the development of leathers, nylons and string design. Below are some things to think about when purchasing sticks at each grade level. As always, if you have a daughter that is invested in the sport and will be a ‘lifer’ (play through high school or even beyond), I suggest investing in a ‘top of the line’ stick with a personalized string job, which can last through multiple seasons. Plus, if anything happens, instead of replacing the stick, you’d simply be investing in a re-stringing of the head.
Grades 1-2 (U9)
Players at this level are just starting out. To set them up for success we highly recommend using the Brine Junior Warp given the fixed, built in pocket. This will enable younger players to develop good mechanics and habits when learning to catch, throw, cradle and pick up ground balls. More importantly, it will make catching and throwing a whole lot easier! New, beginner sticks tend to be a bit like tennis racquets, making it hard for our littles to build confidence catching and throwing. Since the pocket is built into the Warp – there’s little work to be done in that department. If you purchase another beginner stick, it’s important to develop the pocket (see next section under ‘Grades 3-4’) just below the shooting strings (not at the bottom of the head near the ball rest/stop). While the Warp Juniors are awesome for U9 players, please note that they’re not legal to use at U11.
Grades 3-4 (U11), 5-6 (U13)
First thing you’ll want to do with any of these sticks is develop that pocket! This is to help players catch, throw and cradle successfully. To develop a pocket on any stick we recommend:
- Playing lots of wall ball
- Rolling a ball along the back side of the head
- Wedging/pinning a ball in the ‘U’ (just under the shooting strings) of the pocket overnight (a butter knife works great here)
Again, if you think you have a lifer on your hands invest in a good stick now (STX 500s or next category up). The options below are great ‘middle of the road’ and developmental options. Remember, the better the pocket the easier it is to handle the ball! You can buy any of the following sticks strung or unstrung. If you choose the unstrung route – see the recommendations below for having them strung professionally (as opposed to how they show up from the manufacturer).
Listed basic to more advanced:
Grades 7-8 (U15), 9-12 (HS) and beyond
Once a player hits this point in their career and she plans to play through HS, we would recommend purchasing the following sticks. For those serious about the sport, it is a great option to purchase the heads unstrung and then send them away to get strung by a professional. Keep in mind that if you purchased on the higher end of the previous category, those sticks are completely serviceable for grades 7-8 and early into high school!
Listed basic to more advanced:
Professional Girls’ Head Stringing Options
With the first two options below, you have the option of buying heads custom strung OR sending in your current head to be re-strung by them. Lax.com only offers new heads with custom string jobs.
GOGGLES
With any headgear or protective equipment, it is very important that you ensure a solid fit! It does not benefit any young player to have a pair of goggles bouncing around their face or falling off their head while playing. We recommend trying a couple of options before settling on the best fit. While all straps are adjustable (and stretchy) you want to ensure that the ‘cage’ over the eyes fits your player’s facial frame well. You know that you have a good fit if the frame of the cage makes solid contact all the way around the forehead/temples/upper cheek area. No gaps!
Youth options (geared towards U9-U13 players)
Depending on the size of your player’s face, you may want to try some of the options listed below HS. The HS options are much less cumbersome and can be more comfortable IF they fit!
HS options
MOUTH GUARDS
While it should be easy enough for anyone to track down a good mouth guard here are some helpful tips:
- Molded mouth guards are always better than un-molded mouth guards! Being able to communicate clearly with your mouth guard in your mouth is the best sign of a GOOD mouth guard.
- Ask your dentist before purchasing a mouth guard. Most dentists, pediatric or otherwise, have mouth guard services at their practice. This becomes especially useful if your player has any orthodontic work.
- Avoid mouth guards with straps that connect to goggles/helmets (unless you’re a goalie, but this is still optional). For many, it’s easy to detach said strap and they can be helpful with younger players. However, we have found that they get in the way most of the time.
​Recommendations:
CLEATS
Soccer cleats work just fine for girls lax! This is certainly a personal preference category (fit/comfort), but the following are some lacrosse options if you choose to go that route.
Goalkeeper's Equipment (provided by club): helmet with facemask (NOCSAE approved), separate throat protector, padded gloves, mouth pieces and chest protector.​
For more equipment information go to US Lacrosse.
