The rules of boys lacrosse mandate protective padding on most of a player’s top half.
Boys lacrosse players are required to use 6 main pieces of equipment:
Soccer-style cleats are always recommended, but not required.
As of 2022, USA Lacrosse mandated equipment-related rule changes designed to enhance heart protection for athletes.
US Lacrosse rules require that all shoulder pads and all goalie chest protectors (for both boys and girls) must meet the NOCSAE performance standard ND200.
This requirement reduces players’ risk of a serious and potentially fatal disruption of the heart rhythm, known as commotio cordis. Equipment must meet these standards in order to be deemed legal for play.
Boys’ & girls’ lax use different sticks. Please find a Boys stick! Sticks should be ~30″ long.
Must cover the player’s elbow. Beginners should use pads that extend above & below the elbow.
By rule, the mouth guard cannot be clear or white-only (so refs can see it). Fancy colors encouraged
Cups are required by rule for all players at all times. All-in-one shorts/cup combinations work well.
Cleats are optional. Lacrosse-style cleats are ideal. Soccer cleats are good. No football cleats!
Sting has a Facebook group, where parents frequently give, trade, and/or sell used equipment and gear.
Unfortunately, no. As of 2022, USA Lacrosse mandated lacrosse-specific equipment standards.
Effective January 1, 2022, shoulder pads for boys’ field players must be designed for lacrosse, covering the top of the shoulder, collarbone and sternum, and meet NOCSAE standard ND200.
Boys’ and girls’ goalie chest protectors must be designed for lacrosse, meet the NOCSAE ND200 standard, and must contain the NOCSAE logo and SEI certification mark on both the packaging and the product.
If your child is in Kindergarten-2nd grade and is just starting out with lacrosse, please don’t rush out and buy all new gear!
For those brand new to the game, we will do our best to share or loan gear if needed — these players should try everything!
Some vendors like Lacrosse Unlimited offer ‘starter packs,’ selling gear in bundles.
In most cases, these bundles sell for up to $100 less than the cost of buying each item separately.
This guide from USA Lacrosse may be helpful.
In addition to the required equipment listed above, goalies have some extra equipment.
All Sting teams provide goalie equipment so players can try the position without needing to buy gear.
If your player is interested in the goalie position long-term, you’re welcome to buy your own goalie gear — but it’s not required!
Sting Lacrosse has a policy requiring that players experience all positions and parts of the game with equal opportunity.
This means that in Classic/recreational play, no player will “specialize” into only one position.
Therefore, even if your child wants to play goalie forever, they will still take shifts on offense, midfield, or defense. So the standard field-player equipment is still required for everyone!
Boys lacrosse rules are designed to create a game of speed and to protect player safety.
Official USA Lacrosse Youth Rule Book can be found here.
The complete boys youth lacrosse rulebook, as recommended by US Lacrosse, can be found here. We’ve provided a brief overview below of the important rules.
The shortest explanation of boys lacrosse rules is: catch, carry, and cradle the ball in your stick— and score on the other team’s net.
There are dozens of official rules governing each facet of play, but the most important rules are those protecting player safety.
Especially at the younger levels, K-2 and 3-4, players are not permitted to ‘body check’ each other.
Contact which physically forces the opponent off of his position or path is illegal contact. Some amount of physical contact is expected, but referees will call fouls when appropriate.
Interested in Sting Lax’s “Little Bees” kindergarten learn-to-lax program? Fill out the form below!
