Equipment

HOCKEY EQUIPMENT IS ALLOWED BUT THERE ARE SEVERAL DIFFERENCES. HAVING THE PROPER EQUIPMENT  WILL ENHANCE YOUR TECHNIQUE AND PERFORMANCE BUT ALSO YOUR LEVEL OF ENJOYMENT WHILE PLAYING. 

THE KEY DIFFERENCES  BETWEEN HOCKEY AND LACROSSE EQUIPMENT ARE:

GLOVES

LACROSSE GLOVES COME WITH A FREE-MOVING THUMB FOR EASIER MOVEMENT AND STICK CONTROL. THEY HAVE LESS PADDING AROUND THE WRIST AND AN OPENING AND STRAP FOR IMPROVED VENTILATION AND NATURAL MOVEMENT. LACROSSE TYPICALLY EXTENDS 2-3 INCHES ABOVE THE WRIST IMPROVING MOBILITY AND STICK HANDLING, WHILE PROTECTING.

SHOULDER PADS

THEY MAY LOOK SIMILAR BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW THAT HOCKEY AND LACROSSE SHOULDER PADS HAVE DISTINCT DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS. LACROSSE PLAYER MOVEMENT IS DIFFERENT FROM HOCKEY, PLAYERS ARE THROWING AND CATCHING, AND MOTION TAKES PLACE ABOVE THE WAIST. LACROSSE PADS ARE DESIGNED WITH FLOATING PADS ALLOWING PLAYERS TO RAISE THEIR ARMS WITHOUT RESTRICTION.  THERE IS ENHANCED CHEST PROTECTION AND BETTER VENTILATION TO HELP PREVENT A PLAYER FROM OVERHEATING.

KIDNEY BELT

KIDNEY BELTS COME IN VARIOUS STYLES AND PRICE POINTS.  FOR A BEGINNER CHOOSE A BELT THAT HAS STRAP ADJUSTMENTS OR WIDER MESH STRAPS THAT FIT OVER THE SHOULDERS. KIDNEY BELTS ARE ALSO KNOWN AS RIB PROTECTORS. THEY OFFER EXTRA PROTECTION FOR THE RIB CAGE AND KIDNEY AREAS.

ELBOW PADS AND ARM GUARDS

LACROSSE ELBOW PADS OFFER ADDITIONAL COVERAGE AND PROTECTION COMPARED TO HOCKEY ELBOW PADS.  LACROSSE PADS CAN EXTEND FROM THE MID-WRIST TO MID-BICEP AREA, WITH A LARGE PADDED AREA ON THE ELBOW CUP. ARM GUARDS OFFER EXTENDED PROTECTION ABOVE AND BELOW THE ELBOW.  HOCKEY ARM GUARDS ARE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY TO COVER THE ELBOW CUP. ADJUSTABLE STRAPS ALLOW FOR THE PERFECT FIT SO THAT THE PADS DO NOT SLIDE. ADDITIONALLY, LACROSSE ARM GUARDS OFFER A BETTER RANGE OF MOTION THAN A HOCKEY ELBOW PAD.

MOUTH GUARDS, JOCK, OR JILL

MOUTH GUARDS ARE THE SAME FOR LACROSSE AS THEY ARE FOR HOCKEY,  THEY ARE MANDATORY PIECES OF EQUIPMENT.  PLAYERS WILL RECEIVE A 10-MINUTE PENALTY IF THEY ARE NOT WORN.  IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE PROPER FIT FOR BEST PROTECTION. JOCKS AND JILLS PROTECT A SENSITIVE AREA AND MUST ALSO BE WORN AT ALL TIMES - THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS. 

HELMETS

THE MAJORITY OF MINOR LACROSSE PLAYERS WEAR HOCKEY HELMETS.  SOME PLAYERS CHOOSE TO WEAR A HOCKEY HELMET BUT PURCHASE A LACROSSE MASK. HELMETS MUST FIT PROPERLY TO ENSURE MAXIMUM PROTECTION AND BOTH HELMETS AND MASKS MUST BE CSA APPROVED.GOALIES WHO PLAY FULL-TIME U13+ WOULD BENEFIT FROM PURCHASING A GOALIE-SPECIFIC HELMET.

STICK

THERE A MULTIPLE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO LACROSSE.  THE BOX LACROSSE STICK SHOULD MEASURE NO LESS THAN 34 INCHES FROM U7-U13 AND NO LESS THAN 4O INCHES FROM U15-U17. MINI STICKS ARE NOT ALLOWED FOR LEAGUE PLAY.  BE SURE TO CHECK THAT YOU ARE NOT PURCHASING A STICK THAT DOES MEET REQUIREMENTS. A MINOR PENALTY SHALL BE ASSESSED TO ANY PLAYER FOUND USING AN ILLEGAL STICK IN A GAME AND THAT STICK SHALL BE PLACED IN THE TIMEKEEPER’S AREA FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE GAME.