REQUIRED EQUIPMENT

 

Safety is our first priority at Greenwich Youth Lacrosse. USA Lacrosse provides some helpful information on equipment for youth players on the USA Lacrosse Equipment Page. For the latest updates complete with some visuals you can view the USA Lacrosse Equipment Guide.

Below we have assembled some helpful guidance. For our younger players we modify some of the requirement equipment. However, for our players from 5th - 8th grade we are required to follow strict USA Lacrosse and CONNY guidelines which are enforced by the referees/umpires.

Important note for 2022:

  • Effective January 1, 2022, all boys must have shoulder pads designed for lacrosse and meet NOCSAE standard ND200.

  • All chest protectors and shoulder pads must contain the NOCSAE logo and SEI certification mark on both the packaging and the product to be legal for play.

  • See below for more information!

Boys    |    Girls    |    Girls House League    |    Boys House League    |    Cold Weather Clothing    |    Local Vendors

Boys

Field players in grades K-8 are required to wear:

  • Helmet (CONNY recommends NOCSAE-approved lacrosse helmets, but HECC-approved hockey helmets are allowed)

  • Mouthguard

  • Gloves

  • Elbow/arm pads

  • Shoulder pads | note: effective January 1, 2022 all shoulder pads must be designed for lacrosse and meet NOSCAE standard ND200. Click here for more details

  • Shoes (moulded cleats)

  • Cup

  • Rib pads are strongly recommended

Travel goalies:

  • Chest pads and throat guards are mandatory | note: effective January 1, 2021 all goalie chest protectors must be designed for lacrosse and meet the NOCSAE standard ND200. Click here for more details

  • shin guards and football pants (with or without pads) are optional; many coaches believe youth level goalkeepers benefit from wearing shin, knee, and thigh pads – such pads are authorized for youth play so long as they do not significantly increase the size of the limb protected (e.g. no ice hockey, field hockey, or box lacrosse goalie pads)

Crosse (stick) Dimensions for K-4th graders:

  • the length of the players crosse may be 37 to 42 inches with no exceptions

  • the goalkeepers crosse may be 37 to 60 inches long

  • see additional guidance on sticks at the bottom of this page

Crosse (stick) Dimensions for Juniors (5th and 6th grades) and Seniors (7th and 8th graders):

  • In Junior play only, a long crosse shall be 43 to 60 inches and a team may have a maximum of only three players using long crosses, not counting the goalkeeper’s crosse, in the game at any time

  • Also in Junior play only, a player who uses a crosse shorter than 40 inches shall, if the crosse is challenged, be required to remove it from play with no further penalty assessed

Girls

Players in grades 3-8 are required to wear:

  • Mouthguard which fully covers the upper jaw teeth; it must be colored - no clear mouthguards. Note: mouthguards cannot be physically tethered to the eyewear.

  • Eye protection which meets the most current ASTM specifications. Click here for a complete list of approved eyewear.

  • Closefitting gloves, nose guards and soft headgear may be worn by all players.

  • Goalies:

    • must wear a helmet that meets the NOCSAE standard plus a mouth piece

    • must wear lacrosse gloves and padding on the shins and thighs

    • Chest pads and throat guards are mandatory | note: effective January 1, 2021 all goalie chest protectors must be designed for lacrosse and meet the NOCCAE standard ND200. Click here for more details

    • Padding on the arms and shoulders is also acceptable

    • For travel teams, the goalie must wear a top of the same color as her team over her chest and shoulder pads; and must wear bottoms which are in agreement with the team's predominant color or be black or gray.

  • REMINDER: NO JEWELRY OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED.

Note:  Players in grades K-2 use Swax balls so eye protection and mouthguards are optional.


The Field Stick:

  • Length: 35.5” minimum, 43.25” maximum. U9 and U11 may shorten to the length of player’s arm

  • Stringing: 4-5 leather or synthetic strings, 8-12 stitches or cross-lacing, maximum of two “shooting” strings

  • Pocket: no mesh - legal when ball remains above the wall when pressure applied in horizontal stick

  • Head: triangular affixed in same plane as handle

  • Shaft: wood, composite or metal alloy

  • See additional guidance on sticks at the bottom of this page for House League players.

     

The Goalie Stick:

  • Length: 35.5” minimum, 52” maximum in youth lacrosse

  • Stringing: goalie sticks come standard with mesh pockets

  • Pocket: legal when ball moves freely in pocket and stick meets manufacturing specs from Rule 9 in “Official Rules for Girls and Women’s Lacrosse” rulebook published by USA Lacrosse

  • Head: extra-wide triangle in same plane as handle

  • Shaft: wood, composite or metal alloy


US Lacrosse establishes regulations for women’s lacrosse. For a full listing of legal sticks, click on this link from the USA Lacrosse website.

Sticks are checked at pre-game line-up and umpires may remove illegal sticks from game. Umpires will recheck illegal sticks at halftime and allow for use if the stick passes.

House League Sticks: Here is some additional guidance for sticks and pockets for House League players (K-4th Grade)

Girls House League

Stick Length

  • USA Lacrosse rule: 35.5 inches to 43.25 inches

  • GYL modification: For K-3rd graders, we recommend if 35.5 inches is too large, you cut down to the shaft to the arm size of the girl (see video link in references below)

Pocket Size

  • Legal is when the ball remains above the wall when pressured is applied in a horizontal stick

  • For K-2 especially, we recommend putting a small pocket in each girl's stick and progressively shortening it throughout the season. A pocket will allow the player to scoop, cradle, throw, catch, and shoot with more confidence.

References

Boys House League

Stick Length

  • CONNY Lacrosse rule: 37 inches to 42 inches

  • For K-2 graders, we recommend you start the shaft at 37" and cut down further if need be

  • Also note, your child should be using a proper lacrosse stick – "fiddle sticks" are not real lacrosse sticks and it is very difficult to use these with a regulation size lacrosse ball

Pocket Size

  • The pocket must be adjusted so that the top of the ball does not fall below the bottom edge of the head when the stick is held horizontally

References

  • Note: no sticks greater than 42" are permitted in House League (or Intro to Travel Lacrosse)

Cold Weather Clothing

Additionally during the early season practices, it can get cold and sometimes rainy. If this happens, please have your child wear layers with outer and under layers of clothing. Some suggestions are: full-sleeve t-shirt, water resistant jacket, water resistant sweat pants, and thin gloves.

Local Vendors

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