Frequently Asked Questions

Concussion Information

For parents and players concerned about concussion: Concussion information from the CDC.
Additional information from BE LAX: Concussion awareness.

Notice how this player is wearing shorts and it's a nice sunny day? We're betting she lives in San Diego. That's why we've put together a recommended equipment list for players in our area, so that your player can be more comfortable on the field.

What equipment does a player need?

The minimum equipment requirement for a player is the following:

stick
eye guard
mouth guard
athletic shoes

There is additional equipment, which is highly recommended, for a player’s comfort. (After all, we’re a spring sport played in the rainy Pacific Northwest.) The following link contains information about recommended equipment and where to purchase it locally and online.

2012 Equipment Requirements & Recommendations

Is women’s lacrosse safe? Why don’t the girls wear helmets and pads?

Four guiding principles form the foundation of women’s lacrosse:

Honor the origins of the game
Commitment to the core values
Maintain relevance of the game today and in the future
Respect all participants.

Respecting these guiding principles, the game today continues to be one of finesse and speed, using minimum equipment and prohibiting intentional body contact. Since 1931, the rules for women’s lacrosse as written by the United States Women’s Lacrosse Association (1931-1998) and US Lacrosse (1999- present) have evolved to maintain the spirit of the game and to ensure the safety of the players at all levels.

The women’s game is different than the men’s game. In terms of its history, rules, penalties for contact and equipment – it’s different enough that some leaders in the game have even offered that women’s lacrosse would be better served if it was not even called lacrosse at all.
Women’s lacrosse is a safe sport. The women’s game has been played in the United States without helmets since 1913 and until 6 years ago, without any protective equipment. It is one the fastest growing youth sports for girls. According to the NFHS’ Concussion Rates by Sport and Type of Exposure, 2008-09. High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study, women’s lacrosse ranks 5th for head/face injuries behind soccer, basketball, softball and field hockey – the lowest rate amongst all field sports reviewed and 3rd for concussions behind soccer and basketball.
Helmets do not prevent concussions. But for those who want additional protection on the field, according to the US Lacrosse rulebook, women are permitted to wear soft helmets – which may help lessen the severity of head trauma and facial lacerations. More comprehensive and conclusive research is needed in the area of concussion prevention in youth sports, in order to make the case for additional rule changes that include more protective equipment in women’s lacrosse.
Additional protective equipment does not address the unsafe playing conditions that manifest when inconsistently trained coaches and umpires are on the field teaching and enforcing the rules of women’s lacrosse. No helmet will change the fact that no state association in the country requires sport-specific coaching education training for high school level coaches or mandates that high school assignors use only US Lacrosse trained umpires on the field.