Lacrosse equipment, Gear, and Sticks
Hornetlacrosse.com is dedicated to providing information about lacrosse. This team sport was originally created by American Indians, but is enjoyed by many people today.
The sole purpose is to be an informational outlet. It is not created as a retail store- no products are sold on this site. So relax and learn about the exciting sport of lacrosse, including what exactly it is, how it is played, and what equipment the sport requires.
Modern lacrosse gear includes lacrosse sticks, lacrosse helmets, lacrosse gloves, lacrosse shafts, and players wear lacrosse shorts. But it wasn’t always this organized.
Lacrosse was originally played for different purposes. It was first described by French missionaries to North America in the early 1600s. In fact, the sport was named by these missionaries. The term “crosse” is a general French word which stands for any type of bat or stick used in a ball game.
Many northeastern tribes of the U.S. would play this sport extensively. Major reasons for playing it included resolving conflicts and training young warriors. Often, games were played over several days, on fields that spanned up to a mile wide. In the early days of the sport, players could be seriously injured or even killed. The first lacrosse balls were constructed out of enemy heads, deerskin, stone, clay, and sometimes wood.
For years, the game played a significant role in the community and religion of tribes across the continent. The sport originally involved deep spiritual commitment which was to match the spirit of combat in which it was played. Players took part in the game under the role of warriors, with the goal of bringing home glory and honor their families and communities. Lacrosse was also a religious ritual that was said to be played “for the pleasure of the Creator.”
Obviously, Lacrosse has gone through many changes since it began in the 16th century. However, many aspects of game play remain the same. In the original North American Indian version, each team consisted of 100 to 1,000 men on a field that was 500 yards to two miles long. The games lasted from dawn till dusk for two or three days. The games were instrumental in settling inter-tribal disputes, as well in giving thanks to the Creator.
By the mid-1850s lacrosse evolved to a less violent game and was played by French pioneers as a sport. In 1856 clubs were formed, lacrosse rules codified, the game was shortened, and the number of players reduced to 10. By the 1900s, high schools, colleges, and universities had picked up the game. It even became a medal sport in the 1928 and 1932 Olympics.
Today, the game is played professionally in Canada and the United States.
Outdoor men’s lacrosse pits two teams of 10 players each, competing to project a solid rubber ball into the goal of the opposing team. The standard field is 110 yards long and 60 yards wide. The goals are six feet by six feet and contain a net similar to ice hockey goals. The game is played with a stick, the crosse, which must be used to throw, catch, and scoop the ball.
On the field of play, players line up to perform different duties. Three offensive players, called “attackmen," have the job of hurling the ball through the opposing team’s net. Three “midfielders” also shoot into the net of the opposing team, but defend their own net as well. Three “defensemen” simply guard their own net. The tenth and final player is the “goalie” who blocks incoming shots.
Players scoop the ball from the ground and pass the ball through the air to other teammates. Players are allowed to run with the ball, kick it, and cover it with their sticks, so long as they do not withhold it from play. Play is quick and fluid with significantly more goals scored than in hockey or soccer.
An exciting sport, lacrosse is fast-paced and full of action. Players sprint up and down the field with abrupt starts and stops, precision passes, and feints. Helmets, gloves, shoulder- and elbow-pads are required. Some players will also wear rib pads.
Lacrosse has been a growing favorite among sport fans. There are now more than 125,000 youths playing the sport. This does not count high school teams, colleges, or professional players. High school players number approximately 169,000. It is also the fastest-growing sport at the NCAA level and numbers in excess of 400 college club programs.
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