Footwear  (No metal cleats at any time)
Turf (artificial) fields:  Sneakers or Turf Shoes are allowed. 
Grass fields: Cleats are recommended.  Soccer or football cleats work well.            

Protective Equipment (to be worn at all times): 
Boys:
Helmet
Mouthpiece
Shoulder Pads
Arm Pads
Gloves
Supporter with cup
Rib pads (optional)

Girls:
Goggles 
Mouthpiece                   

Sticks

Entry Level - Beginner player we reccommend StingKing sticks to start. www.Stringking.com
All players will need a lacrosse stick. This is an adult size (40-42") lacrosse stick, and not a "mini" stick. For younger players (3rd grade and below), the metal shaft of the stick can be cut down so that the stick is about 30-36" long, which makes it easier for young kids to handle.

 

Boys have the option to have long sticks when playing in 5th grade and above.  No long sticks are permitted for boys in grades 4 and below.  All girls sticks are the same length.

 

A wide range of boys sticks are available.  Prices can range widely.  Younger and beginning players should learn the game with a wider head, which allows for easy catching and scooping. More advance players might want a more "pinched" head to help hold on to the ball when they have it in their stick. 

 

While there may be some advantages of the higher priced heads for the expert player, most youth coaches agree that the less expensive entry level heads are more than adequate.  Heads can be strung with either mesh or traditional stringing.  Most youth players use mesh.  It is easier to catch with soft mesh, but the harder mesh is easier to throw with. An old stick with new mesh in it can serve a beginner quite well. Lacrosse stores can typically help with re-stringing of sticks.

 

Shafts, or "handles" for the sticks have become very complex.  Premier players in high school and college will talk about the advantages of carbon fiber, titanium or other ultrastrong and ultralight handles.  These handles can be very expensive.  For young and beginning players, simple aluminum shafts are more than adequate.  They also have the advantage with very young players in that they can be cut down to a more useable length and then replaced inexpensively as the player grows.    

Girls Sticks
Girls sticks are perhaps a little less complicated, but like the boys' sticks, there are heads designed for beginners and more experienced players. There are an increasing number of novel sticks and stringing becoming available every year, but most young and beginning players usually find the entry level sticks more than adequate (to tell which the 'entry level' ones are, just look for the less expensive ones).  Generally we recommend keeping the sticks at the length they are sold to you, as it helps the girls get used to playing with a standard length stick.  However, if your daughter is very young/small (K-3rd grade mostly) you can take a few inches off the bottom of the shaft so that it is more manageable for her to handle as she is learning the basics.  

Purchasing Equipment

Although lacrosse equipment can be purchased at sports stores in New York City, their selections are often limited.  Sporting good stores in the suburbs, particularly Long Island, may have a better selection.  There are many sites on the web that provide equipment, although care must be taken to ensure the appropriate sizes.

 

For information on specific equipment, here are some of the manufacturer websites

Brine lacrosse equipment click here
   
Cascade helmets click here

STX click here

Warrior click here
   
Maverick click here