By Ilse Hagen
Lacrosse sticks are sports equipment used in lacrosse, consisting of two parts, the handle and the head, which are normally bought separately. Called a shaft, the handle of a lacrosse stick is a hollow, polygonal tube made from Kevlar, titanium, or aluminum. The exposed end of a handle is known as the butt and plugged with rubber or wrapped in tape. Used to cradle, throw, and catch the ball, the head of a lacrosse stick features a pouch. Depending on what you require, there are different types of lacrosse sticks for you to choose from. There are sticks with wooden or plastic heads, with sizes depending on whether the user is male or female and standards set by different lacrosse organizations like the International Lacrosse Federation, the NCAA, and US Lacrosse.
Here are the different types of sticks you can choose from:
Men’s: Stick heads used by men need to be between four to 10 inches wide according to ILF regulations and then 6.5 to 10 inches wide according to the NCAA and the US Lacrosse. If you’re a goalie, your lacrosse stick can measure up to 15 inches on the widest point (ILF) or 10 to 12 inches (NCAA and US Lacrosse). Sidewalls for men’s lacrosse sticks shouldn’t exceed a height of two inches and can have pockets made from mesh, nylon, or strung leather.
Women’s: Women’s lacrosse sticks, on the other hand, should have heads that are seven to nine inches wide according to US Lacrosse regulations, with the goalie’s reaching up to 12 inches wide. While their pockets are shallower than men’s sticks, women’s sticks feature more colorful heads.
Children’s: Made from plastic, these sticks are light yet durable and easy to break in. Along with mesh netting, they also have pointed mouths for accurate throws and easy picking up of the ball.
Click here to get your own DeBeer Intuition women’s lacrosse stick.
