Women’s and girls’ lacrosse games involve twelve players on either team (including a goalie) competing on a grass or turf field. Players utilize a lacrosse stick to pass around and carry a ball with the aim of scoring goals on the opposing team’s goalie. Games are usually split into four 15-minute quarters, at the end of which the team with the most goals wins.
Table of Contents
Women’s Lacrosse Stick Components
The 2 main parts of a lacrosse stick are the shaft and the head. The shaft is also called a pole and connects to the head of the stick. The shaft is the only part of the stick that players are allowed to touch with their hands during a game.
The head of a lacrosse stick consists of a “scoop,” 2 “sidewalls,” a “throat,” a “pocket,” some “shooting strings,” and a “ball stop.”
The scoop is the rounded top part of the head that allows players to pick up loose ground balls with their sticks.
The sidewall is the part on either side of the stick through which strings are threaded.
The throat is the very bottom part of your head that connects to your shaft.
The pocket is where the ball rests and is carried by a cradling motion.
Shooting strings are the two leather down strips down the middle of the stick that help players throw and catch.
The ball stop is a thin foam pad on top of the throat that helps the ball from falling out.
- Basic Parts
- Shaft (or pole)
- Head: scoop, sidewall, throat, pocket, shooting strings
Women's Sticks vs. Other Lacrosse Sticks
Why are women’s lacrosse sticks different than men’s?
Men’s and women’s lacrosse sticks are different because the two games, while similar, are quite different in many ways.
Men and boys play with pads, helmets, gloves, and mouth guards while women and girls wear no pads (except the goalie), but do use goggles and a mouth guard.
Women’s lacrosse players are allowed some contact to play defense (similar to basketball), but no hitting or cross-checking. The men’s game is much more physical, with frequent hitting. Because of this, men’s sticks are allowed to have deeper pockets because it’s easier for one player to knock the ball out of another’s stick pocket given the amount of contact allowed. The men’s game also has 60-inch long poles on defense, while the women’s game does not.
Women’s lacrosse sticks are generally narrower and shallower in shape, making it more difficult to catch, throw, and retain possession of the ball.
Is there a difference between women’s and girls’ lacrosse sticks?
Yes. There are differences between women’s and girls’ lacrosse sticks. Women’s lacrosse sticks are usually more custom-built with separately purchased shafts and heads and specific stringing styles, whereas it is much more common for girls to use factory-strung complete stick setups. Youth sticks may also be on the shorter end of the legal length range for a women’s stick.
How long are women’s and girls’ lacrosse sticks?
All sticks are measured from the butt (bottom) to the top of the head. The regulation length of a goalie’s stick in women’s and girls’ lacrosse is between 35 ½” and 52″ long. All other players must use sticks that are between 35 ½” and 43 ¼” long. Within that range, young girls may feel more comfortable with a shorter stick than women. Similarly, girls and women who play defense tend to use longer sticks that maximize their reach.
Purchasing a Women's or Girls' Lacrosse Stick
What companies make women’s lacrosse sticks?
A few different lacrosse companies include Brine, STX, Warrior, Cascade, Nike, Gait, and Under Armour.
Which women’s lacrosse stick should I get?
Beginners are best off choosing women’s complete sticks with a head and shaft already put together. A good starter stick would be the STX Exult 200, which comes with a more forgiving pocket that helps new players catch and throw better.
After feeling comfortable with the starter stick, a player can move up to the STX 300 once they have better control.
A more experienced player should buy the head and shaft separately so they can pick the specific one they want best suited for their individual needs.
The best lacrosse sticks are light, with a strong performance for shooting and a nice sweet spot to catch and throw.
What kind of shaft (pole) should I buy?
There are many different kinds of shafts that you can buy. Some are better than others, but again it will depend on personal preference and skill level. A few options include aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, scandium alloy, and carbon fiber.
Aluminum Alloy is heavy and durable, making it a good option for beginners. Temperature can play a factor in their performance so it is best to use tape or gloves in cold weather.
Titanium alloy is light in weight and good for advanced players.
Scandium Alloy is durable for long-lasting performance and strength, but is mainly used by elite/pro-level players.
Carbon Fiber/Composite is the lightest on the market but can be difficult for younger girls to handle.
What are the different types of women’s lacrosse sticks?
There are many types of lacrosse sticks to choose from, each with their own benefits. As the game has evolved over time, so have the sticks.
Manufacturers have now started making specific girls lacrosse heads and sticks for the draw (or faceoff), attackers, and defenders. Sticks can be bought as a head and shaft or as a women’s complete stick with the head and shaft already put together. Many advanced and elite athletes have their stick strung to their specific needs.
Draw sticks such as the STX draw claw and the Gait draw stick are designed to be stiffer, allowing the ball to sit in the back of the strings and flow seamlessly up to gain possession. Most draw sticks are used only for the draw and then switched out for a regular or preferred field stick for catching, shooting, and passing.
A good defensive stick like the STX Fortress offers a wide catching area with a slight angle to allow better control and power and a raised stopper (white sticker piece at the bottom inside of the head) to allow the ball to stay in the stick.
The STX Crux pro is a great women’s lacrosse head that is made to endure temperatures, increase ball control, pick up ground balls with ease, and keep the ball at the top of the stick in the sweet spot.
The Maverik Ascent is also a great offensive stick that can be used on the draw. It allows players to have accuracy, power, and control.
The Brine Empress is a good defensive stick for stiff sidewalls and good control.
Companies are coming out with new releases all the time and always trying to find the best women’s lacrosse sticks that will give players at all skill levels the best performance. No matter the level of play, the performance of the stick should always help improve anyone’s game.
Other FAQs
What makes a women’s lacrosse stick illegal?
A women’s lacrosse stick becomes illegal if the stringing is done improperly, the length is too long or too short, the side walls have been tampered with, or if the pocket is deemed too deep. For the specific requirements regarding these factors, it’s always a good idea to check in with your league officials.
How deep should the pocket in a women’s lacrosse stick be?
The depth of the pocket in a women’s lacrosse stick should be between 5/6″ and 7/8″. A good eye test for this is that the top of a ball, when placed into the stick, should be at eye level when held horizontally.
Do shafts need to be cut?
This is entirely up to each person. As long as the stick is within the legal limits, there is nothing that says you have to cut it. Younger players may want to cut their shafts when they start playing so they can handle their sticks with greater ease.
A good rule of thumb is to place one hand at the very top of the stick and pull it horizontally underneath your arm. The shaft should end underneath your armpit.
Players on defense usually want to have longer sticks to reach for passes and block shots.
Why do girls drop their stick in women’s lacrosse?
Girls drop their sticks after a goal is scored or if a stick check is requested. Officials will take the stick, measure the length, check the mesh, check the sidewalls and place the ball in the pocket to make sure it is legal. If less than half of the ball can be seen the stick is deemed legal.
Girls drop their sticks so that they are not allowed to pull or tighten their strings, should they be illegal.
FAQs
A women’s lacrosse stick is between 35.5 and 43.5 inches in length, except for goalies who can use sticks that are up to 52 inches in length.
No, girls lacrosse sticks are not all the same. Goalies use sticks that are different from those of other players on the field. Furthermore, the length requirements for non-goalie sticks fall within a range of about 8 inches, meaning that different players might have sticks of slightly varying lengths. And of course, there are many different models of sticks sold by several different lacrosse brands, so the styles differ from player to player as well.
Men’s and women’s lacrosse sticks are different mainly due to the difference in rules relating to physical contact. There is much less physical contact in women’s lacrosse, which makes the ball harder to dislodge from a stick. Because of this, women’s lacrosse sticks are designed in such a way that makes the ball tougher to retain possession of.
The position you play and your playing style will influence which stick is best for you specifically, but a couple of the best and most popular women’s lacrosse sticks are the STX Crux Pro and the Maverik Ascent +.