Lacrosse Addict

For obvious reasons, helmets are an extremely important piece of gear for keeping men’s lacrosse players and women’s lacrosse goalies as safe as possible during play. Although it does not guarantee complete protection from injury, wearing the proper helmet will certainly lessen the severity of some of the most potentially dangerous types of injuries.

So how do you know which helmets are safe? When shopping for lacrosse gear, look for helmets with the NOCSAE logo. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment is a non-profit organization founded in 1969 – their sole purpose is to establish standards for protective sports equipment, through research and rigorous testing. Their recommendations are technically just guidelines - that is until a governing body such as US Lacrosse or the NCAA, for example, makes the NOCSAE standard part of their own rules, which they have.

How are they tested? It would actually take too long to list in detail here all of the tests they perform on helmets and face masks, but consider it a crash test from all sides after the helmet has been stored at 120 degrees Fahrenheit for four hours. Stick and ball impact tests from 40 to 70 mph, drop tests to simulate collisions with players and other surfaces, along with ball and stick penetration tests. Neither the ball, stick or mask is allowed to touch the face.

The latest revision to “newly manufactured lacrosse faceguards performance standard” will be effective June 1, 2008. For more information, visit their website at NOCSAE.org. Does this mean you have to go out and buy a new helmet? No. As long as the helmet you are using has been certified to meet the NOCSAE standard at the time it was made, it is good for the life of the helmet, which should be noted by the manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer if you are unsure.

Any athlete participating in a semi-contact, or contact sport has about a 10% chance of sustaining a facial or mouth injury. This includes lacrosse – and from children to teens and adults, that chance increases up to almost 50%, as the players grow stronger and the game gets faster – especially in women’s lacrosse.

Having seen it first hand, teenaged girls and women seem to have an increasing amount of facial (nose and cheek) and mouth injuries. For those wearing braces, mouth guards are especially important – just imagine taking a shot to the mouth without any protection between your braces and your lips!

This should be a piece of your lacrosse gear that you never want to be without. Think about it, a mere $20 could help to protect you from needless pain, injury and $1000s of dollars in dental/medical bills.

Unfortunately, many kids resist when it comes to wearing mouth guards for various reasons, whether it is “uncool” or due to peer pressure. This is why it is a mandatory requirement for many schools and recreational teams that mouth protection be worn for all practices and games. Officials are now required to regularly check for properly worn mouth guards during stick checks and even throughout games.

Shock Doctor Gel Max Mouth Guard
Shock Doctor Braces Mouthguard