A lacrosse helmet is a helmet worn primarily in men's

lacrosse Lacrosse is a team sport played with a lacrosse stick and a lacrosse ball. It is the oldest organized sport in North America, with its origins with the indigenous people of North America as early as the 12th century. The game was extensively ...

, but also worn optionally by women's lacrosse players in Australia. Modern

helmets A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...

consist of a hard plastic, non-adjustable shell with thick padding on the inside, a face mask made of metal bars, and a chinstrap used to secure the helmet to the head. Some players also attach a sun visor shielding the eyes, though these visors are not legal in most leagues (unless they are clear). Helmets are required at all levels of organized men's lacrosse,Men's Lacrosse Rules
but only required for goalies in

women's lacrosse Women's lacrosse (or girls' lacrosse), sometimes shortened to lax, is a sport with twelve players on the field at a time (including the goalkeeper). Originally played by indigenous peoples of the Americas, the modern women's game was introduce ...

.Women's Rules
The main difference between helmets is weight, field of vision, and fit. It is important that the lacrosse helmet fit snug to your head to limit injury. Most helmets in the game today offer unique ways of adjusting the helmet size so you can customize it to fit your head. Lacrosse helmets are riddled with air vents to increase air flow and decrease its weight. All helmets come with an adjustable chin strap for added protection. .

History

Early lacrosse players did not wear helmets. When lacrosse was played at the

1908 Summer Olympics The 1908 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the IV Olympiad and also known as London 1908) were an international multi-sport event held in London, England, United Kingdom, from 27 April to 31 October 1908. The 1908 Games were ori ...

, neither of the competing teams wore helmets.1908 Summer Olympics Official Report
. P 225. At the

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

1932 Events January * January 4 – The British authorities in India arrest and intern Mahatma Gandhi and Vallabhbhai Patel. * January 9 – Sakuradamon Incident (1932), Sakuradamon Incident: Korean nationalist Lee Bong-chang fails in his effort ...

and 1948 Olympics where lacrosse was a demonstration sport, only the United States wore helmets while the opposing teams did not.1928 Summer Olympics Official Report
. p 902.1932 Summer Olympics Official Report
. p 765.1948 Summer Olympics Official Report
. p 70. The 1928 Olympics was the first documented use of lacrosse helmets.

Manufacturers

The most common manufacturers in men's lacrosse are Cascade,

Warrior A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste. History Warriors seem to have been p ...

Brine Brine is a high-concentration solution of salt (NaCl) in water (H2O). In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawater, on the lower end of that of solutions used for br ...

, and STX.

Helmet use in women's lacrosse

Following a number of head injuries to female players in the 1980s in South Australia, players and coaches moved to adopt the optional use of protective headgear in the women's game. As the movement — led by Australian 1986 World Champions players Wendy Piltz and Jenny Williams and South Australia coach Peter Koshnitsky — grew, players were given authorization on a trial basis to wear close-fitting, full-face helmets, first by South Australia and then by the governing body, the Australian Women's Lacrosse Council (AWLC). Further efforts were made to have the optional helmet rule adopted at the international level of play but were unsuccessful. In the United States, the governing body,

US Lacrosse USA Lacrosse is the national governing body of men and women's lacrosse in the United States. It provides a leadership role in virtually every aspect of the game and has more than 450,000 members throughout the United States, and offers programs a ...

requires the use of protective goggles and mouth guards but has not endorsed helmet use with the exception of goal keepers (goalies). In the United States, the Florida High School Athletics Association (FHSAA), the governing body of high school athletics in the State of Florida, made helmets mandatory equipment for girls lacrosse at the Varsity and sub-Varsity levels beginning with the 2018 season. As of 2019, Florida is the only state to mandate the use of helmets in girls lacrosse. Helmets are not required in girls travel or recreation-level lacrosse.WELLS DUSENBURY
"FHSAA helmet rule reheats girls lacrosse safety debate"
"Sun-Sentinel", 2017

References

{{Helmets, state=collapsed

Helmet A helmet is a form of protective gear worn to protect the head. More specifically, a helmet complements the skull in protecting the human brain. Ceremonial or symbolic helmets (e.g., a policeman's helmet in the United Kingdom) without protect ...

Helmets

History

Manufacturers

Helmet use in women's lacrosse

See also

References