Crosse Specifications and Equipment Inspections

PIAA Chapter Meeting Guide

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Scott Dede, PIAA Statewide Rules Interpreter

Stick/Equipment Checks

Players should be checked at random to make sure their equipment (including their stick) meets the requirements as specified by the rules.

In a varsity contest, there should be a minimum of four stick/equipment checks per game, with at least one in each half of the contest.

At other levels (JV, middle school), these checks should be performed at least once per game by the game officials.

Equipment checks at the lower levels are beneficial in two ways -

1. It alerts the players to be prepared to have their sticks and equipment checked during a game
2. It allows lower level officials the opportunity to practice performing these checks on a regular basis in a game setting

Due to current innovations in the construction of crosse design, along with stringing at the bottom of the crosse which is designed to withhold the ball from play, the NFHS Boys Lacrosse Committee felt it necessary to emphasize Rule 1-8 (Crosse Prohibitions)

“Pretty Close is NOT LEGAL and should be called”

NFHS head of stick specifications

Measurement from throat - Minimum width

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1.25”up = 3” wide (all measurements)

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3” up = 3” wide (all measurements)

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5” up = 3.5” to 4” (front)

3.5” (back)

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Widest Point = 6” (all measurements)

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Ball stop is not required, but if used, only one may be used. Dimensions are Length: 2” max., 1.5” max width, ¼” max thickness.

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Length of head shall be a minimum of 10” from the outside edge of the head at the top to the beginning of the throat of the crosse.

Stick/Equipment Checks:

When is the right time to perform a stick/equipment check?

- Time-outs, End of quarters (not halftime)

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What are the procedures when checking a stick?

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• Ask one player from each team for his crosse (refer to him by his number).
• Check the palms of his gloves
• Check to make sure he is wearing shoulder pads and arm pads PROPERLY
• Check for a legal mouthpiece

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If the player touches the pocket of his stick or adjusts the strings before presenting his stick, throw flag immediately (this is a one minute NR unsportsmanlike conduct foul). You will still conduct the stick check as planned.

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Take crosse to center of field with the other officials before you check measurements and if ball releases freely.

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Crosse Dimensions

Measurements:

- Depth of pocket (Top surface of ball cannot be seen below bottom of sidewall)

- Minimum width of head (front and back) at the widest point (6” min. - 10” max.)

- Width of goalkeepers crosse must be between 10”-12”

- Starting 1.25” up from throat, the distance between sidewalls must be at least 3”

- Use card to measure

- Length of head (10” top of head to throat)

- All shooting strings within 4” of top of head

- Midfielder/Attack sticks between 40”-42”

- Defensive sticks between 52”-72”

- Goalie stick between 40”-72”

- The circumference of the handle shall not exceed 3 ½” except within 3” of end of handle.

- The walls of the crosse shall not exceed 2”.

- No protrusions or sharp edges

ART. 4… The crosse shall be made of….The pocket/net shall be completely attached to the head and the side walls, having no holes or gaps larger than 1.68 inches in diameter (i.e. an American golf ball).

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Rationale: There has been an increased use of a stringing technique which allows for trapping the ball in such a manner where the stick will pass a stick check, but when force is applied stretches the mesh net to entrap the ball. *Officials do NOT need to have a golf ball available - this is only used as a reference*

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Rule 1-7-1 (language added in 2023)

Rule 1-8 (new in 2023)

. . . No player shall use a crosse that does not meet the specifications of Sections 6 and 7. The crosse shall not have protrusions or sharp edges.

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Rationale: Recent innovations by stick manufacturers could hook or catch on a player’s helmet or facemask, thereby potentially causing injury.

Stick/Equipment checks (con’t)

Ball freely releases when tested:

With a ball in the crosse:

- Tip stick forward from vertical (ball must release freely)

- Tip stick to right and left (ball comes freely out of the side)

- From horizontal, tip head of stick towards ground (ball releases freely)

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Ultimately, the Referee on the game decides if a stick is legal/illegal

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Examples

Videos for Performing Stick Checks

In this video, add rolling the ball out of the stick in both directions for the horizontal rollout test.

Illegal Stick Penalties:

• Any measurement not meeting requirements, deep pocket, and/or ball does not freely release = 2 min. non-releasable penalty.

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IN ALL CASES, the crosse is returned to the player and, if adjusted, may return to the game. If found to be illegal a second time, another two-minute non-releasable penalty shall be served.

• Violations that do not result in time-serving penalty, but must be corrected:

(a) No butt end on stick

(b) End not designed for use on a lacrosse stick (i.e. a bottle cap, tape, etc.)

(c) Strings longer than 2” off stick hanging from stick

(d) Tape ring more than 3” from the butt end of the handle.

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If above are not corrected, a 2 min. non-releasable penalty is assessed.

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Required Equipment for Field Players

• Helmet
• Mouthpiece (not completely white or clear)
• Protective Gloves (must completely cover fingers/palms of player’s hands and cannot be altered in any way that compromises the protective features)
• Shoulder Pads (optional for goalkeeper) (Must meet NOCSAE ND200 standard)
• Shoes
• Jersey with unique number (note: 00, 01, 02, etc. are NOT legal numbers)
• Uniform shorts
• Arm Pads (optional for goalkeeper)

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In addition, Goalkeepers must wear:

• Throat protector designed for lacrosse
• Chest protector (Must meet NOCSAE ND200 standard)

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Prohibited Equipment / Related Items

Players may not participate while wearing any of the following:

• Jewelry (Medical alerts and religious medals are not considered jewelry (must be taped to body under jersey)
• Items that endanger player or opponent (casts must be padded with ½” (min) slow recovery foam padding)
• Electronic communication equipment
• Equipment worn by goalkeeper that exceeds a normal field player (exception: chest protector, shin guards, throat protector)
• Ice Hockey goalkeeper gloves
• Football shoulder pads or helmet
• Anything that obscures view of uniform numbers
• Eye shade (“Eye Black”) that is more than a single stroke under the eye or contains words/numbers/logos/other symbols

Penalties for not wearing required equipment or not wearing equipment as designed by the manufacturer:

One minute, non-releasable personal foul

Exception: mouthpiece violation, which is a technical foul

Even if multiple equipment violations are found during an equipment check, penalty is a one minute, non-releasable personal foul.

Questions about stick/equipment checks?

Contact your rules interpreter

Speak to an experienced official

Watch varsity contests to see the crew handle stick/equipment checks

Practice stick checks at home - make sure you know the procedure and can perform a stick check quickly and efficiently

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