Introduction
Are men and women’s lacrosse becoming two different sports? The sport of lacrosse has been played since the 1630s by men. In that time, they have allowed women to join in on the game. The objective of the game is to score as many goals as possible on the opponent's goal in the given amount of time. The men and women's side of the sport are very different, but also share some similarities. Some differences include the amount of contact permitted, equipment, and design of the lacrosse sticks. There are similarities with the rules, protective gear, and field the sport is played on.
The difference in contact
In women’s lacrosse the contact allowance depends on the age. Grades first through sixth are not allowed to check. Check means to hit one's lacrosse stick with another, used to get the ball out of the pocket. Modified lacrosse players can check below the shoulder. High school, college, and national lacrosse players can chose to check wherever if it stays away from the players head. No matter what age boys and men lacrosse players can check and hit each other’s bodies if it stays away from the player’s neck and head.
Equipment differences
In men's lacrosse the players are required to wear a helmet, mouth guard, gloves, shoulder, chest, and elbow pads. Men wear more protective equipment because they have a higher allowance of contact in their game. Women's lacrosse players are mandated to wear goggles and a mouth guard. The goggles women are required to wear cover part of the forehead, all the nose, and eyes.
Design difference of the lacrosse sticks
Women's lacrosse sticks have a much shallower pocket than the men's. To have a legal women's lacrosse stick the ball must be visible above the sidewall. To have a legal men's lacrosse stick the ball must come out of the pocket when tipped upside down. Indicating that the pocket is not too deep. The netting in a men's lacrosse stick is made of entirely mesh. As opposed to the webbing in a women's cross made of synthetic strings and leather. Men's lacrosse rules allow players to have two different types of sticks, offensive and defensive. The defensive lacrosse stick is much longer then the offensive. A defender's stick must be less than seventy-two inches. An offensive pole must be less than forty-two inches. In women's lacrosse there is only on sized lacrosse stick that must be less than forty-three inches.
The field similarities
The standard lacrosse field must be one hundred ten yards by sixty yards. The field contains a midfield line, two eight-meter fans, restraining lines, sidelines, end lines, and creases. The crease contains the goal and goalie. That must have a radius of nine feet, found at either ends of the field. The eight-meter is connected off the crease and found at both ends of the field as well and is shaped similarly to a hand-held, paper fan.
Protective equipment similarities
Men and women lacrosse players both wear mouth guards. Men lacrosse players wear helmets. Recently Cascade, a brand that makes and sells lacrosse equipment has come out with a new helmet for women's lacrosse. The helmet covers the top half of the head including the eyes. The helmet is not guaranteed to prevent concussions, but the company is working on further advancements. Goalies in women's lacrosse wear the same equipment that men wear on the field.
Similar rules
The start of the game is opened by a draw, where one player from each team faces off to earn the ball over. Before the game a check of the sticks is in order, to ensure all crosses meet regulations. Every time a goal is scored the team that scored the goal is rewarded one point. After the goal the ball is brought back to midfield and another draw takes place. In both men and women's lacrosse only one player at a time is allowed in the crease, or else a penalty is conducted. The two genders can check but not slash. Slash means to violently hit one's body with their cross. Yellow and red cards are distributed if unsportsmanlike conduct materializes. If given a yellow card the player who received the card sits out for two minutes of the game. If a red card is accustomed the player sits out for the rest of the game.
Conclusion
The originator of the sport lacrosse, Native Americans have built an empire that has grown to have nearly 750,000 people in it. The original sport was played by men and has been opened to women overtime. The game has developed and grown. The sport depends on the gender. The differences between men and women's lacrosse includes contact, design of the lacrosse stick, and equipment. Some similarities include the fields, rules, and protective equipment. Are women and men's lacrosse drifting further and further apart?
Bibliography
lacrosse, US. “Women's Rules.” US Lacrosse, 20 July 2016, www.uslacrosse.org/rules/womens-rules.
lacrosse, US. “Men's Rules.” US Lacrosse, 2016, www.uslacrosse.org/rules/mens-rules.
Sporting Goods, Dicks. “What’s The Difference Between Men’s & Women’s Lacrosse?” Dicks Sporting Goods, 2017, protips.dickssportinggoods.com/sports-and-activities/lacrosse/whats-the-difference-between-mens-womens-lacrosse.