Ottakee Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Our foster son is interested in the 5th/6th grade lacrosse club at his school. I know NOTHING about this. What do I need to know? The sign up sheet says he just needs a mouth guard, tennis shoes, shorts and a t shirt. They provide the rest of the equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 nm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 My just-turned 11 boy has been playing lacrosse for 3 seasons. I started as an Asst. Coach his first season, and have been the Head Coach of his team since then. Lacrosse is an up and coming sport here in Los Angeles. I played football growing up (not lacrosse, which as non-existent on the youth level here at the time). I must say, I love the game. It is fast, and combines great aspects of basketball, soccer, and hockey to a field game. Players of many physical types can succeed at lacrosse. Not just big/tall guys. There are 4 basic positions: 1) Defensive players, who tend to be bigger and aggressive. They primarily stay on the defensive side of the field, so while they need to be in shape, don't require super-conditioning. 2) Midfielders: Super conditioned fast players who range the whole field, they need both offensive and defensive skills. 3) Attack: Scoring specialists. Tend to be quick. Can sometime be small. Like Defensive players (basically) stick to one side of the field. Need great stick handling skills. 4) Goalie: Need to have sharp reflexes and need to be tough and fearless. Lacrosse ball are hard and getting hit hurts. Size helps, and does high pain threshold. Lacrosse is a very fun game for parents to watch. Exciting! Like any contact sport there is some risk of injury, including head-injuries/concussions. The trend is towards reducing big hits in lacrosse to increase player safety (a move I strongly support). Playing "Wallball" (Google YouTube Videos) is the fastest way to build stick stills. Bouncing the ball (and taking the return off the wall) is easier to start than working directly off the wall (which is the ultimate goal. He will need cleats. Tennis shoes won't cut it. Does the team provide cleats??? A large squeezable sport bottle with an angled straw (of the type football players use) is a boon, so one can drink w/o removing helmet. Also get a mouthpiece with a tether incorporated that attaches to the mask on the helmet. This way they don't get lost. No mouthpiece/no play. Unattached mouthpiece get lost. Don't take the chance. Any other questions? Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Double check if he needs cleats. Some fields are no cleats. The field DD plays on has a no cleats rule, tennis shoes only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Double check if he needs cleats. Some fields are no cleats. The field DD plays on has a no cleats rule, tennis shoes only. Yes, check. I guess some places have artificial turk that is more like a "rug" than "turf." We don't. Playing on grass or regular (long) artificial turf without cleats would not be ideal (and kind of dangerous). But maybe there are places that use "carpets" where regular athletic shoes work? Check with the coach. If cleats are optional, and it is a grass or regular artifical turf field get some cleats. Slipping is not good. Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikslo Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 They're providing the equipment? He definitely should try it! Lacrosse is a great sport. It was bigger than football at my high school. (Granted that was an East-coast private prep school back in the 90s...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I agree on checking on cleats vs no cleats. My ds12 plays with either, depending on the particular field they're using and will sometimes bring the opposite shoes just in case. He has hand-me-down and bought-used pads/helmets that work fine though we've purchased a few sticks. He recently finished his third season. Due to a fluke of registration (signing up late that first year with his buddy), he's been playing up a year all this time, staying with the same coach who is all about honor, no dirty play, not giving up, etc. Ds is a middie and it's fun to see him scrap at the bottom of a pile of really big guys (who sometimes have a good foot on him, as he hasn't started much of a growth spurt just yet plus he's a year younger) and come up with the ball. It can get rough, similar to hockey. It hurt just watching him get whacked across the shins by some big dude but he was brave. It is a very popular sport in our area (CO). Ds has been playing spring season, when a lot of football players join in. He could play three seasons outdoors or year-round if he played indoor. I do not anticipate that he will play for the high school we hope he'll attend as they'll be far too good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 Our foster son is interested in the 5th/6th grade lacrosse club at his school. I know NOTHING about this. What do I need to know? The sign up sheet says he just needs a mouth guard, tennis shoes, shorts and a t shirt. They provide the rest of the equipment. I know so little about lacrosse that I lived in md for years before I realized that the LAX bumper stickers had nothing to do with the airport. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I know so little about lacrosse that I lived in md for years before I realized that the LAX bumper stickers had nothing to do with the airport. I'm sure some people got the wrong idea about (board member) LaxMom :D Bill 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 I agree on checking on cleats vs no cleats. My ds12 plays with either, depending on the particular field they're using and will sometimes bring the opposite shoes just in case. He has hand-me-down and bought-used pads/helmets that work fine though we've purchased a few sticks. He recently finished his third season. Due to a fluke of registration (signing up late that first year with his buddy), he's been playing up a year all this time, staying with the same coach who is all about honor, no dirty play, not giving up, etc. Ds is a middie and it's fun to see him scrap at the bottom of a pile of really big guys (who sometimes have a good foot on him, as he hasn't started much of a growth spurt just yet plus he's a year younger) and come up with the ball. It can get rough, similar to hockey. It hurt just watching him get whacked across the shins by some big dude but he was brave. It is a very popular sport in our area (CO). Ds has been playing spring season, when a lot of football players join in. He could play three seasons outdoors or year-round if he played indoor. I do not anticipate that he will play for the high school we hope he'll attend as they'll be far too good. You know this, but the University of Denver won the NCAA lacrosse championship this year. The first time in history that a western team has ever done that. Look out East Coast :D Bill 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wapiti Posted August 24, 2015 Share Posted August 24, 2015 You know this, but the University of Denver won the NCAA lacrosse championship this year. The first time in history that a western team has ever done that. Look out East Coast :D Bill Yes :). Ds's club league regularly offers some sort of group tickets to DU games. Ds played a playoff game in their lacrosse stadium earlier this year. Sometimes there are camps with DU players/coaches. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 I'm sure some people got the wrong idea about (board member) LaxMom :D Bill Please let there be a team called Miralax. Annnnd I'm happy now: http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=mmylacrosse 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted August 25, 2015 Share Posted August 25, 2015 Please let there be a team called Miralax. Annnnd I'm happy now: http://www.leaguelineup.com/welcome.asp?url=mmylacrosse Or people who used used to play lacrosse :P Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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