Some of the required equipment (boys’ helmets, girls’ headgear and goggles, goalie chest protectors for both boys and girls) must meet ASTM or NOCSAE performance standards, while other equipment does not. Items certified as compliant with a standard are listed on the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) website. 
 

The use of goalie chest protectors that meet the NOCSAE performance standard, ND200, is now mandatory in the USA Lacrosse boys’ and girls’ youth rules, the NFHS boys’ and girls’ high school rules, and the NCAA men’s and women’s rules. Based on rule changes adopted in 2022, boys’ and men's field players must also wear chest protection that meets the ND200 standard.

Points of Emphasis

• Effective January 1, 2022, shoulder pads for boys’ field players must be designed for lacrosse and meet NOCSAE standard ND200. See a sample listing of products.
• Effective January 1, 2021, boys' and girls' goalie chest protectors must be designed for lacrosse and meet the NOCSAE standard, ND200.
• All chest protectors and shoulder pads must contain the NOCSAE logo and SEI certification mark on both the packaging and the product to be legal for play.
• Shoulder pads must be designed for lacrosse, covering the top of the shoulder, collarbone and sternum.

Headgear use is optional in girls' and women's lacrosse, however, any headgear used must meet the ASTM standard, F3137.

Points of Emphasis

• Headgear use is optional in the rules at all levels of play in girls' and women's lacrosse.
• Any headgear that is used must meet the ASTM standard, F3137, initially developed in 2015.
• All women’s headgear products that include integrated eyewear must meet the ASTM eyewear standard, F3077-17, in addition to the ASTM headgear standard, F3137.​
• All protective eyewear and integrated headgear that have been certified by SEI and are legal for play are listed on the SEI website. 
• Questions regarding the compliance of specific headgear models that include integrated eyewear should be directed to the manufacturers. The primary manufacturers of integrated headgear are: Cascade (1-800-537-1702) and Hummingbird (1-888-501-1590).
• There must be marking on both the packaging and product that states that the headgear conforms to ASTM standard F3137.
• Recent research measuring the effect of protective headgear use by female high school players found that the use of headgear that meets the ASTM standard can reduce concussion rates.
• Researchers and experts agree that the use of headgear is not the oversimplified approach for reduced concussion risk, but should be just one factor, along with coaches and officials education, consistent rules implementation, and technical ability of players, for a safer game.

Tips for Lacrosse Helmet Fitting

• Make sure the helmet is NOCSAE approved. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment conducts rigorous tests and sets standards for safe athletic equipment, including lacrosse helmets.
• Always review the specific helmet manufacturer’s recommendations for proper helmet fitting either on the manufacturer’s website or in the store.
• Helmets are measured in inches. Check manufacturers’ charts to show the proper size helmet for your child’s head.
• Padding of the helmet shall give firm and uniform pressure about the head. The skin of the forehead should move as the helmet is moved from left to right and from front to back.
• Be sure there is a four-point chin-strap attached to the helmet. Helmets are manufactured for the chin-strap to fit directly on the chin. The chin-strap should be tightened so that there is no slack.
• Properly fitted helmets must take into account the hairstyle of your child; if your child has a great deal of thick hair and then receives a haircut, the helmet must then be refitted.
• Proper helmet fit should never cause headaches.
• The facemask should attach cleanly to the helmet and should be replaced if it is bent.
   

Points of Emphasis

• Protective eyewear use is required in girls' and women's lacrosse.
• Protective eyewear equipment must meet the current ASTM standard.
• All women’s headgear products that include integrated eyewear must also meet the ASTM eyewear standard, F3077, in addition to the ASTM headgear standard, F3137.​
• All protective eyewear that has been certified by SEI and is legal for play is listed on the SEI website. 
• There must be marking on both the packaging and product that states that the eyewear conforms to ASTM standard F3077. 
• Questions regarding the compliance of specific headgear models that include integrated eyewear should be directed to the manufacturers. The primary manufacturers of integrated headgear are: Cascade (1-800-537-1702) and Hummingbird (1-888-501-1590).
• For U14 players who need to wear personal corrective eyewear, please email girlsequipment@usalacrosse.com for guidance on options. 
   

Approved by the USA Lacrosse Board of Directors in 2024, the USA Lacrosse Equipment Council (LEC) is dedicated to supporting the sport of lacrosse, through leadership and advocacy around equipment.  USA Lacrosse has been a leading advocate around the development and adoption of equipment standards for over a decade, inclusive of the ASTM headgear and eyewear standards and the NOCSAE ball and Commotio Cordis standards.  

The USA Lacrosse Equipment Council has been created as a standing and formal entity to provide structure for regular, transparent and open discussion between stakeholders such as players, consumers, rule-making bodies, technical experts, retailers and manufacturers. Ultimately, the LEC is committed to a consistent, objective and transparent process that enhances the athlete experience and upholds the integrity of the game.