USA Lacrosse Establishing Lacrosse Equipment Council

SPARKS, MARYLAND (November 19, 2024) – USA Lacrosse, a recognized sports organization by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and the U.S. representative to the sport’s international federation (World Lacrosse), is leading the effort to establish a Lacrosse Equipment Council (LEC).

The LEC will provide a more formalized structure for stakeholders to discuss equipment needs and establish a framework for objective review of all equipment.

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) made this statement in support of the LEC.

The NFHS has a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of the game as well as minimizing the inherent risk of participation for the over 200,000 student-athletes participating in high school lacrosse across the country. It is in this spirit that the NFHS is committed to supporting USA Lacrosse’s efforts, through the LEC, to formalize a coalition of industry leaders and experts to ensure the transparent review of equipment, evaluate and review the impact of equipment on the health and safety of players and promote continued research with a joint commitment to reducing injury rates within the sport.

“We’ve had many discussions about the Lacrosse Equipment Council and we’re getting tremendous support,” said Marc Riccio, CEO of USA Lacrosse. “This is an opportunity for those involved in the game to work collaboratively on an important topic that directly impacts play on the field. We’re thankful for the enthusiasm and look forward to leading the effort that will improve the experience for participants and everyone associated with the game.”

In its capacity as the governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States, USA Lacrosse has long been the trusted and unbiased source for parents, athletes and coaches in matters of equipment and safety. The LEC will provide a structure for stakeholders to discuss equipment needs and expert review on performance and safety as related to equipment.

The Lacrosse Equipment Council will serve as an independent forum for these discussions. The LEC will include representation from the sport’s rule making bodies, national lacrosse organizations, manufacturers, retail, sport research, medical, and standard setting communities.

MISSION

The Lacrosse Equipment Council (LEC) is committed to supporting the sport of lacrosse. This support will focus on the development, evaluation and selection of standards and testing protocols to certify lacrosse equipment that is not currently governed by a standard. The LEC believes consistent, objective and transparent review of equipment needs will foster growth, enhance the athlete’s experience, and maintain integrity of the game. The Council will work with external standards organizations and certifying bodies to promote and support the development of standards and certification procedures for equipment not currently tested or certified.

The LEC will monitor and assess the impact of equipment on player performance and safety while promoting lacrosse-specific research. The Council will foster collaboration among all stakeholders to ensure the fulfillment of its mission.

Key LEC objectives include but are not limited to:

• Provide a standing formal structure for the review of lacrosse equipment with lacrosse stakeholders, industry representatives, and technical experts.
• Work with standard making organizations to develop testing procedures or standards for lacrosse equipment not currently tested.
• Develop standards for certifying by an independent body as needed; to ensure that lacrosse equipment is meeting standards and recertification requirements.
• Promote awareness around sports safety and the proper use of certified products.
• Provide a forum for stakeholders to share research on safety, performance and equipment in the sport of lacrosse.
• Promote research aimed at reducing injuries in lacrosse.

WHO WILL BE PART OF THE LEC

Through the independent LEC, USA Lacrosse will bring together industry stakeholders with the collaborative interest of ensuring the continued responsible growth of the game. Members will be volunteers representing the sport’s rule making bodies, national organizations, industry, retail, research, medical and standard setting communities.

The Council will be led by an Executive Committee with representatives from:

• Rulemaking bodies: NCAA, NFHS, USA Lacrosse
• Manufacturers
• Retail
• Technical experts – testing lab and certification specialists
• Medical and bio-engineering experts

TIMELINE

USA Lacrosse began pursuing the LEC concept in 2016 in consultation with key industry stakeholders. In recent years, questions surrounding the impact of design changes in legal equipment have risen. USA Lacrosse recognizes equipment design changes occur in sport and must be accompanied by review and analysis from technical experts to ensure those design changes don’t compromise the health and safety of participants. We expect the council to be in place early 2025.

LACROSSE EQUIPMENT COUNCIL FAQ’S

Q: Why is the Lacrosse Equipment Council (LEC) being created?
A: The LEC will provide a standing forum for dialogue and collaboration to achieve consensus around equipment in support of the sport of lacrosse.

Q: Will the LEC be responsible for both men’s and women’s equipment?
A: The LEC will be a forum for dialogue around equipment issues for lacrosse from both the men’s and women’s games. LEC members will determine the areas of discussion and can recommend the review, development and adoption of standards for either game. However, the adoption of any standard for the rules of play is determined by the rulemaking bodies.

Q: How will the LEC certify equipment?
A: The LEC will not certify equipment. It will work with an independent certifying body to provide a standard for certifying products as needed and when appropriate. That standard for certification will include a visual marking so that consumers will be able to see if the product is certified, similar to current markings on lacrosse balls, boys’ helmets, girls’ headgear and girls’ eyewear.

Q: If my older equipment isn’t LEC approved, will I be able to use it in games?
A: The LEC will not impact equipment currently approved to a standard . The LEC will focus on review and research on equipment that is not currently under a standard or certified.

Q: Will the LEC determine rules for the sport?
A: No. The LEC can support the development of standards and the certification of equipment to those standards, but only rulemaking bodies determine if the standards are adopted into the rules of the game.

Q: When will the LEC start?
A: The LEC will be under development over the next several months to begin activities in 2025. No equipment or playing rules will be impacted for the 2025 season. Updates on the formation and timeline will be shared by USA Lacrosse before the end of the year.

Q: How can feedback be shared with the LEC?
A: The LEC will establish user-friendly options allowing participants in the sport to share their comments, ideas and concerns. In the interim, any thoughts can be shared via email to lec@usalacrosse.com