In a world filled with baseball and soccer players, lacrosse is a kind of sport that rarely gets recognition in the world. Started centuries ago by native Americans who believed that the sport was actually given to them by their creator, lacrosse held a great deal of importance in their lives.
The sport was played between the natives for recreational purposes, but as soon as its popularity expanded from one clan to another, rivals instead of fighting with each other started competing in professional matches.
What was considered as a fun-filled activity turned into a spiritual fest, where people would gather around and perform rituals. For these native Americans, lacrosse was not just a sport but a divine statement given to them by their God.
However, as soon as the European settlements expanded in the United States, lacrosse gained momentum and quickly expanded in the country. While the settlers made modifications in the sport for people to appease, lacrosse travelled to several countries and gained a lot of followers in just about a few years.
Remarkably, the sport of today has seen a great deal of improvements, with many rules changing. Today, the sport is played by nearly 1.5 million people around the world, with over 700,000 alone in the United States.
In today’s lacrosse, teams wear branded uniforms to outfit their logo and club’s name. Similarly, women’s lacrosse is a little different from the men’s and is played on a large 12 x 12 field. In competitive matches, women wear lacrosse uniforms with their club name and number and gain a competitive edge from their counter parts.
Things you need to play a professional lacrosse match
If you have ever seen a live lacrosse match on the field or on the television, you know that the sport is fast-paced and challenging. However to gain a competitive edge and play at your optimum level without hurting yourself on the field, you need to equip yourself with the right set of gear and uniforms. The things which you need are as follows:
Uniform – A branded uniform that highlights your name and your number. Numbers are important because they define your position in the match. Similarly, in a women’s match, you need lacrosse uniforms for girls and women that gives them support and precision during the match.
Stick – Lacrosse stick is probably the most important piece of equipment in this sport. Without a stick, you will not be able to play, let alone compete in the professional circuit. Also known as crosse in different areas of the United States, the stick is your primary weapon on the field. The stick usually comes in two different pieces. A shaft and a cradle. The stick is used to score goals, block and intercept, and defending.
Gloves – Just like cricket, hand gloves are important in lacrosse and keep you well-guarded from possible injuries. They not only protect your fingers, but also keep your wrists and hands from getting scratches and impacts from other shafts.
Pads – The most interesting thing about pads is that they protect your body from harmful injuries. That being said, lacrosse pads keep you guarded from pokes, checks, and hard shots alongside any physical contact with another teammate on the field. These pads are light in weight, easy to carry, and protect your forearms, elbows, knee joins, and shoulders. Their material is designed in such a manner that they keep your movement and speed agile and allow you to perform at the most maximum level.
Helmets/glasses – Lacrosse helmets are like your regular helmets designed from hard-wearing plastic with metal rims on the front. The glasses are basically UV-protected glasses that protect your from the harmful rays of the sun. Wearing a helment while playing lacrosse is deemed mandatory in professional and competitive matches.
Sole boots – Since lacrosse is being played on a large field, wearing cleats will give you sufficient grip and traction you need to perform at the highest levels. These cleats are designed specially for lacrosse players while keeping in mind the various types of field present in the country, you may purchase cleats having different styles, abilities, and advatages. It is up to you to decide which type of lacrosse cleat works well in your favor.
