A Turning Point For Women’s Lacrosse?

[FloridaCuse]

[Although this is the Forum for Syracuse Men’s Lacrosse, I think this is of interest to all lacrosse fans. I also posted this in the Women's Sports Forum in the Lacrosse Fall Ball thread.]

A Turning Point for Women’s Lacrosse? College Coaches Consider Bold Moves

Think big. That’s the message awaiting more than 750 women’s lacrosse coaches at the annual IWLCA Convention this week in St. Pete Beach, Florida.

www.usalacrosse.com

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Sure would be nice if they had some concrete proposals.

 

[hplare]

Helmets, gloves and eliminate those ridiculous free shots. Most of the young women I've talked to prefer the men's game. They did away with bloomers years ago and changed women's BB to the men's version

 

[Hoo's That]

Helmets, gloves and eliminate those ridiculous free shots. Most of the young women I've talked to prefer the men's game. They did away with bloomers years ago and changed women's BB to the men's version

My mother was a guard in bball and wasn't allowed to cross the midcourt line. Was only allowed to play defense and never shoot.

 

[C Bomb]

Helmets, gloves and eliminate those ridiculous free shots. Most of the young women I've talked to prefer the men's game. They did away with bloomers years ago and changed women's BB to the men's version

I thought the reasoning for much of the rules on contact were to limit the possibility of concussions since women are more prone to them? What’s the solution regarding that component? I’m curious because I find the women’s game confusing and largely a different game than the men’s

 

[DoctahLexus]

I thought the reasoning for much of the rules on contact were to limit the possibility of concussions since women are more prone to them? What’s the solution regarding that component? I’m curious because I find the women’s game confusing and largely a different game than the men’s

Everybody is prone to concussions if you are playing a game with hard rubber balls and metal poles without a helmet! The wildest lacrosse injuries I have seen were all in the women’s game. Turns out if you get accidentally whacked in the face by a stick without a helmet you lose like 6 teeth. Turns out if a hard rubber ball moving at 70-80mph hits you in the head without a helmet you are gonna get seriously concussed. Guy or gal it doesn’t matter.

Women’s game is in a place where there are a ton of annoying rules to limit contact yet the potential for serious injury is arguably greater than the mens game. And now with the deeper pockets the shots have gotten much faster. I am much less of an expert than this involved in the game right now, but I would say make helmets mandatory! Then you can eliminate at least some of those annoying rules limiting contact. Deeper pockets without helmets is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Everybody is prone to concussions if you are playing a game with hard rubber balls and metal poles without a helmet! The wildest lacrosse injuries I have seen were all in the women’s game. Turns out if you get accidentally whacked in the face by a stick without a helmet you lose like 6 teeth. Turns out if a hard rubber ball moving at 70-80mph hits you in the head without a helmet you are gonna get seriously concussed. Guy or gal it doesn’t matter.

Women’s game is in a place where there are a ton of annoying rules to limit contact yet the potential for serious injury is arguably greater than the mens game. And now with the deeper pockets the shots have gotten much faster. I am much less of an expert than this involved in the game right now, but I would say make helmets mandatory! Then you can eliminate at least some of those annoying rules limiting contact. Deeper pockets without helmets is a disaster waiting to happen.

Pocket depth hasn't changed. But, technology, and more importantly, women's stick skills have. Good players fire rockets. That's why there is the annoying, but necessary, shooting space call and resulting free position shot. You could say make helmets mandatory and get rid of shooting space. But, the potential for injury is still there. Not sure how you avoid this with our putting women in complete protective gear like the men. But, that is extremely unlikely.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Pocket depth hasn't changed. But, technology, and more importantly, women's stick skills have. Good players fire rockets. That's why there is the annoying, but necessary, shooting space call and resulting free position shot. You could say make helmets mandatory and get rid of shooting space. But, the potential for injury is still there. Not sure how you avoid this with our putting women in complete protective gear like the men. But, that is extremely unlikely.

I admit I am not the expert, but it seems like the tech with the sticks have had the same effect as increasing pocket depth, even if they technically are the same. When I watched my sisters teams back in the 2000s/early 2010s it seemed much more difficult to wind up and snap the wrists on a shot without losing control, regardless of stick skills. Her stick was closer to flinging the ball of a plank of wood than it was to these current sticks. This type of snap that Charlotte North gets in this seemed impossible for any womens player 15 years ago, but again, that is just my interpretation as an outside observer.

 

[SULAXAHOLIC]

I love the women’s game but with the growth of the game and the focus training full pads are inevitable. Charlotte North is shooting in the 90s. They will have to shrink pocket size and go back to wooden sticks if they want to avoid padding up. Gary Gait was sued several years ago by one of his own players when she was hit in the head by one of his passes or shotsf

 

[Whitey23]

Helmets, gloves and eliminate those ridiculous free shots. Most of the young women I've talked to prefer the men's game. They did away with bloomers years ago and changed women's BB to the men's version

Was talking to another parent last week at a 10yr old fall ball tournament. He speculated that we would see mandatory helmets in the next 5 years.

It's just not safe when one team has helmets and the other doesn't. The girls with helmets are much more aggressive.
When you factor in the risk of head injuries it's inevitable.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

I love the women’s game but with the growth of the game and the focus training full pads are inevitable. Charlotte North is shooting in the 90s. They will have to shrink pocket size and go back to wooden sticks if they want to avoid padding up. Gary Gait was sued several years ago by one of his own players when she was hit in the head by one of his passes or shotsf

Not going to happen, padding up that is. It basically turns the women's game into the men's game which nobody wants. I'll get push back on this, but top-level women players' stick skills are way better than men's. You constantly see men dropping the ball for no apparent reason out of their "fish nets." The women's game rewards stick skills while the men's game involves agressive checking etc. The two are different games rooted in the same tradition.

 

[Hoo's That]

Everybody is prone to concussions if you are playing a game with hard rubber balls and metal poles without a helmet! The wildest lacrosse injuries I have seen were all in the women’s game. Turns out if you get accidentally whacked in the face by a stick without a helmet you lose like 6 teeth. Turns out if a hard rubber ball moving at 70-80mph hits you in the head without a helmet you are gonna get seriously concussed. Guy or gal it doesn’t matter.

Women’s game is in a place where there are a ton of annoying rules to limit contact yet the potential for serious injury is arguably greater than the mens game. And now with the deeper pockets the shots have gotten much faster. I am much less of an expert than this involved in the game right now, but I would say make helmets mandatory! Then you can eliminate at least some of those annoying rules limiting contact. Deeper pockets without helmets is a disaster waiting to happen.

Women still aren't allowed to have a pocket as deep as the men (at least under last year's rules) which is why they're constantly cradling. It's almost like trying to throw and catch with a tennis racquet.

 

[DoctahLexus]

Not going to happen, padding up that is. It basically turns the women's game into the men's game which nobody wants. I'll get push back on this, but top-level women players' stick skills are way better than men's. You constantly see men dropping the ball for no apparent reason out of their "fish nets." The women's game rewards stick skills while the men's game involves agressive checking etc. The two are different games rooted in the same tradition.

Certainaly agree on stick skills, but man, IMO even if nothing else changes there just has to be some kind of mandatory helmet. No need for the whole 9 yards with shoulder pads elbow pads and all that, but any sport with that amount of potential for a hard object to hit you strait in the head should have a helmet. Men, women, it does not matter.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Certainaly agree on stick skills, but man, IMO even if nothing else changes there just has to be some kind of mandatory helmet. No need for the whole 9 yards with shoulder pads elbow pads and all that, but any sport with that amount of potential for a hard object to hit you strait in the head should have a helmet. Men, women, it does not matter.

Yes, I agree that helmets are inevitable.

 

[OrangeinBoston]

Women still aren't allowed to have a pocket as deep as the men (at least under last year's rules) which is why they're constantly cradling. It's almost like trying to throw and catch with a tennis racquet.

My daughter was a very good H.S. player. I'd toss the ball around with her, me using a men's stick. When I picked up her stick, I would spray the ball all over the place leaving her in hysterics.

 

[DoctahLexus]

My daughter was a very good H.S. player. I'd toss the ball around with her, me using a men's stick. When I picked up her stick, I would spray the ball all over the place leaving her in hysterics.

Been there lol

 

[wgdsr]

Was talking to another parent last week at a 10yr old fall ball tournament. He speculated that we would see mandatory helmets in the next 5 years.

It's just not safe when one team has helmets and the other doesn't. The girls with helmets are much more aggressive.
When you factor in the risk of head injuries it's inevitable.

i'm not looking for it, but have seen studies where the helmets they've been using (both teams) led to more aggressive play. and more concussions.

 

[wgdsr]

Everybody is prone to concussions if you are playing a game with hard rubber balls and metal poles without a helmet! The wildest lacrosse injuries I have seen were all in the women’s game. Turns out if you get accidentally whacked in the face by a stick without a helmet you lose like 6 teeth. Turns out if a hard rubber ball moving at 70-80mph hits you in the head without a helmet you are gonna get seriously concussed. Guy or gal it doesn’t matter.

Women’s game is in a place where there are a ton of annoying rules to limit contact yet the potential for serious injury is arguably greater than the mens game. And now with the deeper pockets the shots have gotten much faster. I am much less of an expert than this involved in the game right now, but I would say make helmets mandatory! Then you can eliminate at least some of those annoying rules limiting contact. Deeper pockets without helmets is a disaster waiting to happen.

in this initiative, anyway, i didn't see the article mention helmets. maybe the actual study does?

women's lacrosse sits behind 4 mens sports and women's soccer for incidence rate for concussions (link). interesting for the sports they isolate which actions/positions are more at risk.

Data on Sports and Recreation Activities

Learn more about data on sports- and recreation-related activities.

www.cdc.gov

 

[DoctahLexus]

in this initiative, anyway, i didn't see the article mention helmets. maybe the actual study does?

women's lacrosse sits behind 4 mens sports and women's soccer for incidence rate for concussions (link). interesting for the sports they isolate which actions/positions are more at risk.

Data on Sports and Recreation Activities

Learn more about data on sports- and recreation-related activities.

www.cdc.gov

Not too surprising a list. I feel like there is more potential for that one really bad one in women's lacrosse vs some of these other ones. I know some guys and gals who have had concussions just from heading the ball the wrong way in soccer. That will never kill a person, but a lax ball moving at 80-90 mph strait to the dome?

The slightly shocking one to me is mens lacrosse above mens hockey.

 

[hplare]

I saw women's BB back in the day when a player was only allowed three dribbles before having to pass, and in their supposed fragility those on offense and those on defense couldn't cross midcourt.

Years later when a son was looking at colleges and possible recruitment we visited a gym where the women's team was practicing. I couldn't believe the hand checking and hard play under the boards.

Sports as well as the view of women as the weaker sex evolve. And yes, unfortunately, so do injuries.
Women's Lax is still living in the Smith, Mt. Holyoke era.

I played for SU way, way back and I sure as hell wouldn't have played without a helmet.

Helmets, please

 

[PAcuse]

I really tired to watch Woman's lacrosse, just something about itis not nearly as fun as the men's came and some of things going I had no clue what was happening.
I hope they make some good changes to grow the game.

 

[wgdsr]

Not too surprising a list. I feel like there is more potential for that one really bad one in women's lacrosse vs some of these other ones. I know some guys and gals who have had concussions just from heading the ball the wrong way in soccer. That will never kill a person, but a lax ball moving at 80-90 mph strait to the dome?

The slightly shocking one to me is mens lacrosse above mens hockey.

ok, but they shoot @ about 65-70 if they're cranking it, and that's reserved for free positions. most shots significantly lower.

 

[SULAXAHOLIC]

Not going to happen, padding up that is. It basically turns the women's game into the men's game which nobody wants. I'll get push back on this, but top-level women players' stick skills are way better than men's. You constantly see men dropping the ball for no apparent reason out of their "fish nets." The women's game rewards stick skills while the men's game involves agressive checking etc. The two are different games rooted in the same tradition.

It will happen when one of these shots hit a girl in the head or stops a players heart from beating. If they don’t want that then they need to go back to wooden sticks or zero off set technology and probably shrink the amount of players on the field

 

[wgdsr]

It will happen when one of these shots hit a girl in the head or stops a players heart from beating. If they don’t want that then they need to go back to wooden sticks or zero off set technology and probably shrink the amount of players on the field

i don't think there's any kind of push for helmets right now. the opposite, actually.

 

[illestcuse]

i don't think there's any kind of push for helmets right now. the opposite, actually.

any true fan of the women's game knows this. the helmets are optional right now, and you rarely see them being worn in WLAX for a reason-- the girls simply don't want to wear them.