What do I need to know about my child playing junior lacrosse (girls Under 11 to Under 18, boys Under 12 to Under 19) at an English club? Age groups, POP Lacrosse, how girls' and boys' lacrosse differ, the new eyewear rule, and required protective kit.
England Lacrosse describes the junior club game in these age groups:
| Junior girls' game | Junior boys' game |
|---|---|
| Under 11 | Under 12 |
| Under 13 | Under 14 |
| Under 15 | Under 16 |
| Under 18 | Under 19 |
Junior sections are run by girls' and men's lacrosse clubs and play other local community clubs in leagues and competitions. In primary schools, children play POP Lacrosse, the non-contact version with plastic sticks and a soft ball.
Lacrosse is also played as mixed lacrosse, a social and inclusive format open to any gender. Competitions run by England Lacrosse may have their own rules and procedures.
POP Lacrosse is England Lacrosse's non-contact introductory game, played mainly in primary schools. It uses inexpensive plastic-headed sticks and a large, soft plastic ball. Because the ball is deformable, England Lacrosse's protective eyewear requirement does not apply.
Key rules from England Lacrosse's POP Lacrosse rules:
Officials can penalise dangerous play or unacceptable behaviour and, as a last resort, send a player off.
They are played under separate World Lacrosse rulebooks, and the biggest differences are contact and kit.
| Girls' and women's field | Boys' and men's field | |
|---|---|---|
| Rulebook | WL Women's Field Rules 2025-2026 | WL Men's Field Rules 2025-2027, with England Lacrosse amendments |
| Players per side | Up to 10, one of whom may be a goalkeeper | 10: goalkeeper, 3 defenders, 3 midfielders, 3 attackers |
| Body contact | Limited: charging, detaining and dangerous play are fouls, and stick checks must stay away from the head | Body-checking is allowed from the front or side, between the hip and the neck, on a player who has the ball or is within 3 yards (2.74 m) of a loose ball or ball in flight |
| Field player kit | Mouthguard; protective eyewear from 1 September 2026 when a hard ball is used; no helmets | Helmet with face mask and chinstrap, gloves and mouthguard |
Mixed lacrosse is adapted from the women's rules and can be played by any gender. POP Lacrosse is a non-contact game with plastic sticks and a soft ball.
These are the senior rulebooks. Junior age-group competitions can adapt them, for example on game length or pitch size.
Girls' and women's lacrosse in England is played under the World Lacrosse Women's Field rules (2025-2026), plus England Lacrosse's domestic equipment rules.
Every field player must have:
Optional:
Under the World Lacrosse rules, field players may not wear hard helmets or face masks.
Goalkeepers must wear: a lacrosse helmet with fastened chinstrap, face mask and attached throat protector, a chest or body pad, and padded gloves. They may also wear shoulder and arm pads, shin guards and padded shorts.
Boys' and men's field lacrosse in England is played under the World Lacrosse Men's Field Rules 2025-2027, with England Lacrosse amendments. Rule 17.1 requires every player to wear:
The goalkeeper must also wear a throat guard, a chest protector and a box (cup), and may wear shin guards and padded shorts or trousers.
Because boys already wear helmets with face masks, England Lacrosse's 2026 eyewear requirement does not add anything for them. Your club or league may set further kit requirements for junior age groups.
From 1 September 2026, England Lacrosse requires protective eyewear for everyone taking part in organised lacrosse in England when:
It covers matches, competitions, training, coaching sessions and camps, not just games.
In practice:
England Lacrosse also now allows players in non-contact lacrosse to wear compliant soft-shell headgear if they choose. It is optional and never replaces a helmet where one is required.
Where eyewear is mandatory, England Lacrosse requires protective eyewear that meets a performance standard it recognises. It currently recognises eyewear tested to ASTM F3077, or UKCA certified eyewear.
Choose eyewear that:
Check the product, packaging or manufacturer information for the certification. You do not necessarily need to buy a new pair: check whether existing goggles meet a recognised standard, and their fit, condition and strap. For juniors, England Lacrosse advises checking fit regularly, as it can change as they grow.
Not acceptable unless specifically certified for lacrosse: everyday prescription glasses, sunglasses, general sports glasses, industrial safety glasses, and untested eyewear.
Every player, including the goalkeeper, must wear a mouthguard in both the women's and men's games under World Lacrosse rules.
Girls' and women's lacrosse (Women's Field rules 6.A.5):
Boys' and men's lacrosse (Men's Field rules 17.1):
Jewellery (World Lacrosse Women's Field rules, 6.A.7):
Glasses: the World Lacrosse rules allow prescription glasses, but from 1 September 2026 England Lacrosse requires certified lacrosse protective eyewear whenever a hard ball is used and no helmet with a face mask is required. England Lacrosse says everyday prescription glasses, sunglasses, general sports glasses and industrial safety glasses should not be assumed to meet the requirement unless specifically certified for lacrosse. Players who wear prescription glasses should use suitable protective eyewear designed to be worn over them.
Under the World Lacrosse Women's Field rules (2025-2026), used for girls' and women's lacrosse in England:
Field players in the women's game do not wear helmets with face masks, so England Lacrosse's protective eyewear requirement (from 1 September 2026) applies to them whenever a hard ball is used.