Should Helmets be worn in women's lacrosse?
By: Mia Schiedel
One of the country’s most popular and growing female sports is approaching a change in the protection of its athletes: by offering helmets to female lacrosse players. The question is, are they necessary?
Due to concerns about head injuries becoming a larger problem in women’s lacrosse, the leading lacrosse organization, U.S. lacrosse, helped make headgear available for players who want to play the game in a safer way. According to The New York Times, “women’s lacrosse has the fifth highest rate ofconcussions in high school sports; only football, ice hockey, boy’s lacrosse, and girls’ soccer rank higher”. Because only goggles and a mouth guard are worn, player’s heads aren’t protected at all. The helmet standard was developed to decrease the impact of lacrosse sticks, and balls hitting player’s heads. However, helmets are not proven to prevent concussions, and tend to cause more injuries throughout the game.
Many coaches fear that headgear will lead to female lacrosse players playing more aggressively, becoming more like boy’s lacrosse. They are afraid that helmets will spark a more intense type of play, because the players feel protected. This is known as “the gladiator effect”. Not only will players become more violent, but women’s lacrosse could soon become more like boy’s lacrosse which is full contact, and players are required to wear hard shell helmets, and upper body padding.
The cost of the helmets is outside of most people’s budgets. The average price is around $130, compared to the $30 you spend on buying goggles. It is difficult to decide whether to stick with goggles or spend more money to buy a helmet. Not only are prices high, but many reviews reveal malfunctions while using the helmet. Reviews on popular brands, such as cascade, say that the helmets slide around, and fall off during games. Other professional lacrosse players say the game is stopped many times due to helmet readjustments. In addition to malfunctions, players who wear helmets tend to get injured more.
Most players do not want helmets, they understand the risks of injury when they play. Headgear should remain optional and left to the players and the people who know the game to make the decisions.
By: Mia Schiedel
One of the country’s most popular and growing female sports is approaching a change in the protection of its athletes: by offering helmets to female lacrosse players. The question is, are they necessary?
Due to concerns about head injuries becoming a larger problem in women’s lacrosse, the leading lacrosse organization, U.S. lacrosse, helped make headgear available for players who want to play the game in a safer way. According to The New York Times, “women’s lacrosse has the fifth highest rate ofconcussions in high school sports; only football, ice hockey, boy’s lacrosse, and girls’ soccer rank higher”. Because only goggles and a mouth guard are worn, player’s heads aren’t protected at all. The helmet standard was developed to decrease the impact of lacrosse sticks, and balls hitting player’s heads. However, helmets are not proven to prevent concussions, and tend to cause more injuries throughout the game.
Many coaches fear that headgear will lead to female lacrosse players playing more aggressively, becoming more like boy’s lacrosse. They are afraid that helmets will spark a more intense type of play, because the players feel protected. This is known as “the gladiator effect”. Not only will players become more violent, but women’s lacrosse could soon become more like boy’s lacrosse which is full contact, and players are required to wear hard shell helmets, and upper body padding.
The cost of the helmets is outside of most people’s budgets. The average price is around $130, compared to the $30 you spend on buying goggles. It is difficult to decide whether to stick with goggles or spend more money to buy a helmet. Not only are prices high, but many reviews reveal malfunctions while using the helmet. Reviews on popular brands, such as cascade, say that the helmets slide around, and fall off during games. Other professional lacrosse players say the game is stopped many times due to helmet readjustments. In addition to malfunctions, players who wear helmets tend to get injured more.
Most players do not want helmets, they understand the risks of injury when they play. Headgear should remain optional and left to the players and the people who know the game to make the decisions.