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Lacrosse players competing on the field
Sports & Recreation

Lacrosse Risk Assessment Template

The complete guide to creating professional risk assessments for lacrosse clubs, schools, and competitive teams.

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Free to use Instant PDF download Updated February 2026

What's in this guide

01 Benefits of Lacrosse 02 Who Needs a Risk Assessment? 03 Legal Requirements 04 Key Hazards & Controls 05 Protective Equipment 06 Men's vs Women's Rules 07 Pre-Game Checklist 08 Frequently Asked Questions 09 Related Guides

The essential guide to lacrosse safety

Lacrosse is one of North America's oldest team sports and is rapidly growing worldwide. This fast-paced game combines elements of basketball, football, and hockey, with players using sticks with netted heads to carry, pass, catch, and shoot a rubber ball.

A comprehensive risk assessment is essential for any organisation running lacrosse activities—from introductory sessions and school programmes to competitive club and university teams. It ensures player safety, prevents injuries, and demonstrates your commitment to duty of care.

This guide covers everything you need to create a thorough lacrosse risk assessment—including the significant differences between men's and women's lacrosse rules, protective equipment requirements, and contact-related hazards.

Lacrosse players in action
Sport & Fitness
Activity Benefits

Why lacrosse is worth the investment

Understanding the benefits helps communicate value while creating a balanced risk assessment.

Cardiovascular Fitness

Constant running and movement provides excellent aerobic conditioning and endurance development.

Hand-Eye Coordination

Develops exceptional coordination through stick handling, catching, and accurate passing.

Teamwork

Builds communication, cooperation, and tactical awareness through team-based play.

Speed & Agility

Develops explosive speed, quick direction changes, and overall athletic agility.

Strength Development

Builds upper body and core strength through stick work, shooting, and physical play.

Mental Toughness

Develops resilience, quick thinking, and composure under physical pressure.

Who needs a lacrosse risk assessment?

If you're organising any form of lacrosse activity, you need a documented risk assessment:

Schools & Colleges

Educational institutions introducing lacrosse need risk assessments covering equipment, age-appropriate rules, and supervision requirements.

Lacrosse Clubs

Affiliated clubs running training and competitive matches require comprehensive safety documentation for all activities.

University Teams

Higher education programmes with lacrosse teams need formal risk assessments aligned with institutional policies.

Development Programmes

Introductory programmes, taster sessions, and youth development require age-appropriate risk assessments.

Format-specific risks

Men's and women's lacrosse have significantly different rules regarding contact. Men's lacrosse permits body checking and requires more protective equipment. Your risk assessment must be specific to the format being played.

Risk Identification

Key hazards & control measures

Lacrosse has specific hazards that must be addressed in your risk assessment.

Stick Checks & Contact High Risk
Potential Harm

Bruising, fractures, concussions from stick contact or body checks.

Control Measures
  • Enforce legal stick checking rules
  • Mandatory protective equipment
  • Penalise illegal contact immediately
  • Teach proper technique from the start
Concussions High Risk
Potential Harm

Traumatic brain injury from body checks, ball impact, or falls.

Control Measures
  • Certified helmets mandatory (men's)
  • Implement concussion recognition protocol
  • Remove suspected concussions immediately
  • Medical clearance for return to play
Ball Impact Medium Risk
Potential Harm

Bruising, fractures, facial injuries, eye injuries from ball strikes.

Control Measures
  • Eye protection mandatory (women's)
  • Full helmet with face guard (men's)
  • Designated shooting areas in training
  • Full goalkeeper protection
Joint & Ligament Injuries Medium Risk
Potential Harm

ACL tears, ankle sprains, shoulder injuries from running and contact.

Control Measures
  • Thorough warm-up before play
  • Strength and conditioning programmes
  • Proper footwear for surface
  • Adequate recovery between sessions
Field Conditions Low Risk
Potential Harm

Slips, trips, falls from poor surface conditions or obstacles.

Control Measures
  • Inspect field before each session
  • Clear run-off areas beyond boundaries
  • Secure goal anchoring
  • Postpone in dangerous conditions
Heat & Weather Low Risk
Potential Harm

Heat illness, dehydration, lightning strike risk.

Control Measures
  • Regular water breaks
  • Helmet-off rest periods in heat
  • Lightning protocol and shelter
  • Modified practice in extreme heat

This guide covers the most common hazards. Our risk assessment wizard includes 30 hazards and 107+ control measures for Lacrosse, sourced from industry guidance — create your assessment in minutes.

Protective equipment requirements

Lacrosse equipment requirements differ significantly between men's and women's formats.

Men's Lacrosse (Field Players)

  • Helmet: NOCSAE-certified with face mask and chinstrap
  • Mouthguard: Properly fitted, visible colour
  • Shoulder Pads: Full shoulder and chest protection
  • Arm Guards: Elbow and forearm protection
  • Gloves: Padded lacrosse gloves
  • Protective Cup: Mandatory for all male players

Women's Lacrosse (Field Players)

  • Eye Protection: ASTM-approved goggles or helmet
  • Mouthguard: Properly fitted
  • Close-fitting gloves: Optional but recommended

Goalkeepers (All Formats)

  • Helmet with throat protector
  • Chest protector
  • Padded goalkeeper gloves
  • Leg guards and shin protection
  • Protective cup (male goalkeepers)

Certification matters

All helmets must be NOCSAE certified, and eye protection must meet ASTM standards. Do not permit participation with uncertified, damaged, or improperly fitted equipment.

Men's vs women's lacrosse rules

Understanding the rule differences is essential for accurate risk assessment.

Men's Lacrosse

  • Body checking is permitted within rules
  • Stick checking is allowed
  • Full protective equipment required
  • Higher injury rates due to contact
  • More aggressive defensive play permitted

Women's Lacrosse

  • No body checking allowed
  • Limited stick-to-body contact
  • Less protective equipment required
  • Lower injury rates overall
  • Greater emphasis on stick skill

Box Lacrosse

  • Indoor variant with boards
  • Full contact permitted (similar to hockey)
  • Full protective equipment required
  • Different field dimensions and rules

Format-specific assessment

Your risk assessment must be specific to the format being played. A men's lacrosse assessment is not suitable for women's lacrosse and vice versa due to the significant differences in contact rules and equipment requirements.

Safety Checklist

Pre-game checklist

Use this checklist before every lacrosse session.

Equipment Checks

  • All helmets certified and fitted
  • Eye protection in place (women's)
  • Mouthguards worn by all
  • Pads and gloves in good condition
  • Sticks legal and undamaged
  • Goalkeeper fully equipped

Field Checks

  • Field free of hazards and debris
  • Goals secured and in good condition
  • Boundaries clearly marked
  • Run-off areas clear
  • Weather conditions assessed
  • Lightning protocol reviewed if needed

Safety Readiness

  • First aid kit accessible
  • First aider present
  • Emergency action plan known
  • Ice available for injuries
  • Water for all players
  • Qualified officials present
FAQs

Frequently asked questions

A lacrosse risk assessment should cover: stick check and body contact hazards, ball impact injuries, protective equipment requirements specific to the format (men's/women's), concussion protocols, field conditions, weather considerations, coaching qualifications, and emergency procedures. It must be specific to the format being played.

Men's lacrosse requires: NOCSAE-certified helmet with face guard, mouthguard, shoulder pads, arm guards, gloves, and protective cup. Women's lacrosse requires: ASTM-approved eye protection and mouthguard minimum. Goalkeepers in all formats require full protective equipment including helmet, chest protector, and leg guards.

Lacrosse has moderate injury risk, with concussions, ankle sprains, and knee injuries being most common. Men's lacrosse has higher injury rates due to permitted body contact. Proper protective equipment, rule enforcement, good coaching, and conditioning significantly reduce injury risk. Women's lacrosse has lower injury rates due to limited contact rules.

The key differences are in contact rules. Men's lacrosse permits body checking and requires full protective equipment including helmets. Women's lacrosse prohibits body checking, allows only limited stick contact, and requires only eye protection and mouthguards. This results in different risk profiles and equipment requirements.

Lacrosse coaches should hold recognised coaching qualifications from the governing body, current first aid certification, safeguarding training when working with young people, and appropriate background checks. Concussion recognition training is essential given the contact nature of the sport.

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