No helmets headed to girls' lacrosse
Girls will stick to goggles in lacrosse.
(Times Herald-Record/Mira Wassef)
Published: 2:00 AM - 12/03/10
Last updated: 9:34 PM - 12/03/10
The prospect of girls' lacrosse players wearing helmets has been a hot issue for several years.
But the talk turned to action in October when the New York State Public High School Athletic Association safety committee made a motion that would require the use of helmets beginning in the 2012 season.
But that's as far as it got.
The state safety committee voted down the motion, 7-2, on Tuesday. Each section had a safety representative that voted according to what their section decided. Section 7 did not vote because it does not have girls' lacrosse.
If the safety committee had voted in favor of helmets, then there would have been a state vote by the section representatives, according to girls' lacrosse state chairperson Jacquie Gow.
"This was the first time it got to a state vote," Gow said. "I personally don't see a good reason for helmets. The girls' game is different from the boys' game."
Kingston girls' lacrosse coach Debbie Eaton said it's good not to put helmets on girls for now, though she believes more research needs to be done.
"I think this is just the beginning and it will be revisited," Eaton said. "Maybe in the near future they could have some type of lightweight protective head gear. I don't think they should wear the boys' helmets. It's too heavy and girls don't wear shoulder pads and chest protectors like they do in the boys' game. But some kind of protective head gear would be a good thing."
The safety committee reviewed injury data that was collected by the National Federation of High Schools Injury Surveillance Survey for girls' lacrosse and the information collected by the state association from certified athletic trainers before making the motion.
The committee's concern focused on head injuries, including concussions, and with facial lacerations from checking. Girls are required to wear protective eye wear.
To combat the possible injuries, the state has introduced new rules for the upcoming season. If a team gets three yellow cards in game, it will play one man short the next game. If a player gets a red card, she will miss two games.
"This is seen as a necessity to bring people back in line and cut down on the physicality," Cow said.
"The onus is on the coaches to make sure the girls know how to play properly," Eaton said. "We need to preserve the integrity of the women's game and make sure it executed the way it was meant to be." | 
