LaxForums

The frequency of head injuries in Lacrosse has increased dramatically in the USA

We are now seeing a similar development in some Leagues in the UK

Article: Here!

Attack Players are the most likely to receive late / high hits either on the crease or as they turn the corner coming round from beihnd the Goal to be on the end of the unfortunately named COMA slide.

BE AWARE!

Dave, to follow on with your theme, I have seen more spearing calls lately, where a player leads with his head and hits an opposing player generally in the chest. We have told the referees to penalize heavily for this, as we are more often then not protecting the idiot who uses his head in the check. Lacrosse helmets are designed very differently then football helmets (yes there is another form of football played in the US and Canada) with the biggest difference being the peak which can help act as a lever making the hit even that much more dangerous.

I posted a thread last spring detailing a 15 year old kid who was killed in Canada when he was hit in the head with a body check.

Guys use your head, but not to check with. Make the checks legal and not late. There may be more dangerous consequences than you bargain for.

One of the problems is that we don't seem to coach players at a young age how to make a clean hit, and so they run in heads down like bulls. At the Tiger Camp the lads had a practice D drill running in against two dummies and checking and then to a third where a stick check was thrown in followed by a shoulder to shoulder charge i.e a take out!. Most of the players started by running in heads down, the coach simply pushed the dummy towards them as they came in tuning the challenge into a spear, and then gave them a bollocking. After 10 mins they were all putting in good, effective and aimed hits.

Players dont get taught how to take out! Partly because of the no take out rule in the bottom 3 divs!(in the north)
Maybe this needs to be changed?? (Can of worms opened!!)

It is up to the players to take this up with their clubs. Each year NEMLA ask for this dispensation from the MPC, if clubs don't want it then there will be no request! That said U14s and U16s play take out so there is no real excuse.

Yea...I remember what i thought would be my last game of lacrosse ever during U19 just before christmas 2007...rolled inside and took a weighted hit to the head against mellor, put me down and didnt see me up and walking again for over 4days...Id agree, i dont see many middies or poles taking massive hits to the head