Your First Lacrosse Game: How to Prepare and What to Pack
First game coming up. Here’s something I had to learn the hard way as a parent who had never played lacrosse a day in my life: how ready your kid feels on game day starts well before game day. The preparation that actually moves the needle happens during the week, and the gear situation gets handled the night before. Do those two things and you’re already ahead of half the families in that parking lot.
Before Game Day
Walk Around the House Cradling a Ball
This sounds too simple to matter. It isn’t. Cradling in tight spaces, like a hallway or around furniture, teaches you to keep the stick close to your body and control the ball under pressure. Do it while you’re watching TV. Do it on the way to the kitchen. Make it boring. The repetition is the whole point, and it will show up on the field before you know it.
Watch Film of Your Position
YouTube is full of lacrosse highlights and game footage and your kid should be watching it, specifically looking at players who play their position. Not just “cool plays” but the stuff between the plays. How do they move without the ball? Where do they position themselves? What do they do after they pass?
Pick one or two things that look interesting or useful, bring them to practice, and actually work on them. Then try them in the game. That’s the whole loop.
This will also naturally produce questions, which is perfect, because…
Talk to Your Coach
Coaches love questions. Before or after practice is the right time, not mid-drill while the coach is trying to run something. Just ask what’s on your mind. Tell them what you’ve been working on. Mention something you saw on video. Ask why.
Coaches notice when a player is actually curious about the game. And most of the time you’ll get back more than just an answer. You might hear about adjustments they’ve been thinking about for your game, things they want to see more of, or things they’ve noticed that need work. That feedback is worth more than any gear you could buy. Take it seriously.
Game Day: Pack the Bag the Night Before
Seriously, the night before. Not the morning of. Make a packing list once, keep it somewhere useful, and run through it every time. You build it once and then you never have to think about it again.
Here’s the baseline:
Every Player
- Shoulder pads
- Elbow and arm pads
- Gloves
- Helmet
- Cleats
- Mouthguard, and pack a second one because one will disappear
- Cup
- Water bottle, already filled before you leave the house
- Full uniform, top and bottoms. Check both. Individually.
On water bottles: get one with a long squeeze straw so your kid can drink with their helmet on without taking it off. The STX ones are the ones I’ve used for years and they hold up. Fill it with ice before you head out and it stays cold through the whole game.
Goalies
Add these to the list:
- Throat guard
- Extra zip ties, string, and cord for the throat guard. It will fail you at the worst time. I have learned this personally.
- Goalie cup
Multi-Game Days
If it’s a tournament or back-to-back games, add:
- Folding chairs for the adults
- A blanket for early spring or fall games when it gets cold between matchups
- A cooler or backpack cooler if you’ve got a full day ahead
If it’s a full tournament weekend, check out the tournament packing guide because that is a whole different level of logistics.
The Stuff You’ll Be Glad You Had
These don’t always make the beginner lists but they should:
- Stick tape
- A basic string kit or spare mesh in case something breaks in warmups
- Eye black if your kid uses it, plus removal wipes
- A small pair of scissors
Throw these in a zip pouch and leave it in the bag permanently. You will pull it out more than you expect.
Just Show Up Ready
I never played a game of lacrosse in my life, but I’ve watched enough of them to know that the kids who improve the fastest aren’t always the most talented. They’re the ones who show up having actually put in some work that week. They watched some film. They asked a question at practice. They packed their bag the night before and showed up thinking about the game instead of whether they remembered everything.
That’s the job before your first game. The rest happens on the field.
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