This article appears in the April edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. Don’t get the mag? Join US Lacrosse today to start your subscription.

The Center for Sport Science at US Lacrosse is a national hub for the study and improvement of safety and performance in lacrosse. Created in 2016, the Center is devoted to research, education, collaboration, policy development and best-practice guidelines that ensure the safety and wellness of lacrosse players.

US Lacrosse provides logistical and grant support for researchers and clinicians at some of the nation’s most prestigious institutions. Visit uslacrosse.org/safety.

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GRANTS AND FUNDING

$764,536

US Lacrosse’s five-year investment in lacrosse-specific performance and safety research.

90 Minutes

It takes approximately an hour and a half for coaches to complete all three modules of US Lacrosse SafeSport training — the same amount of time it takes the International Space Station to orbit Earth.

SafeSport

“It made me realize how much I still had to learn.” 
— Cat Bonitz, a Baltimore-area lacrosse and sports performance coach, after completing US Lacrosse’s SafeSport online training

12,600

Athletes competing in 31 programs that received AED grants from US Lacrosse in 2018. Automatic external defibrillators can save lives in events of sudden cardiac arrest, including commotio cordis, a rare but potentially catastrophic phenomenon.

16,271 Officials

At press time, there were 7,454 active women’s officials and 8,817 active men’s officials who are US Lacrosse members — enough to max out the new Pechanga Arena in San Diego, home of the National Lacrosse League’s San Diego Seals. That’s a lot of stripes.

3

Elements that should be included in your team, club or league’s concussion management plan: education, signs and symptoms for removal from play and return-to-school/return-to-play protocols.

133

Attendees at the US Lacrosse Sports Medicine Symposium, presented by MedStar Sports Medicine, in January. The event, held in conjunction with the US Lacrosse Convention every two years, featured presentations from sports medicine physicians, athletic trainers, sports psychologists and other experts in a variety of related fields.

1

Goalie chest protector on the market — Warrior’s Nemesis 19 — that meets a new NOCSAE standard and is tested to reduce the likelihood of commotio cordis. STX expects to release certified chest protection products, including for field players, later this year.