How to Size a Lacrosse Stick? | Butt End To Scoop

For the full breakdown, see our best Women’s Lacrosse Stick guide.

One rule simplifies how to size a lacrosse stick: lay it flat, measure from the butt end to the top of the scoop, and match that total to your league’s rules for your age and position. No single number fits everyone — attackers, defenders, goalies, and youth players all use different legal lengths, and the final stick must comply with the rule set you actually play under.

This guide covers the length ranges that matter for men’s, women’s, and youth play, then walks through measuring and cutting so the stick stays legal.

What Length Lacrosse Stick Does Your Player Need?

Length depends on three things: the player’s age or level, the rule set for men’s, women’s, or youth play, and position. Start with the applicable governing rules, then use the ranges below as a starting point.

Attackers and midfielders usually prefer the shorter end of the range for stick control, while defenders pick the longest pole they can handle for reach. Goalie limits are where the sources disagree most: some summaries allow 40–72 inches total while others cap goalie shafts at 62, so confirm the league’s exact number. If you’re shopping for your first women’s stick, our tested roundup of women’s lacrosse sticks compares the leading options in legal lengths.

These ranges line up with Lacrosse Monkey’s lacrosse stick size chart, and STXZ Lacrosse’s sizing guide repeats the same 35.5–43.25-inch span for youth club players. Check which table your league uses before buying.

How To Measure A Lacrosse Stick From Butt End To Scoop

Measure with the stick flat on a hard, even surface. Start at the bottom of the shaft, skip the grip and tape, and run to the top of the head, called the scoop. Round to the nearest quarter inch.

1. Lay the stick flat on a hard, even surface.
2. Start the tape measure at the bottom of the shaft — the butt end — not the grip or tape wrap.
3. Run the tape to the top of the head and record the full length.
4. Round to the nearest quarter inch, then compare against the league’s minimum and maximum for the position.
5. If it’s too long, cut from the butt end only, then replace the end cap. Never cut from the head end: the head-to-shaft geometry affects the stick, and some shafts use angled “10-degree” designs.

Some sizing guidance also advises trying the stick at full length first and trimming only if the player struggles with control. When the tape reads inside the league’s range, the stick is legal to play.

Where Lacrosse Stick Sizing Goes Wrong

Most sizing mistakes come from measuring the wrong end, cutting the wrong end, or buying for next season instead of this one. All three are easy to avoid once you know the rule.

• Measuring from the grip or tape instead of the butt end, which can add inches and break the league maximum.
• Cutting from the head end, which changes the head angle and can ruin shafts built with a 10-degree design.
• Buying a long stick because a youth player will “grow into it”; the guides recommend fitting current control first.
• Using height or arm span alone instead of the league’s age-and-position table.

Those are sizing heuristics, not official standards — the league’s numbers always win. Measured from the butt end, matched to the league table, and fit to this season’s control: those three checks size any stick correctly.