BALTIMORE, Md. — Is your child considering playing the sport of lacrosse this spring? Safety is always the number one goal when outfitting a lacrosse player. US Lacrosse and its Sports Science & Safety Committee offer 10 tips to parents and players when shopping for a new lacrosse helmet.

1. Make sure the helmet is NOCSAE approved. The National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment conducts rigorous tests and sets standards for safe athletic equipment, including lacrosse helmets.

2. Helmets are measured in inches. Check manufacturers’ charts to show the proper size helmet for your child’s head.

3. A helmet should sit squarely on the head, with the front of the helmet approximately one finger width above the eyebrows. This way, the helmet will protect the forehead.

4. Padding of the helmet shall give firm and uniform pressure about the head. The skin of the forehead should move as the helmet is moved from left to right and from front to back.

5. Be sure there is a four-point chin-strap attached to the helmet. The chin-strap should be tightened so that there is no slack.

6. Properly fitted helmets must take into account the hairstyle of your child; if your child has a great deal of thick hair and then receives a summer haircut, the helmet must then be refitted.

7. Proper helmet fit should never cause headaches.

8. Always remember to replace screws and t-nuts on the helmet at the beginning of each season.

9. The facemask should attach cleanly to the helmet and should be replaced if it is bent.

10. Always review the specific helmet manufacturer’s recommendations for proper helmet fitting either on the manufacturer’s website or in the store.

These tips plus more information on the US Lacrosse Sports Science & Safety Committee can be found at www.uslacrosse.org/safety