Lacrosse stick:  Each player must have his own lacrosse stick.  There are many varieties to choose from, and any reputable store specializing in lacrosse (such as Cheshire Sporting Goods) can recommend a suitable stick, given a player's age, size, and experience.  More experienced players who wish to specialize in certain positions may purchase sticks specially tailored for that position.  The most important of these are the defender's "longstick" and the goalie's stick.  The beginner, however, should simply buy a generic stick of the standard length.
 

Helmet:  Each player must have a lacrosse helmet.  Helmets must be official, NOCSAE certified, lacrosse helmets (ice hockey helmets are no longer allowed).
 

Gloves, arms and shoulder padding:  Each player must also have gloves, arm pads, and shoulder pads.  Several varieties are available designed specifically for lacrosse.
 

Mouth guard:  Every player must have a mouth guard.  These are inexpensive, but be sure to get one that has a leash that can be attached to the helmet.

The Game

In a boys' lacrosse game there are 10 players on each team -- 9 field players plus a goalie.  The 9 field players are broken down into 3 defensemen, 3 midfielders ("middies"), and 3 attackmen.

The game is played on a field whose goals are 80 yards apart, with 10 additional yards behind each goal, and 50 yards wide.

At the youngest levels, smaller games are often played -- say 7 players on a team -- and on smaller fields.