Photo: Colin Imes Photography

Lacrosse Found ThighPro. Now It’s Part of the Gear.

Lacrosse goalies have always been expected to take a beating. It’s part of the position. Step in front of the ball, make the save, shake it off, and get ready for the next shot.

But the game is changing, and so is the way we think about what it means to be tough.

Today’s players are bigger, stronger, and shooting harder than ever. Goalies are seeing more high velocity shots from closer distances, and they’re playing more games, more practices, and more seasons. That means the number of impacts a goalie takes over time can really add up.

Lacrosse wasn’t where ThighPro started. It was originally developed for baseball catchers who were tired of dealing with repeated shots to the thighs. But it didn’t take long for lacrosse goalies to see the connection. Coach Damon Wilson (LAX Goalie Rat) saw the product and know the reality of dealing with the repeated, hard impacts to an area that didn’t have much protection. It was a no brainer for him.

As more goalies started wearing it, it became pretty clear that thigh protection made sense for the position. You don’t need to change the way you play. You just need another layer of protection where you’re taking a lot of punishment. Players like Tim Zimmerman of Moose Knuckles Lacrosse know that availability is the best ability.

"The Moose Knuckles is an adult lacrosse team based out of Denver playing in the Colorado Lacrosse League and tournaments year round! We play both field and box lacrosse, welcoming players of all skill levels & ages. The great thing about adult league is that whether you’re no longer playing in school or you just recently picked up the stick, it is a great way to keep playing, growing the game, and meet new people! we currently have players that are 21yrs old up to 55yrs! You can stay up to date on all things Moose Knuckles lacrosse on our Instagram, @mooseknuckles_lax."

And that’s really the bigger conversation happening in sports.

For years, taking a shot to the thigh was simply considered part of the job. You wore the bruise like a badge of honor and kept going.

That mindset is changing.

Protecting your body doesn’t make you less tough. It makes it possible to keep doing what you love for longer.

ThighPro uses thin, flexible XRD® Technology designed to absorb impact without adding bulk or restricting movement. For a goalie, that matters. You still need to move, drop, step, rotate and react without feeling weighed down by extra equipment.

Being tough will always be part of being a goalie. But being smart about your health should be part of it, too.

Because the goal isn’t to prove you can take the hit.

It’s to make the save and still feel good tomorrow.