“US Lacrosse has renewed a partnership with PEARL to remain the “Official Ball” of US Lacrosse and the U.S. National Teams. This 2021 agreement designates PEARL as an official partner of US Lacrosse and the U.S. National Teams. This is the second renewal of the partnership originally signed in 2016.

“PEARL has been a great partner that provides a best-in-class product for the sport to make the game safer for our athletes” said Brett Hurwitz, vice president of marketing and communications for US Lacrosse. “We’re proud to continue our partnership with them and are grateful for their support of our mission.”

 “We’re proud to continue our partnership with US Lacrosse and the U.S. National Teams, and we’d like to commend them for supporting safety and innovation in the sport of lacrosse” said Erin Hanson, Guardian CEO and co-founder.

In 2015, in an effort to address the greasing issue of lacrosse balls, Guardian Sports re-engineered the lacrosse ball and introduced the Made in the USA PEARL X, a game ball that is ‘built different’ and doesn’t grease or harden over time due to its urethane composition.  

The team expanded the PEARL line in 2018 by creating another American-made ball – PEARL NX.  The PEARL NX no-bounce practice lacrosse ball dies upon impact and is perfect for indoor play and practicing on hard surfaces with less bounce and rebound.  PEARL NX balls are the same size, weight, and hardness as PEARL X official game balls, so players can practice without the bounce of a standard ball and without sacrificing the weight and feel. PEARL X and PEARL NX are manufactured at Guardian headquarters just outside Atlanta. 

In 2019, the team continued their innovation by introducing PEARL LT, the first SEI certified textured lacrosse ball that meets NOCSAE/NFHS/NCAA standards for game play.  PEARL LT is the latest innovation to bring a new look to the standard lacrosse ball in games. PEARL LT’s slight texture prolongs its grip and delays the effects of greasing. Just last month, PEARL expanded the PEARL LT line with three new neon PEARL LT balls (neon pink, orange, and green) that are SEI certified for games.

As part of the agreement, Guardian balls will be used at all US Lacrosse events.

PEARL is the Official ball of US Lacrosse, the U.S. National Teams, the MCLA, and the IMLCA. 

ABOUT GUARDIAN

In 2015, Guardian Sports developed The PEARL lacrosse ball. Guardian is able to draw on 20-plus years of material science and engineering expertise. They use their knowledge to improve the materials used in sporting goods. The team is comprised of innovators and scientists that are passionate about better engineered sporting equipment. Guardian’s goal remains the same: advance technologies to bridge the gap between the protection that athletes deserve/need and what is currently available on the market. Learn more about the company at GuardianSports.com and follow @Pearl_Lacrosse on Twitter and Instagram.

ABOUT US LACROSSE

US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is the national governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse and the home of the nation’s fastest-growing team sport. US Lacrosse, which coordinates all activities of the U.S. National Teams Program, has nearly 400,000 members across the country. Through responsive and effective leadership, US Lacrosse provides programs and services to inspire participation while protecting the integrity of the sport.”

Read the full press release here.