Search results for

"warrior lacrosse"

Gear Review: Evolution 4 by Warrior Lacrosse

May 3, 2013 By Connor Wilson In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Evolution 4 / Price: $95

The Evolution head, no matter what number of surname has followed it, has remained popular amongst lacrosse players everywhere. We’ve seen countless iterations on the Evo, and now we get to check out the Evolution 4, which features some of the same, and a whole lot of new.

It’s the most cutback and lightweight Evo of all time, and the stringing options are quite impressive. Check out the video above for a FULL REVIEW, and some extra tidbits on stiffness, durability, and how much of a hack Connor is when he plays box lacrosse.

The Evolution 4 is an old classic, that’s been made anew… again!

Who Does It Better? Head Protection

March 14, 2013 By Krieg Shaw In Gear, Lifestyle

Welcome to our brand new series, Who Does It Better? We will showcase one match-up each week in which we put two people, places or even things up against each other and ask you, the reader, Who Does It Better? It’s all good-hearted fun though, and that should be pretty prevalent by our match-ups. Know of a good match-up we should feature? Let us know!

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

This week’s ‘Who Does It Better?’ comes to us from our good buddy Chris Marshall, known for his fantastic play by play sportscasting of the LXM Pro, Chris is well-versed in the lacrosse world.

While discussing how gear crazy the lacrosse world can be, we started discussing the recent innovations in lacrosse helmets and how Cascade, Warrior and even Easton are upping their game each and every year.

With that, this ‘WDIB?’ will be between the top dogs of the helmet industry, Cascade Lacrosse and Warrior Lacrosse.

Please remember! This is all in good fun, we love everyone featured in this series and couldn’t be more appreciative of their contributions to our great game!

Cascade Lacrosse

From their humble roots as Sports Helmets, Cascade has worked tirelessly to become the standard of lacrosse helmets for years. Known for their sharp look and superior safety, Cascade has kept to its guns through the years. While not always producing the wildest helmet on the market, they have stayed consistent and true to their product.

Recently, Cascade has even worked to match the customization levels of their biggest competitor and are now offering CPX-R helmets in both matte black and matte gray, with rumors flying around of a new Pro7 helmet that will be sure to be offered in both option as well.

After talking with one of the Cascade guys, it is clear that they are on board with customization, now offering literally MILLIONS of options. Choose your color, your facemask, add a stamp to it, choose your chinstrap. Even more, their helmets are arguably the safest helmets on the market, with their Seven Technology and Supermono design. The SPRfit and PROfit systems on the CPX-R and Pro7 helmets help to make this one of the most trusted helmets throughout the lacrosse world.

Warrior Lacrosse

Warrior lacrosse lids started out in questionable fashion (basically replacing the Stryke helmets), but have forced their way into the picture with an incredible amount of customization that allows each team sporting the lids to make the helmets truly their own. As of last year, they were the official helmet of the Champions across the board for the NCAA D1, D2, D3 and MCLA D1.

Warrior was the first to offer matte helmets, the only to offer hydrographics on helmets and have even upped their fade game with both horizontal and vertical fades being featured on several teams’ facemasks this season.

Warrior has also been able to gain the support of the individual by allowing any order quantity, which is huge for us post-collegiate folk. The TII is touted as being super lightweight and also features a 0ne piece shell for added safety.

No matter which way you look at it, the technology behind the helmets just gets better and better. Cascade, Warrior and even companies like Easton will continue to help improve the safety, look and customization offered in helmets.

Companies compete, the quality improves, and lacrosse players everywhere reap the benefits, but who do YOU think does it better? Cascade or Warrior?

Who Does It Better? Warrior Vs. Wood

February 7, 2013 By Krieg Shaw In Gear

In our very first match-up, we pit the single most seasoned Onondaga stickmaker up against the industry leader of plastic – it’s Alf Jacques vs. Warrior Lacrosse!

Both names are notorious in the lacrosse world, one for being the originator, and the other for being the innovator. Let’s break down the match-up.

Please remember! This is all in good fun, we love everyone featured in this series and couldn’t be more appreciative of their contributions to our great game!

Alf Jacques

He is a legend in the lacrosse world, a man who has made this great game his life’s work, and someone we can all look up to. Sometimes known as ‘The Stick Maker’, Alf Jacques has been making traditional wooden sticks for over 50 years, and during the woody’s heyday, Alf was creating around 11,000 sticks a year. He embodies what this game is all about and the reasons behind its creation.

To this day, he continues to create the original Iroquois style wooden sticks that the very creators of lacrosse used themselves.

If you missed it the first time around, you have to watch this video of Alf Jacques in his early twenties, making sticks, and talking about life and lacrosse. It is the best video you’ll see all year!

Warrior Lacrosse

The innovator and suited up mogul of the lacrosse world; Warrior has quickly and confidently become the industry leader in lacrosse equipment, and has recently expanded in a major way into the hockey and soccer industries.

Being widely recognized for their high performance technology and relentless pursuit of defending it, Warrior has secured its place as a top stick and equipment manufacturer. While they may not have directly come up with the patents for the offset technology, they have since acquired the rights to them (via New Balance) and continued to up the ante in the lacrosse world.

Warrior’s slogan is, The Means to Dominate. They certainly have those! Especially with being acquired by New Balance in 2004, and then NB acquiring Brine Lacrosse in 2007.

It doesn’t hurt that Warrior Lacrosse has also picked up lacrosse’s biggest name and arguably the best player in the game right now.

Warrior has always been known for their quirky commercials throughout the years.

And recently for keeping things trendy and changing up the pace.

So lax nation, Who Does It Better? The man who has kept to the game’s roots for over 50 years? Or the company that has continued to innovate the technology behind the game?

5 Heads To Watch In 2013

January 2, 2013 By Connor Wilson In Gear

Last week I came up with what I judged to be the Top 5 Heads from 2012, basing my nominations on what college players actually used last season. I also included a number of other heads that I thought could see an uptick in popularity in 2013, and almost every major brand had at least one head named. Has parity for lacrosse heads finally arrived?

So in addition to the Top 5 of 2012, and the heads that could see an uptick, let’s take a look at five heads that have the potential to really take off in 2013:

5) Hammer by STX Lacrosse

All of sudden the Edge isn’t THE go-to stick for defenders? If there is a head on the market that suits the purposes a big, strong defender better than the Hammer, then please let me know what it is. This stick is built to give, and take, abuse, has a wide face, and will be a GB vacuum. Expect college defenders on STX teams to love this one.

4) M80 by Warrior Lacrosse

The M80 definitely has some followers already, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a couple more big-time college attackmen make the switch over. It’s light, the plastic is as cut away as possible and has plenty of stringing options. It’s still pretty stiff, but has a nice flex, and could even get some use by FoGos.

NYC dye on a Warrior M80 HS spec head.

3) 9K by Reebok Lacrosse

Reebok heads have never made a big splash in the ranks of the NCAA. Maybe it’s because so few teams have ever been Reebok teams? With one of the Ivy’s dark horses making the move over to the ‘bok however, this could be the year we see 9K heads in a lot more hands. It’s a solid stick, well-suited for D1 play. I’m surprised more players haven’t opted for it, or its little brother, the 6K, already.

Reebok 9K Lacrosse Head

2) Recon XL by Gait Lacrosse

Gait has revamped their heads in a major way and gotten back to basics, while still staying aggressive where they can. The Recon XL is probably the most flexible head out of all the heads I’ve named, but it pops right back into shape and for a player that likes a little flex, it is ideal. Easy to string, super light, and another solid offering from Gait, in addition to the Torque series.

Gait Recon XL Lacrosse Head

1) Stallion by STX Lacrosse

This is the only non-NCAA legal head on the list. But it’s good! Other than goalies, there isn’t a single position on the field that can’t use a Stallion, well other than every college team. It’s stiff and strong enough for many defenders, it’s an all-around midfielder’s dream, works for attackmen, and could even be the weapon of choice for some FoGos. For this “multi-purpose” reason it is either going to be really popular, or a flop, but I’m thinking it’s going to be the former.

The head can take a beating, is relatively light, and has a lot of stringing options, and as I mentioned above, it works in almost every situation. If only STX made a college legal version, the Stallion might even break into next year’s Top 5 heads.

If you had to name ONE head that you thought was going to take off this year, would it be any of the above? Or one from my 2012 Top 5 list? Or something else?

Sound off and let us hear your thoughts in the comments…

Top 5 Lacrosse Heads of 2012

December 28, 2012 By Connor Wilson In Gear

As we look back on 2012, it’s always interesting to look for trends in lacrosse equipment, especially when it comes to what college players are using. There was a time when an estimated 90% of NCAA Division1 players were using the Brine Edge, but since then no single head has shown the same level of dominance.

So what were the Top 5 heads from 2012? Judging by what D1 players used last season, we’ve come up with the following list:

5) Surgeon by STX Lacrosse

The Surgeon wasn’t in every player’s hands in 2012, but a couple of big-time players from schools like Hop and Cuse opted for this STX head and it’s easy to see why. It’s stiff, light and has a ton of sidewall holes, making for easy stringing. It also comes factory dyed in colors like orange and light blue. That never hurts. The Surgeon made a big impact in 2012 and because of its strength and stiffness, we could even see more defenders pick it up in 2013 (although it will probably remain a more offensive stick).

Gear Review: Surgeon

Princeton vs. Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse 21

4) Edge by Brine Lacrosse (Defenders!)

There are still some midfielders and attackmen who use the Edge, but the majority of its proponents are of the longstick variety. The Edge is still regarded as one of the toughest, stiffest heads out there, and it has no frills. It’s all about getting the job done. The head that revolutionized the game was so well designed that it will remain a mainstay in the college game for years to come. It has staying power and for good reason – it flat out works!

Syracuse vs. Army men's lacrosse 25

3) Super Power by STX Lacrosse

One can almost lump the Super Power and Proton Power together here. Although there are differences, the two heads are almost interchangeable. Both are extremely light and cut back. They have some flex and are often the weapon of choice for top attackmen and midfielders on STX sponsored teams… and sometimes on non-STX sponsored teams as well. When your head shows up being used by a player on a team sponsored by your competition, that’s a good indicator. It must be the perfect mix of flex, strength and lightness. Both the SP and PP come from the original Proton, which was a pretty revolutionary head in its own right.

Maryland Terps v Georgetown Hoyas

2) Clutch by Brine Lacrosse

At first glance, the Clutch looks like it’s going to break. It’s so thin, it’s so cut away, and there are just so many sidewall holes. Yet, somehow, it rarely breaks. If it did, I doubt so many college players would select it as their gamer! You’ll see every position on the field use this head, and it really is the next generation of the Brine Edge. Brine took the old Edge mold and cut away plastic, which changed the sidewall design. Then they added a million stringing holes. They named it the Clutch and everyone loved it. Why? Because it’s an updated classic. And more importantly, it’s a tough, light head that can work on either end of the field.

Gear Reviews: Clutch, Clutch 2, Clutch Superlight

UMass vs Army Lacrosse 56

1) Evolution by Warrior Lacrosse

If there’s one challenger to the dominance of the Edge back in the day, it would have to be Warrior’s Evolution. Over the last bunch of years, this stick has been fiddled with, updated, improved upon and re-released a number of times… and each time it comes out, people go crazy for it. All along the Evolution’s core design has really remained the same, and it’s easy to see why Warrior hasn’t messed with the foundation. This head is a favorite of short sticks everywhere, and it’s strong enough for longsticks to use as well. It’s narrow, designed for an easy channel pocket that gives the ball a smooth exit. No gimmicks, just goals. There are numerous stringing holes and it comes with a ton of brand loyalty built in – as long as Warrior continues to stand by the Evo, it is in no danger of losing the top spot.

Gear Reviews: Evo 2.0, Evolyte

michigan_lacrosse3

Not surprisingly, almost all of the top five lacrosse heads from 2012 are either classics themselves or they largely resemble classic heads. So which heads do we think have the potential to make this list in 2013? Let’s take a quick look.

Spider by Maverik Lacrosse - There are a ton of Maverik sponsored teams out there, and this head is sure to make its way into more and more players’ hands. It’s flexible in the right places but still pretty stiff, and it can be used by attackmen, midfielders, face-off specialists or even longstick middies and defensemen.

Mercenary and Charge by Under Armour – Both the Charge and Mercenary have the potential to be great heads in the college game. They are light, stiff and can take a beating. Plus they have plenty of stringing holes and an aggressive look.

Stealth Core by Easton Lacrosse - This head is definitely ready for the college game. It can take a real beating, strings up easily and feels different from almost every other head out there. Once a player falls in love with it, it’s hard to move on. Could this be Easton’s Edge?

What was your favorite lacrosse head of 2012?

WINNER ANNOUNCED – LAS Giveaway: Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder Pads

November 22, 2012 By Staff In Gear

Congratulations to our lucky winner, Christian Griffith!

———————-

We may have skipped out on last Friday’s LAS giveaway, but that doesn’t mean we’re done. With the holidays right around the corner, we thought we’d hold up and save a few big ones to throw at you during your time off from work or school. First up, the Hitlyte Shoulder Pads straight out of Paul Rabil’s new collection from Warrior Lacrosse. Enter below, and click here for a full review.

To learn more about the Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder pads, be sure to check out
Kevin Rowen’s recent gear review

So ready to ball.

Want more chances to win free lacrosse gear? Look no further than our 2012 Holiday Grab Bag special. Things are about to get outrageous!

Gear Review: Rabil Arm Guards by Warrior Lacrosse

November 16, 2012 By Connor Wilson In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Rabil Series Arm Guard 13 / Price: $109.99

I’m going to start out by borrowing a quote from Andrew Ratzke’s review of the Brine King IV Arm Pad:

If there is one piece of protective gear that I feel is worth investing in, it is arm pads. An arm pad can make all the difference when you are throwing, it can keep your arms from looking like you just left a bar fight, not a lacrosse field, and they can either be SO annoying, always sliding down your arms, or they can fit so perfectly you forget they are even there.

Truth! Ratzke lays out the most important aspects of an arm pad or guard succinctly, and it is the basis for this entire review (while also factoring in the price).

Appearance… +1.5

It’s not all about first appearances, but it helps! The Rabil Arm Guards definitely look great. They are mostly white with light grey, and are accented by black and red Rabil logos. The pads look substantial without appearing bulky, and the only visual knock on them is that they only come in that one color right now. Don’t like white pads? Then these aren’t for you. Other than that, they look fantastic. Not a bad start.

Comfort… +1.5

The Rabil Arm Guard definitely protects you, but I’ll get to that later. For now, I’ll focus on how the pads feel when you’re wearing them, and not getting checked. At first, the Arm Guards are incredibly tight… in fact, they are cut the circulation in your arms off tight, but they do loosen up. I was testing a pair of LARGE Rabil AGs, and even though I have chicken arms, the pads were really snug. The MEDIUM guards probably wouldn’t have fit on my arms, and that’s not saying much.

Now, as I wore the arm guards, they definitely loosened up a bit, but not to the point of slipping or moving around on my arms. I had three other people try the pads out, and each and every one of them came back with the same comments: when you put them on, the pads are super tight. That being said, every person who tried them also liked them, so while they take a while to break in and stretch out, the end result seems well worth it.

Protection… +2

The Rabil Arm Guards deliver, plain and simple. I used them for field, and some of my friends used them late this Summer, and no one suffered a single bruise while wearing the AGs. On the protection front, they do work. In fact, I’m so impressed by the level of protection the AGs offer, I’ll be wearing them this Winter while playing box lacrosse.

The only drawback in terms of protection is that the Arm Guards are a little short. So if you want to be protected from head to toe, you will need to buy an additional wrist guard (from a company like Evo Shield) and perhaps some additional bicep padding. However, when one compares this Arm Guard against comparable AGs, the Rabil Series matches up very nicely.

Durability… +2

I have been using these Arm Guards for well over 4 months now, and I have yet to see any deterioration of the pads or their protection levels. They have become more comfortable, still don’t slip around on my arms, and show no sign of quitting. Great durability on this high-end product. Tried, tested, and true.

Value… +1.5

The Rabil Series Arm Guard is not the most expensive AG available, but it is up there. At around $110, it is a no joke purchase, and only the STX Assault AG sells for more. Usually, this would knock the product WAY down in the Value section, but thankfully for the Rabil Series AG, its quality is almost high enough to demand this type of pricing… Almost.

Ideally, this pad would sell for around $90. Maybe $100 when it first came out. However, the fact remains that while this is an EXCELLENT product, it is not a game changer, and for that reason is priced just a little too high.

Overall Score: 8.5/10

Will people buy this product? I’m betting they will.

The Series has Rabil’s name on it (which is sure to draw people in immediately), is a great product offering, and it comes from Warrior, the brand people can’t seem to get enough of. I personally think the price tag is a little out of line, but in the past we’ve seen that people are willing to pay exorbitant amounts of money for gear… and I don’t think the Rabil Arm Guard is going to be any different.

When Marketing Goes Awry: #NinjaPlease

November 9, 2012 By Connor Wilson In Gear

Editor’s Note: This post focuses on the subject of race in lacrosse and marketing, and some readers may find some of the language used below offensive or objectionable. It is our feeling that an honest conversation will not exist if the story can not include the actual words, and phrases, which create the issue.
_________________________________________________________________________

Warrior Lacrosse recently used the now infamous #ninjaplease hashtag to promote a new product giveaway via social media, and the phrase also appeared on product pages on their website, as well as in partnership promotions with Major League Lacrosse through their social media.

Once the MLL learned about the brewing controversy, they removed all of their tweets supporting the promotion, and to keep you 100% up to date, we have learned that Warrior has also pulled their side of the campaign.

Jovan Miller took exception to the marketing move publicly, before it was pulled, and gave away all of his Warrior equipment as a result, on Twitter. Deadspin then reported it to the world, and a new negative lacrosse story hit the community. Or did it?

Warrior Lacrosse Ninja Please Marketing Campaign

Instagram image from Warrior’s #ninjaplease marketing campaign before it was pulled.

Some people out there may be wondering why this is a big deal, while others are more likely to already be enraged. So please allow me to explain the situation a little more fully, and hopefully, I can shed a little more light on the issue from both sides, so that we can begin to learn and move forward again.

The phrase “Ninja, please” has been around for a while, and it seems to possess a slightly confusing etymology, at least for some. A simple google search results in three very different etymologies and meanings, and they are, in order of Google Results appearance:

Used to replace “negro please”, which in turn replaces “nigga please” - Urban Dictionary
Show off your love for the dark martial arts and ninjas, which are undoubtedly awesome. - ClutchTees.com
The term “Ninja Please” originated due to the increase in Asian popularity. This popularity of Asian Americans became statistically apparent through the use of YouTube. Many of YouTube’s highest subscribed channels were created and operated by Asians. This brought on a new generation of Asians that were breaking all the stereotypes.With this new found popularity, many Asians were seeking a defining word to bring homage to their fellow Asian brothers and sisters. “Ninja” became that word. The use of this term “Ninja” can be best described through this incredibly hilarious YouTube video: ( - Know Your Meme)

I guess that’s “incredibly hysterical”…

While Miller has been one of the most vocal, and outraged, people to speak on this subject in the lacrosse community, he is not the only one. Nor is he the only black lacrosse player to make his opinion known. Chazz Woodson, a former Brine (Brine is owned by Warrior) player, posted some thoughtful points on Facebook, and shared some more thoughts with me when I spoke with him:

The topic can and should be addressed in a constructive way; a dialogue or discussion, rather than an argument over right and wrong. I, personally, have this fascination with honest discussion. There’s no progress unless people are willing to be honest rather than to sugar-coat what they feel. At the same time, we can be honest without being dismissive, adversarial, or blatantly and willfully ignorant.

This particular situation gives us an opportunity to have an open discussion about race in our sport. One of the main hurdles is the idea that when issues of race are brought up in America, it’s often overlooked as not a big deal, or as if the person or persons that bring it up are overreacting. It’s not always nothing, and it’s not always an over-reaction. We can’t overlook the fact that the racial issues still exist.

Sometimes it’s difficult to see something when it doesn’t affect you day in and day out. Despite their track record of questionable marketing, I don’t think Warrior had intentions of offending anyone. But at the same time, now that it’s done, I don’t think it’s something we should ignore, or that it doesn’t matter.

An example of the now-defunct social media campaign around #ninjaplease.

Woodson continued:

If we can build understanding on what is behind an expression, I think we can all move forward together. For instance, I never thought of the Asian component to the phrase, until it was brought up in a comment on my original Facebook post. But now that I know about it, I’m more aware. If used correctly, this is a “teachable moment” for us all. It’s an opportunity to gain perspective.

Payu Nerngchamnong, the head of the Thailand Lacrosse Association, had a slightly different perspective, and read on things. He had this to say:

I believe that it is unacceptable for a global company (or company of any size for that matter) to use a marketing “slogan, or phrase” that potentially risks offending one or more ethnic groups of people. No amount of money gained from it is worth setting the progress we made in our society with racial sensitivity backward, nor turning any culture in to a “punch line”.

As a member of the modern society I find it inappropriate. As a member of Asian lacrosse community, I am offended that Asian references are being used as a vessel to indirectly offend the black community.

It is also not necessary to use the offensive “Dojo” reference, to identify the Asian (or Japanese) origin of the name of the shoes. I wish that in the future lacrosse companies would take more responsibility, and be more careful about these kind of things, especially now that we’re a more global lacrosse community.

Payu’s comment brings up the use of the word Dojo itself, especially for a shoe product, and begins to explain why that can also be concerning. The idea of a Dojo is sacred and the word has a monasterial history. For some in Asian culture, the feet are the least revered, or dirtiest part of the body, so to name a shoe after a sacred space of learning shows an additional lack, albeit unintentional, of cultural understanding.

When I learned the above (I wasn’t fully aware of the feet belief either before doing some research) I began to see how there are inherent dangers any time race or culture is used for commodification, and how easy it can be to miss things. Something, which means nothing to one person, might mean a lot more to someone else.

Dojo training shoes on Warrior.com, The Ninja Please portion has been removed.

When I contacted Warrior for a response to the issue, a Warrior official offered the following statement, explaining how the promotion had been pulled, and issuing an apology:

Warrior did not mean to offend anyone, and we apologize to anyone who was offended by the #ninjaplease promotion. Once we realized that the campaign was being received the way it was, we pulled the social media campaign, deleted the tweets, and social media references, and reached out directly to Jovan Miller to explain our position.

Seeing as one of the top three online descriptions of the phrase’s origins points only to a craze about ninjas, and how cool they are, I can see how the company thought it might be irreverent or even funny. And just as Chazz said, it is unlikely that Warrior’s aim was to offend people. The slogan is all over the place, and does seem to be generally popular. The argument might not hold water for all, but it is plausible, and I have seen nothing to suggest it was anything but what Warrior contends.

However, one must also assume that some amount of research went into this campaign, and once the connection to the phrase “nigga please” became evident (it is the first search result after all), the campaign direction probably should have been given a second look internally. Now that this issue has come up though, it is heartening to see both Warrior and the MLL pull the promotion, and address it head on.

There are really three sides to this issue, and we are curious to know where you stand.

1. Did the blurry etymology and common usage make it okay?

2. Is this a big deal for which blame should be assigned?

3. Or is this an opportunity? And an issue that our community shouldn’t be so quick to sweep under the rug?

For me, the first option doesn’t fly. I personally found it to be offensive, as did many others, and I would rather not see the topic just dropped by the wayside. The second option, of outrage, seems like an obvious answer to many, but I sincerely fear that the path of anger will not lead to increased understanding, and I believe continued progress is key, especially here.

Just look at some of the “intelligent conversation” going down onion the comments sections of other sites, to see an example of this need for further understanding:

Classy conversation right here.

For me, this serious issue smacks of opportunity. It is an opportunity to think, learn, and empathize with your fellow man. It is an opportunity to question your own views, and have a real discussion with someone who may feel differently.

It’s a chance for everyone, including Warrior, to come together and be better moving forward. It is not the end of a marketing campaign, but hopefully, the beginning of a passionate, intelligent discussion.

So now that you have heard what I think, what Warrior has done to make it right, and what some big time lacrosse figures think, we want to hear what YOU think!

Is #NinjaPlease-style marketing something that the Lacrosse Community should be worried about? How can we move forward, together, from here?

WINNER ANNOUNCED – LAS Giveaway: Blade Pro X6 Head

November 9, 2012 By Staff In Gear

Congratulations to our lucky winner, Joseph Stilinski!

———————-

Fridays are for giveaways. Enter the raffle below!

To learn more about the Blade Pro X6 Head, check out Kevin Rowen’s recent gear review.

How would you string the Blade Pro X6 if you won it? Tell us what you’d do by commenting below.

How would you string yours?

Gear Review: Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder Pads by Warrior Lacrosse

November 2, 2012 By krowen In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Rabil Hitlyte Shoulder Pads / Price: $159.99

I was excited to find out that LaxAllStars wanted me to test out some of Rabil’s new gear. Lacrosse’s most well-known player was bound to have his own equipment sooner or later, and I imagine most people will think that “If it’s good enough for Rabil, it must be good enough for me!” I certainly had that thought before using the Rabil Hitlytes.

When I did put them on, they didn’t seem incredibly special. However, after running around in them, having a little shooting session, and playing some 1 on 1, I began to warm up to PR’s new shoulder pads.

Testing shoulder pads and Growing the Game!

Appearance… +1.5

It might be just me, but I don’t think most people are really concerned with how the shoulder pads themselves look. Basically whenever you wear shoulder pads they are covered by a reversible or full jersey. In addition to making them eye-catching with whites, blacks, and reds, Warrior addressed the appearance of the pads while wearing a jersey as well. This was accomplished with the segmented shoulder caps, “taking the bulk out of a player’s biggest piece of padding” as Warrior advertises.

Low profile shoulders make for nice fitting jerseys.

Comfort… +2

The Rabil Hitlytes have a new “CAGE System” that is supposed to allow for maximum mobility and airflow, and I’m pretty convinced that it works. It was really easy to run around in these, and I didn’t feel any limitations in my motion while throwing or shooting. The shoulder pads also have two other Warrior technologies, a “No-Gel Slip Print” and the VPS or “Vented Protection System.” Both of these seem to work as well as the CAGE System, as the pads definitely stayed in place as I was dodging and were very light and breathable.

Front and back, snug but flexible.

Protection… +1.5

Paul Rabil is a big guy who dodges hard and is a big name in the sport. He’s bound to take some pretty big checks and hits, so I’d be disappointed if his shoulder pads didn’t have great protection. Luckily, these Hitlytes have the padding to back up the Rabil name. The pads feature a new, bigger sternum piece that isn’t too bulky. The only knock I’d have against the protection aspect of these pads is that there is a little bit of weak zone in between the CAGE System pieces; however, the spots are pretty small, and I’m willing to give that up for the flexibility it provides. Also, the bicep pads are easily adjusted and removable, and I can see a lot of middies taking those off and having a great fitting and protective shoulder pad.

That big sternum pad came in handy.

Durability… +1.5

Everything seems great about these pads except the clear, plastic shoulder caps. According to Warrior they are meant to look “like you aren’t even wearing pads.” This seems silly to me because if you’re buying shoulder pads then you’re probably playing in a serious league in which you need them, so why hide the fact that you’re wearing them? I’m concerned that these plastic pieces might shatter if hit on the right spot, and broken plastic could be dangerous. While it is possible, I’m not sure it’s probable, and this is the only knock I have against these shoulder pads in the durability department.

In case you forget, look at the liner to find Paul Rabil’s logo…over and over again!

Value… +1.5

The Rabil Hitlytes are great shoulder pads. At $159.99, though, they are the most expensive shoulder pads I’ve seen. With that said, they have a lot of great features, and all the “technology” Warrior has put in works. For high-level players, these could be a solid pick.

Overall Score: 8/10

If you’re an advanced lacrosse player in need of new shoulder pads, definitely check out the Rabil Hitlytes. I love their low profile look that drew me to the Brine Elements way back in my middle school days, and I think a lot of other players will like that feature as well. Despite the high price tag, I expect PR’s name and the quality of the product to entice many high school and college players.

Soaking up some SoCal rays Paul Rabil-style!

Gear Review: Burn Arm Pads By Warrior Lacrosse

October 26, 2012 By Chris Rosenthall In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Burn Arm Pads / Price: $60.99

I’ve been wearing the same arm pads for about a decade and have absolutely no idea why; they’re bulky, they have no ventilation, and they’re always sliding down my arms. I guess it’s about time for an upgrade, so testing Warrior’s Burn arm pads for the latest Gear Review was a perfect opportunity to see what I’ve been missing.

Appearance… +2

The Burn arm pads have an active look that’s eye-catching without being overly busy. The colors pop, the lines are clean, and the metallic logo looks great across the elbow. They’ve got a little bit of flash with a little bit of restraint, and appearance-wise, they’re a pad I would gladly wear.

Comfort… +1.5

Warrior says the Burn arm pads are 19% lighter than previous MPG Arm Pad models, and I believe it; they’re definitely the lightest arm pads I’ve ever used. I assumed the sleeves would trap heat and sweat, but when I tested the pads during a box game, I didn’t even notice them. Last but definitely not least, having both upper and lower straps made sure the pads stayed in place the entire game, which finally meant no more pulling my pads back up every few plays.

Protection… +1

Here’s a lesson I learned the hard way: since the Burn’s elbow padding is made up of three individual segments instead of just one larger one, there two spots that are essentially left unprotected when your elbow’s bent. And that’s not an exaggeration – stick your finger in one of the spots, and you’ll be able to see it pushing through on the other side. Take a shot there, and it’s going to hurt. Trust me.

Durability… +1.5

I’d like to think I put these pads through some pretty rigorous testing. In addition to wearing them during a box game, I kicked them around, used them like a cowbell and folded them up like origami paper. They came back every time without a mark or tear, so I assume these would last you multiple seasons without a problem.

Value… +1.5

The price of arm pads has a very wide range depending on what brand, style and size you’re looking for. The Burns are right around the middle of the pack, and if they hold up as well as my highly scientific tests indicate they should, you could definitely get your money’s worth.

Overall Score: 7.5/10

In addition to being insanely light and comfortable, the Burn arm pads look good and (I can’t stress this enough) stay exactly where you want them. If you play attack, you’ll probably want something with more elbow coverage, but if you strictly play midfield or defense, they’re definitely worth a look. I’ll have to keep my bulkier arm guards for box league play, but the Warrior Burn arm pads will be a major upgrade once field season rolls back around next spring.

Gear Review: Blade Pro X6 Head by Warrior Lacrosse

October 19, 2012 By krowen In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Blade Pro X6 Head / Price: $84.99

Before I began reviewing the Blade Pro X6, I thought the process would be a little like reviewing a remake of a great film classic. To some extent, I found this to be true, as the Blade Pro is the 2013 rendition of one of the most popular face-off heads ever and is built to be the ultimate midfield head. I wasn’t sure this “remake” could stand up to the glory that has been bestowed upon the original, but I was pretty impressed with this head after taking it through a workout including tons of wall ball and shooting.

Appearance… +1.5

I’m still getting used to this whole “X6” phenomenon, and the shape of all X6 heads remind me of the old box-specific heads Warrior used to make. However, I can’t deny that this head looks pretty great strung up with some fresh white mesh. There’s certainly nothing wrong with a clean classic look!

Can’t go wrong with some clean white mesh and LAS shooters!

Stringing… +1

Full disclosure: I don’t string sticks. For whatever reason, I never really started to string as a kid, and for about five years I had all my sticks strung by my partner in crime of my high school’s two man game on attack. Since he was a year ahead of me and moved on to college ball, I’ve had a few other guys string my sticks since he graduated, but I haven’t let anyone who wasn’t on that high school team string my sticks until very recently. Call me superstitious if you want, but I played with those guys from youth through high school, and I trust them to know how I like my sticks strung.

So this time around, I had my former high school goalie, who now coaches at my high school, string my head. Here’s what he had to say: “It was easy enough to string [and] I got the pocket I wanted on the second try. There weren’t as many sidewall holes as most sticks nowadays like the Clutch, which is what I use and usually work with. The lack of holes didn’t affect my stringing, but I would assume it limits the overall ways you could string it.”

My buddy and former high school teammate stringing up the head.

Stiffness… +2

This head is built for facing off, and its stiffness fits that perfectly. It is really stiff at the top and has stout sidewalls for support but is also flexible enough to really dig in on face-offs. The stiffness also lets it have a nice “bite” on checks. Midfielders, especially face-off guys, will love this head, but I think it could work for attackmen as well. The Blade Pro also has a new “Pro Scoop” that makes it really easy to pick up ground balls.

Durability… +1.5

Besides having great stiffness and solid sidewalls, the head also has a little bit of a longer throat which provides even more support. All of this is important because as a face-off head the Blade Pro could see a lot of twisting and bending. I think Warrior did a great job reinforcing it though, and it should stand the test of time just fine.

With a pretty solid sidewall and elongated throat, the Blade Pro X6 should be fairly durable.

Value… +1.5

The Blade Pro X6 is only $84.99. For the sake of caparison, the new Rabil head is is $99.99 and an Evo 3 X is $89.00. This puts the the Blade Pro X6 at a cheaper price than other high-end Warrior heads despite being a pretty great choice, especially for FOGOs or middies.

OVERALL SCORE: 7.5/10

I think Warrior has another winner with the Blade Pro X6. While it’s nothing revolutionary, this head simply does a lot of things well, and there isn’t much more you can ask from a stick. One thing that should be mentioned, though, is the lack of offset in this head. It truly is designed for facing off, so it may take some getting used to for guys who’ve played with deep offsets their whole career. However, with the stiffness and reinforcements to both take a beating at the face-off circle and give one on defense, the Blade Pro X6 seems ideal for middies and FOGOs.

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the Blade Pro X6 is a solid head.

Gear Review: Rabil X Head by Warrior Lacrosse

September 25, 2012 By Josh Rottman In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Rabil X Head / Price: $99.99

I want to preface this whole gear review by admitting to you that I fear change. I fear buying new jeans, I don’t like downloading new apps, and I don’t like changing my stick. When the NCAA changed the stick rules on me in 2010 I feared for my career. I ran doomsday scenarios through my head, a full blown zombie lacrosse apocalypse.

In 2010, I overcame my fear of change and adopted a new head in the Warrior Evo Pro X6 and once I got her dialed in I never looked back. I still use that same head I strung in the UC Davis ARC in my uni and pads before our Santa Clara game got rained out in Feb, 2010.

I’ve known it would take something real special to come along and change my stubborn ways. That’s why the photos from my gear reviews aren’t usually game photos; when a W is on the line, I stick to my weapon of choice. I never thought my next weapon of choice would be a head created by a midfielder whose style of play could not be more different than my own.

Appearance… +2

Warrior’s Rabil X head is branded as their “most technologically advanced head yet,” and it shows. It’s a healthy combination of the rigidity and hard lines of the Brine Clutch and the pinch and the offset of the Warrior Evo Pro X6. It features possibly the most open sidewall on the market, maybe second only to the M80 which is bizarrely open and light. This head is like a beautiful woman–it’s edgy but you simply can’t ignore its curves. It just doesn’t quite look like anything else out there, and when you see it, you know it. It leaves a lasting impression.

The Rabil X is a bit taller than the other heads I own. Find out why.

It comes in a variety of colorways that all involve 2Shot color injection meaning that if you can’t stand the simplicity of white on white there’s tons of options for you. And the colorways match nicely with the Rabil Dolomite shaft and the Rabil apparel line we’ll be releasing next week.

Wide open sidewall design makes the Rabil LIGHT for its size.

Warrior really didn’t overlook anything in the aesthetics department from the little branded additions like the Warrior indents in the throat to the Rabil symbol on the front. Part of the beauty of any head at first glance is the pocket so I’d really love to do a side-by-side comparison of a few different versions of this head strung, including Paul’s. Hopefully we can put a few next to one another in the near future.

Stringing… +2

One thing stringers look for today that they didn’t 5 years ago is a ton of holes in their sidewall. Holes equal options for stringers and this head gives us the canvas we need for creativity and small adjustments. If I were a chef, these sidewalls would be a pantry full of ingredients. If I were a kindergartner, they’d be a cubby full of fingerpaints. We used to be limited by the holes engineers gave us, engineers who likely had never cradled before. We’d drill new ones and interlock strings to allow mesh to float where no holes existed.

A ton of holes and room to try different sidewall combinations.

Those days are now behind us. Whatever pocket you envision in your head you can execute in this head. It puts the onus back on the stick doctor, where it belongs.

Tied tight and not warping. Yet.

The thing I’ve really come to appreciate about this head after using it for a few weeks is that you really can string whatever type of pocket you want. Lorne Smith uses traditional in his Rabil and said he’s been shooting as accurately as ever. Paul Rabil has a deep mid/high pocket perfect for flipping tires and shooting on the run. I strung my low “I’m feeding unless I’m wide open” dodge-from-X P34 pocket and I couldn’t be happier with it.

Stiffness… +2

My litmus test for a stiff lacrosse head is stringing the first sidewall. If you read the last review I did for the Maverik Flight head, you’ll remember how it morphed when I pulled the first three diamonds tight. It led to a discussion of the relative merits of having a less stiff head for things like facing off, getting ground balls, and being in loose ball scrums. The Flight, while technically receiving lower marks in this category could pinch and pop the ball with ease from the first face-off I took with it. I don’t believe Warrior’s Rabil head was built for the pinch and pop, but it seems like offensively, it was built for just about everything else.

This is a STIFF head, whether throwing checks, shooting, or scooping.

This is a shooter’s head. It was engineered to withstand all the force Paul’s tire flips allow him to apply to the head of his stick. It shares hard edges with many Brine heads, something I believe that in combination with the rounder shapes typical of past Warrior heads contributes to its stiffness. If you’re a player who often has heads warp from stringing them or leaning on them or letting them sit in a hot car, I think you’ll extend the life of your game stick by getting this head. I feel the same was about the Warrior Noz. My Evo Pro X6 has lasted me 30 months of regular use. I believe the Rabil could outdo it if I gave it the chance.

Durability… +2

Contrary to popular belief, durability doesn’t have a lot to do with stiffness. They’re definitely correlated, but not directly. Reebok makes some of the stiffest heads on the market and (SPOILER ALERT) we have more broken Reebok heads at HQ than any other brand.

Durability is about a head’s capacity to maintain its shape over a multiple seasons without warping or breaking. Believe it or not, 4 games in hot weather is plenty to find out if your new head is going to keep its shape and I was pleased with the Rabil in this regard.

The Rabil took a beating last weekend and came out unscathed.

Sure it’s already started pinching a bit, but because it’s stiffer and has a wider pinch than my Evo Pro X6 I felt like I was almost pulling it in to where I wanted it instead of pulling it too far into illegality. After 4 games of play it has paint from other people’s sticks all over it, scuffs from handling passes, and there are no visible changes in the structural integrity of the head. If I polished her up (which I won’t), she’d look like the day I strung her. As always, I can’t say with certainty what this says for the long-term durability of the head, but it passed every test I could throw at it in game situations.

Value… +1.5

This is the only category I felt brazen enough to dock points. At $99.99 this head is out of the reach of the player on a budget. This goes for 5th graders with a $10 allowance and college graduates without income alike. Sure, it’s not $119.99 which we can collectively thank Warrior for, but I can find a complete stick for the same price that’s totally usable if I have to.

At $99.99, I think you’re getting every penny out of this head.

That being said, you’re getting a lot for your money here. Warrior has come at this head with a completely revamped design concept. The head is on the longer end, longer than the standard 10″ which gives players like Paul the ability to keep the ball in his pocket longer during his shooting motion, maximizing the amount of torque potentially applied. Stuff like this seems simple, but I can tell you it’s costly from a manufacturing standpoint. I think this head is priced appropriately considering it’s Warrior’s top of the line head. I appreciate their efforts to bring the price of all heads down by making this one under $100.

Overall… +9.5/10

I don’t think my score is unfair or biased. Warrior is pushing the boundaries of what a lacrosse head looks like. And with the new stick rules that just got passed, there’s no better time to be doing so. There are plenty of Warrior heads I wouldn’t play with, let alone in a tournament with a plastic trophy on the line. This isn’t one of them.

If you get your hands on one of these, run away with it.

I’ve been nothing but pleased with the shape, weight, feel, and execution of this head from top to bottom. Sometimes I still look down on it and think to myself “Why am I using a midfield head?” or perhaps more saliently “Why am I propping up the career of the only lacrosse player who clearly doesn’t need it?” It’s because this is a darn good lacrosse stick, and there aren’t too many ways around that.

Got some gear you wish we would review? Hit us up and let us know what you think we should review next.

Gear Review: Hundy Gloves by Warrior Lacrosse

September 21, 2012 By krowen In Gear Reviews

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Hundy Gloves / Price: $99.99

The Hundy gloves by Warrior first surfaced on the internet around the end of April, and when I first saw them they reminded me of the Riots. Seeing as they are a little cheaper than the Riots, I assumed they would be a lower-end version of the fairly popular 2012 model. With that said, I had some pretty decent expectations for the Hundys based on what I’d heard about the Riots.

When a box of gear arrived on my doorstep from LaxAllStars, the gloves were the first thing I reached for, slipping them on before going through the rest of the box. I immediately went across the room to grab one of my sticks leaned up against the wall, but before I even got there I was already thinking how much I liked the feel of these gloves.

The Hundys were a pretty tight fit on my hands, something that I’ve never really liked in a glove, but for some reason it didn’t bother me when I first put them on. When I picked up my stick and twirled it around a bit, dodging through the house much to my dog’s delight, I found myself liking them even more due to the great feel of the palms. I knew I needed to check them out in action, though, before I could make a final decision, so I decided to the hit the wall and take some 1 on 1s with a defenseman I played with back in high school.

These wouldn’t be so bad for #WallBallWednesday.

Appearance… +2

Quite simply, these gloves look great. Some may disagree with me, but the simplicity of a two-color factory glove with the ability to have a solid, one-color custom glove (which we saw a lot of last season) just works. It’s a really clean, classic look, unlike some of the more fancy, showy gear that has gained a lot of popularity among young lacrosse gear fanatics.

The Hundys come in 9 factory color combinations, including three shades of blue and an all white option. You can also get some pretty awesome Headstrong editions, and there is great potential for customization. The Hundys also feature a new “Circle W” pattern on half of the glove. The pattern is subtle, but looks great in the light, and provides a nice contrast to the textile look of the glove’s other half. It was hard to tell while wearing them, but I’m guessing the Circle W pattern will look great as spectators see them dash across the field.

Circle DUB shining off the sunlight!

Comfort… +1

Like I said before, I was impressed by the fact that these gloves felt so comfortable right when I put them on. This may have been due to the “superlight backhand design,” as Warrior puts it. However, the Hundys still were tighter-fitting than I would prefer in a glove, and putting them on felt a little like a hassle as I wrestled my hand in the gloves. Once they were on, they definitely weren’t bad, but again, too snug for my liking. I thought that maybe I could forgive this because I loved the palms, which are identical to the palms on the Riots. Unfortunately, in the heat of an 84 degree SoCal afternoon, the tightness of the gloves combined with only having two small vents on the backhand led to very sweaty hands after just the first set of my wall ball routine.

The Hundys are one snug pair of gloves.

Protection… +1

The Hundys seem to be solid as far as protection. I took a few good pokes during my test run and they seemed to hold up well against them. Much to my longpole friend’s delight, I asked if he could take a few swings right on the backhand and thumb so I could get a better feel for their padding. I didn’t see anything spectacular about the padding on the backhand. It worked well enough to do its job, but that was about it. The thumb, however, was really solid and deflected the checks well.

I think the Hundys can definitely stand up to some checks.

Durability… +1.5

I see no reason why the Hundys wouldn’t hold up throughout a season. They certainly protect the hand well enough, and showed no signs of having any weak-spot area where the padding would break off. Also, the palms don’t have any extraneous mesh pieces, which is something I really disliked on some of my older gloves. As a kid, my gloves would always tear on the palms, but with the Hundys you probably don’t need to worry about that.

Good palms can make or break a glove.

Value… +1.5

At 100 bucks (see: Hundys are $100), Warrior is placing the Hundys as their mid-line glove behind the Riots, the new Burn gloves, the MD4s, and the Regulators, but ahead of their three beginner models. With their fair price, great palms, and awesome look, I would definitely recommend this glove to any intermediate-level player.

Overall Score… 7/10

I definitely liked the Hundy gloves. Their appearance is great and the decision to keep the Riot palms in this model was a hit. The snugness still has me a little tentative, though, and while I’m not sure I’ll be running to the store to buy these anytime soon, I think these would be an excellent glove for middle school players or newer high school players.

Warning: these mitts may never let go of your stick.

A Complete Guide To Lacrosse In The Olympics: Past, Present And Future

August 16, 2012 By Connor Wilson In Grow The Game, International

Now that the Olympics are over, and everyone has had a chance to step back and regain their breath, it’s time to have a real discussion about Lacrosse being played in the Olympics. I’ll run through the past, covering the history of the sport in The Games pretty quickly with links, then run through our current situation, then I’ll lay out some of the biggest roadblocks to Lacrosse becoming an Olympic sport! Finally, I’ll get to a silent roadblock that NO ONE seems to be addressing.

Lacrosse’s Olympic Past:

At this point, everyone should know that Lacrosse used to an Olympic sport. In 1904 and 1908 lacrosse was played between two or three teams, and each time Canada took home the gold. It is important to remember that back then, the Olympics also gave out medals for Poetry. Obviously, things changed. In 1928, 1932 and 1948 the sport was played as a demonstration game. The US has been represented by a club or college team, and both Johns Hopkins and RPI have represented the nation.

Team USA is now Team USA!

Lacrosse’s Current Olympic Status:

Just last year, Lacrosse’s Interational Federation, the FIL (Federation of International Lacrosse), was accepted into Sport Accord, the international sporting body of which every Olympic sport must be a member. The FIL united the men’s and women’s games under one single federation in 2008, and this was a huge step towards Olympic eligibility.

Recent years have also seen an exponential growth of the sport’s popularity, and this is true not only in the US and Canada, but also worldwide. More national teams and notional governing bodies exist now than ever before, and the sport seems well positioned to keep growing. However, lacrosse has not yet reached the levels it needs to if the sport wants to be an Olympic LOCK.

While there are around 45 National teams right now on the men’s side and over 20 on the women’s side, that is just not going to be enough to get it done. Many of these national programs are not recognized by their own national sporting oversight groups, some are quite new, and many currently only offer lacrosse to men. If lacrosse wants to be an Olympic sport, the international push must continue, but the focus needs to be on national recognition, and the involvement of women.

The Olympic Charter is pretty clear in its stated goals for an equal playing field between men and women, especially when it comes to number of sports offered, so if women’s lacrosse is not a compelling partner to men’s lacrosse, the process could be much slower. Women’s Rugby 7s seems to be a bit of an exception here, so there is some flex on this point. However, an effort must be shown, and honestly made.

Overall, there does seem to be a desire, even if it is somewhat limited, from outside of the lacrosse community, for the sport to be included in the Olympics. But for now, this is just good momentum, as the real dirty work still lies ahead.

Lacrosse’s Olympic Future:

Typically, for new team entries, the IOC seems to be looking for sports that can be revenue positive, are played by a large number of nations, adhere to the World Doping Code, and are competitive. They want sports that will shine on the world stage, but won’t cast a shadow over the Games themselves. Soccer is in (but with age requirements), softball is out because the US killed everyone all the time, and Rugby 7s is one of the next sports in because it is fast, popular, can make money and is played well by a good number of countries. (Yes, the US already has a Rugby 7s team, and they are rapidly improving.)

The Olympic Charter says that they can hold no more than 28 sports, and no less than 25. Right now there are 25, but Rugby 7s and Golf join the fray in Rio de Janiero in 2016, so unless some other sport is dropped, lacrosse is left to vye for the only available spot. Sports must also be added before or at the announcement of the next site (although this rule can be waived), so if lacrosse is going to be added to the Olympics, it is unlikely to happen before 2024 or 2028 at the earliest.

However, Lacrosse is getting there on most of the fronts I laid out above, but if there is one glaring issue for the sport right now, it is a lack of parity. There are two top dogs in lacrosse right now, and one of them (the US) is still a bit bigger than the other top dog (Canada). So while there is some parity, the US still dominates. I’ll be honest with you… this is bad for our Olympic hopes.

Now I am NOT arguing that the US shouldn’t be as good as it is at field lacrosse. Not even one bit. But I am saying that if we want to be an Olympic sport, the rest of the world needs to catch up, and quick. Let me tell you right now, the answer is NOT sitting on your butt and saying, “hey World, CATCH UP!” The answer is getting out there and involved, and making it happen. Pretty simple. Find a national program, and find ways to help them out, whether it’s sending gear, fundraising, or going over to volunteer. Want Lacrosse in the Olympics? Put your money where your mouth is. It’s really that simple and has to come from the core of current believers.

For team sports, there is also a 12 nation limit, although that number can be increased at the discretion of the IOC and IF, but for lacrosse, 12 is a great place to start. Yes, it means that only 12 nations get to send lacrosse teams, and that is a small number, but this would also place an additional importance on qualifying in world games, and if anything, this would make the lacrosse community that much stronger. Want to go to the Olympics? Do well at the FIL World Championships. If that’s not a great motivator, I don’t know what is.

Now speaking of doing well at the FIL World Champonships, and then qualifying for the Olympics, it brings up the most unique, and interesting, hurdle for the inclusion, or exclusion, of Lacrosse as an Olmypic sport. It all stems from the history, and the current story of lacrosse, and how this sport simply can not leave that behind.

The Invisible Issue:

Some of you may have noticed that I did not include the Iroquois in my “top of the heap” list along with the US and Canada, even though they certainly belong up there when play on the field is considered. And that is because the Iroquois Lacrosse teams present the greatest opportunity for success, and the greatest opportunity for failure, in this entire Olympic dream.

Olympic Lacrosse without the Iroquois? No thanks.

And yet, for some bizarre reason, NONE of the articles I’ve read so far really touch on this, except for a staff piece from Indian Country Today on the Irqouis U19 team’s success in Finland, which ever so briefly touches on the subject.

If Lacrosse were to be included in the Olympics, it should ONLY be done so with an Iroquois team being eligible to play in the games. The Iroquois would obviously have to qualify like everyone else at the World Championships, but there can be no doubt as to whether or not they would be eligible to compete as a nation in the Games. If the Iroquois can’t compete in Olympic Lacrosse, there shouldn’t be Olympic Lacrosse.

There is a great level of argument and misunderstanding when it comes to Native nations’ sovereign status. Look no further than this Yahoo discussion on why the Iroquois don’t have their own Olympic teams for proof of the ignorance. From a “legal” stand, there are numerous treaties out there (and that doesn’t even get in to the cultural and identity issues) that validate the Iroquois’ sovereign status as a nation, and they can once again successfully issue, and travel on, their own passports.

Here is an except from the Iroquois Nationals website:

The Iroquois name for themselves is ‘Haudenosaunee’ which means “People of the Longhouse”. The longhouse symbolizes a way of life where the Six Nations Confederacy live under one common law, think with one mind and speak with one voice. That law is called “Gien na sah nah gonah” the Great Law of Peace. The alliance of the Haudenosaunee created the first United Nations in this land, thus we maintain the oldest, continuously operating form of government in North America. We have lived in northeastern North America for thousands of years. The people of the Six Nations currently residing in New York and Canada remain sovereign and independent. The Iroquois people identify themselves as citizens of their respective nation and travel internationally under their own passports.

For me, this is more than enough for them to compete at the Olympics, but as usual, it’s not always that simple. The IOC wants each nation to have a National Olympic Committee, and currently there are 204 of these worldwide. Currently, the Iroquois are not one of those 204 nations. So in order for the Iroquois to be included, should lacrosse ever make it to the games, an NOC really should be set up within the nation. That seems entirely possible at first glance. Of course, then we get to the next potential problem.

NOCs are supposed to be made up of both men’s and women’s teams and athletes, and while the Iroquois do have a women’s national team, playing under the name Haudenosaunee, I worry that the women’s game will not grow as quickly as it could, and that this could negatively impact the chances for an Iroquois NOC. I have certainly heard that there is movement to get more girls playing the game, but I believe this needs to remain a point of continued focus.

(EN: Portions of the above paragraph have been updated with correct information. Thanks to Italialax77 for keeping us honest and accurate!)

A smaller focus on women’s sports could make an NOC acceptance less likely. And if your country has no NOC, the chances of your teams competing can drop without extenuating circumstances. In order to be assured of participation, an Iroquois NOC is a potentially good route, and I think it could add to the growth of women’s lacrosse, and overall sports participation, greatly.

The Olympics are a huge stage, and to bring Lacrosse to that stage, WITH the originators of the game; the ones who gifted it to the rest of us, would be a true achievement for the entire community. Arriving on the Olympic stage would validate the sport for many, but for the Iroquois, it could be something so much bigger.

It would be their chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with other nations, and finally be counted as an equal, which they have deserved since the Olympic inception, and long before that… and they would be doing it on their terms, and through their sport.

We often talk about Growing The Game, and doing so in the “right” way, but that can be hard to define sometimes. Now is not one of those times.

The Hopeful Path:

We (the world) play the Iroquois longstick game, and our collective Olympic dream for Lacrosse must therefore include the Iroquois’ dream at its deepest core. While the biggest challenges out there for many people are increasing parity and popularity, the real challenge is much more complex:

Can we successfully thrust our game onto the world stage, while honoring and supporting those who gave us the gift in the first place?

U19 World Games Live Blog: Championship US Vs Canada

July 21, 2012 By Connor Wilson In International

Editor’s Note: What follows is a live blog of the US – Canada U19 Championship game from Turku, Finland. It’s great live, and it serves as a great game report as well! Team USA takes the title!

___________________________________________________________________________

FINAL – USA 10 – Canada 8 - Canada scores a consolation goal, but The US wins their 7th straight U19 World Championships after suffering their first, and second, losses ever in group play. The US dominated on face offs and ground balls, and put together some great individual and team goals to beat a talented team of Canadians.

usa_u19_2012_fil_champs

USA 10 – Canada 7 - More possession. 1:14 left in the game. US calls timeout again. THEN Canada calls for a stick check, and the US is now man down, but still in possession. Canada doubles, eventually creates a turnover, misses a chance in transition, but keeps possession. Then Canada actually tries to restart the game with two balls in play, but the ref stops them. Ha. Trying to the end, I actually love that. Time out Canada.

USA 10 – Canada 7 – The Canada goalie comes out to double, the US is able to outrun the defense and put one in on the doorstep for a 3-goal lead. US actually loses a face off, then gets called for a penalty. Canada man-up. Canada gets a look, but a Steven Jouhelka check knocks the shot wide and Turri wins the race to the end line. US possession, timeout USA. Just under 2 minutes left.

USA 9 – Canada 7 - Long possession by the USA… on man up. 7:30 left in the game. The US does shoot from time to time, but they are rips away from the net, and they always have back up. 6 on 6 now, expect more stalling with the two goal lead. And fouls. Those are likely. WRONG! Turnover, Canada ball. Canada possesses for 1:30, the a save by Kyle Turri gives the US the ball back with 4:30 left in the game. Back to stall mode. Chants of USA fill the stadium.

USA 9 – Canada 7 – Dodge the middle from up top, roll back, behind the back loop pass, double overlap runs, give and go, kick it down the side, look to the middle, quick stick. Goal Canada. Beauty.

USA 9 – Canada 6 – US wins the face, begins with possession. Canada penalty. US works the ball around on the man up, then gets an inside cut look, Canada save and successful clear. All even. Canada possession is slow, deliberate, and eventually generating good looks. Canada is clearly trying to dodge short sticks from behind right now. They switch it up, dodge from up top and the US creates a turnover. The US then turns it over on the break and Canada recovers.

End of the 3rd Quarter – Canada gets some chances but can’t convert. With 5 seconds left they get the ball on a restart and dodge hard to the cage, but the shot doesn’t find its mark. Still 9-6 USA over Canada as the 4th quarter begins.

USA 9 – Canada 6 - Canada is really trying to isolate now, but the US defenders are pushing them back to their weak hands and using their athleticism well. Canada finally isolates from up top and gets a decent look, but with no angle, down on the crease. Save high for the USA. US clears the ball. Canada makes a save, clears and shoots immediately. US ball, 1:30 left in the 3rd.

USA 9 – Canada 6 - The US wins the face off, gets a long possession and then runs a two man play from up. The man with the ball keeps it, splits the double with a swim dodge and rips a sweet goal high to put the US up by 3 with 7 minutes left. US wins next face off… again.

USA 8 – Canada 6 – The US clears the ball and keeps it going in transition. The lefty face dodge with transition numbers to top cheddar shot pays off and the USA goes back up by 2. A Canadian pole was hurt on the play but has walked off under his own power.

USA 7 – Canada 6 – On a botched clear, Canada corrals the ball from 12 yards out, feeds the crease, and one times it in for a goal to go down by only 1 goal. US wins possession on the face, drops to their defensive end and clears the ball with 10 minutes left in the third quarter. The feed is back, the world rejoices. Yay!

USA 7 – Canada 5 – Connor Obusek scores for the US to increase their margin back to two goals. Goals are coming hot and heavy now! Great ball movement by the US, and a great catch and shoot from the right wing by Obusek.

USA 6 – Canada 5 – Now the game is getting really good, and the feed is, of course, down. Zack Currier scores to make it a two goal game, and then Joel Tinney scores again to cut the lead to one goal. Canada is rolling with three straight!

USA 6 – Canada 3 – Joel Tinney with the goal to put Canada within 3 of the US early in the 3rd quarter. The video feed, which has been sketchy all week is now down. I’m not complaining about the feed, and I love that they tried, but I had to pay $24.95 to not watch games… not that awesome.

Scrum Aftermath – Ok, a Canada player and a US player have each been given 2-minute penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, it seems. And that’s it. It didn’t look that bad actually… makes sense. 5 on 5, face off to begin the second half.

Halftime Scrum – Of course there was a scrum. It’s US-Canada lacrosse. Right before halftime, the Canadian keeper makes two huge saves to stave off the US. Then one player loses his helmet, the there is pushing, then a Canadian ends up on the ground, then the US players run off the bench to pull their teammates away, Canadians stay on the bench.

A little more pushing and then a very obvious flop by a Canadian player, who is quickly escorted off the field by the refs. Flags were definitely flying, and someone is getting some sort of penalty.

Hate to leave you hanging, but that’s all we know for now. Second half promises to be even better, right?

40 Seconds left in the first half – The US has possession, time out is called. On the last Canada possession, they look aimless. It was weird. No cutting, no dodging… just stagnant play. Canada will need to weather this last US possession and get it together in the second half to have any shot at a comeback.

USA 6 – Canada 2 – US midfielder takes a nice dodge down the lefty alley and sticks on high to high through a couple of players. US wins next face off, and ground balls and face offs are killing Canada right now.

Save… SAVE! – Canada gets a good look, huge save by the US keeper. Then the US goalie, Zack Oliverri, throws the ball right back to a Canadian player who walks in all alone… and another HUGE SAVE! That was crazy. I’m not sure if the goalie was even back in the crease, but the Canadian player ran right at him. Bizarre. Still 5-2, US with possession.

USA 5 – Canada 2 - 5 on 5 for 30, Canada goes man up, gets a good look and the US clears the ball off a shot. Pushing transition the ball ends up in a US attack man’s hands and he puts one in man down for a big three goal lead. Great team play and speed by the USA on that goal. 7 minutes left in the first half.

USA 4 – Canada 2 - Canada gets called for the penalty, and just when you think the US will pull it out, Stephen Pontrello pulls a ridiculous face dodge off and stick the ball in the tightest of corners. The US wins the next face off, then flags fly and then the refs wave their arms like crazy and confer. Canada gets called for the push, and the US gets called for the slash.

USA 3 – Canada 2 – The US uses a nice little 3 man weave tight on the crease to get a good feed from X to a cutter. Leonard puts it away and the US is up 1. Nice hands by Team USA on that goal.

USA 2 – Canada 2 – 5 minutes in to the 2nd quarter. US has possession and a slash is called on Canada. US drops the ball and then goes on the man up. The US settles for outside shots, turns the ball over and a long possession by Canada results in a good look, but a save. US clears the ball and starts their possession on offense. Another turnover, Canada ball. And MORE back and forth… US ball now. A little sloppy here. Time out Canada with a little over 13 minutes left in the first half.

canada u19 lacrosse

Interesting note: At this point, Canada has not won a face off.

End of 1st Quarter – Game tied at 2. US withstood a good chance by Canada at the end, but the US keeper was up to the task and covered the low shot. A small pile up at the end, but everyone got up without incident.

USA 2 – Canada 2 – In transition, Canada ties it up. This is going to be a great game. I can feel it. After the goal, the US gets the ball, gets called for a ward, turns it over, and Canada runs the hidden ball. It doesn’t work. After a long possession filled with passing set ups and dodging set ups, the US creates a turnover, the turns it over, then Canada gets called for a push in the back. US ball.

USA 2 – Canada 1 – Wowzers. US comes right back and scores 2 to go up by a goal with 7 minutes left in the 1st quarter. Epic take down the middle results in the US’ second goal. US gains possession off the face off and clears from their defensive end.

Canada 1 – USA 0 – Canada strikes first on a nice pass from up top to a crease man, who caught the ball used his body to protect the stick, and then turned and fired one high for the early lead. Canada gains possession again and settles on offense with 12:30 left in the first quarter. Good possession by the Canadians is cut short by an illegal pick call.

usa u19 lacrosse helmet gloves shoes warrior lacrosse

And… we’re off. 3 minutes into the game and it’s all zeros. Lots of running and the teams are feeling each other out, even though they know each other well at this point.

Gear Review: LAS America Shaft by 1 Lacrosse

July 4, 2012 By Krieg Shaw In Gear Reviews

Company: 1 Lacrosse / Product: LAS America Shaft / Price: $99

It’s the 4th of July! Why would we review anything other than the LAS America shaft by 1 Lacrosse? In honor of this great holiday, we wanted to make sure we did our part to spread the love and give everyone a chance to be patriotic.

While The Lacrosse Shop has had the LAS America shaft in stock for some time, we have neglected to review it. To help you in your shaft shopping, here is the full rundown on the LaxAllStars America shaft.

I have been playing with my own LAS America shaft since last summer, definitely an ideal amount of time to test a shaft. It’s been through tournaments, indoor chumash, practices and I’ve even lent it out to a couple of players to use while I re-strung their sticks. Needless to say, it’s been through a lot.

Appearance… +1.5

While some of you may call me Benedict Arnold for not giving the appearance a two, I have my reasons. The America shaft has some incredible graphics and details all over the stick, but a flashy stick may not be for everyone. Other than that, the appearance is great. Who wouldn’t want to combine their three favorite things into one incredible product: America, Lax All Stars, and lacrosse!

She’s a real beaut, ain’t she?

The shaft is covered in little silver stars that really help accent the red and blue LAS logos neatly placed near the middle. The actual logos and graphic work is perfectly balanced. There isn’t too much going on, but there is no doubt that this is a custom shaft.

Grip… +1.5

The grip is definitely one of the nicer features of the shaft. The shaft has a rubbery feel to it that isn’t overbearing but allows you to have great control while moving your hands around. I only used a little tape at the bottom of my shaft and where my top hand is for shooting and that was perfect. Even in wet situations, the stick handles just as well as any heavy duty grip.

One hand, no problem.

After a while though, like all grips, it wears down. I still haven’t noticed any change for the worse though, and the shaft doesn’t feel slippery or hard to handle. While the grips and some of the paint may have worn off, I would still say it’s fairly good considering the amount I have played with it over the past year!

One year later. Still grippin’, still rippin’.

Weight… +1.5

Unless a shaft is feather light or feels like a sledge hammer, then it really isn’t memorable – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. At 6.5 ounces, the weight isn’t super impressive, but it doesn’t hold you back either. I paired mine up with the STX Super Power and it was a perfect balance for me.

The Scandium alloy used has been recognized as one of the lighter metals in shafts lately, while still being strong and tough against impact. Lorne Smith of Warrior Lacrosse came to Boise last winter for a little shooting clinic and was talking about becoming so comfortable with your stick that it turns into an extension of your arms. I love that idea and would like to think that a shaft I don’t think about on the field is helping me get to that point – now if only I could reach my end of the bargain.

The LAS America Shaft in action.

Strength/Durability… +1.5

1 Lacrosse claims that this bad boy is 20% stronger than other Scandium handles and has the greatest strength to weight ratio in the game. That’s a pretty bold claim but in the time I’ve played with it, I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had some defenders lay some very heavy lumber on my stick, as well as having to body up on some pretty big guys while playing defense. No matter what the case was, I was able to come away with it unscathed and ready for more.

Light enough, tough enough, ready for action.

All claims aside, the results are proof enough for me that the shaft can stand both, a dodger barreling down on you, and the constant impacts from a season of defense and checks.

Value… +2

Coming in at $99 I don’t see how you could go wrong, especially when many shafts of this quality hit the three digit price range easily. When I look at purchasing a shaft, I think about several things. The most obvious being weight, strength, and grip, but also the price to quality ratio of finding the most valuable shaft for the cheapest price – this shaft is definitely on the right track there.

Elevator going up.

Overall: 8/10

And you thought we’d hold a bias! Not a chance when it comes to gear reviews!

If anything, we put even MORE stress on the LAS America shaft because we knew the expectations would be high. If you’re looking for a shaft that will be light enough to keep you moving on the field, but tough enough to stand the test of time, I would definitely recommend checking out the LAS America shaft by 1 Lacrosse.

It may be a little patriotic, but so was Nathan Hale, and he is forever remembered in history for it. Hopefully this shaft has a little better ending though.

Bang.

Whether you go around them, or through them, the LAS America shaft is always game ready!

Know of some gear you wish we would review? Hit us up in the LAS Tipline and let us know what you think we should review next.

USA U-19 Team Heads To World Championships

July 4, 2012 By Staff In High School, International

Editor’s Note: Please welcome Al Scriffiano to LaxAllStars.com! Al took in the Team USA U-19 vs New Jersey All Stars scrimmage on Sunday and wrote up a great report! But first, a little background on how Al got involved with LAS: Connor played box lacrosse with Al in Prague this past April, and Al joined the LaxAllStars.com/CityLax team last weekend for the Salt Shakerz Invitational. All this led to Al joining the LAS Community and submitting a great post!
________________________________________________________________________

Everyone loves a winner, and nobody likes losing. All the time in the gym, on the wall, and at practice is spent so that the bitter feeling that accompanies losing is as infrequent as possible. Unfortunately, anyone who competes for a long enough time, and at a high enough level, knows all too well what it feels like to lose.

team usa u19 lacrosse

Even the greatest athletes of all-time have fallen short of the ultimate goal more often than they have seen success. Consider that Joe Montana’s 15 season NFL career resulted in only four championships, and you start to get the picture.

Now consider this: the USA U-19 men’s team has never lost a game… EVER. Over the course of the past six international U-19 tournaments, the boys in the stars and stripes have not only won every championship, but they have also won every single game they have ever played.

usa u19 lacrosse helmet gloves shoes warrior lacrosse

Great success, however, carries with it a great burden, and the actual magnitude of that burden is not lost on the 2012 team, or the coaching staff. Head coach Tim Flynn knows better than most that his team can not hang their collective hats on past successes. That is why he scheduled four of the toughest scrimmages he could find to test out his crew before the trip across the pond.

u19 usa lacrosse coaches

(EN: nice shades, fellas!)

And yet, despite the incredible talent on the side of the opposition, the USA easily defeated the Dallas All-Stars and the Long Island All-Stars, 26-4 and 12-4, respectively.

The game against the Eastern Pennsylvanian All-Stars was a differently story altogether. The team from the Keystone state came out on fire, and played inspired lacrosse that put them in a great spot early on. The USA U-19 team fought back over the course of a hard game, but ultimately fell short in the end, losing 15-14 in overtime. It’s not an official game, or an official loss, but for a team like the US U-19 team, it could be a difference maker.

use u19 lacrosse warm up

Perhaps, this loss is just the motivation the team needed to continue their undefeated international streak alive. This was exemplified the following week, as the U-19 team had its final scrimmage against the All-Stars from NJ at 3 pm on Sunday.

usa u19 lacrosse sticks

At 1 pm on game day, the players started rolling in to the locker room one at a time. Some guys had headphones in, while others were content with their own thoughts. As the locker room filled up, the sound of pedaling stationary bikes, ripping tape, and the familiar thud of lax balls against cinder block walls filled the air. The coaches did not need to say a word, as the severity of the situation wasn’t lost on anyone.

usa u19 lacrosse sticks

Every player had the look of a man possessed. Another loss, even if only in a scrimmage, was unacceptable. “Let the boys do their thing,” Coach Flynn instructs everyone with his finger firmly on the pulse of the team. He understands that no additional motivation or direction is required.

At around 2:30 pm, the team jogs in unison behind the broad stripes of the Stars and Stripes on to the field underneath the scorching sun. They have a silent confidence about them. While everyone around seems paralyzed by the unrelenting heat, Team USA’s swagger is unwavering.

After a hard fought game, the US U-19 team emerged with a 9-4 win, and they showed they can score a lot of goals and play great defense, while controlling a game. This was a team, who would refuse to experience the bitter taste of defeat on the day, and from the looks of things, possibly never again.

Rocking those Man Bro Bro Man Shades!

For action photos from the game, check out Lacrosse Magazine’s Jim O’Connor photo gallery.

Do you think Team USA will go undefeated again this time around, or will one of the up and coming International programs finally knock the US off the pedestal?

Gear Review: Evo 3 Head by Warrior Lacrosse

April 19, 2012 By Mikey B In Gear Reviews

With lacrosse season at full throttle, we wanted to make sure you’d have the scoop on all the newest equipment, so we teamed up with Lacrosse Panda, Warrior Lacrosse and Brine Lacrosse to bring you a great line-up of Gear Reviews over the next two months!

Today our resident Idaho Lax Reporter Mikey B drops by Sweet Sweet Lax to test out the Evo 3 Head by Warrior Lacrosse.

Company: Warrior Lacrosse / Product: Evo 3 Head / Price: $89.00

Today I’m bringing you my review of the Warrior Evo 3. Before we get started, here is the description and product specs via Warrior:

“The ultimate head is new and improved. New aggressive sidewall design featuring the 2-shot mold process for increased durability and stiffness. Slimmer scoop allows for smoother transition in and out of the pocket.”

Legal for HS/YOUTH play only.
The ultimate in stock color options featuring a 3 zoned colored head.
New aggressive sidewall design featuring our 2-Shot mold process for increased durability and stiffness.
Insert molded throat jewel for an additional color zone.
New SLIM SCOOP allows for a better transition in and out of the pocket.
Optimal string hole position for a pocket that strings up perfect every time.

Note that this thing is only legal for HS/Youth and post-collegiate play; it does not meet NCAA specs. As a post-collegiate player, this is fine for me, but college players beware.

Now, I graduated from THE University of Idaho with the class of ’08. What this means to you is that I never had to deal with the 2010 spec change. I’ve been playing with a Brine E3 for years. YEARS. I’ve had no desire to go to a 2010-spec head. Even though this thing isn’t NCAA-legal, its dimensions are a lot wider than my hyper-narrow E3s (narrowed further by the pressure of many faceoffs). So, it was with some trepidation that I took up this new wand and brought it to our indoor league.

I’ll be frank with you: for the purposes of most gear reviews, I don’t get as much time as I’d like with the product. With the Evo3 though, I was able to play with it enough that it may as well have been my own head, so I really feel comfortable talking about it. Behold my conclusions:

Appearance… +2

As the product description above notes, the Warrior Evo 3 features a 2-shot mold process for the sidewalls. Said plainly, the sidewalls are white while the rest of the head is colored. This looks fairly sharp, though I wish that there were a few more options in the colorways.

It’s a nice looking unit.

That point notwithstanding, I think that the 2-shot mold provides a nice touch of character without getting audacious. If I could get a Carolina head with black sidewalls I’d be pleased as punch. It looks like that option is available if you go with the Warrior 3X (NCAA legal), so you might find it for the Evo3 vanilla as well. I’m willing to give Warrior the benefit of the doubt here.

Stringing… +2

I’ll separate this part into two subcategories: (1) factory stringing and (2) stringing options.

Starting with Factory Stringing, I gotta say how impressed I am. I fully expected that I would need to rip off the factory pocket and start from scratch. However, when I got my hands on it and took a look at the stringing, I was pleasantly surprised. It was looped and interlocked in all the right spots, it was tight and symmetrical, and I was not left with the overwhelming urge to restring it.

I decided to put the factory strings to the test; I broke it in with a nifty little tool we keep at the Elite Lacrosse gym and then went to work. To my continued surprise, the Evo 3 was hot to trot and ready to rock from the get go. After years of complaints, are the big companies finally getting their act together on their pockets? If my Evo 3 is any indication, yes they are.

No complaints with this factory pocket.

But what if you did want to restring it? Well have no fear because this little fella wouldn’t put up a fight. The Evo 3 sports 13 holes up each side and 6 across the top. I do wish that Warrior had punched a couple more of the larger holes near the top of the scoop (like the M80) but that’s not a huge deal because the dimensions of the head in relation to the location of the holes allows you to get the tension where you need it.

One more hole here would have been a plus.

Stiffness and Durability… +2.5 (out of 4)

I’m combining the categories of ‘Stiffness’ and ‘Durability’ because my testing revealed that the issues may be inseparable. This is a stiff head, probably owing to the two-shot sidewalls. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t have some give to it. A faceoff simulation with Shaw put that to the test and, as you can see, it’s got plenty of bend to it.

Pinch and pop! More pinching though…

The head has the give it needs to avoid breaking, but has the stiffness I need to get aggressive at the X. Here’s the problem, though. The two-shot sidewall really means that the sidewall on the head are thinned down so that a second white plastic piece can be inserted on top. Here’s what happens to that plastic piece after a faceoff:

Note that the white plastic insert has come detached from the rest of the head.

The head didn’t come away from the faceoff simulation in the condition that I would hope. The insert detached from the primary head and the entire head was warped to the left. It returned to form only after I spent a few minutes trying to straighten it out. Even now, it’s not 100% straight and I don’t think it will ever be. Because of these issues, I can’t rate the ‘Stiffness’ and ‘Durability’ category at a full 4.0.

Value… +2

The head comes in at $89.00. This places it right in the meaty part of the price curve. While it has some potential durability issues, I’m not sure that those are a big deal if you aren’t facing off.

What’s most important to me, of course, is performance. And this head performs. I was extremely hesitant to switch away from my stupid-narrow E3, but the Evo 3 absolutely won me over. I found a noticeable advantage over my E3 in scoop, ball retention, and release. The shape of the head sucks the ball up and allows for a great channel.

If scooping was any easier, you’d be sitting down drinking a beer while the Evo 3 played for you.

I think a sharp looking head that performs as nicely as the Evo 3 is well worth $89.00.

Overall… +8.5/10

This is a great head for any attackman or non-faceoff middie. I’m not sure I can recommend it to a faceoff middie or a close defender because of the durability issues, but I don’t think that those positions are Warrior’s target demographic with the Evo 3.

Our indoor league presents some intense close-quarters combat and this thing survived its trial by fire admirably. I’m thoroughly impressed not only with the ball control but also the consistency and smoothness of the release. I think that the Evo 3 is a beaut’.

Forgive the ankle socks; it was laundry day.

Got some gear you wish we would review? Hit us up and let us know what you think we should review next.

Hot Pot Of Lax: Who Should Be #1? Loyola Vs. UMass

April 18, 2012 By Connor Wilson In College, Hot Pot

Both Loyola and UMass were ranked #1 this week in the USILA’s NCAA Division 1 Men’s College Lacrosse Coaches’ Poll, and both teams sit undefeated at 11-0. Fans from both sides have been making some compelling arguments for why their team should be the sole #1 squad, and yet others think NEITHER team should be #1 (you will find out who that is later!). So let’s take a look and try to find some truth. Maybe I need to lay off watching the X-Files on Netflix before I go to bed.

Is UMass #1 in 2012?

Since both Loyola and UMass won last weekend, and both UVA (last week’s #1) and Hop (last week’s #3) lost, there is simply no doubt that UMass and Loyola should be at the top of the polls, but no one likes a tie… So let’s try to figure out who the REAL #1 is in D1 lax right now!

First off, let’s look at the Coaches Poll a little closer. Loyola got 6 of the 10 first place votes, while UMass got 4. Both teams received 193 total points to put them in first place overall. No other teams received first place votes. The week before, Loyola had been ranked #4, and UMass had been #2. Virginia was the then #1 team, and Hopkins filled the third spot.

If Loyola got more first place votes (6 to UMass’ 4), but the teams are still tied at the top, it tells us that every coach but one had UMass at either #1, or #2. The last coach could only have put UMass at #3. That’s the lowest the math allows for. Loyola clearly got more #1 votes, but with the overall tie, it means that out of the 4 coaches who did not rank them first in the poll, only one ranked them second. The other 3 must have ranked Loyola third. Or two of the coaches put Loyola at #2, and one put them at #3 and another at #4.

Either way, the takeaway from the polls is that, in the eyes of the coaches, UMass is a #1 or #2 team and Loyola is a #1, #2 or #3 team. Loyola’s #4 ranking last week backs this point up to a certain extent, but it is also possible that one coach in the poll simply doesn’t like Loyola and is ranking them much lower than the other coaches in the poll. Even one vote at #6 or #7 could drag a team way down.

So basically what we’ve learned from the Coaches Poll is that it is really tough to gauge, lacks enough info to really make a comprehensive interpretation, and is decided by the men who coach the games being played. There is a lot of potential for bias and uncertainty in the Coaches Poll.

Our next set of polls also has its issues, but while there is just as much bias in a LaxPower D1 Forum Poll, the amount of information supplied is staggering, at least when compared to the USILA version. In the forum poll, which is put together using the brains of the LaxPower forumites, Loyola is a CLEAR CUT #1. Every single pollster put Loyola at #1 and UMass at #2. This seems compelling until you start looking at some of the rationale laid out:

- Loyola gets the nod at #1 over UMass because they beat Duke. Really? Duke is good this year, but a win over the Blue Devils isn’t a seal the deal win, is it? Also that game was played on March 10th. Seriously?

- Loyola has been getting smoked on face offs sometimes but still holds teams to under 10 goals. Ok, I actually like this one. They have a GREAT defense. That’s a fair reason to make them #1, I guess. But face offs and offense will probably matter at some point very soon.

- Loyola beat Denver on the road by 3. Yes, this was the first home loss for Denver, and yes, all of their other losses were in TIGHT games. But Denver also lost to Ohio State, and a close loss is still a loss. But let’s go down that road anyway. Drexel has lost 7 games this year. That doesn’t look good. Against Villanova early in the year, they lost by 5. Rough. But against EVERY other team, they lost by 1 goal… except UMass, who won by 2. So if Loyola’s big win (by 3) over Denver bumped them up, UMass’ win over Drexel could be used in the exact same way.

When Denver loses, they lose tight and Loyola won by 3. Drexel does the same thing and UMass wins by 2. Yes, Denver is ranked much higher than Drexel in the polls, but the Power Rankings are another matter! Basically, the above argument is one of comparative scoring and absolute nonsense. A win is a win, and both these teams have 11 good ones.

- The best argument for Loyola is their SOS. Loyola has played, and beaten three top 20 teams, including one top 10 team in Duke. UMass has beaten two top twenty teams and no top 10 teams. Now THAT is a fair point to make. Finally. Honestly, I expected better from the D1 Forum Pollsters as far as rationale goes.

Now if you use the Power Rankings, also on Laxpower, you see a completely different picture, and this one is the most surprising. UMass perches at #1 of the PRs, while Loyola is at #3. The #2 spot is occupied by Princeton. Wait, what?

Yes, Princeton is the #2 team in D1 when it comes to LaxPower’s Power Rankings… but don’t laugh it off just yet. The Power Rankings are based in science!

Loyola drops in the Power Rankings for ONE reason, and that is their recent close game with Ohio State. Loyola won the game by a single goal at home, and they had been predicted to win by 5 goals. And this is what drops them out of the number 1 spot. UMass, on the other hand, has been almost spot on with the predicted scores, and when you combine that with a perfect record, the #1 spot is theirs.

To give you a little more idea on how the PRs work, we’ll look at why Princeton is at #2. They have three losses, by 4 goals in total, to Hopkins, UNC and Cuse. All games were predicted to be close, and they were. But then Princeton went out and SMOKED some teams that should have given them good games. BIG wins over Villanova, Brown, and Dartmouth made up for Princeton’s one or two goal losses.

The Power Rankings take a very “big picture” approach to ranking teams, and they don’t get too caught up with a win over a young Duke team in early March. They take it into account, but only as another piece of information.

Now that we have looked at two top level polls AND the best Power Rankings for D1 I’m ready to make my call on who the REAL number 1 is…

Cornell!

WHAT? I know, I know, they lost to Virginia earlier this year, and I know the Big Red has played in a ton of close games. But I’ve seen them play a couple of times now, and I really like what Cornell is doing on the field right now. Plus, if the injury reports can be believed, Rob Pannell might be coming back soon. In Cornell’s preview of their game with Brown, they don’t say Pannell will play, but they certainly mention him a lot. Makes me think he’s on his way back.

Cornell just plays great team ball, and they play disciplined lacrosse. If Pannell comes back and provides that next level spark, the sky is the limit.

I really like both Loyola and UMass this year, and think either team could make a serious run and even win the National Championship. But my #1 pick at this point in the season goes to the team that I think has the best chance to win the National Championship this year, and for me, that team is Cornell.

You didn’t see that one coming did you? Ok’, let me have it in the comments, Loyola and UMass fans.

Maybe UMass' new helmet will make them #1!

_____________________________________________________________________________

LACROSSE IN OTHER NEWS:

- Some Franklin & Marshall Women’s Lacrosse team members suspended, and Coach fired, after hazing complaint | Washington Post

- Mike Messere reach 747 wins at West Genessee High School, and it was his way or the highway | MaxPreps

- Wesleyan beats #15 Trinity 12-8 behind 6 points (3, 3) from John Froats | Wesleyan.edu

______________________________________________________________________________

LACROSSE VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

I just love lacrosse videos like the one above. I’m thrilled more people are able to play our sport and learn about its history and traditions. A lot of the above was filmed at the White House, so big ups to Barack Obama for backing the game!

"warrior lacrosse"

Warrior Lacrosse

Alf Jacques

Warrior Lacrosse

5) Hammer by STX Lacrosse

4) M80 by Warrior Lacrosse

3) 9K by Reebok Lacrosse

2) Recon XL by Gait Lacrosse

1) Stallion by STX Lacrosse

5) Surgeon by STX Lacrosse

4) Edge by Brine Lacrosse (Defenders!)

3) Super Power by STX Lacrosse

2) Clutch by Brine Lacrosse

1) Evolution by Warrior Lacrosse

Appearance… +1.5

Comfort… +1.5

Protection… +2

Durability… +2

Value… +1.5

Overall Score: 8.5/10

Appearance… +1.5

Comfort… +2

Protection… +1.5

Durability… +1.5

Value… +1.5

Overall Score: 8/10

Appearance… +2

Comfort… +1.5

Protection… +1

Durability… +1.5

Value… +1.5

Overall Score: 7.5/10

Appearance… +1.5

Stringing… +1

Stiffness… +2

Durability… +1.5

Value… +1.5

OVERALL SCORE: 7.5/10

Appearance… +2

Stringing… +2

Stiffness… +2

Durability… +2

Value… +1.5

Overall… +9.5/10

Appearance… +2

Comfort… +1

Protection… +1

Durability… +1.5

Value… +1.5

Overall Score… 7/10

Lacrosse’s Olympic Past:

Lacrosse’s Current Olympic Status:

Lacrosse’s Olympic Future:

The Invisible Issue:

The Hopeful Path:

Appearance… +1.5

Grip… +1.5

Weight… +1.5

Strength/Durability… +1.5

Value… +2

Overall: 8/10

Appearance… +2

Stringing… +2

Stiffness and Durability… +2.5 (out of 4)

Value… +2

Overall… +8.5/10

Cornell!

LACROSSE IN OTHER NEWS:

LACROSSE VIDEO OF THE WEEK:

Editor’s Note

Subscribe

Newsletter:

Featured Videos

TV Schedule

This Week’s Reader Poll

Gear Reviews

Instagram

Most Popular Posts this Week

About LAS

Partners