Comments on: Hot Pot Of Lax: Youth Sticks Are Holding Back The Game

By: D. Willson

D. Willson — Fri, 13 May 2011 00:08:00 +0000

This post is pure truth. Speak it, tell it, preach it, brother Connor! I’ve restrung 100+ new factory-strung heads over the last year alone in Alabama. During summer and fall ball last year, I’d go early because parents would ask the league director why Junior’s passes/shots were subterranean, he’d point them towards me (“Go see that guy over there working on that stick…”), and then I’d fix the problems (normally having to redo everything except the topstring because of time constraints, but sometimes even that was done so poorly that it needed attention). I averaged 3-6 sticks per session, which is absolutely ridiculous. There are brand-new sticks!

I’ve also worked with goalies who needed new mesh after ONE DAY of practice because shots tore the mesh (I’m looking at you, Brine: fire your soft mesh supplier already).

To the lax manufacturers reading this: you’re welcome, but I should start sending each of you invoices whenever this crap happens. This needs to stop now.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 May 2011 21:01:00 +0000

Amen. I actually had a store owner call and yell at me b/c a ordered every kid in our HS and JHS program to stop getting pre-strung heads. Apparently his profit margin was more important than learning how to actually throw properly…

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 12 May 2011 17:01:00 +0000

you guys should try and get an interview with the kid who scored that 80 yd goal. His vid has over a million views at this point, and I’d like to know what that feels like.

By: Jeff Brunelle

Jeff Brunelle — Thu, 12 May 2011 04:12:00 +0000

THAT is an awesome way to do it! #GrowingTheGame

By: dude

dude — Thu, 12 May 2011 02:27:00 +0000

They also need to stop selling offset heads to beginners. What do beginners need an offset head for? They can’t throw properly.

Remember when offset heads first got big? Tierney literally banned them from his team b/c the players were throwing them straight into the ground. Many of the more experienced players these days have adjusted and can throw with them but SO MANY still cannot well. GET YOUR HANDS UP. That’s what Tiernery was yelling about. B/c you need to get your hands higher than usual which meant it took more time to make a good pass. Also offset equal more whip.

Anyway, the whole offset head, having whip, and big bag pockets, are all forced on younger players. This is fine at the higher level b/c players across the board have adjusted and can play with them now. Just not that well. You should only play enough whip that allows you to still make a good accurate quick pass.

All in all: STOP MAKING OFFSET BEGINNER STICKS!

By: Austinspeni

Austinspeni — Wed, 11 May 2011 23:17:00 +0000

I own a retail store in Covington,Louisiana and I order all my heads unstrung. I then hire a couple of local players from different schools to string the heads. The younger kids come in to watch and learn from the older kids.

By: Jake Misner

Jake Misner — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:56:00 +0000

Good Post. Anyone that has spent time around beginers’ sticks coaching, working at a lax store, ect. knows that factory string jobs are a joke. Any shortcut available when stringing they are gonna use. Chances of that changing… The lax community needs to keep relying on it self to not only fix these pockets but teach the basics as well.

Bill brings up a good point also. If “Johny’s” first pocket is great the first time he gets one what are the chances he learns how to fix it or string? But if the pocket is poor hopefully the player wont give up, find a resource or someone will help him fix his pocket.

By: My boy Blue

My boy Blue — Wed, 11 May 2011 21:33:00 +0000

I think the ideal pocket for a beginner is almost ridiculously shallow, no whip, and little hold. let them learn to catch and throw correctly. Also, shallow pockets can make you a better player because you learn to protect your stick instead of power cradling.

By: Boom

Boom — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:24:00 +0000

Right now, the market is ripe for start-ups. Support small business! There are plenty of small operations that provide top-notch gear, just research it. Thumbs up for capitalism!

By: Phawstir

Phawstir — Wed, 11 May 2011 20:16:00 +0000

This post is the absolute truth! I re-string younger players sticks all the time, and am happy to do so as it is painful to see what kind of laughable pocket they were using straight from the factory.

By: CNY'in

CNY'in — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:51:00 +0000

Corporate Greed has infiltrated the lacrosse world people…it was a matter of time this would happen, and now you see $200.00 sticks, helmets, etc. that dont cost squat to produce. How to stop it? stop buying their products!

By: Bill

Bill — Wed, 11 May 2011 18:42:00 +0000

I think that the pockets in beginner sticks are awful too, but I think it’s kind of a good problem. Hear me out…
1) It shows how much the game is growing. I don’t think the old ladies west of Boston could keep up with the sticks being purchased today. How many AV8′s do you think STX sold this year? Putting a quality string job in each one of those sticks, even with cheap foreign labor, is probably cost and time prohibitive.
2) Your first stick should suck. A lacrosse stick is very personal and your pocket preference is something that’s going to develop as you learn the game. After a spring of lacrosse under their belts, kids will be better prepared to get a hard mesh stringing kit or maybe go to a stringing clinic and learn about what works and what doesn’t for them.

That being said, I think one of the biggest mistakes that beginner players make with their first stick is having too deep of a pocket. A shallow pocket is going to force better fundamentals when throwing and catching. Keep that pocket at around half a ball deep, and even soft mesh isn’t that bad.

By: Drofdarb23

Drofdarb23 — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Couldn’t agree more – the string jobs on youth sticks are awful. But I think this also applies to all new lacrosse players in general. When I first started playing I had no idea how to take care of my stick (pocket) – adjust shooting strings, fix sidewalls, make it deeper, etc – but fortunately I had a couple friends that had ample lacrosse knowledge and were nice enough to help teach me the ins and outs of taking care of your stick. Without his help who knows what direction my lacrosse “career” would have gone and how long I would have played the factory installed “pocket.” Having experienced players or coaches that are willing and able to help new players not only learn the game but also learn how to take care of their sticks is vitally important for the growth of the game.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Ideally, the latter (if the starter head has a good pocket materials wise) but the important thing is good stringing. It has to do more than just LOOK like a lacrosse stick, the string job has to THROW like one too. that is the most important thing IMHO.

By: Marisa

Marisa — Wed, 11 May 2011 17:28:00 +0000

I don’t play lacrosse, but I like playing in my backyard just for fun. So I got a stick, I think it was Brine, and after a week the pocket was all screwed up and I had to keep getting it tied back up.