Comments on: It’s Lax Against The World

By: billallen

billallen — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:09:41 +0000

I agree thet the cost of plastic heads made in china are extreme! I have several Teams and I am one of the original Bridge Programs. I have trouble attracting corporate sponsorship for I amd not inner city, but underserved surburbia. But I still use some of the original sticks I purchased 17 years ago. Just nedd restringing every few years. When you get to High School you need protective equipment not entry level as playesrs yielding titanium d-shafts can cause some damage. Unfortunately this is a “rich mans” sport. It is tough to compete with the programs who can have travel programs and play 10 months a year. But were there is a will ther is a way. So continue to grow the game and introduce the sport to as amny as you can. Bill Allen, Plam Beach Lacrosse Foundation

By: billallen

billallen — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:09:41 +0000

By: johannathomashefski

johannathomashefski — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:27:30 +0000

As an inaugural member of BRIDGE, it's very exciting for us (Lacrosse for LIFE: Leadership, Integrity, Friendship, Education) to see the concerns programs seeking to increase opportunities in the game getting press.

I agree with a lot of the comments here - we work with dozens of other, more 'privileged' programs in our area, as well as high schools and colleges, to receive their "gently used" equipment. Players on opposing teams have done gear drives each season for several years, drastically lowering our need for the purchase of new gear/sticks. Kids learning the game benefit from broken-in heads as well as gear. For liability reasons, we don't accept helmets with re-certification. Several local retailers as well as manufacturers and camp directors provide us with generous discounts on gear and activities. In return, our players commit to a strict code of conduct, maintenance of grades, and "give back" to our program, their communities and the lacrosse family.

It is hard work to create programs in underserved communities - the cost of equipment is only one obstacle. But there are lots of people doing it. Certainly high-end gear seems over-priced, but you don't need to start with a $100 stick. Get a starter stick at half the cost, and negotiate with retailers for discounts. You don't get if you don't ask, and you'd be amazed at what the lacrosse world will provide to developing programs!

Johanna Thomashefski
Executive Director
Lacrosse for LIFE
www.lacrosseforlife.org

By: brother9

brother9 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:24:53 +0000

It's not fair to price this out then compare it to football only costing $15.

Either you need just an entry stick and ball for $30 versus football's sphereoid costing $15, or you compare the full set of lacrosse gear to a full set of football gear.

But it is true that part of soccer's global domination is the fact that it's zero cost of entry. Even basketball needs a backboard and hoop, soccer goals are often improvised like the bases in a stickball game.

By: Greatness

Greatness — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:24:19 +0000

The only sport more expensive is hockey, where the equipment can easily cost over $1000, so one thing I've always wondered is how hockey is so huge at all income levels in Canada…how does everyone afford it? Government subsidies? Lacrosse equipment is getting to be way too expensive, I got most of my stuff from other people so I didn't pay a dime…I haven't actually bought any gear in years because of the prices…I laugh when I see the attempts to start programs in 3rd world countries, I think they are just worried about buying food, not to mention a $200 lacrosse stick

By: Justin Otto

Justin Otto — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 11:55:25 +0000

At some point I feel lax will hit a ceiling as far as popularity if the prices stay where they are. If prices lower, you will sell more products at a cheaper rate as opposed to less products at a higher rate. Sure, the quality of play will most likely decrease because of the influx of new players, but over time, those players will develop and the cycle can start over again. It's a win-win for the game and the manufacturer. It can't all be about profit ya know?

By: Striding Man

Striding Man — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:04:15 +0000

Fantastic image. Thanks for sharing.

By: Kevin Flynn

Kevin Flynn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:03:31 +0000

totally agree Connor… and I love to get my teams the “hot shit” as much as anybody…

By: Connor Wilson

Connor Wilson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:37:16 +0000

$200 gloves? HA! You guys must have missed the $300, all-leather, special edition gloves that WARRIOR was selling… FIVE YEARS AGO. Don't get me wrong, they were sweet. and I totally picked up a pair on Ebay for $100 but still… in stores, they were selling for $300. straight up offensive pricing from Warrior. They care about growing the game, as long as it lines their pockets. I understand its capitalism America here but don't claim to just love the game and then try to bleed money from a stone. there's no real honesty there… yet people still buy their stuff… so what do I know?

By: Connor Wilson

Connor Wilson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:27:10 +0000

excellent points, Kevin!
You can certainly do it cheaper than we proposed above. However, the costs listed above are pretty accurate for a HS team that “needs” decent equipment. The lower end products are certainly a lot cheaper than the top end but probably not cheap enough. The quality of some of the lower end products is also really low and that can make it hard to keep kids interested. For example, when you buy a pair of $60 gloves, you sometimes get palms that will take forever to break in, or fingers that don't really allow for much movement or a restrictive wrist guard, or bad protection. I know it is all part of the world we live in but I think Justin's main point is that if we want the sport to spread, we need to make it EVEN MORE accesible to everyone regardless of whether or not they can find a wealthy club to help them out or use the Bridge program. Manufacturers will even see a bump if the game spreads because of economies of scale… so they should actually be the ones pushing for it! yet they jack prices up and make short terms gains.

By: Kevin Flynn

Kevin Flynn — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:48:38 +0000

Speaking as a coach in one of the poorest and least developed (as far as lax is concerned) areas in the country, there are really a ton of ways to get these costs down to almost nothing. The USLacrosse grant programs are excellent if you can get your act together in time, but you can also buy all that equipment for much cheaper than $600. We paid only $60 for team gloves and $80 for team helmets last year and could offer shoulder and elbow pads for half the price you have listed above. Another good strategy is to get your start up program hooked up with another one that is well-off and set up an equipment recycling program. I know the sport is expensive, but this is a bit out of proportion.

By: Ultimate Warrior

Ultimate Warrior — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:29:48 +0000

Check out how expensive it's getting: http://laxfunews.com/2009/07/23/the-ultimate-la…

By: Connor Wilson

Connor Wilson — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:01:39 +0000

used equipment does help a little but I agree, the rest of the world can't play the game if we price them out of it.
Also for most of these companies to charge the ridiculous prices for heads… and then THEY MAKE THEM IN CHINA! If you're going to make the stuff expensive, at least make it in the US. Frankly, I think that its pathetic that there isn't one US manufacturer. They ALL say it is “too expensive” to produce here but I just don't believe that for one minute. If its so cheap there, why aren't they passing along any of the savings to the consumers?
less new sticks that they sell for only a year or two wouldn't hurt lower the costs either. long-term investment lax companies! learn it!