Salutations, LAS faithful! Hope you’re ready to hack.
In case you missed Episode 1, here’s a quick refresher…
Lacrosse All Stars has teamed up with the good people at LAX WAX to bring you a new and improved version of our LaxHacks series. Through #LaxHacks, we aim to help you simplify and element proof your game. Every episode, we’ll share specific tips and pointers that will help you save time, money, and heartache.
Following the release of each episode, Marty Cahill of the Boston Cannons will chime in and share his take as a professional lacrosse player who’s always on the road. Check out Marty’s first post about the importance of staying organized here.
Balling on a budget, and enjoying the beautiful game of lacrosse… that’s what it’s all about. You don’t have to be rich to live smart.
Lately at LAS HQ, we’ve been discussing stick prep and maintenance, and we’ve filmed quite a bit of footage for Lax Hacks in the process. Today we’re hitting you with a Part 1 of a multi-part series that will teach you (or remind you of!) the best ways to take care of your lacrosse stick.
Watch below to learn how to prepare your lacrosse head for travel, maintain your pocket through bad weather, and prevent your head from getting all morphed and bent out of shape!
Stick Prep, Part 1: How To Maintain Your Lacrosse Head
What You Need
Here’s a list of the items you’ll need for today’s Lax Hacks:
- Butter knife
- Chop sticks
- Tennis ball
- Lacrosse ball
- Newspaper
- Hockey puck, soup can, or tuna can
Why You Need It
Over time your lacrosse head will likely begin to warp (especially if you take a lot of face-offs), and it could potentially become illegal. If you don’t have a face-off plug, a hockey puck or a soup can will work for you. Simply place it in the throat of your stick to help widen it back out whenever it’s not in use.
Many of us are very particular about how our pockets are shaped and very adamant about keeping their shape. One very simple hack is to take some newspaper and stuff it into your pocket. Not only will it help maintain the shape of your pocket, but it will also help soak up excess water from your mesh and stringing materials.
Many of you are familiar with the classic ball and a butter knife technique, but I highly advise using a tennis ball in place of a lacrosse ball because it gives a bit and won’t stretch your pocket excessively. If you’re going to use a lacrosse ball I recommend pairing it with a set of chopsticks. When you place a chopstick on either side of the ball, it keeps it from being too deep and also secures the ball nicely.
Get Hacking!
Now you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve to keep your lacrosse head in tip top shape. Remember: It’s important to keep the pinch in the throat of your head legal and maintain the shape your pocket throughout the season. Take care of your equipment and it’ll take care of you!
Got a Lax Hack you want us to share with the world? Hit up the LAS Contribute section and let it rip!