Meet the Stick Doctor – Perch magazine
Taylor Aronhiake Smoke is what’s known in the lacrosse world as a stick doctor. His Akwesasne-based Smokin’ Stringz specializes in traditional Haudenosaunee-style string variations and stick rehabs. The 28-year-old married father of two has been in the game since 2010, and is working hard to expand his brand while growing the game by supporting youth lacrosse.
TAYLOR, WHAT EXACTLY DOES A STICK DOCTOR DO?
A stick doctor customizes, maintains, and repairs any part of a lacrosse stick, whether it’s adjusting shooting strings or the bridge, fixing sidewalls, or completely re-stringing a head for better performance. I’m known for the traditional pocket, a complex stringing technique that involves leathers. I learned that to help keep part of our culture alive.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR START?
I started playing lacrosse at age five. As a young player, I learned that you don’t just take a stick off a shelf and play with it. I started customizing my own stick with different shooting string styles or by changing the bridge, where the string spans across the top of a pocket. I studied sticks at Mohawk International Lacrosse on Kawehno:ke (Cornwall Island), and how traditional pockets were strung. I soaked it all in. Then I began replicating the exact stick set-ups of professional players I admired, and soon I was stringing my teammates’ pockets. It just evolved from there.
Illustrations by Jade Thompson.
WHAT MADE YOU THINK, ‘THIS COULD BE A BUSINESS?’
I was 21 years old and at the end of my junior lacrosse career. I had a 9-to-5 job; stringing sticks was a nice side hustle. After my first son was born, I had more than just myself to provide for. My mentality shifted, and I decided to dive into the business. I started sharing my work on Instagram and Facebook, which helped get the word out locally. Smokin’ Stringz really exploded in 2018 when I began to approach lacrosse companies, whose stringing was sub-par because they outsourced from places that don’t even know what lacrosse is.
Last year, ECD released a limited edition head with my traditional pocket that sold out in 90 minutes!
WHAT BRANDS HAVE YOU WORKED WITH?
I’ve worked with Traditional Lacrosse and Mohawk International Lacrosse (MIL), and popular U.S.-based equipment companies like Maverick, True Lacrosse, and East Coast Dyes (ECD). I’m a certified member of the Powell Lacrosse String Team. I’ve completed four branded, limited-edition drops, which means I strung a unique collection of game-ready sticks especially for these companies. Last year ECD released a limited-edition head with my traditional pocket that sold out in 90 minutes!
WHERE ARE YOUR STICKS BEING USED?
I’ve had sticks at the World Lacrosse Championships, the collegiate level, the National Lacrosse League, and the former Major Lacrosse League. I have a couple of sticks in Ireland and Germany. I really should keep track!
WHAT PROJECTS HAVE KEPT YOU BUSY THIS YEAR?
My work with Powell and ECD has continued throughout the past year. I strung 100 sticks for the Gloucester Minor Lacrosse Association’s winter skills program. That’s 100 players who got a good quality stick. Last winter, Strong Roots Charitable Foundation donated 700 sticks to the Iroquois Nationals Development Program to grow the game through youth clinics hosted in Haudenosaunee communities, and I joined other Akwesasne stringers for the project. It was a great opportunity to give back.
WHAT ADVICE DO YOU HAVE FOR YOUNG PLAYERS?
By your senior year of high school, you should know how you like your stick and have a stringer who works with it. You don’t need an expensive or flashy stick, just something of decent quality. This is where my specialty comes in. I can give a beginner a stick they’ll use until they start to develop a harder shot, then we adjust from there.
WHAT IS YOUR DREAM PROJECT?
I got a call from the owner of MIL, saying, “I need a stringer.” I am a total fanboy, so it was like, “My dream is happening!” It was great to get that level of recognition in my community. My five-year plan is to make Smokin’ Stringz a full-time business with a dedicated workspace. I want to train apprentices in my community. My ultimate goal is to carve my own sticks. I want customers for the length of their lacrosse careers—and maybe one day they’ll come back for Smokin’ Stringz sticks for their kids.
Follow Taylor’s work on Instagram at @smokinstringz
Learn about “Traditional Lacrosse Stick Making” in Akwesasne through a virtual tour with Airbnb’s Online Experiences.
History of Northwestern Lacrosse in the Final Four
While this year marks the fourth-straight Final Four appearance for Northwestern (excluding the canceled 2020 postseason), the ‘Cats have been mainstays in championship weekend for much longer.
2005: First appearance
2005 marked the first NCAA title for Northwestern lacrosse, and first appearance in the Final Four, only three years after they were reinstated as a varsity team and Kelly Amonte Hiller became the coach.
The ‘Cats capped off a perfect 21-0 season with their first title, taking down UVA in the championship game 13-10. This marked the first time that a team outside the Eastern Time Zone has won the women’s lacrosse title. They took down traditional northeastern powerhouses, Dartmouth and Princeton, to get there.
2006: Back-to-back titles
Northwestern brought a second title back to Evanston in 2006, beating Dartmouth in the final. The Wildcats took down Stanford, North Carolina and Duke in the NCAA tournament.
2007: Three-peat
The ‘Cats won their third consecutive title in 2007, beating Virginia again, this time 15-13. To get there, they took down Holy Cross, Syracuse and Penn.
2008: Fourth title
Clearly, Northwestern absolutely dominated this era in women’s lacrosse. The Wildcats took home their fourth consecutive title after beating Notre Dame, Syracuse, Princeton and Penn (definitely a trend here).
2009: Fifth title
Just dominance. Northwestern defeated UMass, Princeton, Penn (in double overtime) and North Carolina to take the trophy.
2010: Lost in championship
After winning five consecutive titles, the ‘Cats fell to rival Maryland by two goals in the championship to end their streak.
2011: Sixth Title
This is where we really start to understand the rivalry between the Terps and the ‘Cats. The Wildcats beat Maryland by one goal to take their sixth title after losing it the year before to Maryland.
2012: Seventh title
Once again, Northwestern advanced to the championship game — the eighth-straight time. The ‘Cats took down Syracuse 8-6 to begin a rivalry that is still alive and well, to capture their seventh and most recent title.
2013: Missed championship
2013 marked the first time in nine years that the ‘Cats did not make it to the championship game. They fell to North Carolina in the Semifinals — another rivalry that is still active today.
2014: Fell to Maryland
In 2014, Northwestern also did not advance to the championship but made it to the semifinals. The Wildcats lost to the Terrapins, 9-6.
2019: First time since 2014
2019 was the first year that Northwestern made it back to the Final Four after putting together the iconic stretch of seasons starting in 2005. Now, though, we know this was a beginning of a new dynasty — Izzy Scane’s first season in Evanston.
2021: Conference only season
Northwestern, coming off the heels of an unblemished regular season, fell to Syracuse 21-13 in the NCAA semifinals.
2022: Heartbreak
Almost a year later, and it still hurts. UNC mounted an eight-goal comeback to advance to the championship game over Northwestern. The Tar Heels won 15-14 and went on to win their first championship since 2016.
2023: Redemption?
After a dominant regular season and strong takedown of Loyola (MD) in the quarterfinals, Northwestern has advanced to its fourth-straight final four, and fourteenth appearance in the Championship weekend.
The question looms — does this year’s team have what it takes to get over the hump, and advance to the championship game for the chance to bring back a trophy for the first time since 2012? Northwestern takes on No. 5 Denver on Friday with a trip to championship on the line.
For whom duffle coats are sewn
#Curious facts
Reading time: 7 minutes
Share
A straight-cut single-breasted wool coat with a voluminous hood, patch pockets and characteristic elongated fasteners is a duffle coat. It has gone from the clothing of British sailors during the First World War to the most popular trend among fashionistas of both sexes and all ages. Who wears a duffle coat now?
Men in duffle coat
Initially, a warm and comfortable coat was sewn for English sailors: a thick woolen fabric called duffle was not blown by the wind and did not get wet for a long time, a large hood even fit over a cap, and pockets made it possible to store and easily get everything you need.
From the military, the duffle coat migrated to civilians, and in the 60s of the 20th century, fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent caused a second wave of popularity of this coat, creating a collection inspired by the naval military theme.
Look with men’s duffle coat
Duffle coats are worn by men who give the impression of self-confident people who prefer free, masculine simplicity, seasoned with a touch of harsh romance, to serious classics. For them, it is important that the clothes are comfortable and functional. They don’t forget about style either, but they do it with such graceful carelessness, as if it happens somehow by itself.
Women in duffle coat
Men’s and women’s wardrobes have long been intertwined, and both sexes are now almost completely free to choose clothes. The fashion for men’s accessories and costume elements among women declared itself in the last century, and now it has only strengthened its rights.
Women’s duffle coat is a phenomenon already familiar and very popular. His fans opt for easy masculine style and naughty elegance. These girls do not wear stilettos, but jockey boots, army boots, loafers or derbies – shoes that are also “borrowed” from the strong half. Bags are selected more voluminous and strict, or even completely give way to backpacks. At the same time, a woman always remains a woman: the simple silhouette of a duffle coat is complemented by feminine details, and skirts and dresses are put on in a set of coats.
Women’s duffle coat look
Duffle coat and preppy style
At first, the concept of preppy united the golden youth of the United States: students of prestigious colleges in the north of the country, future students of elite universities. Soon, preppy began to be understood as everything that relates to students and student life: clothing style, behavior, manners.
Preppy is lightness, excellent manners, friendliness and careful care of one’s reputation. The style of clothing has absorbed the features of school uniforms, clothes for playing tennis, golf and lacrosse.