Used Lacrosse Sticks: A Comprehensive Guide to Legal Sticks and Pockets

What are the legal lacrosse sticks for women’s play. Which manufacturers produce approved lacrosse sticks. How to choose the right lacrosse stick for your position. What are the key features of legal lacrosse pockets.

Understanding Legal Lacrosse Sticks for Women’s Play

Lacrosse is a sport that requires specific equipment, and the stick is perhaps the most crucial piece. For women’s lacrosse, there are strict regulations about which sticks are legal for play. These regulations ensure fair play and maintain the integrity of the game.

The US Lacrosse organization maintains an updated list of legal sticks for women’s lacrosse. This list is arranged alphabetically by manufacturer and includes various models and their respective notes. Understanding this list is essential for players, coaches, and officials to ensure compliance with the rules.

Key Manufacturers of Legal Lacrosse Sticks

Several manufacturers produce legal lacrosse sticks for women’s play. Some of the prominent brands include:

• Adidas
• Brine
• deBeer
• Epoch
• Maverik
• Nike
• STX
• Under Armour
• Warrior

Each of these manufacturers offers a range of models designed for different positions and playing styles.

Understanding the Notes on Legal Sticks

The US Lacrosse list includes notes for each stick model. These notes provide important information about the stick’s status and legality. Here’s what the notes mean:

1. Note 1: Applies to all wooden crosses, which are legal but not certified due to the nature of wood as a “living” material.
2. Note 2: Indicates sticks that don’t meet current specifications, weren’t submitted for testing, or have been discontinued. They remain legal for play but are no longer manufactured.
3. Note 3: Sticks manufactured before new specifications and currently being tested.
4. Note 4: Sticks that meet all current specifications listed in Rule 9.
5. GK: Indicates a goalkeeper stick.
6. Y: Indicates a youth stick.

Choosing the Right Lacrosse Stick for Your Position

Different positions in lacrosse require different types of sticks. Understanding these differences can help players choose the right equipment for their role on the field.

Field Player Sticks

Field players, including attackers, midfielders, and defenders, typically use sticks that offer a balance of control, passing accuracy, and shooting power. Some popular models for field players include:

• STX Crux 600
• Brine Dynasty Elite III
• Nike Lunar Elite 3
• Under Armour Glory

Goalkeeper Sticks

Goalkeepers require sticks with larger heads to increase their chances of making saves. Some legal goalkeeper stick models include:

• STX Eclipse II
• Brine Eraser II
• Nike Prime Elite Goalie
• Warrior Nemesis II

The Evolution of Lacrosse Stick Technology

Lacrosse stick technology has come a long way from the traditional wooden sticks. Modern sticks are made from advanced materials and incorporate innovative designs to enhance performance.

From Wood to Composite Materials

While wooden sticks are still legal and hold a special place in the sport’s history, most modern sticks are made from composite materials like plastic, carbon fiber, and titanium. These materials offer several advantages:

• Lighter weight for improved handling
• Greater durability
• Consistent performance in various weather conditions
• Ability to fine-tune stick characteristics for different playing styles

Innovative Head Designs

Stick head designs have also evolved significantly. Modern heads feature:

• Optimized sidewall patterns for improved ball control
• Specialized scoop shapes for easier ground ball pickups
• Strategic flex points for enhanced shooting and passing accuracy

Understanding Legal Lacrosse Pockets

The pocket of a lacrosse stick is crucial for ball control, passing, and shooting. US Lacrosse also provides a list of legal pre-sewn and “named” pockets for women’s play.

Key Features of Legal Pockets

Legal lacrosse pockets for women’s play must meet specific criteria:

• Depth: The pocket must be shallow enough to see the ball above the sidewall when looking at the stick horizontally.
• Stringing: The pocket must be traditionally strung with leather and/or synthetic thong and loose, separate leather and/or synthetic thongs, or both.
• Mesh: Mesh pockets are not allowed in women’s lacrosse.

Popular Legal Pocket Types

Some of the popular legal pocket types include:

• Brine Grid-Flex and Grid-Flex X
• STX Launch Pocket and Precision Pocket
• deBeer Gripper Pro and Trakker
• Maverik Swivel Pocket Pro

Maintaining Your Lacrosse Stick for Optimal Performance

Proper maintenance of your lacrosse stick is essential for ensuring its longevity and maintaining its legal status. Here are some tips for keeping your stick in top condition:

Regular Cleaning

Clean your stick regularly to remove dirt, grass, and sweat. Use a soft brush and mild soap if necessary. Pay special attention to the pocket, as buildup can affect its performance.

Pocket Maintenance

The pocket of your stick may stretch over time. Regularly check and adjust the strings to maintain the proper depth and shape. This is crucial for ensuring your stick remains legal for play.

Protecting the Head

The head of your stick can warp or become misshapen, especially in extreme temperatures. Store your stick in a cool, dry place and avoid leaving it in hot cars or direct sunlight for extended periods.

Shaft Care

For composite shafts, check regularly for any cracks or damage. Sand down any rough spots to prevent splinters. For wooden shafts, consider applying a light coat of linseed oil occasionally to prevent drying and cracking.

The Impact of Stick Choice on Playing Style

The choice of lacrosse stick can significantly influence a player’s style and effectiveness on the field. Different stick characteristics can enhance or complement various skills and playing techniques.

Stick Flex and Shooting

The flex of a lacrosse shaft can affect shooting power and accuracy. Stiffer shafts generally provide more power, while more flexible shafts can offer better feel and control. Players should experiment with different flex ratings to find what suits their shooting style best.

Head Shape and Ball Control

The shape of the stick head can impact ball control, cradling, and ground ball pickups. Wider heads generally offer more control and are often preferred by defenders, while narrower heads can provide quicker release for attackers.

Pocket Depth and Passing

The depth and placement of the pocket affect ball retention and passing accuracy. A deeper pocket (within legal limits) can provide better ball security but may sacrifice some passing quickness. A shallower pocket often allows for faster releases but requires more skill to maintain ball control.

Navigating Stick Regulations in Different Leagues and Levels

While US Lacrosse provides comprehensive guidelines for legal sticks in women’s lacrosse, it’s important to note that regulations can vary between different leagues, age groups, and levels of play.

Youth Lacrosse Stick Regulations

Youth lacrosse often has modified stick regulations to accommodate younger players. These may include:

• Shorter stick lengths
• Modified pocket depths
• Specific youth-oriented models (marked with ‘Y’ in the US Lacrosse list)

College and Professional Regulations

College and professional leagues may have additional or slightly different regulations compared to US Lacrosse guidelines. Players at these levels should always check with their specific league or governing body for the most up-to-date stick regulations.

International Play Considerations

International lacrosse competitions, such as those governed by World Lacrosse, may have their own set of stick regulations. Players participating in international events should familiarize themselves with these specific rules.

Understanding and adhering to the appropriate stick regulations for your level of play is crucial for avoiding penalties and ensuring fair competition. Always consult with coaches, officials, or governing bodies if you’re unsure about the legality of your stick.

Legal Sticks | US Lacrosse

Legal Women’s Sticks – Listed by Manufacturer

The following list represents those sticks legal for play in women’s lacrosse. The list is arranged alphabetically by manufacturer. To learn more about the listed notes, scroll to bottom of the page.

List Updated: 3/29/21

Notes

1 All wooden crosses are legal. The wooden crosses have been measured, but because wood is a “living” material, they will not be certified. Wooden crosses have set the standard for women’s field lacrosse since the game’s inception, and their basic design has not undergone significant changes over the years. Future models will be monitored and action will be taken by the Rules Committee if warranted.

2 These sticks do not meet the most current specifications, or were not submitted to the lab for testing and measureing, or have been discontinued by the manufacturer. They will remain legal for play but will no longer be manufactured.

3 Manufactured prior to the new specifications. Currently at the lab for testing.

4 This stick meets all the current specifications listed in Rule 9.

GK Goalkeeper stick

Y Youth stick

Legal Women’s Pockets — Listed By Manufacturer

The following list represents pre-sewn and/or “named” pockets that are legal for use. The list is provided for informational purposes and is not meant to imply that other pockets are not legal.

List Updated: 3/1/21

Adidas

• adidas pre-assembled Synthetic Pocket
• Cling Pocket

Brine

• Grid-Flex
• Grid-Flex X
• ISO Warp Mesh
• Paramount
• TXP
• TXPII
• WEBX
• WEBX-Advanced

deBeer

• Gripper Pro
• Gripper Pro 3
• Trakker
• Trakker Pro
• Trigger

Epoch

Gait

Harrow

LaxPocket

• Rail Flex
• Rail Pocket
• Rail Elite Pocket

Maverik

• Swivel Pocket Pro
• Vertex Pocket

STX

• Launch Pocket
• Launch II Pocket
• Precision Pocket
• Ramp Pocket
• Runway Pocket

Under Armour

• Flex Pocket
• Illusion
• Illusion VX

Warrior

STX White 31″ Boy’s Used Lacrosse Stick – ELEVATESPORTING

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Returns Policy

You may return most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a full refund. We’ll also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).

You should expect to receive your refund within four weeks of giving your package to the return shipper, however, in many cases you will receive a refund more quickly. This time period includes the transit time for us to receive your return from the shipper (5 to 10 business days), the time it takes us to process your return once we receive it (3 to 5 business days), and the time it takes your bank to process our refund request (5 to 10 business days).

If you need to return an item, simply login to your account, view the order using the ‘Complete Orders’ link under the My Account menu and click the Return Item(s) button. We’ll notify you via e-mail of your refund once we’ve received and processed the returned item.

Shipping

We can ship to virtually any address in the world. Note that there are restrictions on some products, and some products cannot be shipped to international destinations.

When you place an order, we will estimate shipping and delivery dates for you based on the availability of your items and the shipping options you choose. Depending on the shipping provider you choose, shipping date estimates may appear on the shipping quotes page.

Please also note that the shipping rates for many items we sell are weight-based. The weight of any such item can be found on its detail page. To reflect the policies of the shipping companies we use, all weights will be rounded up to the next full pound.

Best Lacrosse Sticks For Beginners and Youth Players In 2021

Since you landed on this page, I’ll assume that you’re looking for the best lacrosse sticks for beginners in the market today.

You came to the right place.

This guide will walk you though the top complete lax sticks that were made especially for entry-level and intermediate players in every position.

You’ll find sticks for attack players, middies, defense players as well as lacrosse sticks for goalies.

Besides, the last section of this guide outlines the top recommended youth lacrosse sticks for kids.

If you’re looking for women’s sticks, you can check out our complete guide on women’s lacrosse stick

This guide will start by talking about a few basic things that you need to understand in order to make an informed decision about which lacrosse stick to buy.

And then I’ll move to reviewing the best lax sticks for different situations to make sure that this guide cover all needs.

However, if you don’t feel like reading or you simply don’t have enough time, you can just check out this table below which summarizes my recommendations for every situation.

Best Lacrosse Sticks For Attack and Middies

Now, we finally arrived to the most important section of this guide. It’s time to talk about the best lacrosse sticks for beginners in every position.

I’ll talk to you about my favorite sticks for attackers and middies, for defensive players and also for goalies.

This way you’ll get to choose the exact right type of stick compatible for your lacrosse position.

So, let’s start with my recommended lax sticks for attack players and middies.

1. STX Lacrosse Stallion 200 U Complete Stick

My first review is going to be about the incredible stick called STX Stallion 200. This stick is the best lacrosse stick for beginners and intermediate players in my opinion.

Here’s why I think so.

First, it meets NCAA and NFHS regulations. Second, it comes with a low price which makes it a total bargain.

This stick’s head is wide and has a u-shaped scoop, designed to make it easy to catch and control the ball thus making it ideal for entry-level players.

Besides that, the sidewalls of the head are light-weighted thus enhancing ball passing. The soft stringing material used for the head makes it flexible and versatile for use in various positions.

While the smooth handle has no sanding or sticky tape for enhanced grip, it is polygonal in shape, therefore, enhancing the comfort of the player.

Overall, the simple yet appealing design of this lacrosse stick is great for developing fundamentals thus making it perfect for beginners who intend to play in attack or midfield positions.

Pros
• Meets NFHS and NCAA rules.
• Ideal weight-length balance and therefore can be used in schools.
• Flexible stick with a versatile design.

Cons
• The stick screw attaching the head is not very secure. You might want to add a second one for better stability.

No products found.

2. Warrior® Rabil Next 2 For Lacrosse Attackers

My second stick that I recommend for attack players is the Warrior Rabil Next that comes at a higher price than the previous stick.

However, the features that this stick comes with make the extra dollars totally worth it.

If you like a bit of swag in your lacrosse gear, then you will be glad to know that the cool graphics on this stick are designed by all-star Paul Rabil.

Besides cool graphics, the lower sidewall of the head has been reinforced for stability and durability.

As far as performance goes, the short 40.5” length of this complete lacrosse stick is definitely meant for attacking.

The EZ gradual scoop and the wide face improve handling of ground balls, as well as throwing and catching.

The ChampRings™ shaft, on the other hand, directs proper hand location to maximize passing, shooting and cradling.

Pros
• Can be adjusted for legal use.
• Allows good ball control.
• Great shaft sized for attackers directs tape placement and hand location.

Cons
• Loses a considerable amount of grip when it gets wet.

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3. Warrior® EVO Next Lacrosse Complete Stick

One thing that makes the Warrior EVO Next Lacrosse Stick great for beginners is the consistency in performance.

The EVO™ head on this stick is re-tooled for players at entry-level so that they get the experience of a pro player even when they are still mastering the fundamentals of the sport.

The semi-hard performance mesh softens a bit after being broken in thus increasing the flexibility of the stick.

This gives it performance including consistency in throwing and enhanced ball control.

Besides the performance mesh, the head of this lacrosse stick also features very deep pockets for enhanced ball control.

The shaft is constructed just as intelligently featuring Ruff-Grip™ texture for a great hand positioning and a high-end feel.

This stick is a solid choice for both attackers and middies especially those who want to have a high-end experience while still at the beginner level.

Pros
• Has a high-end look and feel.
• The player can still maintain a firm grip even in rainy weather.
• It’s an advanced stick for an affordable price.

Cons
• The stick is slightly heavy compared to others.

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Best Beginners Lacrosse Sticks For Defense

In this section, i’ll review two lax sticks that everybody’s talking about them in 2021.

These sticks were made especially for beginners players that want to play in the defense position.

1. STX Lacrosse Defense Length Stick Stallion 200 U

For defense, this version of the stallion 200 U lacrosse stick is longer than the version meant for attackers and middies.

It is a standard, full-sized 6-foot long pole that can be cut to the needed size depending on the player’s height and preferences.

This stick is designed to make it easy for an entry-level player to develop the fundamentals. For this reason, the head is slightly offset so as to enhance ball control and easy catching.

The open sidewall design used created room for a wider face to help the player pick up ground balls easily and also make catching easier.

At the same time, the sidewall is reinforced for strength and durability ensuring the player will get to use this stick for several seasons.

Pros
• Meets rules set by NCAA and NFHS.
• Incredibly lightweight.
• The head is designed to respond in a forgiving manner.

Cons
• The stick scratches on the head because of the soft material used.

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2. Brine Triumph Rise Defense Lax Stick

This lacrosse stick is made with Brine’s performance grade ST2 alloy. This gives it the advantage of durability and strength which is exactly what you want in a defense stick.

Besides that, the shaft features a raised grip made of rubber that gives the player better control of the stick and at the same time, reducing the weight of the stick for enhanced speed and performance.

The defensive head is meant specifically for those who are still learning to catch and throw, including the wide scoop for better ground ball pickups.

The head also has a good semi-hard mesh for consistency and improved accuracy.

Pros
• Offers consistency and accuracy.
• Alloy shaft provides strength and durability.
• Great value at an affordable price.

Cons
• You might want to re-string the factory-strung head.

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Best Beginners Lacrosse Stick For Goalies

Now, I’ll talk about my all time favorite stick for goalies that I always recommend for beginners who are just starting out with lacrosse.

Read my review below.

STX Mini Eclipse Lacrosse Goalie Stick

One thing entry-level goalies are sure to love about this lacrosse stick is that there are several colors to choose from.

Besides that, the price tag on this stick is low enough to allow you buy the stick purely for some recreational backyard fun.

This head is crafted after the bestselling Eclipse head complete with a soft mesh pocket.

This gives it optimal strength, along with the closed sidewalls that prevent bending and flexing of the head under pressure.

The design also results in a forgiving response allowing beginner players to have a wide learning curve.

Pros
• Reliable goalie stick at a very low price.
• Durable chrome metal handle.
• 39” overall length allows for easy handling of the stick.

Cons
• The soft pocket mesh might bag quite a lot.

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Best Youth Lacrosse Sticks For Kids In 2021

Most kids aren’t tall enough to handle a full-sized lacrosse stick. That’s why the rules allow kids to play using sticks that are 36″ tall. Also, youth lacrosse sticks are made using light materials to make them easy to carry while running in the field.

Here below are my pick of the best lacrosse sticks for kids that you can get in 2021.

1. StringKing Jr. Youth Stick: BEST YOUTH STICK EVER

I think it makes total sense to start our reviews with the best lax stick that I recommend for kids.

It’s the StringKing Junior that comes with a light shaft and a wide head that makes learning lacrosse basics an easy task for any kid.

This stick is delivered as complete and ready to use with the mesh stringed. It’s a regulation-sized stick.

Compared to the adult version A7150, this stick has a shaft that is much lighter, thinner and easier to grip. This will allow kids to learn shooting and cradling a lot easier and faster.

As for the head, it’s wide enough and it has a good pocket that makes catching the ball easy for the player.

Bottom line, this is a well-balanced premium stick that was made especially for youth players.

Most reviews online are praising this stick and saying it’s quite durable and it’s exactly as described by the seller.

It’s the perfect lax stick for 11 years old players and younger. I would say it’s the best youth lacrosse stick out there.

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2. STX Lacrosse Stallion 50: My Second Favorite

My second favorite stick for youth lacrosse players is definitely the STX STallion 50 that was made especially for kids to help them learn the basics of lacrosse.

As you can see in the picture, the design of this stick is ergonomic which makes it easy to use for beginners.

The head of this stick is made from soft material to enable players to easily pick the ball from the ground. There’s a short and thin handle to provide easy control over the stick for young players.

Another amazing thing is that the STX Stallion 50 is pretty lightweight which makes it a perfect stick for kids under the age of 10.

However, the only downside I can see with this stick is the pocket. Many people have complained about the pocket being too deep and that it needs adjustment.

Other than that, I think this stick is a good one. Its price is quite reasonable compared to what this stick has to offer. I’d totally recommend this stick.

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3. STX FiddleSTX Two Pack: Awesome Mini Sticks

First of all, there’s no comparison between this two pack and the sticks I’ve reviewed before this. This 2-pack are mini sticks that has a length of only 30 inches.

Plus, they’re made from plastic and practically they can’t be used in youth competitions. They’re not legal lacrosse sticks.

However, they can be a good equipment for practice especially for kids under the age of 8.

They come with a practice ball. They feature plastic handles that are easy to use by small kids.

Bottom line, these aren’t professional lacrosse sticks nor they’re meant to be. The purpose of these sticks is to initiate your kindergarten kids to play lacrosse.

That’s why I thought it could be a good addition to this list since I know many parents are looking for sticks like these.

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Custom Lacrosse Stick Vs Lacrosse Complete Stick

The first question that we need to address here is that of which option is better: a complete stick or a custom one?

The short answer is that it all depends on your personal preference. But, let’s dive in more details.

A custom made stick means that you get to choose the head and the shaft separately and then you assemble them together to make your stick. Obviously, this gives you more freedom.

Moreover, the head will come usually unstrung because some professional players prefer to use their preferred lacrosse mesh and knots on the head.

Custom lax sticks are generally the preferred option for more advanced lacrosse players. The stick is the most important element in lacrosse and they want to make sure that it’s exactly how they want it to be.

Complete lacrosse sticks refer to the sticks that come ready to be used immediately after unboxing them. There’s no further action or customization is required by the player here.

That’s why they’re the go-to option for lacrosse beginners as well as for players who simply don’t have the time to assemble a custom lacrosse stick.

Women’s Lacrosse Sticks Vs Men’s Lacrosse Sticks

This is a question I get a lot. What are the main differences between lacrosse sticks used by women and those used by men?

Basically, women’s lacrosse sticks are shorter than men’s lacrosse sticks. Besides, men’s lax heads are lighter and come with sizes that are normally bigger. We’ll get to the details of these measurements in the U.S Lacrosse Regulations section.

As you probably know, women’s lacrosse has slightly different rules than men’s lacrosse.

It has less physical contact than men’s lacrosse which makes the specifications of the gear used in each game different.

For example, women don’t wear helmets but instead they put on goggles.

As for youth players, there’s no difference between women and men. They all use the same youth lacrosse sticks.

You can watch this video to understand more about the differences

U.S Lacrosse Regulations For Sticks: Which Size You Should Get

The first thing to keep in mind is that the length of a lax stick depends on the position you which to play in. Besides, the length depends also on the gender of the player.

Moreover, youth players (under the age of 14) should buy lacrosse sticks with specific sizes that differ from those used by older players.

U.S Lacrosse made a clear set of regulations that determine the appropriate sizes of lacrosse sticks that should be used by all lax players in the United States.

I went trough all of them to come up with this table below that specifies the length of lacrosse sticks that should be used in each position.

You want to see the whole list of regulations other than stick dimensions, you can visit the U.S Lacrosse website.

Other the the length, different positions in lacrosse require different specifications.

For attackers and middies, they prefer to buy lighter and shorter shafts so that they can be able to move quickly in the field.

As for the heads, they usually like them to have maximum scooping power and good retention. Moreover, they usually go for sticks that have a great grip for maximum control

For defense players, they like longer shafts with strong heads because they would be able to poke their opponents and block them from scoring.

The head should come with a spacious pocket to be able to steal the ball easily from the other team.

As for goalies, they go with larger heads that come with huge pockets to enable him to block the balls more effectively.

The shaft has usually the same length of that of the attackers but with a different shape.

How To Choose The Best Lacrosse Stick For Beginners

In order to make the right decision here and get yourself a great lax stick with a great price, you should first understand a few things about lacrosse sticks.

There are many things to look at when deciding which stick to buy but the following features are what I consider to be the most important.

Lacrosse Stick Type

A complete and strung lacrosse stick is preferred for beginners as opposed to an unstrung stick. This is because the former comes field-ready right out of the box.

Length of the stick

As we talked earlier, there are different sizes for different players and positions. Keep that in mind to avoid getting a stick that doesn’t respect the length regulations.

Lacrosse Stick Head

For beginners, heads with a flat scoop are preferred to heads with a u-shape.

This is because the flat scoop allows a larger surface area to be in contact with the ground, therefore, enhancing picking up of balls.

As far as the width of the head goes, beginner players are better off using a wide head seeing as it increases their chances of catching the ball.

Shape of the pocket

A head comes with a pocket that can be shaped in many different ways. Sometimes, you find that different leagues require different pocket types.

But if you’re not sure which type to get, you can always go with a universal pocket type.

This video below even shows you how to make the pocket.

Also, you learn a lot about stick pockets from this video.

Lacrosse Stick Shaft

When it comes to the lacrosse shaft, pay particular attention to the shaft length, material, grip strength and weight.

Recommended shaft lengths vary depending on the field position of the player.

Plus, keep in mind that at the end of the day what really matters is that you get a stick that is comfortable to handle.

Shaft material

Popularly, most shafts are made of aluminum because it offers strength, and durability while being lightweight and affordable at the same time.

Alternative materials that may be used are alloys, carbon fiber composite, titanium or scandium.

While aluminum is preferred for its light weight, titanium is known for its strength and scandium is known for offering a nice balance between the two.

Composite is valued for the fact that it maintains a consistent temperature while being used outdoors.

Still Confused? Here What You Can Do

I honestly don’t know how you can still be confused about which stick to buy after reading this guide.

I do believe that I covered all the different needs that a lacrosse beginner player can have.

So, I’d recommend that you read the guide a second time to make sure you didn’t miss anything.

In case, you still have some doubts about any of the lax sticks reviewed in this guide, I invite you to explain your situation to me in a comment below.

This way I’ll be able to help you and at the same time you’ll get to add more value to this guide to make it even more complete.

Again, here are my recommendations in each field position for lacrosse beginners.

Lacrosse | Milwaukee Public Museum

The most popular men’s game in the Woodland area, still played today by both Indians and non-Indians, was the ball game called lacrosse.

The name was derived from the French jeu de crosse, for the stick or racket used to play. Some tribes called lacrosse “the little brother to war,” because games could be used to settle disputes between tribes or bands. Menominee oral tradition states that lacrosse was the gift of the Thunderers and among the Menominee it was played as a practice war game. Other Great Lakes Tribes played lacrosse for sport and for spiritual purposes, for instance before Midewiwin ceremonies. Among some groups where lacrosse was played for sport, wagers could be made on the games.

The ball, about the size of a baseball, had a deerskin cover and was stuffed with hair. In earlier times, the ball was made of wood. Some tribes carved designs on the ball-stars, circles, or crosses-and others painted it a red and black or red and yellow, which were probably symbolic of the moieties. Each man had his own stick, a sapling almost four feet long bent at one end to form a circular loop which was filled with netted leather. Iroquois rackets had larger, triangular hooks and nets. Many sticks carried identifying individual markings. When Whites adopted the lacrosse game, they used the Iroquois style of lacrosse stick.

Potawatomi Tradition

Among the Potawatomi, players were invited by the customary gift of tobacco. When everyone had assembled on the appointed day, tobacco and food were spread on the ground and dedicated to the spirit being honored. The sponsor selected two captains. One was blindfolded and led to the pile of sticks which had been thrown down by each man as he arrived. The blindfolded man divided the sticks into two piles. Since each stick had identifying marks on it, each man retrieved his stick and joined the team formed by the random division of the sticks. Ordinarily two teams of five each were invited, but as many as nine sometimes joined in. Older accounts tell of very large tribal contests, with a hundred or more on each team.

The field was a level area with two goal posts set in the ground about a quarter mile apart. Some Minnesota Ojibwe groups used only one goal post. In winter, lacrosse was sometimes played on a frozen lake. The sponsor started the game by using his stick to toss the ball into the air in mid-field. Players either picked the ball off the ground with their sticks or caught passes from teammates, and the object was to run with the ball or pass it and score a goal by hitting the post behind the opposing players or by sending the ball between the posts. One man acted as goalie. A player could not touch the ball with his hands. The opposing team attempted to intercept the ball or knock it out of a man’s racket and traditionally lacrosse was said to have been a very rough game. Generally, the fastest runners scored the most goals, but teamwork was important. A game lasted until a predetermined number of goals were scored and the prizes had been won. A game often lasted three hours or more; some lasted all day. The player who scored a goal immediately claimed his prize, which he presented to a woman spectator, often his niece or aunt. In turn, she would reciprocate with a gift at some future time.

During the earlier part of the 20th century, tribal lacrosse games were played occasionally, usually at fairs. By the 1950s, the game was not played as frequently, but it has seen a resurgence recently. In addition, some players from the Great Lakes tribes are now encouraging the use of the traditional Great Lakes type of stick rather than commercial Iroquois-style sticks.

Lacrosse Terminology, Words & Commands

This page will help you learn important lacrosse terminology. Knowledge of various lacrosse terms and commands will help you to better understand the game (and what the coach and players are shouting from the sideline). If we are missing any key lacrosse words or terms, please contact us and we will add them to the list. As thanks for proving us with missing words, we will add your name or website to this page as a reference source.

• Alligator Arms – This is a negative lacrosse term used when a player has his arms in tight to his body when shooting versus the arms being fully extended. When the arms are fully extended, players can generate more shooting power.
• Attack/Attackmen – The three players who stay on the offensive side of the field and focus on scoring. Visit our Lacrosse Attack Techniques page for tips on how to be a better lacrosse attackman.
• Ball Hog – Someone only looking for his own shot. Unwilling to pass to an open teammate who is in position to score. You will see many of these types of players in youth lacrosse. Not a positive lacrosse term. A ball hog generally hurts overall team performance (because the ball hog ball hog prevents ball movement and easy goals).
• Ball Hunt – A ball hunt is when everyone searches for all of the balls after practice (given the many missed shots and poorly aimed passes during beginner and intermediate lacrosse).
• Black Hole – Similar to a ball hog. Once a ball reaches a “black hole” player (i.e. He is a black hole), it is never coming out again to another teammate! Your science fact for the day – A “black hole” star has gravity so strong that nothing – not even light (or a lacrosse ball ? – can escape from it.
• Body – You will often hear defensive coaches shouting “Body!”. They are telling their defensive players to use their bodies to push out an offensive player versus relying on stick checks that a large or strong offensive player can run through.
• Body Check – Hitting opponent with your body. Players can only hit an opponent within 3 yards of the ball. They can not hit them from the back. Not legal for young players.
• Box Lacrosse – A Canadian lacrosse game played indoors where you can play the ball off the wall. This game is great for learning how to score in very tight spaces and how to protect your stick. A good off-season activity for lacrosse players.
• BTB (Behind the Back) – BTB is a lacrosse term that means Behind The Back. This is an advanced shooting technique where a player shoots or passes the ball behind his back. For more on BTBs, please Beginner Lacrosse’s section on Behind the Back Shooting.

• Buddy Pass – A soft looping pass which is easy to pick off by opposing players (or get a kid killed by a charging defender when he is reaching for this weak pass). Lacrosse passes need to be hard and accurate.
• Butt or Butt-End – A butt is the end cap at the bottom of the lacrosse stick. Coaches & players refer to the bottom of the stick as the butt-end of the stick.
• Clamp – Trapping the ball with a lacrosse head during a face-off.
• Clear – A clear is a lacrosse term that means getting the ball out from the defensive half of the field and into the offensive half (i.e. a goalie clear).
• Cleats – Shoes with spikes used by lacrosse players to play on grass fields. They have much better traction than regular sneakers.
• Cradling – A technique used to keep the ball in the lacrosse stick when running, etc.
• Crease – The circle around goal that offensive players are not allowed to enter.
• Cross Check – An illegal check where a player uses the shaft of his lacrosse stick to check his opponent. According to the rule books, a lacrosse cross check is a “check with that part of the handle of the crosse that is between the player’s hands, either by thrusting away from the body or by holding it extended from the body”.
• Cut – Offensive players cut towards the goal (trying to elude a defender) in order to receive a pass and hopefully score.
• D-Middie (or Short Stick Defensive Middie) – A D-middie is a short stick middie who specialize in playing defensive. Often replaces a better offensive (but weak defending) middie as the ball transitions to the defensive side of the field.
• D-Pole – A D-pole is the long stick (defensive pole) used by lacrosse defensemen. Not allowed for younger players. A d-pole is also called a “long pole”. A short stick can be hidden/protected by a player’s body whereas a d-pole has the advantage of its long reach.
• Defender/Defensemen – The three players who stay on the defensive side of the field. They focus on blocking or preventing an opponent’s shot, pushing out opponents, stripping an opponent of the ball and working with the goalie.
• De-Twig – This is where a stick check has knocked an opponent’s stick (“twig”) out of his hands and the stick has fallen to the ground.
• Dodge – Dodges are where players uses various moves to bypass opposing players in order to pass or score. See the Beginner Lacrosse section on Lacrosse Dodges for dodging instructions, videos, etc.
• Elevator Shot – A lacrosse elevator shot (or riser shot) is an advanced shooting technique that involves shooting underhand or with a low sidearm and the ball “rising” from this low position to score in the top of the net. See the Beginner Lacrosse section on Lacrosse Shooting Techniques for elevator shot instructions, videos, etc.
• Face-Off – To start the game or after each score, the opposing players seek to win the ball in a face-off and control the start of play. Visit our Lacrosse Face-Offs section for tips and videos.

• Failure To Advance – Penalty called when a clear fails to move across the midfield line within a set period of time.
• Fast Break – A player or players are racing up field with the ball and have gotten past their defenders. This is a transition play and often leads to a scoring opportunity. Teams need to practice fast break drills.
• Feed – This where a player passes to (feeds) a teammate for a score. This is an assist for a goal.
• Fiddle Stick – This is a “toy” lacrosse stick. Have your kids practice with real lacrosse sticks (versus a fiddle stick) when playing around at home… but they probably won’t listen to you! ?
• Five Hole – The open space between the goalie legs. A very skilled offensive player can score via the “five hole” by shooting between the goalie’s legs.
• FOGO – A FOGO is a lacrosse term for a face-off specialist… “Face Off Get Off”. A FOGO generally just does face-offs and does not play as a regular middie.
• Freshie – A freshie is a brand new untouched lacrosse ball. Older scuffed up lacrosse balls can become very greasy and are harder to shoot accurately.
• Garbage Goal – A garbage goal in lacrosse is where a ball bounces loose from a goalie (or off the “pipe” of the goal) and an opposing player picks it up right in front of the net and scores. Attackmen must be ready for this type of scoring opportunity.
• Gilman – A “Gilman” clear is a desperation clear where the goalie (or a defender) chucks the ball as far down the field as possible (and tries to get it into the offensive side of the field). For example, a Gilman clear might be done when a goalie is under heavy pressure during a clear and can not find an open man to pass the ball to. Rather than turn it over, the goalie might attempt a Gilman clear.
• GLE (Goal Line Extended) – An imaginary line that extends out from the sides of the goal. Defenders will try to prevent an attacker from crossing this line (because an attacker can’t shoot on the goal behind the net).
• Go To X – A coaching yelling “Go to X” is telling an attacker to take a position behind the goal.
• Goal Line Extended (GLE) – An imaginary line that extends out from the sides of the goal. Defenders will try to prevent an attacker from crossing this line (because an attacker can’t shoot on the goal behind the net). This line is also called GLE.
• Goalie – The player in the goal who is trying to stop opponents from scoring. You should encourage this player because this is a tough position (i.e. on occasion, he will be scored on a lot and hit by hard rubber lacrosse balls). He is a critical member of the team.
• Ground Ball – A ball that is loose on the ground. As they say, ground balls wins games (if you win control of the ground balls).
• Head – This is a lacrosse term for the plastic upper portion of a lacrosse stick where a player catches a lacrosse ball.
• Hole – A defensive area in front of the goal. You will hear “Get back in the hole!”.
• Long Pole – A long pole is the long pole (defensive pole) used by lacrosse defensemen and LSMs. In contrast, middies and attackmen use short poles. It is also called a “d-pole”. A short stick can be hidden/protected by a player’s body whereas a long pole has the advantage of its long reach.

• LSM – LSM stands for a Long Stick Middie. This is a defensive middie armed with a long defensive stick.
• Low to High Shot – A low to high shot is where a player shoots underhand with the head of the stick near the ground but the ball aimed at the top part of the goal. This is often a fake where the player appears to be shooting low (so the goalie bends down to stop this supposed low shot) but he angles the shot upwards and scores in the top part of the net. For more information on this shooting technique, please read BeginnerLacrosse.com’s Elevator Shot section.
• Man-To-Man Defense – Where defenders will pick up and stick with individual opponents in order to prevent them from scoring a goal (versus playing a Zone Defense).
• Man-Down – Due to a penalty (i.e. slashing), a Man-Down Situation is where a team is playing with one less player for a set period of time. The team is down “a man” in numbers.
• Man-Up – Due to a penalty on the opposing team, a Man-Up Situation is where a team will have a man advantage because the other team loses a player for a set period of time.
• Middie – A middie means midfielder. A lacrosse middie must be fast and have great endurance because he will often play on the offensive and defensive sides of the field. In contrast, the attackmen are stuck generally on the offensive side of the field and the defenders generally stay on the defensive side of the field.
• Middie Back – If a defender crosses the midfield line with the ball, a midfielder must stay back in order to maintain three “defenders” plus the goalie in the defensive half of the field. You will hear players yelling “Middie Back” to tell a midfielder to stay on the defensive side of the field in order to avoid an off-sides penalty.
• Midfield Line – The line that divides the field in half (into offensive and defensive halves).
• Midfielder – The three players who play offense and defense. This is a critical position as midfielders have to be able to score and then hustle back to play defense. You will see frequent substitution at the midfielder position given the amount of running done by these players.
• Off Hip – Off hip on a goalie is a key scoring target for offensive players. It is more difficult for a goalie to stop a ball that has been shot at his “off hip” side (hip level on opposite side of the goalie stick) as it takes longer for the goalie to move his stick to that spot and he is often crossing his arms.
• Off-Sides – A penalty where the requisite numbers of players are not on their side of the field (i.e. three defenders and the goalie). Someone has gone “off-sides” and there are now too many players on one half of the field.
• Overhand – An overhand shot is where a player shoots with his stick above his head. These shoots are loved by beginner coaches because they are usually much more accurate than a sidearm shot. You will often hear coaches shouting “Overhand!” when a kid misses an easy goal with a wild sidearm shot.
• Paul Rabil– Paul Rabil is probably the most famous player in lacrosse today.
• Penalty Box – This is where a player serves his time for a penalty (i.e. a slashing penalty). He must stay in this box until his time is up and he is released to play again.
• Pick (or Screen) – Where player takes a stationary position in order to block an opponent in order to free a teammate for a pass or shot.
• Pinnie – A lacrosse practice uniform. Usually reversible with a dark-colored uniform on one side and a light-colored uniform on the other side (so coaches can split the kids into two easily identifiable teams).
• Pocket Pounder – A pocket pounder is a tool used in lacrosse to build a deeper pocket in the mesh of the lacrosse stick. A deeper pocket will help ball retention, etc. However, if the pocket is too deep, it can be called for a penalty.

• Rake – You will hear a lot of coaches yelling “Don’t rake!”. When raking, kids will stop and pull a ground ball back to them with their lacrosse stick. Rather kids should push through the ball & scoop up the ball on any loose ground balls so they don’t lose momentum on a play.
• Release – The word used to tell a player in the penalty box that he may re-enter the game. He has served the time of his penalty (i.e. 1 minute in the penalty box).
• Ride – A ride is a lacrosse term for when an offensive player will “ride” an opposing defensive player with aggressive stick checks in order to force a turnover and get the ball. For example, on a clear, a goalie could pass the ball to one of his defensemen and an opposing attackman will ride the defender in order to force a turnover or to prevent a possible fast break. Visit BeginnerLacrosse.com’s Riding Techniques section for more information.
• Screen (or Pick) – Where player takes a stationary position in order to block an opponent in order to free a teammate for a pass or shot.
• Screening – Where an attacker attempts to block the vision of the goalie (by positioning himself between the goalie and the shooter) so a teammate can score.
• Shaft – The metal part of a lacrosse stick where a player grasps the lacrosse stick. The part which is attached to the head of a lacrosse stick. Usually made of aluminum, titanium or composite metals.
• Shortie – The term shortie is not about a player’s height. Rather, this lacrosse term refers to a player with a short pole (versus a long pole). Coaches look for offensive players to go against shorties on the other team (because a player with the shorter pole is generally easier to go around than a player armed with a long pole).
• Short Stick – This is stick that attackmen and middies use. It is shorter than the long pole (d-pole) carried by defenders and LSMs. A short stick can be hidden/protected by a player’s body whereas a long pole has the advantage of its long reach.
• Sidearm Shooting – This is a shot where a kid fires the ball from the side versus overhand. It tends to be a more powerful lacrosse shot but less accurate than an overhand shot. See the section on Lacrosse Shooting Techniques for sidearm shooting instructions, videos, etc.
• Slashing – A foul where a player swings his stick and hits another player (i.e. hits their helmet).
• Slide – Where a defenseman has left his position or player to help another defender (especially if the other defender has been beaten by an offensive player).
• Stick Check – A legal defensive technique where a player uses his stick to stop an opposing player (i.e. poke check). Visit our lacrosse checking page for more details.
• Stubbie – A short cut down lacrosse stick used to practice proper positioning by defenders. It helps kids to learn not to rely on their sticks for defense but to use their body to block & push out opponents.
• Top Cheddar – Term shouted by players when a fast shot scores on the top part of the goal.
• Top-Side – This is where an offensive player tries to get above a defender into the middle of the field for a better percentage shot. A defender will try to prevent an opposing player from getting top side.
• Tripping – A foul where a player trips an opposing player (i.e. places stick between the legs of an opposing player).
• Turf Monster – A joke shouted out when a player trips over an invisible (nonexistent) lump in a turf field (i.e. “He was hit by the turf monster”).
• Turf Shoes – Special shoes used by lacrosse players to play indoors. Cleats are used for outdoor lacrosse.
• Wall Ball – This is great lacrosse training tool where players use a wall to practice passing, shooting and catches. Visit BeginnerLacrosse.com’s Lacrosse Wall Ball Drills section for training ideas & drills.
• Warding – Warding is an illegal technique where a player does a one arm cradle and moves his free arm to block an opposing player’s stick (versus keeping it stationary).
• Worm Burner – Worm burners are low to low underhand shots in lacrosse. The shot skims along the ground and scores in the lower portion of the net.
• X – X is a position about 5-10 yards behind behind a lacrosse net.
• Zone Defense – Players take defensive positions based on the zones around the goal versus playing man-to-man defense.

How the Gaits have revolutionized women’s lacrosse sticks

Steve Levy watched his daughter Nicole glide across the turf, amazed at the chunk of plastic in her hands.

Nicole, then a high school sophomore, was at a Syracuse-sponsored women’s lacrosse camp run by Orange head coach Gary Gait. She used an SU-branded stick, one of many sold at the camp, strung by Gait.

Steve noticed how well the pocket held the ball and allowed Nicole to cradle from different angles. Hoping to recreate it for his players at East Islip (New York) High School, he snapped pictures of the stick head with his phone.

He didn’t know then, but that pocket was the result of a near 30-year trial-and-error experiment by Gait, his twin brother Paul and other brother Bob Gait. No. 16 Syracuse (8-6, 0-4 Atlantic Coast) has 43 players on its roster. All of them use sticks strung by Gait. He uses pieces manufactured by his brothers’ company, Laxpocket. The interconnected twine, mesh and leather are the Gait family’s latest gift to lacrosse, a sport they defined and are now trying to innovate.

“The modern pocket is a pocket that evolved from something that, you know, I came up with,” Gait said. “Now, I think every top school in D1 uses it.”

Maryland, Hofstra and Florida are programs that also use Laxpocket stick heads. Some schools, like Michigan, commission the Laxpocket staff to string all its sticks. Others, like North Carolina, have specialists — who are often team assistants — order materials from Laxpocket and string the sticks themselves.

Gait said he allows his players to string their own sticks, but they just prefer him to do it. Multiple SU players have said that Gait’s ability to have the pocket high up on a stick is invaluable. The stick pocket, according to NCAA rules, cannot be larger than 1.68-inches in diameter. Senior captain Riley Donahue said that Gait’s pockets are deep but not “illegally deep,” as no Syracuse stick has been flagged for being illegal this season.

A deep pocket allows a player more control with the ball, giving attacks more leverage when they attack the goal. SU’s offense ranks second in the ACC and 18th overall with more than 15 scores a game.

“Oh my gosh, it’s awesome,” freshman attack Mackenzie Baker said. “I’ve played with sticks in the past and then playing with sticks that he has worked on, it’s a huge difference.”

The Gaits have had a history of modifying sticks to their advantage. Gary said he started stringing sticks as a child when he learned from older players. In college, while leading the Syracuse men’s team to two national titles, he and his brother Paul would discuss stringing techniques and design new equipment.

Paul was photographed in 2001 while playing for Major League Lacrosse’s Long Island Lizards, and others noticed his new invention: a lime-green tracker pocket. After that, he was approached to design new products. He created a blended-leather mesh and transferred that to the women’s game.

He founded Laxpocket in 2016 after working for a variety of athletic equipment companies. His company operates out of a barn and an office/showroom in Guiderland, and it hand-weaves clients’ custom stick heads using Paul’s patented rail-elite model. Bob Gait joined him and invented a pedaling-powered leather stretcher that allows the leather to flow through the stick head. Their sister, Debby, runs customer service.

“It’s a family affair, to some degree,” Jenny Riitano Levy, a founding member of Laxpocket with no relation to SU’s Levy, said. “They are all amazing people, but their minds are unreal.”

She said Gait has been a “testing ground” for their products. The modern rail pocket, which Laxpocket is trying to integrate into the men’s game, was the end result of a late-night conversation trying to find a suitable mix of leather and mesh materials.

There is no way to tell how much Gait has meant to the evolution of sticks. The brothers are constantly talking about new ideas, just like they’ve done their whole lives.

Gait said it takes him about 20 minutes to string a stick. He customized certain sticks to players, incorporating diamond meshes and alterations to the sidewalls. Throughout the last year, the modern sticks have bled over into the high school game, Riitano Levy said.

SU-branded camp sticks, like the one Nicole Levy fell in love with and her father wanted to replicate, now are more than a souvenir. They are an entryway into a world that the Gaits helped create, and SU midfielder Taylor Gait, Gary’s daughter, knows it.

“You know they are going to come to ‘Cuse because of the ‘Cuse stick,” she said.

Published on April 10, 2018 at 9:08 am

Contact Nick: [email protected] | @nick_a_alvarez

Bemidji man helps fuel lacrosse revival with traditional sticks

BEMIDJI, Minn. – Maxwell Kelsey sharpens the blade of his simple, two-handled draw knife, then pulls it in long and careful strokes over a freshly split piece of ash wood.

Kelsey, 34, never breaks his gaze, even as wood shavings fly into his beard and torn flannel shirt. For hours without rest, he splits, carves and steams the long ash sticks and then, proudly, lifts his finished product in the air: A wooden lacrosse stick, made using the same techniques as indigenous peoples of centuries ago.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he says, hoisting the stick in the dim morning light of his woodworking shop in a quiet neighborhood of Bemidji.

“I’m peeling back history with every draw of that knife.”

That reverence for tradition, coupled with attention to detail, has turned Kelsey into one of the Midwest’s most famed makers of old-style, wooden lacrosse sticks.

As North America’s oldest team sport undergoes a historic resurgence, hundreds of Kelsey’s finely carved sticks are being used by young lacrosse players around the region. From the Leech Lake Indian Reservation in northern Minnesota to the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin, new lacrosse teams are sprouting up and competing — using the traditional sticks of the Western Great Lakes tribes.

Early in November, nearly 100 boys and girls gathered at a sports dome in Savage for the third annual Twin Cities Native Lacrosse Tournament. Young players came from as far away as Wisconsin, South Dakota and Michigan to compete using the old-style, wooden sticks. Before each game, young players and their parents prayed and sang traditional healing songs.

The original lacrosse stick, with its steam-bent stem and deer-hide netting, is at the center of this revival. Many older tribal members recall receiving such sticks as gifts when they were children. Ojibwe mothers are said to have once placed the sticks in their cradleboards, backpack-like wooden frames for carrying swaddled infants, because women played the game and the sticks were believed to have spiritual powers.

To the Western Great Lakes tribes, they were more than sports equipment: The deer hide netting is strung across the stick’s pocket like the four directions of the “Medicine Wheel,” a spiritual symbol of healing. The game itself is frequently called the “creator’s game” or “medicine game,” because of its power to heal and bring communities together.

“This game is bigger than just a sport or an amusement,” said John Hunter, a descendant of the Winnebago and Ojibwe nations and co-director of the Twin Cities Native Lacrosse league. “For Native people, the wooden-stick game is in our blood. The sticks are part of the soil and we are part of the soil and when we play, we are all connected.”

A coach, a friend

Kelsey, who is non-Native and makes a living restoring vintage airplanes, can still remember the moment when he became fascinated by lacrosse.

He was on a field trip with his third-grade class to an interpretive center in Deer River, in Itasca County, when he saw about two dozen Ojibwe children playing lacrosse with carved saplings. He recalls being transfixed by the curved shape of the wood and was assured by one of the elders that it was the “correct stick” of the region.

That day, Kelsey found his own sapling and began stripping away at the bark with a knife, determined to make his first rudimentary stick.

At Bemidji Middle School, Kelsey began playing modern lacrosse for a coach, Dan Ninham, a member of the Oneida tribe, who was bringing traditional lacrosse to reservations across the state. Kelsey and Ninham struck up a lasting friendship. When Kelsey started making birchbark canoes by hand, Ninham took notice and asked him to make a batch of traditional sticks. Before long, Ninham was passing out the sticks to young players from Red Lake to the Lower Sioux Reservation in southern Minnesota.

Many of those early sticks were too thin and broke, sending Kelsey back to the drawing board. He began collecting 19th-century paintings of the Great Lakes tribes playing the game, as well as historical descriptions of how the sticks were crafted and the materials used.

“Being a white guy, I had to do everything wrong before I could do it right,” he said. “I had to really unearth how it was originally done.”

Today an 1857 painting by Seth Eastman, a military officer known for his detailed portraits of American Indian life, hangs above a workbench in Kelsey’s shop. The painting shows members of the Ojibwe tribe playing a game of lacrosse (“Baah-gah-du-an-nig” in Ojibwe) on the frozen banks of the Minnesota River. He also has photos of an Ojibwe stick once owned by explorer Giacomo Costantino Beltrami, now in a museum in Italy.

The scent of sap

Kelsey’s stick production is decidedly low-tech. He creates steam with his grandmother’s old soup pot and then filters the steam through a plastic pipe holding the ash wood. Most mornings, the smell of boiled sap wafts through his shop, filling the air with a pungent, sweet aroma. Apart from a wood drill and a chain saw to cut trees, Kelsey refuses to use power tools. (See photos on Instagram under the handle @bemidji_maker.)

“Max is one of the last, great purists,” said J. Alan Childs, author of a book on the history of lacrosse in Minnesota. “When you hold one of his sticks, you are holding a replica of what they used hundreds of years ago.”

Daniel Devault, 36, who grew up on the Leech Lake Reservation and works in Kelsey’s shop, has been tutoring younger members of his community on making the old-style sticks. He gave one to his son, Danny, when he was six months old; now 2, Danny can catch and cradle the ball in the deer-hide netting — a feat that older athletes struggle to master.

“For Native kids, it has become very important to have an identity,” Devault said. “This was a huge part of our lives at one time and it’s our responsibility to pass on that heritage.”

90,000 Double stars – Newspaper Kommersant No. 200 (6680) dated 31.10.2019

Another day in the NHL championship was marked by grandiose performances by Russian forwards. Veteran Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, with four points and two goals against the Toronto Maple Leafs, moved even higher on the league’s top scorer list of all-time to 12th place. And the recent junior Andrei Svechnikov from Carolina Hurricanes, who also made a double against the Calgary Flames, became the first hockey player in NHL history to perform the most difficult trick.He brought one of the two pucks into the goal with his hockey sticks on the hook, in a way called lacrosse.

At the end of each day of the regular season, the NHL selects three of its stars. And on that day, the troika could well consist exclusively of Russian hockey players, but the league, choosing the third star, preferred Nick Bonino from Nashville Predators to Dallas Stars striker Alexander Radulov who also scored a hat-trick in the match with Minnesota Wild. However, she probably had no doubts about those who should stand on the top steps of the “podium”.

The title of the first star, of course, went to Alexander Ovechkin, from whom, since he turned 30, everyone has been expecting at least a symbolic decline, but who, even in his veteran age, retains a fantastic tone. At the start of the current championship, the 34-year-old striker transparently hinted that he will again participate in the race for the title of the first sniper of the regular season, and the match in which his Washington coped with the now powerful Toronto – 4: 3 – was still the best for Ovechkin. He, having already managed to earn points twice for transfers to partners, scored two most important goals.One in the final period leveled the score, the other, with the help of a signature throw-in-touch from the left throw-in circle in the majority, brought the Washingtonians a victory in overtime.

Alexander Ovechkin already has 11 goals in this championship. And in the sniper race, he shares the second place with Auston Matthews, representing just Toronto, lagging only on the puck behind David Pastrnyak of the Boston Bruins. And in the sniper race of all time, this double propelled Ovechkin to 12th place – he threw Luke Robitaille off him.And the top ten is already very close. Before her, Ovechkin with his 669 goals left to hit the gate 21 times – that is, he will probably break into an elite club this season. And the top ten, by the way, is closed by the great Mario Lemieux.

It was also impossible to pass by the performance of a Russian hockey player from a completely different generation – 19-year-old Andrei Svechnikov, who, in the last, debut season, was not only entrenched in the club’s foundations, but entrenched in the status of one of its leaders. In the match in which Carolina beat Calgary 2: 1, he also scored a double and also joined in the decisive minutes, in the middle of the final period.Moreover, before his “explosion” rivals were leading. But the point is not so much in this, but in how Svechnikov scored the first of his goals.

This episode became the main video hit not even of the day, but maybe of the entire hockey fall. Svechnikov, being behind the goal, put the puck on the hook of the club, and then with a sharp movement brought it into the near “nine” above the shoulder of goalkeeper David Rittich – he, it seems, did not have time to understand anything. This trick is called differently, but in North America the term “lacrosse” has taken root – from the popular game there, in which the ball is thrown and caught with objects that look like nets.In hockey, he is the rarest, exclusive. For a long time they knew about him only from episodes from children’s matches, in which the level of resistance and the cost of error are still low. At the elite level, he was first seen at the 2011 World Cup in Slovakia: Finn Mikael Granlund scored the Russian national team in this way in the semifinals. And in the NHL, before Svechnikov, who, as it turned out, rehearsed “lacrosse” at almost every training session, no one could do this until now.

Alexey Dospekhov

Paternity (Doctor House) is… What is Paternity (Dr. House)?

“ Paternity ” is the second episode of the TV series Dr. House. In this episode, a 16-year-old schoolboy suffering from nightmares and hallucinations is injured while playing lacrosse. At the clinic, House meets with a mother who does not believe in vaccinations and a lover of litigation.

Plot

House is skeptical of a Princeton-Plainsboro patient who complains of double vision and nighttime horrors.The reason for this is that the patient’s family has a letter allegedly written by House himself. House realizes that Cameron wrote the letter, but hears out the patient. The patient named Dan (played by Scott Meklowitz) is a 16-year-old lacrosse player who had recently hit his head (during a match). House treats the patient’s symptoms as concussion and poor vision, and is close to letting the boy go home. But then he notices Dan’s leg twitching, which is unusual for a waking person. House immediately agrees to take the patient and begins testing.

House believes that Dan’s father is not his true biological father, and makes a bet with Foreman about this. After a while, Dan again has night terrors. Nothing explains why until House finds a massive blockage in one of Dan’s blood vessels. House and his team try to relieve the pressure as quickly as possible, but conclude that the blockage isn’t causing all the symptoms. This is actually another symptom.

In the middle of the night, Dan is discovered to have disappeared from his bed.Cameron, Chase and Foreman look everywhere for him and soon find him on the roof. The patient has a hallucination and feels like he is in a lacrosse field. Chase grabs Dan just as the boy is about to step over the edge of the roof. House is alarmed by the development of the situation, because it rules out its previous version – multiple sclerosis. Cameron’s new diagnosis is neurosyphilis. To treat this disease, doctors plan to inject penicillin directly into the spinal cord, but during the injection Dan experiences auditory hallucinations and this rules out this diagnosis.House is baffled by the development of the situation and consults with Wilson. Dan’s parents are angry to learn that House is drinking coffee with Wilson while their son is dying. But House demonstrates to them a deep knowledge of Dan’s current state. He sends his parents to go to support Dan, and he grabs their coffee to do a DNA paternity test (for a bet with Foreman). Tests show that neither parent is biologically related to Dan (House wins a bet against Foreman, Cameron, Wilson, and Cuddy) and House comes up with a new idea.He recalls a child he had previously treated and whose mother was against vaccination.

House believes that during his infancy Dan contracted the measles virus from his biological mother (who may not have been vaccinated) and the virus mutated, remained latent for 16 years, and reappeared in his brain. To confirm House’s theory, and to avoid dangerous brain biopsies, doctors do a biopsy of Dan’s retina.

Dan is making a full recovery. It turns out that Dan knew about his adoption (due to a dimple in his chin, which none of his parents had), but that doesn’t bother him – he loves his parents.At the end of the episode, it becomes clear that House played lacrosse as a young man. House is standing near the field (as if he came to Dan’s game), but then it turns out that there is no one else there. House takes his cane like a lacrosse stick and seems to be thinking back to the old days amid Ricky Lee Jones’ song “On Saturday Afternoons in 1963 (Years May Go By)”.

Medical errors

Pilot Series | Paternity | Occam’s Razor | Maternity | Damn you if you do this | Socrates Method | Honesty | Poison | Refusal of resuscitation | Stories | Detoxification | Sports Medicine | Damned | Control | Mafia Laws | Burden | Role model | Children and bath water | Children | Love is evil | Three stories | Honeymoon

Intellectual game – UchMet

INTELLIGENT PLAY
Before the game, preliminary work with the students is carried out.Children learn about sports literature.
Purpose: To develop students’ creativity, emotional sphere, cognitive interests.

Tasks:
1. To teach to use the acquired knowledge in non-standard situations.
2. To activate mental activity, to teach self-education, to work with additional literature.

Course of the game:
Participants are divided into two teams. Each one comes up with a name that is somehow connected with the sport.For each victory, the team receives one point. The team that has the most points by the end of the game wins.

1. Compose as many words as possible from the letters of the phrase “Physical culture”. The team with the most words wins.
For example: dye, acoustics, tantrum, spell, scribble, and so on.
2. Name as many names of Russian modern football clubs as possible.The team that names the most wins.
For example: Zenit, Kuban, Anji, Rubin, Wings of the Soviets and so on.
3. Players are named sports equipment, they must name the sports in which it is used. The team that answered correctly more often wins.
Shuttlecock (badminton), foil (fencing), gymnastic horse (artistic gymnastics), clubs (rhythmic gymnastics), basketball hoop (basketball), pool (swimming), volleyball net (volleyball)
4. What are the types of sports balls? The team that named the most wins.
Basketball, volleyball, football, handball, water polo, rugby, tennis, baseball, table tennis.
5. Name as many summer Olympic sports as possible. The team that named the most wins.
Rowing, badminton, basketball, boxing, wrestling, cycling, water polo, volleyball, handball, golf, kayaking and canoeing, judo, equestrian sports, athletics, table tennis, sailing, swimming, diving, trampoline jumping, rugby, synchronized swimming, modern pentathlon, artistic gymnastics, shooting, archery, tennis, triathlon, taekwondo, weightlifting, fencing, football, field hockey, rhythmic gymnastics
6. Each team is invited to choose two sports from the proposed (baseball, lacrosse, rugby, polo) and explain their essence and rules.
– baseball (in a team sports game with a baseball and a bat, two teams of nine players each participate, the goal of the game is to score more points, which are counted when a player of the attacking team runs through all bases in turn)
– lacrosse (team a sports game in which two teams try to hit the opponent’s goal with a rubber ball, using their feet and a projectile that is something between a stick and a racket)
– rugby (team sports game with an oval ball, which the players of each team, passing each other with their hands and feet, moreover, the hand pass is carried out only backward, they try to land in the in-goal behind the opponent’s goal or score it into the H-shaped goal)
– polo (team sports game with a ball, in which participants play on horseback, and move the ball across the field using a special clubs; the goal of the game is to hit the opponent’s goal the most times)

So our meetings came to an end but.Now I would like to give the floor to our judges to announce the final results. In conclusion, I would like to thank all the participants in the game, our distinguished judges. I hope that our meeting will not be the last.
Used literature:
Sokolov G.I. Olympia. M., 1980
· Physical culture and sports. Small encyclopedia. —M .: Raduga, 1982

· Steinbach VL From Athens to Moscow. – M .: Physical culture and sport, 1983.

Astrophysics for beginners: how to understand the Universe

7
My favorite items

In high school I once asked my teacher a question that seemed very simple to me – the question of the periodic table of chemical elements.You will see it on the wall in any chemistry or physics classroom. At first glance, it can be easily mistaken for a very convoluted board game. But this is not a game. The Periodic Table tells us about all 118 elements – the types of atoms in the universe.

In general, I asked the teacher where these elements came from.

From the earth’s crust, he replied.

Clear business. Of course, they got to the school laboratory from there. But this answer was not enough for me. I wanted to know how these elements ended up in the earth’s crust

Yes, I was still that child [5], and I guessed that the answer would be astronomical.The elements were supposed to form in space. But is it necessary to know the entire history of the Universe to answer this question?

Yes, you have to.

Ordinary matter consists of protons, neutrons and electrons. Protons and neutrons bunch together in a dense bunch – the nucleus. Electrons revolve in orbits around the nucleus. All together is what we call an atom. An element is one or more atoms of the same kind, with the same number of particles. The simplest element is hydrogen. It consists of one proton and one electron.One or more hydrogen atoms together is the element hydrogen.

Hydrogen is one of only three naturally occurring elements – that is, those that we do not get in the laboratory or in experiments – that were formed in the Big Bang. All the rest were formed in the hot interiors of stars and during stellar explosions. The periodic table, a kind of guide to the elements, is a very important scientific achievement. And yet every now and then even a scientist cannot help but think of her as some kind of zoo, consisting of incredibly strange, bizarre, unique animals, as if invented by Dr. Seuss [6].There is no end to their unusual properties and manifestations.

Here is sodium, a poisonous metal that you can cut with a knife like butter. Elsewhere on the table is chlorine, a fetid, deadly gas. The periodic table shows that these two deadly elements can combine into one molecule. The very idea seems like a nightmare. But when you put them together, you get sodium chloride – common table salt.

What about hydrogen and oxygen? The first is explosive gas. The second helps the substances burn.Direct a stream of oxygen at the flame – it will flash brightly. But the periodic table shows again that they can connect. And when you combine hydrogen with oxygen, you get just water that extinguishes any fire.

The periodic table is full of miracles. Whatever element you take, each has strange, fantastic properties. But, as you must have figured out, I’m more interested in the stars. So let me take you on a tour of the periodic table from an astrophysicist’s point of view.

The most popular element in the Universe

Hydrogen, the lightest and simplest of the elements, was formed entirely during the Big Bang. It decisively prevails over all 94 elements that we find in nature. Out of every three atoms in the human body, two are hydrogen atoms.

Nine-tenths of all atoms in the Universe are hydrogen atoms. In the hot fiery core of the Sun, 4.5 billion tons of rapidly moving hydrogen atoms collide every second.These collisions provide the energy of the sun’s glow.

Vice President

Helium should be familiar to you from birthdays – balloons are inflated with it. Helium is almost as light and volatile as hydrogen. But hydrogen, as I said, explodes extremely easily. Nobody would allow balloons filled with hydrogen to be used on a children’s birthday.

It would be worth bringing such a ball to the candle on the cake – and there would be no one to receive gifts. Therefore, we inflate the balloons with helium, then suck this gas into ourselves and begin to squeak in the voice of Mickey Mouse.

Helium is the second simplest and most abundant element in the Universe. Like hydrogen, helium appeared in the Big Bang. But it also forms in the stars. It is, of course, much less than hydrogen, but still four times more than all other elements in the Universe combined.

Remains …

With three protons in its nucleus, lithium is the third simplest element in the universe. Like hydrogen and helium, lithium was formed in the Big Bang. Now, it is lithium that helps scientists make sure the Big Bang theory is correct.Indeed, according to this model, in any part of the universe, no more than one out of every hundred atoms should be a lithium atom.

And no one has yet found a galaxy in which this limit would be surpassed. This coincidence of our predictions with what we see through telescopes is another confirmation that the universe really was born the way we think.

Life-giving elements

The element carbon can be found almost everywhere. Carbon is formed inside stars, carried out from their depths to the surface, and then thrown into the surrounding space and spreads throughout the galaxy.More molecules can be formed from carbon than from almost any other element. It is one of the main ingredients of life as we know it – from microscopic plants and bugs to huge elephants or, say, to pop stars. For example, Selena Gomez [7] is a carbon-based life form.

But what if there are other forms of life that are unknown to us? What if there are alien life forms in space that are not built from carbon and oxygen, but on some other basis? Maybe life could be based on the silicon element? Science fiction writers love to write stories about silicon creatures.Exobiologists, scientists who are trying to understand what life might look like on other planets, have already considered this possibility. But all the same, in the end, we assume that most life forms will be associated with carbon – after all, there is much more of it in the Universe than silicon.

Heavy elements

Aluminum makes up a fairly large proportion of the earth’s crust, the thick, hard shell around the molten center of our planet. The ancients did not know aluminum.Personally, I love it very much, because brilliant astronomical mirrors are made of polished aluminum. This mirror is the main part of the telescope, it allows you to focus light and obtain magnified optical images, and this gives astrophysicists the opportunity to better see distant celestial bodies. Almost all the mirrors of modern telescopes are coated with aluminum.

Another heavy element, titanium, got its name from the mighty titans from ancient Greek myths. Titanium is more than twice as strong as aluminum.It is used in military aircraft, artificial limbs are made of it – artificial arms and legs and also sticks – clubs for playing lacrosse [8]. Astrophysicists are also familiar with this element.

In many parts of space, there is more oxygen than carbon. Atoms generally readily combine into molecules, they do not like loneliness, so the carbon atom does not miss the opportunity to cling to a free oxygen atom. After all the carbon atoms have found themselves by an atom or even two oxygen atoms, there is still oxygen left, which can combine with other elements.When oxygen combines with titanium, titanium oxide is produced. Astrophysicists have registered traces of titanium oxide in some stars. Recently, a team of scientists discovered a whole new planet surrounded by titanium oxide. We paint parts of our telescopes with white paint containing titanium oxide, as this helps to sharpen images of stars and other objects in space.

Star Killer

Iron is not the most abundant element in the universe, but perhaps the most important.Inside massive stars, atoms of different elements constantly collide and combine. Hydrogen atoms collide and combine to form helium. Then helium, carbon, oxygen and other atoms continue to merge into increasingly heavier atoms. Finally, during these mergers, heavy iron atoms begin to form, in the nuclei of which there are 26 protons and at least the same number of neutrons. They are giants compared to hydrogen.

In the iron atom, protons and neutrons have the smallest energy compared to any other element.And this leads to extraordinary consequences. Since these particles are deprived of energy, they tend to absorb it. Usually, if you fission an atom, energy will be released. The same thing happens if two atoms stick together, forming a new, heavier one.

But iron is different from other fellow elements.

If an iron atom is split, energy will be absorbed.

If the iron atoms are combined, the energy will also be absorbed.

The stars are busy producing energy.Our Sun, for example, is a real plant for the production of energy, it fills the entire solar system with photons carrying energy. But when iron begins to form in the bowels of large-mass stars, this means that their death is close. The more iron, the less energy is produced. Without a source of energy, a star collapses – it rapidly contracts under its own weight, and then explodes, within a week, or even longer, eclipsing billions of other suns with its brilliance. It turns out that thanks to iron, the elements formed in the bowels of stars are thrown into outer space, and then serve as building materials for the creation of other stars and planets.

Dinosaur Killer

Iridium is the third heaviest element on the periodic table. On the surface of the Earth, it is rare, but in its depths there is a thin and widespread layer of iridium, which can tell a lot about the past of our planet. Sixty-five million years ago, an asteroid the size of Everest crashed into Earth, turning into steam and destroying all living organisms on Earth larger than a suitcase. So, no matter what theory of the death of dinosaurs you come up with, the most plausible still remains this – a giant killer asteroid from outer space.

After all, iridium, which is rarely found on the surface of the Earth, is common for large metallic asteroids. When the giant space rock exploded on impact with the Earth, the glowing atoms of iridium formed a huge cloud that scattered across the planet. And today, when scientists examine the inner layers of the earth’s crust at a level that was on the surface of the planet 65 million years ago, they find a thin layer of this element everywhere.

Gods

Some elements of the periodic table got their names from planets and asteroids, in turn, named after the ancient Roman gods.In the early 19th century, astronomers discovered two objects orbiting the Sun, whose orbits lay between Mars and Jupiter. The first they named Ceres, in honor of the goddess of fertility, and the second – Pallas, after the Roman goddess of wisdom. The first element obtained after the discovery of Ceres was called cerium, and the first element discovered after astronomers found Pallada was called palladium. If you remember, it is with this material that Tony Stark strengthens the armor exoskeleton of his Iron Man [9].

Mercury, a silvery metal that remains liquid and fluid at room temperature, in English is called mercury – in honor of the swift-footed Roman messenger god.

The name “thorium” refers to Thor, the mighty, athletic Scandinavian god of thunder. Unsurprisingly, Thor and Iron Man became such good friends. They have a connection at the element level.

Saturn, my beloved planet [10], has no twin element, but Uranus, Neptune and Pluto, which are named after gods from ancient Roman myths, are all right. Uranium was the main ingredient in the first atomic bomb used in warfare.

And just as in the solar system Neptune is behind Uranus, in the periodic table the element neptunium also follows directly after uranium.

The next element of the table, plutonium, has not been found in nature. But scientists managed to make enough of it to fill the atomic bomb, which the United States detonated over the Japanese city of Nagasaki just three days after dropping a uranium bomb on Hiroshima. With this, World War II quickly ended. Small amounts of plutonium can be used as fuel for spacecraft bound for the outer reaches of the solar system.

Here – at the very edge of the solar system, on the threshold of deep space – our space journey through the periodic table of chemical elements ends.For reasons that I do not yet understand, many people do not like to deal with chemistry and chemicals. Maybe they see some kind of danger in their names. But then the chemists are to blame, not the chemical compounds themselves. Personally, I have nothing against chemicals. After all, they are my favorite stars and my best friends among people.

Hockeytape Ice Hockey Transparent Sports Tape High Stick Non Slip Ball Club Elbow Golf Safety Cotton Reinforce Ice Field Tape

Product description ：

Suitable for gripping baseball bat, fishing, hunting, trainer tape over gauze, won’t stick to skin.Universal tissue adhesive tape
Manufactured with first quality woven fabrics
Always hold firmly to its hockey stick.Helps you to disrupt your shot.Hot melt adhesive design, with strong adhesion, is widely used in types of tool sports, such as clubs, rackets, etc. Woven pattern latex tape ensures cushion and stickiness.Glue is stable and pasted harder, waterproof and moisture resistant, reduce wear on hockey gloves, it has the functions of suction, anti-skid and wears resistance.Color: shown as picture
Size: 2.5cm x 25m
Weight: 135g
Material: imitation cotton, cotton fabric
Suitable For: Hockey Stick / Lacrosse Shaft / Hockey Shaft
Gender: Men, Women, Unisex
Type: Handle, Ribbon Package Inclde: 1 Roll Cloth Hockey Ribbon

• Name 2 : ice hockey tape sport
• Name : Knee pads Hockey tape
• Advantage 1 : Cloth stick and blade tape
• Advantage 2 : Increase vibration absorption
• Advantage Improves puck control
• Benefit 4 : Strong tensile strength of products
• Age : Universal
• Color : As shown in picture
• Size : 2.