When Pricing a Women’s Lacrosse Stick

Things that should be considered when pricing a woman’s lacrosse stick are: Number one, the player’s age and ability. It may not be wise to buy a beginner’s stick for a player who is in High School as their skills may develop quicker. Number two, the position the player will be playing. Some sticks are more flexible in the head and may not be proper for a defender. Whereas other sticks may be offset more and will provide more accuracy and shooting power. Number three, how much dedication the player has to the sport. It is not wise to spend a great deal of money on a stick is the player is not sure how long she will be interested in the sport of Lacrosse. But in the end remember that you most likely want a stick that your player will grow into rather than out of.

Molded Head Lacrosse Sticks:

There are now many different types of lacrosse stick heads on the market and it is important to find the type of head that works for your style of play even your position. New players to the game will often need to find a stick or head that has a wide face for easier catching. New players also benefit from a stick head that has a flatter scoop design to aide in the ease of ground ball pick ups. More experienced players will sometimes look for heads designed with smaller profiles and tighter catching areas. These features make the ball harder to check out of the stick and can even assist in accuracy. Aside from the basics, most heads can be used for any position aside from goalie on the field. Defenders will sometime look for heads that are stiffer and stand up to checking while attacking players will look for lighter heads that allow for quick hands when shooting and switching from left to right hand. A stick with more of a curve in the scoop design will also help with accuracy when passing and shooting due to the ball always wanting to move to that low curve point in the scoop.

Types of Stick Heads

When looking for what type of stick head to buy it should be noted that different companies use varying technologies when designing their sticks. STX uses both direct offset and 10 degree offset in their designs. Debeer is currently using a transferred offset system or TOS system. Brine uses strictly a direct offset in their stick designs. Again, while the type of stick head and whether it is direct offset or 10 degree or TOS is a very personal choice, some people will tell you that 10 degree technology or TOS technology allows the player to feel the ball weight more than the head weight when working with the stick. Or that 10 degree or TOS technology allows the player to slide the top hand down the handle farther during shooting or passing to create more leverage and produce a harder pass or shot. The biggest thing to remember is to try different brands to see what work best for you. Every stick will release differently and you need to take the time to see what works for your game.

Types of Pockets
There are many types of pocket options available now for the women’s game. First of all is the Traditional pocket which is the original method of lacrosse stringing. This incorporates usually 4 natural leather thongs that run vertically from top to bottom in the stick head and is then interlaced with a coated string to give strength and a web affect to the stick for ball retention. Second there is the Trakker and Web-X pockets from Debeer and Brine. These pockets are made up of synthetic leather thongs that are sewn together to create a pocket that requires very little adjustment and is extremely weather resistant. These pockets do not have as much adjustability and feel as a traditional pocket but are good for beginning players or players who do not like to have to consistently adjust their pockets. Next is the Pro-Trakker and Precision Pockets from Debeer and STX. These pockets incorporate various pocket styles of both traditional and synthetic. The Debeer Pro Trakker pocket has two natural leathers that are on the outsides of two synthetic leathers that are sewn together between them. This pocket provides a lot of adjustability in that the center section can be strung or adjusted to hang lower than the outside. This creates greater ball retention and shot speed and accuracy. This is even more accented by the lower sidewalls found on some of today’s sticks. The STX Precision Pocket is a combination of two natural leathers on the outside with two pieces of heavy gauge string that run down the center of the stick head with a spiral pattern of two more strings that go down the center of them. This pocket has a wonderful feel as it requires no break in time. For catching the precision pocket shapes to the ball no matter where it hits in the head of the stick. The extra feel of this pocket will build confidence in the player’s game. Shot speed also increase with the Precision Pocket due to it’s flexibility and broke in feel. The newest pocket in women’s lacrosse is the gripper pro pocket. The design of this pocket is much like the pro trakker pocket from Debeer but the center section is now made of injection molded rubber rather than synthetic leather. The gripper pro pocket allows for very quick release of the ball and also provides good traction for the ball when catching. Thus creating more control for the player.

Types of Handles

Wood: Wood handles are still available to be installed on modern molded stick heads. This is preferred as a good mix between old style sticks and new style sticks..

Aluminum: This is a basic type of shaft that comes with most stock complete lacrosse sticks. Usually these handles are a little heavier. But they are durable and make a good choice for beginning players.

Aluminum is a temperature sensitive material and the player may require tape or gloves for improved grip and warmth in the winter.

Alloy: More and more, alloy compounds are showing up in the women’s lacrosse market place. These handles are an aluminum base that is mixed with a lighter metal including titanium to create a lighter handle while maintaining the strength. Alloy handles use thinner walled tubing and come in a variety of shapes. Examples would be Teardrop / Octagon / or Hourglass design. You will usually see codes such as CU31 or CU55 on the handle, which will denote alloy composition on some alloy handles. Alloy handles are also temperature sensitive. But their strength to weight ratio makes them a good choice for upper level players.

Composite Handles: Composite handles have hit the market big time. Companies such as Harrow, Warrior, and Brine have brought their versions to the market with a rush. STX has had their composite handle on the market for some time. The composite handles have several properties, which make them now worthy of the price tags they carry. First of all. Composite shafts are extremely temperature consistent. Composite material does not get hot and cold like alloy and aluminum shafts, this can eliminate the need for tape and gloves for players who do not like to use them. Secondly, composite shafts on the market today have a textured surface or tacified surface that is very acceptable during wet weather conditions. Finally,

Composite shafts are extremely lightweight and extremely strong. With the reduced possibility of breakage and the ability of quicker stick work. The composite shaft has definitely found it’s niche in the women’s market.

Call the Women's Lacrosse Experts at Longstreth Women's Sports:

Longstreth has resident women's lacrosse experts who will help you choose the best lacrosse stick. Call us at 1-800-545-1329 or, if possible, visit our Retail Store where you can try out your stick.