Each sport has different items or pieces of equipment which are absolutely vital in order for the game to be played properly and, in the case of lacrosse, it is the lacrosse stick. Everything else, including all of the safety gear, makes the game much better and enhances the experience, but lacrosse can still be played without it. However, the stick is essential to the game and sets it apart from other sports.
Components of the Lacrosse Stick
The lacrosse stick which is also simply known as the crosse has several distinct component which together create a very powerful and special item which is pretty different from any other sporting equipment used in other sports. It has a handle, which is commonly known as a shaft. This will vary in length based on the player’s preference, his playing position and the league he plays in since they have different rules regarding the dimensions of the crosses. Usually, offensive players have a much shorter handle than defensive ones. Attached to the shaft is the head which is used to carry and throw the ball around. Again, the dimensions will vary based on the league standards. In order to be able to hold the ball, the head has netting which creates something known as the pocket, which is deep enough to carry the ball without dropping it.
The Traditional Lacrosse Stick
When lacrosse was invented the crosse was made out of wood. Several processes were used in order to give the lacrosse stick its shape. The head was also made out of wood and the netting which created the pocket was made out of leather and nylon string interwoven together. As it was expected, this model was a lot less complicated than the one used today. Even so, wooden sticks are still used by some, especially box lacrosse players.
The Modern Lacrosse Stick
The modern lacrosse stick is vastly different from the ones used in the beginning. For starters, the shafts are made out of metal, which is hollow in order to keep the crosse light. Their shape has also been changed to octagonal from round, in order to provide the players with a better grip. Most common metals used are titanium and aluminum, although some shafts are made from other materials such as fiber glass. The head is mostly made out of hard plastic. Its shape has seen a lot of changes in order to increase performance. The netting is also made more commonly out of synthetic mesh nowadays, although there are still plenty of sticks that still use the traditional weave.
The lacrosse stick is a vital component for the sport and it is also the one that has seen the most changes through the years. If you want to see a great selection of different sticks, you can visit Madlax.com.