Know Your Stick

There are rules about stick lengths (end of the shaft to the top of the plastic head) for different age groups

• U9: The length of all crosses for all field players shall be 37 to 42 inches.
• U11: The length of the crosse for field players may be 37 to 42 inches (47 to 54 for defensemen).
• U13 & Up: The length of the crosse for field players may be 40 to 42 inches (52 to 72 for defensemen).

Feel free to consider this information when determining whether to cut a stick down for your experience and size.

Your shooting strings may have to be modified. Per US Lacrosse, "Starting the 2016 season all players may not have strings below 4 inches from the top of the head, which eliminates the "U" or "V" shooting strings. Players should restring their sticks now to get used to this." Here is a video:

There are many websites and videos about stringing sticks to help you or your player. A player should always know how to care for, repair, and tweak their stringing.

Some pocket methodologies and pictures can be found here.

Learning how to maintain and adjust your stick is an important skill to acquire. The internet and YouTube have unlimited information on stick care and stringing materials/techniques. As you progress, getting to know your head's stringing is paramount.

"If you spend enough time and energy making sure your stick is throwing, catching, and shooting correctly, you will discover a world a difference in how you play lacrosse. Making sure your stick is strung correctly and learning how to make adjustments yourself once your stick is strung is the one of the best things to know. Sticks change the way they throw and catch all the time with weather and other conditions (stretching, knots come undone, or strings break) which makes you always have to re-adjust your stick to make sure it is throwing/shooting and catching the way you like it. Ask friends and other players what works for them and how to make adjustments to your stick.

Player's will never reach their full potential in lacrosse if they do not put time into understanding the physics and maintenance of a lacrosse stick. Understanding the personal connection between the individual's throwing motion, the material in the stick, along with the ball are so important. It can make all the difference. Playing lacrosse with a bad stick is like trying to dribble a flat basketball or like trying to play baseball with a tree branch instead of a bat. Not even a good player can overcome the limits of an un-cared for stick. Time and care must be shown to your stick to make all the difference in your game. Your stick is your weapon in lacrosse, making sure your weapon is accurate and ready-to-go is what makes a good player, along with a lot of practice on the wall."