Lacrosse Patterns/Pockets
May 20, 2015 DIY, Shenanigans 7 comments cmerrill15
In the sport of lacrosse the pocket and stringing are very important in a player’s performance and style of the player. When stringing a pocket there are three key elements that make up a lacrosse pocket. First of all there is the top-string. Top-string is what always is begun first when stringing. it is the foundation of a pocket. The sidewall strings are next on the to do list after completing the top-string. The sidewall being the most important can change your pocket dramatically with one change. The bottom string is the last touch on the pocket, besides shooting strings. The bottom string hold your pocket in place and will adjust the depth of it. The lacrosse pocket and patterns have infinite variations and determine the how successful a player will be with their pocket.
Top-String: When stringing a top-string there are many different ways of securing the mesh to the head, which is the ultimate goal. A player can string their stick with either a suspended top-string or one that is attached to the head. Examples of the suspended top-string, are the Iroquois top-string and the Huron top-string. Traditional attached top-strings just involve double or single knots of going through the head from behind then back through the mesh from the front of the head. These attached top-strings can also be incorporated with a triangle top-string.
Sidewall: The sidewall-string of a lacrosse head is the most important two strings of the whole head. These strings are a reflection of each other and make the pocket in the stick. Two basic knots that everyone should know when stringing a stick is the, interlock, and the one. Interlocks pull the mesh tight to the sidewall in order to form the channel. Bunching ones close together will form the pocket, and give it the freedom to shift up and down. When stringing the sidewalls, the player has so much room for creativity and freedom to form his or her pocket within the rules.
Bottom String: The bottom string controls the pocket. It acts as an anchor to provide a players pocket with the correct depth. This string also determines how high or low the pocket can shift. The longer the bottom string the more defined the pocket will be. The shorter the bottom string means the pocket will have more freedom to shift.
These three key parts to stringing a lacrosse head will give a player the best opportunity for success while playing. Also a pocket can be strung and personalized a million different ways giving the stringer an artistic and claiming hobby to enjoy.
7 Comments
I never realized that the way it is strung actually affects the game! Great post, very informative on the different stringing of the head.
I love the post chad. Being a lacrosse player, the stringing really does effect all aspects of our game and how we play. Just to verify, how could one string a “huron top-string”? It sounds very interesting and something I may try if I learned.
I never knew the strings were so important, always thought they were just for show! Great article, very informative!
I know that my stick needs the perfect ratio of whip to hold or I won’t play at my best. This post is great and really helps explain how the stringing effects the player! Thanks for sharing Chad!
I can say that from experience I have learned that my shooting strings must be perfect if I want to shoot underhand. If I don’t have enough whip, then the ball will fly out too early making it nearly impossible to get the shot off. This is a very informative post and anyone stringing a lacrosse head should read it!
Great post overall and has a lot of good information on how important each string is when it comes to the fundamentals of stringing a lacrosse head. What are some different kinds of pockets can you have, and what are some of the rules when it comes to stringing a lacrosse stick like how deep can the pocket be, and how much hold you can have, and how the channel you put into the head affect the hold depending on how tight or wide the channel is.
I had no idea how to string in the past, so before I rely on my team to string my head. I’m now starting to learn how to string and this post has really helped me understand the important factors! I do wonder what the”Huron Top String” and the “Iroquois top-string” would look like?