lacross stick

[Fred Perreault]

I am wondering if anyone has ever created a lacross stick. I have a grandson who is enjoying high school lacross, and he is 5' 4', and 140 pounds. I have surfed the web, but I was hoping someone out there has experience.
Thanks,
Fred

[Brandon Weiss]

I played lacrosse in high school and a year in college. Are you hoping to make a stick for him to use in play out of wood? I'm not sure that would be allowed by his high school. The only sticks I've seen used now are the metal sticks with plastic heads. If you did make one out of wood I'd think you need a wood that's very resilient to impact and resistant to bending. Those sticks take a heck of a beating. My stick has many dents from the action. Most of the sticks I've seen are an extruded octagonal shape. I know the old sticks used to be wood but I wonder what the rules are now for the kids using them. If he isn't allowed to use it in play it would still be an awesome keepsake for him to hang up on the wall or in a display.

What position does he play? I played midfield, was a scrawny speed demon at the time. I'm a little older and a little pudgier now. Couldn't run that field like I used to.

[Andrew Gibson]

I have never played lacrosse but I do know that it is the national sport of Canada.

Native Americans invented the game and I believe the sticks were a bent stick with the open side of the stick connected by the webbing of the basket... I wonder if the design was modified from a snow shoe.

If I were going to make one I think I would use a wood that bends well and do a strip lamination. Maybe use contrasting woods in the lamination. Potentially school colors?

Not sure any of that helps.

[Ken Kirkley]

I played lacrosse and coach at the high school level. You can use a wood shaft, the head (or crosse) would still be made out of plastic. The wood shafts are usually made out of hickory.

The big disadvantages to a wood shaft are they are heavy and they break. If I hit a metal shaft hard, it might dent, but a wood shaft will break. Some of my guys use a wood shaft in practice, kind of like a fungo stick, that way in games the stick is light and quick.

If you choose to make a shaft, it is pretty simple, you will want to size it correctly and use a spoke shave to create the octagonal shape. Good Luck!

[Lee Schierer]

Years ago Lacrosse sticks, all of them were made entirely from wood. I believe the preferred wood was ash or hickory. They were streamed and bent green. Here's a video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUNuW4MxIy8&feature=related)of how they were made.

[Greg Portland]

Lee's picture is the type of stick I'd seen used by some female lacrosse players years ago. The men's variant always use some form of composite or metal head & pole. Back when I played some players used wood poles but now almost everyone uses aluminum (some use titanium for $$$).

If you are looking for a project, I would suggest a collapsible goal or rebounder. Some 2x2s, hinges, locking mechanism and a net is all you'd need. See http://www.practicepartnersports.com/lacrosse.html for pictures of what I'm talking about. You can get the net as a replacement net.