Traditional Lacrosse, or “TLAX” as they are sometimes referred to, is a newer company in the lacrosse world, and they have a couple of plastic heads, some shafts, and some other gear available. What they’re known for though are their wooden lacrosse sticks. Traditional Lacrosse has been all over the US and Canada selling their sticks, driving interest in the idea of owning a woodie, and has quickly become one of the larger modern wooden stick makers, almost overnight. The company operates out of Akwesasne and they did a great job of selecting their brand name!

Traditional Lacrosse Wooden Sticks

Last week, I talked about the old Mohawk Manufacturing Company sticks, and how they were mass produced. As I said last week, it can lead to a slightly lower overall quality, but as has been the case for decades, finding the RIGHT stick for you is what it’s all about. When you make thousands of sticks you get some slight variations, but even though Traditional Lacrosse sticks are made in larger numbers, the general balance and workmanship levels are quite high.

I strung up the two sticks above. The one below was strung after purchasing it in Denver, CO at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championships. I strung the Pita six shooter a couple of months ago.

Your typical, run of the mill wooden stick by TLAX is nice. They are well balanced, and the pockets are well strung, and spaced nicely. They don’t string a super deep pocket, but with a lot of work, you can break it in to a nice formed nest for the ball. It might never be a bag, but those can be tricky in woodies, so unless you can string your own, prepare for some break-in time with these! I would loosen the middle two leathers a little, then hit the wall for hours. Or use a wooden baseball bat to pound the pocket. See baseball bats ARE good for something! At the end of the day, these pockets are well strung, if a little tight initially.

Another thing you’ll want to consider apart from the pocket is shaving down the shaft of the Traditional Lacrosse sticks. They often come quite thick, and while this is great for strength and cross checking, it’s not great for offensive guys, or people who really want to catch and throw with their wooden stick. If you have no idea what shaving a wooden stick is like, check out the below:

This process will take you HOURS to get right. But when you whittle it down well, the difference is notable.

The face shape on the TLAX sticks is narrow, and it’s sort of a medium length. It’s not long like an old Mohawk Manufacturing stick, and it’s not short like a Mike Thompson stick. It’s sort of in the middle, maybe on the shorter end. It reminds me a lot of the Mohawk International Lacrosse sticks made by Mitchell Brothers in shape and size.

One of the really interesting techniques that Traditional Lacrosse has employed is their custom program. They will laser engrave your name or logo on the side of a wooden stick, and while it’s not exactly traditional, it is pretty awesome. It’s a great gift idea, and the best thing is that the engraved sticks are still totally playable. In fact, they should be used… it’s what makes them special!

Check out Traditional Lacrosse’ site for more products and info!

Traditional Lacrosse makes a great, basic wooden stick. If you’re looking to buy your first woodie, or looking for something you can use and beat up, TLAX is a great option. Their pricing is competitive, the product offering is very solid, and their custom program is truly unique in the world of wooden lacrosse sticks.

Stringing skills come from a multitude of places. The experimental stage is what made me fall in love with the art form. I would rip my stick apart and rebuild it again and again, until I made a pocket that was so good that I was afraid to unstring it. Experimentation is by far the most exciting way to learn and create new pockets, but implementing well-tuned stringing methods may be more valuable for the growth of a stringer’s abilities. Learning how to do a tried and true method will expand your thought process, and allow you to consider new ideas.

The second contest in our String League Preseason Series was designed to test how well a stringer can apply what he or she has learned. We took a little longer to gather our entrants this time, because the skill of replication is, at times, more challenging than creative experimentation. We also asked that our contestants explain their work (is this starting to remind anyone of a classroom) so we can follow how they applied the advanced stringing methods.

To those of you who would rather work only based on your own ideas, I will pose these questions. Have you have ever come up with a great idea, only to find out that it was already thought of? How long did that take you? Could you have come up with something truly unique, had you already had the knowledge of those who came before you?

Beyond the search of unique ideas is the need for proper application. I had been stringing for about 2 years before Stylin Strings Lacrosse picked me up. I was 14 at the time. It was at the SSLax Studio where I learned that it was better to string something I knew would work, than something that looked cool and crazy that managed to throw a ball well. I see many young stringers going through this stage. Never stop experimenting but know that there is a difference between looking impressive and performing well.

The three top contestants were chosen because of their focus on applying the skills, and explaining their application. Take a moment and read the explanations, written from the contestants themselves.

@bay.state.strings

After watching and reviewing the series of @stringleague #stringleague preseason training videos, I compiled general thoughts about each one. There were 4 videos, meaning that my stick had 4 techniques and theories included, consequently equaling 4 explanations:

Video #1: Connor from @laxallstars describes the importance of the top string, the first piece of the puzzle. As encouraged, I used a double knot when stringing my top string. I also did the same topstring as Connor, to try and achieve a simple yet tight and consistent topstring, just as he mentioned. I maintained good spacing and tension, which is also very important according to Connor.

Video #2: Joe from @throneofstring incorporates many knots and techniques to achieve a tight channel, consistency and good ball control. Again, I used a double overhand knot as recommended, to keep the string and mesh tight. Joe also uses a loop start to “anchor” the mesh down to the head. Between every knot, I skipped a hole, just as Joe skipped holes to create consistency and tension. I made sure to pull down tightly on each knot to assure no slipping and no looseness in the channel. I implicated Joe’s theories throughout the upper half of my sidewall as instructed.

Video #3: Justin from @stylin_strings discusses Hold and Pocket Placement. He taught some important techniques which covered the bottom half of the sidewall. Aesthetically, Skaggs made sure to allow the mesh to lie flat. I also incorporated this technique to give that next level look to my pocket. Justin also explained the importance of keeping your knots tight. To create a smooth release, Justin decided to make a mid-low pocket which I also chose to do. Another important aspect of the bottom sidewall is to make sure there is equal tension on both sides. This creates a consistent and high-performing pocket.

Video #4: Greg from @eastcoastdyes discusses legal and consistent shooting strings. One of his main points was to make sure to keep the shooters above 4″ from the scoop, so I made sure to do this. Greg also mentioned that he always makes sure to lie the shooters flat so they are consistent

@flstringer

my entry for #stringleague preseason 2, a brine cyber with a single-string pocket (including nylons) with @laxroom #prototype5x semi-soft mesh. medium channel and a slightly baggy-but-legal pocket since I run lsm with this setup. you can see (bottom right) that the pocket is well-channeled with enough vertical hold for long pole dodges and quick pick-ups. I like how the one-string pocket gives the whole head a clean silhouette with only two knots on the whole head.

1. used a similar top string to @oconnorwilson, but strung it across the bridges to ensure that each diamond was centered

2. used two k’s and one si to channel the top third of the head like Joe from @throneofstring

3. finished the pocket similar to Justin from @stylin_strings with mostly 1s tied tightly to lock the mesh, taking advantage of the shiftiness of the mesh itself while negating sidewall shift

4. just like @ecdgreg from @eastcoastdyes, stacked two nylons as part of the single string, and added a lone white shooter to complete this college-legal setup.

@mrr_strings

First photo of my @stringleague entry. I used the techniques from the videos to string this @stxmlax surgeon 500 with@eastcoastdyes hero mesh and shooting cord but String King shooters. The shooting string setup passes the 4 inch rule. I used a bottom string that @kjstringz29 has used in the past and doubled up on sidewall where I wanted pocket. It’s hard to see but I used a knotted SI to lock the channel in.

If you want to reference how the techniques were applied, give the original tutorial lessons that led to this challenge a watch!

This week we’re taking a look at a Patterson Youth Stick, and this Wood Stick Wednesday post goes back to the early 1970s!

John Wesley Patterson, of the Tuscarora Nation, grew up in New York State, played lacrosse, and went on to attend Springfield College in Massachusetts. He graduated in 1951, after being named All-New England twice, and once scored a combined 25 goals in two back to back games for the Pride. After graduating, he moved to Maryland and for the next 19 years he worked in the school system, and coached a whole lot of lacrosse at various high schools. He also started two middle school teams.

Patterson Youth Stick – The History

In 1970, Patterson returned to New York, and started Tuskewe Krafts, which focused on high quality Native American hand-made goods, and wooden lacrosse sticks were part of the equation. The company he founded in 1971 is still in existence today in Patterson’s home town of Sanborn, NY. And this is where those beautiful and unique Patterson Tuscarora wooden lacrosse sticks come from!

I will get to the sticks’ unique features soon, but first I want to finish on John Wesley Patterson. He was quite an interesting man!

Not only did he coach for almost 20 years in Maryland, play in college himself, AND start a wooden stick manufacturing company, but Patterson also helped start the Iroquois Nationals program, coached an Iroquois All-Star team in 1980, and presented a wooden stick to the Prince Edward in 1994. And that’s really only the beginning. For more on Patterson, click HERE and HERE. He led an amazing life.

The sticks he designed and made? They are almost a style unto themselves.

Patterson sticks typically have a much flatter scoop than other more curved sticks. When compared to sticks from TLAX, Old MMco sticks, or Mike Thompson’s sticks, you can see a marked difference in scoop shape and width. This results in a truly triangular look to the sticks, and this is something much more common in the women’s game.

Seeing as Patterson sticks were extremely popular with women, this makes a lot of sense! In fact, the women’s game in Canada feels so indebted to Patterson for his efforts with their game that the annual trophy for women’s college lacrosse is named after him. If you go to any women’s tourney where 30 and over players are playing, you are likely to still see one or two Patterson sticks out there on the field. Wood lasted much longer in the women’s game, and All-Americans were still using wood as last as the early 2000s in women’s NCAA lacrosse (Kathryn Doherty of Williams comes to mind immediately, probably because we went to high school together and she’s awesome).

In addition to the flat scoop, Patterson sticks are often thinner through the handle than other sticks, and this is a throwback to how many wooden sticks used to be made. This was done for lightness and feel, and it went over well with scorers, and of course the more finesse-oriented women’s game.

I took the old pocket out of this stick and used similar materials to reproduce a comparable pocket, keeping the original coated string “gut” wall in tact. From the looks of this youth stick, it was probably a girls youth stick as the stringing was quite tight, but now that it’s sanded down and has a small pocket in it, any child could pick it up and find enjoyment with it.

Editor’s Note: Chris Wilson won Season 1 of String League, with some killer creations. String League asked him to give Season 2 Contestants some advice as he reflected on his experience last season, and as usual, he delivered!

Here is a quick quote from Justin Skaggs on what made Chris “Lacrosseman” Wilson the Season 1 winner:

“Chris Wilson deserved to win Season 1. He was exactly the kind of stringer we needed. His versatility and creativity was what brought him to the top of the competition.”

We couldn’t agree more!

Chris Wilson’s Words of Wisdom

Being part of String League 2015 was a fantastic experience, with each week pushing the boundaries of stringing in different directions, from classic traditional pockets to those using household materials!

The competition was based on a range of skills, not just technical experience. Thinking outside the box, creativity, video skills, and plenty of wall ball all had their place! The experience demonstrated to me that being able to combine these skills is what really creates a great competition stringer and I’ve continued to apply these skills to everything I produce.

String League has also been fantastic in helping me to reach out to more people in the lacrosse community and to share my work with them, especially via social media. I now provide a range of content on a daily basis to followers all over the world. It has given me the platform to engage with players, manufactures and enthusiasts and share my knowledge and experience with them.

For me, stringing is my passion, for others, it’s my obsession, but wherever it takes me in the future, I will always remember the thrill of String League, which pushed my boundaries and technical skill to another level.

With amazing sponsors on board, I’m really looking forward to String League 2016. My advice to reaching this season’s final is to be consistent in everything you do, pay attention to detail, take your time and overall, be creative!

Good luck to all of you!

Gut Wall on Wooden Sticks – How To String

Editor’s Note: A long requested how to string gut wall tutorial is finally here, and we have Justin Skaggs to thank! Not a lot people string gut wall, so this tutorial should be super popular, by helping everyone else who has been a little too intimidated to try it on their own!

A customer recently asked if we would remake the gut wall on his old wooden lacrosse stick. The process is incredibly tedious and time consuming but it is one of the most rewarding stringing projects that one can take on. It tests all of one’s skills to construct the proper structure, and the unusual materials used add an extra level of difficulty. We have Stylin Strings do all of our stringing for our customers.

I started Woodlacrossesticks.com a while back and the decision to involve my other firm, Stylin Strings, was a no brainer. The collective knowledge between both firms allows us to take on any restring any project that may present itself. This happens to be one of the more difficult ones.

Wood Lacrosse Stick Gut Wall Basics

If you were to get Raw Hide from our supply page, as with most vendors, you will receive a hard coil of material. I have never seen it where it is pre-soaked. I would find it hard to believe it would last very long that way.

My target time is to soak the hide in water for 10 minutes. If you let it go for too long you will ruin the piece. If it seems stiff, I leave it in for additional minutes at a time until it is the malleable.

Here is our subject. Dry rot and age has taken it beyond the point of repair, and it must be replaced.

While the hide soaks I remove the old gut wall. I always take my time because this material is no joke. It hardens like a rock. It is more like snapping branches than cutting string. I only ever use clippers or industrial scissors (Wiss Poultry Cutting Scissors).

This is one of my own inventions. I call it a staged traditional bottom. It makes working with the wet raw hide much easier.

I map everything out with a rough blue print in my work book. Every stick I repair is a little different, and it saves hours to map it out a little bit beforehand.

When you drain the water from the hide it will feel like meat spaghetti. That’s right… meat spaghetti. The lacrosse community welcomes the creation of less a gross explanation, but for now, I am sticking with my example.

There really is no choice in where one begins and ends the gut wall. The frame must be built first in order to coil the support structure. This becomes apparent in the planning process.

I usually choose to stand when working with larger sticks. I like the view point I get when I look down the stick towards the butt. I find it easy to work with.

This is a twisted gut wall frame. The final image is actually a coiled design. This stick went out the door to the customer before I was able to shoot it. They make no difference.

The false bottoms stop one from having to use the leather to tie the hide to the frame. This method allows the stringer to string one full piece, ending the structure with the rawhide being tied to the leather rather than the other way around. Trust me. Just trust me.

The support structure is far less difficult than the other parts of this construction. Separate pieces can be used to make the supports, or if the raw hide is long enough, the stringer can make it with the same piece of hide.

I set paper in the base and let it dry overnight. Sadly, this one was strung early the next morning and put out. I grabbed the next one in line for a structural example. Making a pocket is a cake walk once you’ve made the gut wall. Things are pretty standard after raw hide is installed.

www.Woodlacrossesticks.com offers supplies for the do-it-yourselfer, and also offers professional restringing processes from Stylin’ Strings.

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RIDICULOUS STX Prize Pack for String League!

STX has been a supporter of String League from day number one and now we’re talking STX Prize Packs for winners! This year they are turning up the heat and raising the stakes as the official sponsor of our competition, and STX has decided to give each of the final contestants 5 brand new heads. Everyone will be on the same footing, it will create a level playing field, AND it will result in a more diverse set of pockets and challenges!

Each week will now revolve around an entirely different or new head! Our judges (East Coast Dyes, Red Star Lacrosse, Lacrosse Allstars, Throne of String, Stylin Strings Lacrosse) will be able to select what head they want our contestants to use. This will give a unique dynamic to Season Two that was not apparent in Season One, and it gives our judges and contestants a higher potential level of creative thinking.

Stringing different heads is absolutely part of the challenge, and STX wanted to make sure that every aspect of these stringer’s skills were put to the test. We can’t think of a better way to make that happen! STX wanted to offer up a compelling prize for all five of our final contestants, and I think they’ve done just that.

Win A RIDICULOUS STX Prize Pack!

String League Open Entry starts up on February 2^nd, 2016. You may enter whatever you want via our Instagram page, but it has to be GREAT, so feel free to start stringing your entries now! In the meantime, we have one final Pre-Season Tournament starting TODAY, so make sure you check out the @stringleague page on Instagram for details! Get involved, get FIVE FREE HEADS, and if you win it all, get even more! It’s String League Season Two, and it’s just around the corner!

Follow StringLeague on Instagram HERE, and make sure to tag @StringLeague with entries and examples of your work!

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Custom String League Dye Jobs: MORE PRIZES!

We did a couple of custom String League dye jobs and three of our five wonderful judges are involved in this project! At the end of the day, these heads could be yours, but ONLY if you get involved with String League, so make it happen!

Stylin Strings wanted to make the first String League Stick and Frank Stanley (Franky Fingers) set off to do so. Within the video below, you can see the task of custom vinyl masking. It is a meticulous and tedious skill that Frank has mastered after years and years in the SSLAX dye lab, and it’s well worth the effort, as these sticks came out amazing!

Color matching is also important when it comes to matching a dye design to an existing brand. The String League blue is a darkened powder blue that leans more towards neon blue than Carolina blue. Frank used some test pieces (made from old broken heads) and the new RIT Dye More series to get the color just right.

Custom String League Dye Jobs

These sticks are being sent to Joe from Throne of String in Brooklyn NY, as well as Greg and the boys at East Coast Dyes down in Maryland. Stay tuned for more videos as these sticks get their final touches at these two top notch studios. It will be interesting to see how each of them turn out given the different stringing styles of each of these String League Judges! Both will be keepers for sure!

The two heads are likely to be used as giveaways to those who collect Skaggs’, Connor’s, Joe’s, and Greg’s autographs on their String League flyer at this year’s National Lacrosse Convention. #LAXCON! Details will be available on the @stringleague Instagram account so give SL a follow, and give yourself a chance to win some amazing swag from Stylin Strings, Throne of String, and East Coast Dyes!

Check out more on String League on the String League page on LAS!

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String League Season 2 is NOW OPEN!

String league season 2 has officially started! The open entry period began today with a flood of eager String Leaguers posting their entries. We will accept all qualified submissions up until Feb 16th, which is the close of the open entry period. From there, the judges will chose their top 5 entries, and this is slightly different from how we chose the Final Five last year.

How To Enter String League Season 2

String League Prizes!

This year has more prizes than ever before. STX, the Official Head Sponsor of String League, will be giving each of the Final Five String Leaguers 5 brand new STX heads. Everything from the new Duel head to the Hammer will be strung up this year, and the Final Five get to keep their heads once the season is finished. Each week holds a new prize from each of the judges ranging from Throne Lacrosse’s new mesh, to a custom stick from Stylin Strings or East Coast Dyes. The String League Champion gets a final prize package, and their pocket will get featured on www.stylinstrings.com for the whole world to see.

Change In Selection Process:

Our expert judges will select who they find to be the 5 Elite String Leagers of 2016. Last year we held a public vote to go from 25 to 5, and politics played too heavily. Accounts with pre-existing followers had a better chance to make the top 5, and we wanted to even the playing field. If an entry gets a giant amount of likes, we will absolutely take it into consideration, but the point is to find the best stringer out there.

Overall we are elated to begin the String League Season 2 Championship. The competition will be higher than ever before, and we expect you all to give it what you got. Be diverse, be innovative, and be good to one another. This art form has done so much for the game, and we want everyone to put their best foot forward.

String your best pocket and get in the game!

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String League Advice From LacrosseMan

The now lacrosse-world famous @Lacrosseman is a hot name in the Stringing Community, and it is with good reason! Below, Lacrosseman hits up all Season 2 hopefuls with some String League Advice!

In Season 1 of String League Chris Wilson (aka the @LacrosseMan on pretty much all social media) brought a noticeably unique ability to meld creativity and functionality. His pockets were both beautiful, creative, and functional. It set him apart enough to beat the Final Five Contestants, and win the inaugural league title.

He was up against some serious competition. @Oldratlax and @Mclaxstrings provided ample competition for Lacrosseman week after week. Furthermore, there were 100’s of original entries to compete with just to get into the league! Through all of this, Chris Wilson continued to reign in the natural urge to make the craziest pocket ever seen, and instead he rode the thin line between aesthetic value, and functional purpose.

Due to the considerable difference in the overall popularity of Lacrosse outside of North America, I can say that there was not a judge on the panel who would have believed that a European would be the victor of Season 1… and we were all wrong. For each of us, it was great to see the game grow, and that is exactly what String League is about. Lacrosseman opened our minds to new ideas, and was a true champion of the game.

We caught up with last year’s winner to ask him how life as the reigning String League Champion was treating him. We asked him what helped him get to the top of the leader boards last year, and what his advice is for the Season 2 contestants.

String League Advice From LacrosseMan

There you have it! Take Chris “LacrosseMan” Wilson’s advice, and BE THE BEST. It’s an honor and it can do wonders for your name or company… if you’re into that kind of stuff!

Check out all the String League posts HERE, and get your entries in before February 16th! Instagram, #StringLeague, do it.

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String League 2016 – LAST Chance To Enter!

String League 2016 aka “Season 2” began with our judges calling for quality and functionality over unwarranted creativity. The result was a treasure trove of high level pockets, and talented stringers flooding the @stringleague Instagram page. Obviously we love it! The entries this year have already surpassed season 1 in therms of volume and quality, and there are still a couple days left to enter.

String League 2016 Entries… SO FAR!

Personally, I have been thoroughly impressed with what has come through the pipe this year. We have traditional wooden sticks sitting along side modern mesh pockets, and each of them stand on their own in terms of their quality and skill. We have also seen a return of the Hybrids. My firm originated the Mesh-X, so when I see younger stringers reworking mesh into a pocket it takes me back. Innovation has used mesh and traditional in ways we never would have imagined in the early 1990’s, and it is great to see. Heck, it’s downright inspiring!

The final days of the String League 2016 Open Entry will be the busiest. Countless Stringers rush to get their final entries in, and the @stringleague Instagram will be packed with talent. As we come to the end of our entry segment we wanted to layout the weeks to come. Here is an overview of the competitions, their judges, and of course the prizes.

LaxAllstars.com is your home for all things String League Season 2!

Every Friday we will be posting the weekly competition, the leaderboards, and highlights from this year’s competition. We have hundreds of entries to sort through, and from what we have seen so far, you all have brought your stringing game up to the next level.

Some people have had issues with their stuff not being re-posted and entered. Here are some tips to insure you get your pocket entered.

a. Make sure you post a video. No video = no entry. The video shows us that it was your pocket, and reduces fraudulent entries.

b. Double check that you are using the ‘#stringleague’ when you enter. This needs to be on your video and any images you post.

c. If you believe you did all of this and you still have not seen your entry, just re-enter it, and double check all of the qualifications.

Still need to enter?

TO ENTER you will need to post the following using #stringleague on the old Instagram

1. Video of you stringing your stick – VERY important!
2. Picture of your pocket entry – must be same stick from video!

Open entry ends on February 16th at 5pm.

On Feb 18th the Final Five Contestants will be handpicked by our judges.

We encourage you to explain your pocket. Feel free to mention the brands you used.

Note: Having the most ‘Likes’ does not advance you to finals, but is considered.

Basic Rules:
No stealing other’s work.
Trolls are going to be silenced!
Be nice and no fights.
Anyone found being out of hand will be disqualified.

Now you have a couple days left to enter… so get on it!

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The FINAL FIVE! String League, Season 2

With a record breaking number of entries, String League had to sift through hundreds upon hundreds of posts to find the best for the FINAL FIVE! The field is stacked with some of the most innovative pocket designs I have seen in a long time… The stage has officially been set.

Before moving on, I would personally like to acknowledge every participant for their artistic ability, their courage to show what they have built, and their love for the craft. We are a community, and I can speak for the judges when I say that we take great pride in counting ourselves among you all.

First and foremost, I wanted to make a few honorable mentions. @955matt, @ncspurgin, @oldschool_lax, and a few others, were all in the running up until the final moments.

Honestly, there were at least 30 that had a shot at the final five, but in the end we had to choose, and you made our jobs HARD.

So without extending the wait here are your String League Final Five!

SL Season 2 – FINAL FIVE!

So where does String League go from here? In the month to come the members of our Final Five will test their skills in weekly challenges. Our judges have engineered unique contests that will determine who our Season 2 Winner will be! In week one the Stringer’s will have to limit their resources by using only one continuous sidewall string. Joe and the guys over at Throne Lacrosse have hooked our String Leaguers up with the brand new Throne Fiber Mesh System and STX has given each of the contestants a brand new Duel.

For those of you who are wondering, here is how the point structure will work.

1st place win = 9 points

2nd place win = 6 points

3rd place win = 3 points

4th place win = 1 points

5th place win = 0 points

Congratulations to the String League Season 2 Final Five, and thank you to everyone for supporting a great event. Every entry helps us make this event as special as it is, and good entries for Season 2 will only HELP your efforts for Season 3, if you didn’t make the cut this year.

String League WILL ROLL ON! Stay up to date on all the Season 2 String League challenges and rankings HERE, and on the String League Instagram account!!!!!

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String League – Week 1: Throne Challenge Results

Welcome to String League’s Week 1 Throne Challenge Recap! Throne Lacrosse threw down the first of SIX challenging gauntlets, and our stringers responded with vigor. We’ll recap this week’s competition, provide a new leaderboard for Season 2, and show off the amazing work of all five contestants!

Week 1: Throne Challenge Results

When you only have one string at your disposal, how do you produce something functional?

That is the question that Joe Williams, Founder of Throne Lacrosse out of Brooklyn wanted answered. The Throne Lacrosse crew took on the task of hosting the first of 6 competitions during Season 2 of String League. They set the tone by giving the stringers an awkward challenge and judging their reaction.

The Throne Lacrosse crew has always been a heavy supporter of innovative stringing ideas, and sometimes challenge create ingenuity. They are active on social media and follow many amateur stringing accounts. There is good chance that if you are making sick pockets, Joe and the Throne staff are probably watching you do it. Their consistent grass roots focus allows them to relate to our contestants, and analyze their entries.

In the end it was @flstringer who took home the first Gold of Season 2, as well as the lion’s share of the points. Here is how the leaderboard currently stands:

Brooklyn’s finest told me repeatedly how difficult it was to choose a final winner. As a judge myself, I can say that it is never easy. But these guys really did string up some amazing sticks.

In the end, what set @flstringer apart from the crowd was his attention to the material given. Every one of the stringers was given the brand new Fiber Stringing system and a STX Duel. Every contestant did their best to make a pocket that worked for them. @Richie_b_77 had arguably the most dialed in stringing set up, but @flstringer made a pocket to fit the head, and that helped him take the points.

After all, the STX Duel is a position focused head. The Faceoff specific head went unaddressed by 4 out of the 5 contestants. Since everyone was able to produce a quality pocket that fit their needs, Throne Lacrosse had to pay credit to the only String Leaguer who really paid attention to the nitty gritty details. When everyone can string this well, little things can make all the difference.

@flstringer completed the competition, and then took his design into even further detail.

Obviously, come back in the weeks to come for more great String League action!

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SL – Week 2: RedStar Hardware Challenge

Welcome to the RedStar Hardware Challenge for the second String League Competition of Season 2! This one really pushes the boundaries of creative stringing!

The original lacrosse stick materials were sourced from nature, and components such as animal hide, hickory, and other organic materials were used exclusively. The originators of this art form used what was available to them, and made the best crosse they could. Tom Ledin from Red-Star Lacrosse has pressed our String Leaguers’ ability to be resourceful. The goal was to see what they could come up with when all of the familiar tools of the trade were taken from them.

The Hardware Store Challenge provided both opportunities and hindrances. The goal was to make a pocket entirely out of supplied found at any Home Depot or Lowes. As our contestants showed us, there were many materials were suitable for the construction of a lacrosse pocket. Chains, wires, and even flashlights were used to build out one of a kind, never before seen lacrosse pockets. There was a seemingly endless array of supply choices and design options, and all five contestants put forth impressive entries. Of course they did, these guys are all SUPERB stringers!

This task was in no way made easier by the surplus of creative materials. The problem of making the pocket functional loomed over every String Leaguer, and while it is safe to say that every one of our Final Five succeeded, we can see that it took a great deal of ingenuity to do so. There are no standard ways to connect these pieces together, nor is there any standard way to secure the pocket to the head.

When reviewing such a project, take the time to look at how the parts connect to one another, and finally how the pocket connects to the head itself. This is the true test of skill. Look closely, because you have never seen anything like it before.

RedStar Hardware Challenge Video

At the end of contest #2, Tom Ledin has left the leader board close to how he found it. @FLstringger is representing Florida by pulling a little further into the lead, while @Richie_b_77 and @lacrosse_works stand tied, both having a silver and bronze. With a gold being work 9 points the tables can easily turn, and the contest is not even half way over.

With Stylin Strings coming up next week, Frank (Frankie Fingers) Stanley will see how they adapt to the ever changing world of lacrosse mesh. It is time to see how they handle the STX knot Mesh. Check out older episodes of String League Season 2 HERE!

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Knot Mesh Challenge – String League!

Welcome to the Knot Mesh Challenge!

As String League moved into the half-way point, we see a major swing in the competition. The firm lead that was held by @Flstringer is now a tie for first, which he shares with @Richie_b_77. It was an exciting week as our String Leaguers literally tore apart the new Knot Mesh from STX Lacrosse.

The goal was to see how these stringers reacted to the one constant, change. New materials come and go in the lacrosse pocket stringing industry. It is a driving force of innovation and spawns many new ideas and concepts. The most influential innovation to hit our art form over the last decade was waxed mesh.

Knot Mesh Challenge Video

It has since given way to unwaxed mesh pieces that are made of high end, meticulously sourced fibers. The common theme between these two mesh types are rooted in the desire to battle uncontrollable weather conditions. We have all watched this evolution play out on the fields, on social media, and even in our own pockets.

The STX knot mesh is a promising new concept, but as with all things, there are some hang ups. The mesh is not symmetrical. This means that the left and right sides differ from one another. Stringers have been sharing ideas as to how to best counter this new and uncommon feature, and many great solutions have popped up. In this challenge we will test the stringer’s approach to this new technology.

Let me state that all for these pockets are top notch, but what really brought this home for @Richie_b_77 was the originality of his pocket.

Richie untied the piece of knot mesh he was given, and he re-purposed the resulting strands back into the pocket’s design. I have never, in all my years, seen someone use the base fibers of a mesh piece as string. The pocket addressed the symmetrical issues inherent to the mesh piece, and did so with a sense of both minimalism and creativity.

Check out our older String League competitions HERE:

http://laxallstars.com/string-league/

We’ll be back next week with more great String League action!

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Drop Top Challenge! String League Rolls On!

Welcome to the Drop Top Challenge for String League!

When a player wants to shorten the length of their pocket, effectively quickening the release, then a Dropped Top String is a good option. This stringing style has taken hold over the last few years. Many, including yours truly, credit the Native American stringing community with the popularization of this technique.

Connor Wilson, the face of Lacrosse All-Stars, focused the String Leaguers’ creativity towards creating their own version of the dropped top string design. Any long term pocket stringer will tell you that most of the eccentric stringing techniques don’t actually serve a purpose. It is easy to come across something that “looks cool” but does very little to aid the player.

Whenever I see an incredibly complex pocket design, I stop to ask myself, “Is that just for show or does it change how the pocket works?”

The dropped top string design is one of the rare instances where something is both visually unique, and functionally significant. Our stringers were tasked to make a functional pocket, while pushing the creativity of the pockets.

Drop Top Challenge – String League

In an attempt to win the 4th competition of Season 2, last week’s winner @Richie_b_77 modeled his color scheme after a can of Arizona tea, McLaxstrings went very patriotic, and FLStringer threw a star at the top of a decked out traditional. Over all the creativity was tremendous.

The leader board has switched for the first time all season. Richie_b_77 moved up with the points he took from second place, knocking @flstringer to a close second.

There are two more weeks left in the challenge. Next episode we head south to Maryland. Greg over at East Coast Dyes will be testing the stringers on their ability to use micro mesh, an old and abandoned piece of pocket technology.

Check out older episodes of String League, HERE.

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Micro Mesh ECD Challenge – String League!

Greg from East Coast Dyes came up with the fantastic ECD Micro Mesh Challenge for this week of String League, and our contestants killed it with their entries!

What if all you had to work with was something that the stringing community had already abandoned? Greg from East Coast Dyes aimed to find out, so in this week’s challenge, each String Leaguer was forced to use a long-forgotten mesh design called Micro Mesh.

Have you ever heard of Micro Mesh? No? Well you are not alone. Many mesh prototypes have come and gone, and Micros Mesh is one of them. Innovation doesn’t always take hold. The stringing community is quick to wither champion or damn new mesh ideas and because of this we have seen countless mesh pieces and designs go the way of the dodo. Micro Mesh is accompanied by 9 Diamond Mesh, Ruby Mesh, Hemp Mesh, Carbon Fiber Mesh (which may have taken new life in the Warp), 17 Diamond mesh, as well as countless others.

A common theme has extended throughout this competition. When our stringers are using something that they are unfamiliar with, or something that they straight up do not like, they tear it apart and reinvent the product. This was always part of the pocket stringing art medium, but in the last few years I have seen stringers shake off the fear of repurposing items, and really make it a staple of our community’s culture.

ECD’s Micro Mesh Challenge

As the final competition looms over the String Leaguers, the leaderboard is prone for change. The final challenge is worth double the points and 4 of our 5 contestants could still pull into the top spot. This season has resulted in a close competition!

Points have been grouped in such a way that it is still anyone’s game. The final competition will be hosted by a special guest judge, so we hope to see you back here next Friday for the conclusion of String League Season 2, and the announcement of our String League Champion!

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Season 2 Finals – String League!

Welcome to the Season 2 Finals of String League! What happens when you gather five of the best stringers, give them absolutely no rules, and let their creativity shine? The result is a slew of top notch and innovative traditional pockets that would have been unthinkable 10 years ago.

Chris Wilson was tasked with judging the final challenge of the 2016 season. As the reigning champion we thought it was only fitting that he weigh in on what has been an epic and intense season. Due to the level of skill shown in every entry, @lacrosseman was forced to base his decisions on the most minor of flaws.

His insight and explanation showed his in-depth knowledge of the stringing techniques used. Anyone dedicated to the art of pocket stringing will appreciate the vast amounts of stringing terminology dropped throughout season finale.

Season 2 Finals – String League!

@FLstringer churned out a close victory. @Richie_b_77 was on his heals in the final hours of the competition, and a win in the final week would have taken him to first place. The final competition comes with double the points, making the leaderboard in flux. It was up to @lacrosseman to decide between the two leading men. @FLstringer transitioned between multiple techniques flawlessly, and it was enough to tip the scales into his favor, but just by a hair.

I think that is what I love most about doing this competition. Stringers today are so good that these competitions boil down to the smallest of flaws. These imperfections (for lack of a better word) are so minute that any of our judges could easily make the same mistake on any given day.

This shows the maturity of this art form, and it shows how it has solidified into a respected and important part of our game. After all the years I have spent making lacrosse sticks, it is very inspiring to know that it will never get stale, and that people like these String Leaguers will keep pushing the envelope.

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Floating Sidewall Pita Pocket – USA

We teamed up with StylinStrings to offer FIVE Limited Edition Floating Sidewall Pita Pockets, and these things are MINT! Here’s a little more info and background on this LE product we’re proud to have helped produce.

While I love stringing, there is no way I could offer out my services to people. I simple don’t have the time. StylinStrings, on the other hand, strings professionally, so the idea of them stringing up pockets I like to string made a lot of sense. We have a bunch of pockets up on their website already, but this Floating Sidewall Pita Pocket is definitely something special.

Floating Sidewall Pita Pocket – Limited Edition

Pick one up before they’re all gone!

Now, I want to be clear about something here:

The floating sidewall pita pocket is NOT something I designed.

First off, let’s start with a little background on the pocket! The first floating sidewall pita I ever saw was in the hands of Jay Spatafora, an Nassau CC player who would go on to play for the Arizona LaxCats in the MCLA. It was perfect, and it had been strung up by John Basti, who is now the Head Coach at D1 Sacred Heart. He was an assistant at Fairfield at the time.

Floating Sidewall Pita Pocket – Benefits Explained

The floating sidewalls allow this pocket to become a hammock, and the ball is the person swaying back and forth in the breeze on a summer day. The consistency of a smooth release, the feel of the ball in the pocket, and the narrow channel are all key benefits to this floating sidewall design. The original by John Basti floated the sidewall the whole way, and that works well too, but for durability and a better break-in, I attached the top third of the sidewall to the head.

This pocket offers great hold, excellent consistency, and could quickly become your go-to for traditionally strung pockets. Since no one else was sharing this amazing pocket with the world, I made some slight adjustments to it, and here we are!

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Player Pockets Now Available!

By players, for players. Just like our awesome partners at LacrosseAllStars.com!

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The Player Pockets Theory

A couple months ago, Lacrosse.com asked me to string up a couple of the most popular heads in lacrosse with custom Player Pockets. The idea was to create a highly functional, all-white, no frills, college and high school legal pocket for each head. Lacrosse.com would then take the pockets I designed, and replicate them for sale on their site using String King Type 3 or ECD Hero Mesh.

Since Lacrosse.com is a partner of ours, and since I’m a BIG believer in giving all players a truly functional pocket, I jumped right in, got to work, and came up with seven different pockets, each designed specifically for the head in question. I came up with pockets for defenseman, middies, face off guys, attackmen, and LSMs, and while they all throw dimes and hold well, each pocket also has its own unique value, determined by the head.

When a player I coach asks me to string them a mesh pocket, this is what I do for them. I’ve literally never had a complaint. The pockets work really well. It’s as simple as that. They are NOT flashy, but they are clean. You can’t add in different colored mesh or string, but if you want an all-white pocket that’s going to be your new gamer, check out my new Player Pockets on Lacrosse.com.

Here is a run down of the heads I laced up, and why I strung each pocket they way I did.

The Player Pockets Theory

Nike Lakota U

The Lakota’s top mesh is attached on all six scoop holes, and a channel is created at the mid point of the head. The channel on this pocket goes a little higher than normal, due to a looser top mesh portion, so the two shooting strings truly tug on the ball and give a great snap when shooting. This is a great stick for any midfielder, a true shooter, or an offensive minded longstick as it is both a mid, and mid-high pocket, at the same time.

Under Armour Command

The channelling on the Command’s pocket is not severe, but the pocket does move from high-mid, to mid, to low, and the three shooting strings add to the hold. This is a great stick for quick passes, and offensive QBs, or longsticks who like to move the ball quickly and accurately. It has great feel and touch, but still generates good power on outside shots.

Nike CEO

By stringing the mesh to the outside, the CEO Player Pocket is definitely up to the task of taking face offs, and popping the ball out quickly. With a mid-high pocket channel, and low carry zone, this CEO can also be an offensive weapon! The two high shooters provide snap off the high channel for shots and the hold is there for sure, especially if the heads warps due to taking draws.

Warrior Rabil 2

The Rabil 2 is Rabil’s head, so I designed a pocket that is good for a Paul Rabil-esque player. If you love dodging (nice channel!), shooting hard (snappy release!), and passing (limited whip!), this is your jam. This stick has more hold than most of the other heads I strung, and a little more whip.

STX Eclipse

I love the Eclipse head. It’s light, strong, and a great head. The pocket I put together here is channeled, and it really does not need to be very deep. It can be made deep, but it’s simply not required. It limits rebound, provides great hold, and throws consistent passes. What more could you possibly want?

Maverik Tank

With such a wide head, defenders often string deep pockets, and just hope the refs won’t check their sticks. Why risk it? I strung the Tank with the mesh to the inside, kept the pocket 100% legal, AND added a good amount of hold to a mid pocket, that is ready to vacuum GBs and drop apple on offense. You’ll dangle and then throw dimes.

STX Stallion U 550

The channel on this pocket is so money I almost went no shooters at all, but then I thought about a REALLY hard shot, and how I liked a little added snap down at the end of the release. So I stacked up two shooters really high, got the extra pop I wanted, and still had a stick that gave me “touch” like I couldn’t believe. It’s all sidewalls and channel, and it’s a midfielder’s dream of a mid pocket!

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