Ball Stop

[GBaschski]

Side note: I DID search for this before posting.
Is a ball stop required to make a stick legal for play? I want to use an old head that I have, but it's missing a ball stop and I don't have another one or know where to get a new one.

[KoachKream]

yes, it is required, when refs check your stick, they check to see if the ball will rool OVER the ball stop
anyone that has strung alot of heads should have a couple extra, pluse ask your coaches

[rilax]

Yes you need one, but if you don’t have one the stick is removed from the game until there is one on it but no other penalty. Just get one before you run into someone who does not understand that and give you a 3 min NR for it. Also before anyone tries to use two ball stops that is a 3 NR.

[staples]

Are there legalations? for the size/thickness of the ball stop?

[CoachRob]

No, there are none in the NFHS rules. I don't know WHY one is required, but the rules are worded such that measurements for the length (not the width) of the head are made with the ball (guard) stop taken into consideration.

I guess if you don't have one, you could put two or three layers of cloth duct tape there and say it is a ball stop. Given the lack of regulations, I don't see a ref tossing your crosse in such a case.

[LowRida]

As long as you have something on the end of your shaft the ref will count it as a stop. Some people on my team use glass bottle caps.

[AZReDWiNG]

As long as you have something on the end of your shaft the ref will count it as a stop. Some people on my team use glass bottle caps.

The thread title reads "Ball stop" not "End cap"

[rilax]

No, there are none in the NFHS rules. I don't know WHY one is required, but the rules are worded such that measurements for the length (not the width) of the head are made with the ball (guard) stop taken into consideration.

I guess if you don't have one, you could put two or three layers of cloth duct tape there and say it is a ball stop. Given the lack of regulations, I don't see a ref tossing your crosse in such a case.


Technically by the rules one think of athletic etc. tape would be fine but two or three layers would be considered two or three ball stops and that is illegal.

[OutBurst]

The thread title reads "Ball stop" not "End cap"

That made my day! :thumbsup:

[Shorelax]

No stop - broken stick - remove from play.

[CoachRob]

Technically by the rules one thing of athletic etc. tape would be fine but two or three layers would be considered two or three ball stops and that is illegal.

I don't think so Rilax. I think one layer is not going to be thick enough to qualify as a stop. The reason i recommend two or three layers is to make it thick enough so that it doesn't simply look like a piece of tape holding together a broken head. A ball stop is roughly 1/8" thick, and that can be achieved with a few layers of cloth or silver duct tape. I don't see how three layers of tape would qualify as three stops.

[laxref39]

Not having a stop is not considered a broken stick but at the stoppage of play the official should tell the player to get a stop before the stick is brought back into play! On the other issue of end caps, a point of emphasis in Philly was to not allow bottle caps as end caps

[Vector_Joe]

Why is there even a rule that you have to have a ball stop?

Is it an advantage thing or a safety thing?

I can't figure out a reason either way.

[Snowman01]

you can purchase them at jimalax.com i think their 50 cents

[whslax1990]

Its a saftey thing. Somthing to do with the ball bouncing of the stick < I dont understand why though. Whats the difference between that and it bouncing off your helmet

[Ghslongpole14]

Its a saftey thing. Somthing to do with the ball bouncing of the stick < I dont understand why though. Whats the difference between that and it bouncing off your helmet

Don't see how a ballstop would fall under the "safety" category, but carry on. Where is LaxRef with his helpful insight and properly cited rules to clarify such troubling questions? :thinking:

[whslax1990]

Don't see how a ballstop would fall under the "safety" category, but carry on. Where is LaxRef with his helpful insight and properly cited rules to clarify such troubling questions? :thinking:

Me neither But a so called ref told me this one time

[Snake~eyes]

I can't tell you why a ballstop is required and its not in the rulebook either. It's just part of the stick.

[LaxRef]

Don't see how a ballstop would fall under the "safety" category, but carry on. Where is LaxRef with his helpful insight and properly cited rules to clarify such troubling questions? :thinking:

Sorry, I was out of town.

The required guard stop at the throat of the crosse must be a minimum of 10 inches from the outside edge of the head to the farthest unexposed edge of the stop. The stop must be perpendicular to the handle of the crosse and wide enough to permit the ball to rest loosely on the stop. The fixed length of the goalkeeper’s crosse head may not exceed 161/2 inches from the outside edge of the head to the farthest exposed edge of the stop.

The stop shall be constructed so that the ball shall touch the stop. The net of the crosse shall be constructed of gut, rawhide, linen or synthetic material and shall be roughly triangular in shape. The longitudinal weaving must be attached to the frame of the stop below the stop, and the stop must be of separate construction.
(snip)
Note 3: All crosses must have a guard stop. A crosse without a guard stop shall not be considered illegal, but, at the next whistle, shall be removed from play until corrected.

I have absolutely no idea what "The stop shall be constructed so that the ball shall touch the stop" means, and no one has ever been able to tell me. When shall it touch the stop?

It's pretty clear that it's not an illegal stick if you don't have a stop, but you need to get it fixed before you bring it back into the game.

I've heard the "no double stop" thing before, but I can't find it in the rulebook.

[LaxRef]

I don't think so Rilax. I think one layer is not going to be thick enough to qualify as a stop. The reason i recommend two or three layers is to make it thick enough so that it doesn't simply look like a piece of tape holding together a broken head. A ball stop is roughly 1/8" thick, and that can be achieved with a few layers of cloth or silver duct tape. I don't see how three layers of tape would qualify as three stops.

If they don't define what a stop is--as you pointed out earlier--how can you say that they're 1/8" thick? Sure, that's what most players have, but you can't use that to constitute a definition. So if someone has one layer of tape, by what rule do you declare that to not be a stop?

And if two layers of tape isn't considered to be two stops, why are two "standard" stops considered to be two stops? (Again, I can't find a rule against two stops.)

The more likely issue is that a player with two stops could have a head length that fails to meet the minimum.

[Shorelax]

Not having a stop is not considered a broken stick but at the stoppage of play the official should tell the player to get a stop before the stick is brought back into play! On the other issue of end caps, a point of emphasis in Philly was to not allow bottle caps as end caps

That is the same procedure for a broken stick. Remove from play and fix before returning.
Right??

[AZReDWiNG]

I don't understand what a ball stop does, exactly.. Does anyone care to explain?

[CoachRob]

If they don't define what a stop is--as you pointed out earlier--how can you say that they're 1/8" thick? Sure, that's what most players have, but you can't use that to constitute a definition. So if someone has one layer of tape, by what rule do you declare that to not be a stop?

And if two layers of tape isn't considered to be two stops, why are two "standard" stops considered to be two stops? (Again, I can't find a rule against two stops.)

I was just commenting on my observations of the sticks on our team. I wasn't saying it NEEDED to be 1/8". But I know one piece of tape is likely to look like you're covering something suspicious.

Glad to have you back from your Easter weekend.

[CoachRob]

I don't understand what a ball stop does, exactly.. Does anyone care to explain?

Stops the ball from rolling out of the crosse head? I dunno exactly in all honesty. It seems kind of a goofy thing to be stuck there on the stick actually. :bye:

[Shorelax]

Stops the ball from rolling out of the crosse head? I dunno exactly in all honesty. It seems kind of a goofy thing to be stuck there on the stick actually. :bye:

Historically - Coach - I think your right. If you remember the old barneys and sams - and some of the early generation plastic heads (brine superlight) - the ball stops were approx 3/8" thick and the ball did make contact with the stop while in the pocket. Guys would put double stops in to hold the ball in better - which is cheating. This was popular with D-guys when the first STX high-walls came out in the early to mid 80's.

Today the stops seem like nothing more than a piece of foam tape. When you do you stick shcek and roll the ball out of the stick - does it hit the stop?? I dont recall - but dont think so. It seems - everything is offset these days and it hits the plastic edge not an insignificant stop.

[LaxRef]

That is the same procedure for a broken stick. Remove from play and fix before returning.
Right??

Well. . .not exactly. If the stick is broken, and you play with it, it's illegal procedure (possession or flag-down, unless you're playing with something dangerously broken and then it's an immediate whistle). I don't see anything here that says "no stop" or "no plug" is a "broken crosse," hence there's no illegal procedure. You just remove it from the game until it's fixed. If you bring it back in without fixing it, it's USC.

[TheKOB]

Well. . .not exactly. If the stick is broken, and you play with it, it's illegal procedure (possession or flag-down, unless you're playing with something dangerously broken and then it's an immediate whistle). I don't see anything here that says "no stop" or "no plug" is a "broken crosse," hence there's no illegal procedure. You just remove it from the game until it's fixed. If you bring it back in without fixing it, it's USC.

We've gotten a 1 min illegal stick penalty for not having one in during a stick check. I'd imagine that if it becomes illegal during the course of play (the ball stop falls out, or the endcap falls off) then they'll need to remove it. If they continue playing with it and an equipment check comes, then the stick would be illegal, 1 min penalty.

[Snake~eyes]

We've gotten a 1 min illegal stick penalty for not having one in during a stick check. I'd imagine that if it becomes illegal during the course of play (the ball stop falls out, or the endcap falls off) then they'll need to remove it. If they continue playing with it and an equipment check comes, then the stick would be illegal, 1 min penalty.
Well it's not penalty if you don't have one during a stick check, it is a penalty if you have two of them.

[Thrillhouse]

At craft stores you can get "foamies" with sticky backs which make good ball stops, you just have to cut them out yourselves. They are the same thickness as Warrior ballstops, which are pretty thin. I think a 8.5x11 sheet was 25 cents.

[LaxRef]

Well it's not penalty if you don't have one during a stick check, it is a penalty if you have two of them.

Can you please cite a rule or A.R. supporting this? Because I can't find it in the rulebook anywhere (I've searched "double," "stop," and "two," to no avail).

It seems to me that a double stop would be covered by the "does the ball roll out of the stick" test, but if it didn't impede the ball I don't see the justification for a penalty.

[Vector_Joe]

Can you please cite a rule or A.R. supporting this? Because I can't find it in the rulebook anywhere (I've searched "double," "stop," and "two," to no avail).

It seems to me that a double stop would be covered by the "does the ball roll out of the stick" test, but if it didn't impede the ball I don't see the justification for a penalty.

At the last ref clinic we had, they didn't say anything about the number of ball stops, only that it can't form enough of a lip that it will keep the ball in when tipping the stick over.

[Snake~eyes]

Can you please cite a rule or A.R. supporting this? Because I can't find it in the rulebook anywhere (I've searched "double," "stop," and "two," to no avail).

It seems to me that a double stop would be covered by the "does the ball roll out of the stick" test, but if it didn't impede the ball I don't see the justification for a penalty.
I know it is illegal, this was covered at our interp. meeting but I'm not sure where to find it in the rulebook. Rilax was oviously given the same rule interp. so maybe he can shed some light on a citatation:
Yes you need one, but if you don’t have one the stick is removed from the game until there is one on it but no other penalty. Just get one before you run into someone who does not understand that and give you a 3 min NR for it. Also before anyone tries to use two ball stops that is a 3 NR.

[laxref39]

We've gotten a 1 min illegal stick penalty for not having one in during a stick check. I'd imagine that if it becomes illegal during the course of play (the ball stop falls out, or the endcap falls off) then they'll need to remove it. If they continue playing with it and an equipment check comes, then the stick would be illegal, 1 min penalty.
In my opinion based on the rule book, no penalty should have been given unless the official had previously told the player in question to put a stop in the stick!

[laxref39]

rule 1-7 article 4 All crosses shall have a gaurd stop. A crosse without a gaurd stop shall NOT be considered illegal, and at the next whistle, it shall be removed from play until corrected.