rules overview...

[TheKeeper]

Oh dear, i fear that i'm venturing into dangerous grounds...THE GIRLS FORUMS! AHH! haha, just kidding, but heres the thing, i just got a job at a store that has been specializing in soccer equipment for god knows how long, and is now moving into lacrosse. So they're having me "head up" the lacrosse department, to help them to direct what they should buy and what not. Anyways, i know just about everything about guys lacrosse, but not a thing about girls. Since This forum has been lacking my question is what are the general rules for girls lacrosse? And, my other question is, I have to come up with some sort of product list, so what do you girls think is the best stuff?

[sumSum]

I figure I'll start this off with the whole products idea. Depending on who you ask there are three levels of lacrosse players and there is gear specific to each level, though it can cross levels and be used by anyone. Here's what I would advise based on what is available/will be available in the future.

Beginner
DeBeer:
Response*, Storm*

STX:
Checkmate*, Echo*, Comet*, Spitfire, T92

Warrior:
Diva

Brine:
WMX*, Cup, Netfinder, Hotshot

Intermediate
DeBeer:
Apex*

STX:
JA-7, Impact*

Warrior:
Venus, Vixen

Brine:
Tsunami, Xcel, Typhoon

Advanced
DeBeer:
Impulse*, Tempest*, Apex

STX:
Impact, Factor*, Whiplash, Surge*

Warrior:
Jett

Brine:
Synergy, Tenacity

Again, anyone can use these heads at any level. The only reason that some of them are not reccomended for developing and beginning players is because certain sticks are better for learning with. They enable you to learn proper stick skills and improve on them without the benefits of a lower sidewall with less ball protection. I put an asterix by the heads I reccomend from each company. Shaft wise, in the women's game lighter is better, same as the mens. We dont usually need the strong shafts the men do though, because we have different needs checking-wise. So I would reccomend telling the younger and beginning players to just get any regular aluminum shaft, maybe a custom alloy one like STX's or DeBeer's 7000 Triax if they really want it and can afford it. As players get better or get more experience they should go for the lightest (and also usually strongest) they can afford as these shafts allow faster shots. Oh, one more thing. My own personal belief is that new players start off with traditional stringing then move up to synthetic, like the Trakker Pocket or new Web-X pocket from Brine. Hope this helps!

[laxchc11]

Great review all in all. One thing I don't agree on: The Surge. This stick should under no circumstances be bought. It's a waste of money for a stick that has poor performance. I bought the stick and within 2 weeks of play the polymer was peeling off the sidewalls and became useless. This was with gentle use (before our season even started). If you absolutely need a stick w/ fused rubber, then get the Tenacity... better use of your money, is super light and has accurate catching and throwing. But on everything else, Sumsum did a great review!

[hankooklax]

yeah i have had a lot of bad reviews on it.. and teh guy's fuse def suxs butt

[sumSum]

I personally think the "fused polymer" shiz is BS but the head itself is very nice. Also, when I threw around with it I found the pocket to be the sweetest I'd played with in a long time so thats why I reccomend it be put in the review. It catches and releases very smooth and soft. A true Trad pocket...I think STX calls it something like Power V Stringing but from what I can tell its basically just a little bit of a variation of Trad.

[laxchc11]

yeah, thats true. It's an interesting stringing of the Trad but i hated how it threw and caught. Very odd feeling and not very smooth on release. Try the Web-X by Brine when it comes out to the public. Very sharp/accurate and I have never been able to catch w/ such ease before. I guess the money issue bugs me the most about the Surge. You're paying a LOT of money for very small and mediocre results. (This is all my opinion... heck, what do I know)

[hankooklax]

yeah... money should translate into function. ie crap should cost crap. ... on the subject of the web x ... i'm still skeptical about how that is goona work. IT seems like a good pocket but i dont know how well it will shoot or catch

[laxchc11]

its like a trakker pocket in form and function.... I was skeptical at first, but it proved to very accurate. I wrote a review on it, if you want to know about my experience w/ the pocket: http://www.laxnation.com/home/displayarticle.php?category=womens&title=tenacity&articleid=114

hope everyone had a great Christmas!

[hankooklax]

dats you.. wow.. yeah i read the article already. its a great aticle. IT does sux that it throws toe the left though.. i have to admit it has to be pretty good.. I'll see what kind of response i get when i start stringing them

[sumSum]

I like my Trakker Pocket, dont get my wrong. I play in the mud and rain a lot so its helpful in that respect but I think the synthetics do not have the same give and release as the all leather trad's do. The next head I get will be either Trad or maybe Trakker Pro so I get a little bit of a mix. Its my understanding the Web-X is synthetic. Am I right?

[JustLaxin]

After working in a lax store for three years, and coaching youth lacrosse for five...some of those I really dont agree with.

Dont ever start someone with a STX checkmate, echo, or arc
If they move onto a stick that has a low sidewall and an offset head, they will be unable to throw and catch...its like relearning how to play. Not to mention that many kids get frustrated and dont wnt to play anymore because it is like trying to learn how to play lacrosse with a tennis racket.

It is a bit pricey, butfrom experience...girls who start playing with something like the Apex seem to have much better results than ones who play with other things.

Beginner:
Tell the customer to look for something with a low sidewall and a thin lip. This will allow for a larger pocket which makes throwing and catching easier thus the player does not get frustrated. The thin lip allows the player to learn how to scoop properly as well as easily.

Intermediate:
Someone who is looking to take their game to the next level and are also interested in playing for a longer period of time can look into a stick with a low sidewall as well as maybe even looking into the off set head.

Advanced:
The advanced player usually knows exactly what they want, normally they will just have questions about the differences in the sticks.

[laxchc11]

The Web -X is 100% synthetic (there is a little bit of leather on it tho). I was kinda leery about using it too when i first got the stick, since I had only used traditional stringing up to that point. I was surprised on how well it catches and throws (and my throws tend to go to high normally. This stick seemed to help out w/ that) I just like the feel of it in general. The Impulse came w/ the trakker pro and I'm interested in seeing how that works out. I haven't been able to play around w/ that stick yet, excluding the one time I got to play wall ball before I left for break. Hopefully over the next few days I'll be able to play w/ it and compile enough playing for a review. Let me know what you guys want me to go over with that stick (if theres anything in particular). Guess I'll have to put the fact that debeer gave me a mid-sized shaft out of my mind. Can't stand anything besides a full sized. Oke doke, enough of my rambling, but i am serious about letting me know what to include in my review. :-)

[sumSum]

You could always put a shaft you already have on it. What shaft did they send you?

Ground balls, ball protection, throwing (especially because of the new scoop), flex/strength/stiffness, weight, and how it works compared to other heads (how easy it would be to adjust to) are all things you could put in a review.

[laxchc11]

yeah, i covered most of that kind of stuff in my Tenacity review, i just didnt know if there was anything additional that ya'll wanted.

They sent me the mid-sized triax. Its ok, I guess, but I think after the review I'll switch it w/ the full-sized Flip Grip that Brine sent me w/ the Tenacity. I love the full-sized Triax 7000 that I have on my Apex now. I bought it back when i was a middie in HS, so I cut it too short to be practical for a defender. The Flip-Grip is a perfect length and it worked wonders during fall ball.

[hankooklax]

yeah,... leslie.. tell me if you get good reviews on the impulse.. i have a lot of friends who are sick of the surge and want a "good" stick to have to next year