Stick Checks

[lilaxgurl23]

I was curious to how you guys would feel about checking the legality of sticks before the game, like in women's lacrosse. Pretty much if you didn't know, in wlax each team has all their players get in a line and proceed to have each stick checked. What is mainly checked are the pockets and overall length of the stick, anything suspicious regarding width of the head and such may be checked as well (goalie equipment, mouth guards are inspected at this time). If the stick is not legal, the player may attempt to fix the problem and have it rechecked. If it cannot be fixed by game time, it cannot be played with, but it may be rechecked at the half if the problem has been corrected.

Also, umpires have the opportunity to check any head through out the game if they think that it may be illegal. Teams may request one stick check without being penalized whether it is legal or not. However, if they have already requested a stick check in which the stick in question was legal, and then request another one, they may receive a minor foul if the second stick is also deemed legal.

I believe I once read you guys check a stick from each team by the half, and stick checks may be called by the coach, but wouldn't it make sense to check sticks before the game to ensure that all sticks at least start out legal? You wouldn't have to assess penalties for an illegal crosse before the game, as long as they fix it and it passes inspection again (before the game begins and assuming it's fixable). You would still be able to check sticks at your discretion as well if you believe a crosse is illegal at any time, and coaches can continue asking for stick checks.

It just seems like that would be something you would want to check before games. Having an illegal crosse can give a player an advantage, and it may not always be caught. So pretty much I was wondering if you felt this would help the game or if there is a reason as to why this is not, or should not be in mlax.

[RockStar]

Uggh. A handful of random stick checks per game is too many!

Thank God for the Box!

[dram183]

well, it would simply take too long. 25 people per team = 50 sticks at minimum, and most guys have a backup or something so maybe 75-100 sticks per game, which would be way too much.

And to get around this, kids could keep their actual stick in their bag and get their backup checked, then switch.

[TearOWrist]

Well since women's lacrosse is so dependent on thier pockets I agree with the stick checks they have. They use no equiptment, and if they were able to have pockets deeper like men's their shots would get faster and could cause injuries. Basically in women's lacrosse with the minimal stick checks during the game, a short pocket is necessasry. A women playing with an illegal stick is going to be much more productive than a guy playing with an illegal stick in men's rules.

[lilaxgurl23]

well, it would simply take too long. 25 people per team = 50 sticks at minimum, and most guys have a backup or something so maybe 75-100 sticks per game, which would be way too much.

Actually, it does not take that long. There are probably a few more checks in mlax, but it really shouldn't take too long. Back-ups might creat a longer process, but I would say the stick check takes max five minutes, and that's when you have multiple people having to recheck their sticks.

And to get around this, kids could keep their actual stick in their bag and get their backup checked, then switch.

You have to present all sticks you are going to use in a game. If they are not checked in the begining of the game, you may not use them.

Well since women's lacrosse is so dependent on thier pockets I agree with the stick checks they have. They use no equiptment, and if they were able to have pockets deeper like men's their shots would get faster and could cause injuries. Basically in women's lacrosse with the minimal stick checks during the game, a short pocket is necessasry. A women playing with an illegal stick is going to be much more productive than a guy playing with an illegal stick in men's rules.

I have no idea what you're trying to get at with the first statement about wlax pockets not being as fast. You could shoot at the same speed regardless of which stick you are using, you just have to get used to it first. BTW, goggles are used, I would consider them equipment.

On the second note about wlax pockets being shallower and having a deeper one being more "productive", yes, that is true, if they are deep enough. Most wlax sticks however are illegal by a small fraction, not by an inch, nothing that is going to make that big of a difference. Also, having an extra thong or not having enough stiches will really not help one's game. On the contrary, having a pocket that does not allow the ball to come out will affect either game and is something mlax refs check in multiple ways, so I would say it's a pretty big factor in your sticks. Being able to keep the ball lodged in your stick is a pretty big advantage, and just like in wlax, the deeper the harder it is to get out.

[laxfan25]

Lilaxgurl, not a bad suggestion. With what seems like the increasing use of illegal sticks, having the guys line up for a quick check may help eliminate some of the that. It is part of the women's game, so there are no quibbles with it. As you can see, making a change like that in the guy's game would set off howls of protest.
Who knows? Maybe someday the coaches will agree and we'll have a new mechanic put in place. (Not likely tho!) With all the tweaking they keep doing on the faceoff maybe they'll adopt your faceoff procedure too!

[LaxRef]

My idea was to check a stick every time it was used to score a goal. That would really put pressure on the coaches to clean up the illegal equipment, and we'd get good at checking sticks very quickly!

The other thing they need to do is to come up with a template to stick in the head of the crosse. If it fits, the head is legal; if not, illegal. That would eliminate some of the measuring and would kill any radical head shape designs.

[WALaxRef]

While I like Laxref's idea after a goal, we have only so much time to get ready for the next face-off. We, my partners make it point to get to the gamesite early to do our pregame then get on the field for stickchecks and such. This alleviates alot of issues if you tell a player that he cannot play with this stick because its too short or narrow. It also helps in pointing out player A needs to cover the butt end of a stick or trim the laces or the tighten the pocket or whatever adjustment needed before he comes on the field to play. It works in selling the call when I do the recommended stick checks and find out that regardless my instruction to player A, that he used an illegal stick in competition and I sit him down for awhile. Coaches really do not like it when their best midfielder is in the box for 3 minutes AFTER I warned him before the game started.

I do not know where I would carry a template LaxRef? My pockets are already full. Maybe we should go and have a backpack or something.

[RottingMind13]

LaxRef, in an even game or a blowout, i would argue that this would add a lot of excessive time to the game. Being much more important time added at the High School level because they don't automatically have a travel day after a game. If a game is 20-0 or 12-11, having to check length, pocket depth, width of head, etc etc for every stick that scored a goal would add too much more time to a game. Unless there is a way to slightly bend the rule a bit in order to speed it up. If you figure 1 minute for a stick check and all the qualifications then thats an extra half hour to a game for a high scoring affair.

[LaxRef]

It also helps in pointing out player A needs to cover the butt end of a stick or trim the laces or the tighten the pocket or whatever adjustment needed before he comes on the field to play. It works in selling the call when I do the recommended stick checks and find out that regardless my instruction to player A, that he used an illegal stick in competition and I sit him down for awhile. Coaches really do not like it when their best midfielder is in the box for 3 minutes AFTER I warned him before the game started.

I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that a stick missing a butt end or having laces too long or missing a guard stop is not an illegal crosse and does not carry a penalty. This is a common point of confusion. However, if you tell them to fix it and they don't, bringing the stick into the game is a 1:00 NR equipment penalty (the rules don't call it USC specifically, but I guess you could sell USC if you wanted to. Not that it makes any difference except in NFHS).

I do not know where I would carry a template LaxRef? My pockets are already full. Maybe we should go and have a backpack or something.

I think they could make a folding one. Otherwise, you keep it at the scorer's table.

[LaxRef]

LaxRef, in an even game or a blowout, i would argue that this would add a lot of excessive time to the game. Being much more important time added at the High School level because they don't automatically have a travel day after a game. If a game is 20-0 or 12-11, having to check length, pocket depth, width of head, etc etc for every stick that scored a goal would add too much more time to a game. Unless there is a way to slightly bend the rule a bit in order to speed it up. If you figure 1 minute for a stick check and all the qualifications then thats an extra half hour to a game for a high scoring affair.

Well, you're not wrong that it would add some time, but I think we'd get fast. Lead gets the ball, trail grabs the stick, check the pocket, trail takes the ball to midfield, lead does a quick measure then heads to his corner and off we go. It could also be modified to allow the officials to skip the check if the score differential is high unless a coach requests it (or maybe even if the officials are certain they've measured the same stick before).

But, while I think this idea has merit, I don't believe we'll be seeing it implemented any time soon.

[CTLaxer]

I don't think it would add any more time then is needed to setup for a face off in the first place. Players would automatically seek the official to give them their stick. Check for pocket depth and stringing. It takes a few seconds to put the stick on the ground vertically and measure it against their leg. That's what the women's officials do and once you know the min/max length and where it hits on your leg/thigh, it won't take long to do. I think measuring should only be done if the ref eyeballs the stick and it looks too pinched or too wide, and even that only adds a few seconds to grab a set length of string or a small tape measure to quickly do it. All of this is done while walking up to setting up the face off. It could conceivably add maybe 5 seconds to a face off before it starts, but that might be at first until the officials get the motion down and get used to it.

As for checking sticks before a game...once again the women do it and it really only does take a few minutes. Usually it's done during warm ups, not right before the game is to start. There are just as many girls on a team as there are guys, so that argument doesn't hold water. Just bring your sticks and check for the main things. It really doesn't add time.

It could just be a partial stick check, since measuring everything and doing a thorough check, like when a stick check is requested, might take a smidge longer.

I think this is an area where the men's game could really benefit from the women's game. Anything that doesn't mess with the game much and lends itself to make the game more fair and impartial is good in my book...as I'm sure the officials will all agree.

[vesXattack2]

i think that they should keep the stick checks the way that they are right now, the only thing that they could change is check a stick at the end of every quarter and during every time out that is taken in the game. this way there would be no stopage in play but they would still get a good amount of sticks checked, and even if they do check the stick after every goal there would still be kids using illegal sticks during games and i dont think that there would be a way to stop the kids from using those illegal sticks unless every kid has to have his stick checked b4 every game.

but if they did check every kids stick would it be a penalty in the game or would they just not be allowed to use the stick during the game?