Goalie Sticks

[Kerosene]

A friend of mine is looking to try out as goalie for our school's lacrosse team. Being that she has never played before in her life, she approached our A.D. and asked him if the school had a goalie stick she could use during tryouts. He responded by saying that we did not, and that if she went out and bought one on her own, he would reimburse her if she kept it as school property. Well, needless to say, she was happy with the idea, her only problem being the fact she has no idea what kind of goalie stick to buy. Here, I need everyone's help in choosing a decent goalie stick for her as I have no idea what's good and bad.

[EndlesFimbulvet]

Your safest bet would either be a Goalmaster or an Eclipse, and you could get a complete stick for around 60 (Goalmaster) or 100 (Eclipse) I think. If she wanted a lighter than aluminum shaft, go with a DB803 a/m length, they are literaly the lightest shaft you can buy, and just buy a strung/unstrung head.

[mullengoal141]

I play goalie and I'm not sure so much about what girls look for in a goalie stick, since they throw so much different from a regular girls stick with a pocket and all that jazz. anyways I use a STX guardian, but have used various others that are a little less expensieve. so I'd reccomend(sp?) an STX goalmaster if you are looking for a cheeper head, or perhaps an eclipse. or since she will be reimbursed go for broke with a guardian(I'm a little biased towards STX heads if ya haven't noticed...)

[goalLAX]

The Brine X-treme is a great womens stick. The stopping area is a little smaller but the offset design is unmatched. Plus they are pritty cheap right now. It is the only one I can stand to play with.

[OldGoalie]

Goalmaster or Eclipse.

[Garor]

The Brine X-treme is a great womens stick. The stopping area is a little smaller but the offset design is unmatched. Plus they are pritty cheap right now. It is the only one I can stand to play with.

I think most goalies would disagree. Very few people like the extreme, and if she is used to throwing with an offset head, get a nemesis. If not, and eclipse or goalmaster will do.

[laxgoalie07]

eclipse with a kryptolyte you cant go wrong at alll and get monster mesh and pound the hell out of it

i always see girl goalies with there sticks and no pocket i dont get it at all i mean if they want ill string it for them

[SEMlax]

i play goal and I have an eclipse and i love it...

[ques]

Seeing the school is paying for it and she has not played goal I would lean towards the cheaper end of sticks. Then if she likes goal give that one back to the school and buy herself a real good one. She will now have a better idea of what she likes and does not like.

[AttackMan17]

For a fairly inexpensive stick, i would say either GM3, or eclipse...and an 803

[SachemsGoalie40]

i'd say an eclipse, most people love them, not a fan of any other head as for a shaft i don't think girls are looking for the lighest shaft but they probably don't want the heaviest shaft either. an STX Axe or Brine F-15 or klyte are pretty good choices just my 2cents

[Garor]

Or she could just buy an aluminum shaft. Those are very cheep, and she won't feel bad when she has to give it back to the school. Lots of goalies use aluminum, it gives the stick a pretty good balance.

[FallIntoIt]

i always see girl goalies with there sticks and no pocket i dont get it at all i mean if they want ill string it for them

There isn't really a need for a huge pocket in women's lacrosse. With soft hands, you can keep the ball from rebounding. Plus, not many girls can clear very well with a deep pocket.... or a shallow one, for that matter.

[FallIntoIt]

Or she could just buy an aluminum shaft. Those are very cheep, and she won't feel bad when she has to give it back to the school. Lots of goalies use aluminum, it gives the stick a pretty good balance.

Agreed. I like my aluminum shaft. It's not like she'll need strength anyway, and I like the weight distribution.

[lilaxgurl23]

If the school is paying for it, get an Eclipse. You really can't go wrong with it. For the shaft, I don't know if I would stick with aluminum, it all depends on how she will play. Both the JV goalie and myself destroyed our aluminum shafts when we first recieved sticks from the school ( I have since moved on, but that's not the point), to the point where I doubt mine is legal and where hers is very close to not being legal. Once again, if the school is paying, just upgrade the shaft a little bit. This way it will probably last not only her time in goal, but probably for anyone else using it after her.

For the pocket, the reason why people see most girls using a shallow pocket is because it's most likely factory mesh. Field players tend to keep their factory strung pockets, so most goalies never realize that it would be to their benifit to restring it, especially if it's soft mesh. You don't need a huge, bag pocket for either mlax or wlax, but it definitely helps. I would reccommend at least a pocket 1 1/2 balls deep. Otherwise the ball tends to move around way too much and it's just not a good pocket. Soft hands is always the solution to rebounds, but a deeper pocket helps. The deeper pocket also helps when out on the field as well.

[threetwogeekay]

I'd go with an Eclipse. I've been playing with one for about 7 years now. I do have a lighter shaft on it, but for a beginner I don't think it makes that much of a difference.

[ChristosKouts]

nemesis+kryptolyte=god

[Shoota]

nemesis+kryptolyte=god

I use a Nemesis at the moment. Hate it. Alot of the NZ squad use either Eclipses or Sentinels. I can easily say I'm going for the Sentinel when I get my chance...

[CelticLaxer]

Avoid the Goalmaster- with all the options out there nowadays, it's probably the worst value.

Best for throwing: Eclipse or Guardian
Best for ball-handling: Eraser or Money
Best mix/all-around: Nemesis or Sentinel

Actually, a combo I would recommend this year is the Warrior ODB head on a 2-degree offset STX shaft- great combo at a pretty good price.

[THE_1protector]

Actually, a combo I would recommend this year is the Warrior ODB head on a 2-degree offset STX shaft- great combo at a pretty good price.

idk if having an offset head would be a good idea for goal. goal heads are much bigger and it will be a huge angle on the stick. if that makes any sense...

[VA_LAX_DAD]

My daughter got one for Christmas and LOVES it. She has used it in several indoor games and outdoors during a couple of recent clinics.

[StuffedYa713]

I'd go with a DB Webb and some sort of alloy shaft- it's what I used when I started out and it helped me know what i wanted in a stick when i went to buy my own. Personally I don't like the Webb very much, but i think its a great sturdy head for a beginner. I think the price is good too, but we don't sell one where I work so I don't really know anymore.

[CelticLaxer]

idk if having an offset head would be a good idea for goal. goal heads are much bigger and it will be a huge angle on the stick. if that makes any sense...

Normally, I'd agree completely. But in the case of the ODB (and, to a lesser extent, the newer Abyss), the head itself is slightly onset, so putting it on the 2-degree offset shaft straightens it up just enough to be just about straight. And together, they have a REALLY nice balance.

[D3Goalie9]

There isn't really a need for a huge pocket in women's lacrosse. With soft hands, you can keep the ball from rebounding. Plus, not many girls can clear very well with a deep pocket.... or a shallow one, for that matter.

nice...

The only reason high school girls goalies have trouble clearing with whip in high school is because no one teaches them to throw properly with a pocket.

throwing with a girls stick you push off from the shoulder. with a guys stick you hold your stick away from your body and away from your shoulder. no one told me that until i started playing with guys a lot after i went to college.

basically there aren't a lot of good goalie coaches in the women's game. however I'm looking to help change that when I finish school.

btw...i don't think you know enough girls goalies to make broad statement that they can't clear with "a shallow one, for that matter." it's a very ignorant, rude thing to say.

[laxgoalie89]

i'd recommend nemesis, im getting mine next week and I can't wait! I'm also going to string it with 12d mesh.
although if you want cheaper, i'd get eclipse or the others although i don't know those very well.