Tape to shorten shaft?

[laxn]

I have recently noticed at the college level specifically that a lot of players tape their shafts with a tape end, but instead of at the end of the shaft they do it like an inch up, i've heard that this is to make the shaft feel shorter. Has anyone tried this? Are there any real advantages? Any input would be nice. Here are some pics:

http://www.lax.com/bimages/1796/1

http://www.lax.com/bimages/1796/99

http://www.lax.com/bimages/1796/101

[TigerMiddie08]

advantage: more control
Disadvantage: theres 1 inch thats always sticking out, I dont know how much a defender could do with that, but im sure it wouldnt be too good.

[B1ackout]

to the guy above mes post. as a defender i would love that an inche of shaft offers alot of options. i love hitting the bottom hand and so if there was an inche of shaft to work with i would easily get it caught in my mesh and hopefully yardsale the player or atleast mess up there cradle/shot/pass

[TigerMiddie08]

to the guy above mes post. as a defender i would love that an inche of shaft offers alot of options. i love hitting the bottom hand and so if there was an inche of shaft to work with i would easily get it caught in my mesh and hopefully yardsale the player or atleast mess up there cradle/shot/pass

Thats exactly what I was thinking. Its only helping the defender. If they can mess you up enough with your bottome hand, this is only helping.

[laxn]

Well than why is it popular among so many great players, these examples are just from one game, and its not exactly and inch more like a half inch, but still do you really think a pole could work with that?

[LvIlLeLaX5]

dude its paul rabil and rubeor look and bens numbers i dont think its messing there game up

[laxchance9871]

im thinkin that the little inch at te bottom of the stick would not make that much of a deal at all for deffenders. i might try that tape job on one of my back-ups. im sure it probably doesnt help that much, but oh well.

[spike191]

I read somewhere that it helps with shots, paul rabil uses it alot. As anogther defender there isn't that much you can do with 1 inch of shaft, it doesn't help at all, in game play you aren't able to throw a poke check in that single area that easily. Also, that amount of force nesseary to knock a stck out of a players hands with one in of metal showing is huge. Doesn' help us poles but it should help you shorties

[laxn]

^ Yea thats what I was thinking, helping with shooting though that's a kind of strange thought, I had heard that too but it seems the longer the stick the more leverage and the more powerful the shot. But not sure. I might try it soon

[QBYattackmen15]

i thinkn its just a good laternative to a rubber butt. just use tape instead.

[laxn]

It's a different effect though, because the resistance is higher. I think it would bother my hands but not sure, it might help...

[DaStringer]

i have done it and it gives sometihng to kindve push off of when you shoot

[laxboyJZ11]

I tape about a half inch up my d pole, and I put my hand on it, I feel it allows me to put more power in my pokes and lifts.

[bushleague24]

I was actually wondering the same thing one time, but I read somewhere in an Inside Lacrosse mag that Dave Evans does this to balance out the weight distribution of his stick. It makes sense because most shafts today are extremely light which causes sticks to feel top heavy. That may be the same reason everyone else is doing it.

[duck]

The first guy I actually heard of doing this was David Evans who, in a "Shooting from the Hip" section of IL, said that he saw Barry Bonds using similar tape on his bat. I believe it gives you the feel of a short shaft but since it's only an inch or so up it really doesn't give the defender anything.

[kram941]

I have this on my shart, well had it but ripped all the tape off and going to retape it. When u have ur glove all the way down on the shaft not that much hangs below your hand because there is part of the glove that hangs over the tape wen your fingers are actually on it. I like it because i like the feelin it gives. When you jsut use a regular butt end and ur hand goes to the end of your shaft you can feel the end of the shaft in your hand and just doesnt feel as nice. Its all preferences. Doing it aint going to change your game to much...

[RIT37FO]

i do it. but i cut my sci ti to short and threw a but end on it. it can work the other way too.

[laxgthreeone]

yea,,, actually i tried it on an F15 today its works great the onlly annoying part is if you like holding the bottom of the stick or for a long field pass you could lose a bit of control

[MaKiMaKi13]

its great for one handed wrap checks

[SU22]

if always had my butt end rapped in tape and my friend had his stick with the tape like that and i tried it and i dont like it because i like to have my hand at the very bottom of the stick

[Spartan]

hehehe look at the hopkins guy who is shooting in the last picture. his facial expression is hilarious. as for the tape thing, i dont really like to do it, but its preference

[thekid17]

if you want your stick to feel shorter thro with a d pole for like 15 minutes before ur game and your shorty will feel shorter .

i like the feeling cuz i play both in the game so right after i switch from D to attack i have more control

[tomtom]

That one inch isnt enough for a pole to hit on its own, but if he's lifting it can help to keep the attackman from pulling his hand off the defenders head, making the check "stick" and giving a little extra time to lift and throw him off.

[ML_LAX09]

to the guy above mes post. as a defender i would love that an inche of shaft offers alot of options. i love hitting the bottom hand and so if there was an inche of shaft to work with i would easily get it caught in my mesh and hopefully yardsale the player or atleast mess up there cradle/shot/pass

yea, in the second pic, it looks like the defender lifted the bottom of stick

[swrlax7]

yeah ecspecially when your trailing an attackmen on a groundball and u want to poke check his back hand or shaft u have an extra inch to take advantage of

[FitzGoalie]

i have something similar to that on my goalie stick, but i actually wrap my hand AROUND the donut to give me more stability when i throw. it keeps the shaft from rotating when you put a lot of torque into a clear.