Men's High School Stick Guide
The good stuff
Lacrosse can be expensive. It's so frustrating as a parent and coach. We recommend a few general guidelines to find a reasonable balance.
- If you like the way your stick looks, you will want to pick it up and play outside of practice. Playing outside of practice makes all the difference.
- Gear doesn't have to be the latest and greatest. It just has to catch, cradle, and throw. All else fades away when you win a hard-fought ground ball or put the ball in the back of the net.
- Beginner gear is bad for beginner players. The low-cost gear from a local big box is tempting. The issue is low-cost gear is also likely to be low quality. After a few practices, super low-cost gear starts to break down, and players struggle to learn the fundamentals of catching, cradling, and passing. The head will warp and flex. The pocket won’t be strung well and will bag out quickly. Gear does not need to be the latest and greatest, but it has to be good enough to catch, cradle, and pass.
Short Sticks
If you don't already have strong opinions about Optiks, Mirages, or Stallions or if you think of anything other than lacrosse when someone mentions Surgeons and DNA, then we recommend a solid complete stick purchase. A reliable go-to is The Powell Switchback Complete
There is no comparable value at $135. The Pioneer II head is durable and reliable. The Powell pocket can handle pre-season rainy nights and plays well all season. The color options offer a personal flair. Pro tip - Powell offers 25% discounts during big holiday and spring sales.
The StringKing Complete 2 Sr. is another popular complete stick build, but has not proven as durable as the Powell Switchback.
If you don't want a complete stick off the shelf, your options are endless. A few things to keep in mind if you’re not already set on a specific build: If you favor a carbon fiber shaft, buy two. It will break.
Make sure you budget for stringing a new head. Most heads are sold unstrung. Getting a new head strung from a retail shop or local stringer can add $50-$80 to any build.
Long Sticks
Offensive players can play with just about any head, it's the pocket that they have to dial in. Defensive players should think about both. Defensive heads are wider to help knock down passes and scoop ground balls, but that can make it difficult to cradle and carry the ball. Defensive heads are stiffer and wont flex or bend when fighting for a ground ball or throwing a check. I see players use every variation of a head and pocket depending on their style of play.
It can be difficult to find complete sticks for defenders.
This pole is a solid, low-cost, complete option:
If you opt to build your own, these are excellent shafts:
https://stringking.com/mens-lacrosse/shafts/a-series-defense/?sku=a-series-defense-380-black
Or
Add any head listed below:
Defenders & LSMs that carry the ball:
ECD Rebel Defense, STX Hammer 1K, or Maverik Havok 2
Close defenders looking for a classic wide-face head:
STX X20, Maverik Tank 2.0
Where to purchase
Shop locally at TRF by LaxNW
Online, the cheapest option is usually SportStop, but also check out Lax.com or Lacrosse Unlimited