1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lacrosse sticks, and more particularly, to a lacrosse stick head having at least one of a flexible stringing member and a recessed scoop.
2. Background of the Invention
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional lacrosse stick 100 having a handle 102 shown in dotted lines and a double-wall synthetic head 104. Head 104 comprises a generally V-shaped frame having a juncture 106, sidewalls 108 and 110, a transverse wall (or “scoop”) 112 joining the sidewalls at their ends opposite juncture 106, and a stop member 114 joining sidewalls 108 and 110 at their ends nearest juncture 106. As shown, handle 102 fits into and through juncture 106, and abuts stop member 114. A screw or other fastener placed through opening 107 secures handle 102 to head 104.
For traditionally-strung pockets (which have thongs and string instead of mesh), thongs (not shown) made of leather or synthetic material extend from upper thong holes 116 in transverse wall 112 to lower thong holes 118 in stop member 114. In some designs, such as the design shown in FIG. 1, upper thong holes 116 are located on tabs 117 of the scoop 112. On other designs, upper thong holes 116 are located directly on the scoop 112. FIG. 1 shows four pairs (116, 118) of thong holes that accept four thongs. To complete the pocket web, nylon strings are threaded around the thongs and string is laced through string holes 120 in sidewalls 108 and 110, forming any number of diamonds (crosslacing). Finally, one or more throwing or shooting strings extend transversely between the upper portions of sidewalls 108 and 110, attaching to throwing string holes 124 and a string laced through string holes 122. A handle or shaft 102 is disposed in juncture 106 of head 104 and is secured to head 104 with a screw or similar fastener placed in opening 107. The typical features of a lacrosse stick are shown generally in Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,495, Crawford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,984, and Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,947, which are all incorporated by reference herein.
Conventional rigid lacrosse heads that string the pocket directly to the rigid frame frustrate a manufacturer's ability to satisfy divergent performance characteristics. For example, to provide better ball control during face-offs or when scooping ground balls, a player may prefer a strong but deformable lacrosse head that returns to its original shape once the deforming force is removed. At the same time, a player may desire a less rigid, vibration-dampening lacrosse head that absorbs impacts to the lacrosse head by other sticks to help prevent a ball from being jarred from the head. With a conventional rigid head that strings the pocket directly to the rigid frame, the manufacturer must choose a material that serves both of these disparate purposes. Although the manufacturer can compensate somewhat for this performance tradeoff by using structural elements (e.g., increasing the thickness of the sidewalls), the practical result of the tradeoff is a lacrosse head that satisfies neither purpose optimally.
There are many other examples of these types of tradeoffs in choosing a material for a conventional rigid lacrosse head. For example, providing the necessary rigidity in a lacrosse head can compromise the ability to provide a dampening pocket. In an effort to deepen a pocket as much as possible, some conventional men's lacrosse heads maximize the height of the sidewalls to the upper limit of 2 inches that is mandated by applicable rules. Unfortunately, maximizing the height of the traditional rigid sidewall does not enhance the flexibility of the pocket in any way. The rigid frame of the traditional lacrosse head can make the overall catching area stiff and unforgiving. Indeed, the only non-rigid component of the conventional men's lacrosse head is the pocket. A sharp jolt to the stick, as often happens when a player is checked, can cause the stiff frame to jerk the pocket and propel the ball out of the lacrosse head. Players would therefore prefer a less rigid lacrosse head that better dampens the pocket to keep a ball in the lacrosse head.
Another example of a performance tradeoff concerns the rigidity of the lacrosse head frame in relation to the tightness of the pocket strings. With conventional rigid lacrosse heads that attach the pocket directly to the rigid frame, the stiffer the material of the head, the less the head flexes or “gives” in response to tension on the pocket. As a result, the pocket in a women's lacrosse head can become excessively tight, such that impact with the ball causes a trampoline effect that makes the ball hard to catch and control. In essence, the pocket, strung on a rigid unforgiving frame, acts like the strings of a tennis racquet and rebounds the ball out of the pocket. This trampoline effect is especially troublesome for women's lacrosse sticks, which have shallower and more tightly strung pockets than men's lacrosse sticks. Again, restricted to a rigid head that attaches the pocket directly to the rigid frame, a manufacturer could use a more energy absorbing material to reduce the trampoline effect. However, using a more energy absorbing material can make the head less rigid and less suitable for accurate passing and shooting, and for protecting against ball-jarring hits.
Thus, there remains a need for a lacrosse head that better satisfies the divergent performance requirements discussed above. In particular, there remains a need for a lacrosse head that possesses the necessary structural support while also satisfying preferences for pocket dampening, ball control and retention, protective cushioning, and light weight.