Stringing a Traditional Wooden Lacrosse Stick

Select the type of nylon and leather strings you want to use for the netting of your lacrosse stick. Traditionally these will both be white. There are two general types of nylon strings to choose from -- coated and uncoated. The coated strings are firmer and are generally used by intermediate and advanced players. Uncoated strings are recommended for beginner use, as they are easier to string and maintain. All lacrosse gear manufacturers offer the same variety of leather straps, and they do not differ much from one another. You will also need to decide on a pattern for your net. Newer lacrosse sticks and netting kits have a pre-prepared mesh pattern for easy installation; however, traditional sticks require a simpler pattern. These are almost always diamond shaped, but they vary in the number of diamonds formed. Your choice of pattern should reflect your playing style and level. Patterns are generally reflective of the various positions played in lacrosse. For example a goalie's stick is strung in a very loose pattern to aid in catching the ball, whereas a forward may choose a tighter stringing pattern to increase shot speed.

Pull the leather strings, often referred to as runners, through each of the holes at the top of the head, and attach each one at the throat, or bottom, of the head. These will serve as the vertical base to which the nylon strings will be attached. The tightness of the runners will vary depending on personal preference. Looser straps will result in a deeper pocket. It is important to note that the straps will stretch a little over time, altering the pocket size. One way to avoid this stretching is to wet the straps and stretch them manually before attaching them to the lacrosse stick.

Starting at the topmost hole on the sidewall of the head, weave the nylon string through the hole and between the leather runners. Continue weaving and twisting the nylon string until you have accomplished desired pattern.

After weaving the nylon string all the way from the top of the head to the throat, tie off the ends of the sidewall strings in knots, use the scissors to cut off the excess and then seal the knots with a lighter. Do not melt too much of the knot when sealing as this will undermine the strength of the string and can result in tearing.

Using leftover nylon string, attach four shooting strings horizontally towards the top of the netting. These strings determine how the ball sits in and releases out of the pocket. The topmost of these should be very tightly strung, becoming slightly looser as you work your way down.