How to Make a No Bounce Lacrosse Ball

When lacrosse is taken indoors, a bouncing rubber ball can be a significant problem for players giving chase. A no-bounce ball is an alternative. These are usually made of a different type of rubber without as much give. This eliminates multiple hops and requires players to improve their passing to keep the ball in the air. A mass-produced "no-bounce" ball might still have a little bounce to it and rebound when it's flung against a hard surface. Instead of buying a commercial ball, a few homemade solutions can resolve the bounce problem.

Instructions

    • 1

      Freeze the ball prior to practicing or playing the game. Cold temperatures will cause molecules within the rubber to contract, the ball less bouncy. Place several lacrosse balls in a freezer set to zero degrees at least 24 hours before playing. Carry the balls to the game in a portable cooler. As the first ball warms, take another from the cooler and introduce it into play during a stoppage.

    • 2

      Wrap the ball in cloth. Material surrounding the rubber lacrosse ball will soften any blow when it hits the playing surface and negate most or all of the bounce. Cover the ball's surface with a scrap of wool or fleece. Stitch the fabric to enclose the ball and keep it in place during play.

    • 3

      Make your own ball from wood, which will not bounce far upon impact, if at all. Enlist the help of an experienced craftsman If you are not a woodworker. Turn a block of wood on a lathe until it is the size of a regulation lacrosse ball -- between 7 3/4 and 8 inches in diameter, weighing about 5 1/2 ounces. Rub the sphere with sandpaper until the surface is completely smooth. Apply a coat of varnish the wood ball, if you desire.