Lacrosse head having a pinched ball containment area

A lacrosse head comprising:

• a juncture configured to receive a handle, a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline when the lacrosse head is viewed from a side view and a bisecting line when the lacrosse head is viewed from a front view;
• a stop member adjoining the juncture;
• a first sidewall extending from the stop member in a forward direction;
• a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction;
• and
• a transverse wall connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member,
• wherein the adjoining transverse wall and first sidewall form a first shoulder portion of the lacrosse head and the adjoining transverse wall and second sidewall form a second shoulder portion of the lacrosse head,
• wherein the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion define an inside widest point of the lacrosse head perpendicularly across the bisecting line when viewed from the front view,
• wherein the first sidewall has a first longitudinal portion extending longitudinally with respect to the bisecting line and a first lateral portion extending from the first longitudinal portion to the first shoulder portion laterally with respect to the bisecting line,
• wherein, when viewed from the front view, the first longitudinal portion and the first lateral portion meet at a first interior elbow portion at an angle within a range of about 60 degrees to about 130 degrees,
• wherein the second sidewall has a second longitudinal portion extending longitudinally with respect to the bisecting line and a second lateral portion extending from the second longitudinal portion to the second shoulder portion laterally with respect to the bisecting line, and
• wherein, when viewed from the front view, the second longitudinal portion and the second lateral portion meet at a second interior elbow portion at an angle within a range of about 60 degrees to about 130 degrees,
• wherein the lacrosse head defines an overall length along the bisecting line from an inside point on the stop member to a top outside point on the transverse wall,
• wherein the first interior elbow portion and the second interior elbow portion are disposed forward of a midpoint of the overall length,
• wherein, when viewed from the side view, the first sidewall defines at the first interior elbow portion a first downward protrusion that protrudes from a first lower edge portion of the first longitudinal portion of the first sidewall that is adjacent to and rearward and upward of the first downward protrusion so as to define a first recessed area, and the second sidewall defines at the second interior elbow portion a second downward protrusion that protrudes from a second lower edge portion of the second longitudinal portion of the second sidewall that is adjacent to and rearward and upward of the second downward protrusion so as to define a second recessed area, and
• wherein the first recessed area and the second recessed area are configured to receive, during a draw, an opposing transverse wall of an opposing lacrosse head placed back-to-back with the lacrosse head such that the first downward protrusion and the second downward protrusion reach into the opposing lacrosse head and hold a lacrosse ball between the first downward protrusion and the second downward protrusion and closer to the lacrosse head than the opposing lacrosse head.

A lacrosse stick for controlling a ball having a diameter, the lacrosse stick comprising:

• a handle;
• and
• a head including
• a juncture configured to receive the handle, a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline when the lacrosse stick is viewed from a side view and a bisecting line when the lacrosse stick is viewed from a front view;
• a stop member adjoining the juncture;
• a first sidewall extending from the stop member in a forward direction;
• a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction;
• and
• a transverse wall connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member,
• wherein the adjoining transverse wall and first sidewall form a first shoulder portion of the lacrosse head and the adjoining transverse wall and second sidewall form a second shoulder portion of the lacrosse head,
• wherein the first shoulder portion and the second shoulder portion define an inside widest point of the lacrosse head perpendicularly across the bisecting line when viewed from the front view,
• wherein within a distance from the widest point in a rearward direction equal to about half of the diameter, a first interior elbow portion of the first sidewall and a second interior elbow portion of the second sidewall define a ball containment width equal to or less than about 1.8 times the diameter,
• wherein the lacrosse head defines an overall length along the bisecting line from an inside point on the stop member to a top outside point on the transverse wall,
• wherein the ball containment width is disposed forward of a midpoint of the overall length,
• wherein, when viewed from the side view, the first interior elbow portion defines at the ball containment width a first downward protrusion that protrudes from a first lower edge portion of the first sidewall that is adjacent to and rearward and upward of the first downward protrusion so as to define a first recessed area, and the second interior elbow portion defines at the ball containment width a second downward protrusion that protrudes from a second lower edge portion of the second sidewall that is adjacent to and rearward and upward of the second downward protrusion so as to define a second recessed area, and
• wherein the first recessed area and the second recessed area are configured to receive during a draw an opposing transverse wall of an opposing lacrosse head placed back-to-back with the lacrosse head such that the first downward protrusion and the second downward protrusion reach into the opposing lacrosse head and hold the ball between the first downward protrusion and the second downward protrusion, within the ball containment width, and closer to the lacrosse head than the opposing lacrosse head.