Lacrosse Head Pocket Stringing Systems and Methods

A lacrosse head comprising:

• a juncture configured to receive a handle, the juncture defining 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 and defining a first lower portion when viewed from the side view;
• a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction and defining a second lower portion when viewed from the side view;
• a scoop connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member, having an upwardly facing front face and a downwardly facing rear face,
• wherein the stop member, the scoop, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall form a pocket area extending in a rearward-to-forward direction;
• a plurality of cleats disposed on the first and second sidewalls in a rearward cleat zone of the pocket area, wherein each cleat has a cleat base portion, a first arm extending from a rearward side of the cleat base portion, and a second arm extending from a forward side of the cleat base portion;
• a plurality of sidewall hooks disposed on the first and second sidewalls in a sidewall hook zone of the pocket area disposed forward of the rearward cleat zone, wherein each sidewall hook has a sidewall hook base portion and a hook arm extending from a rearward side of the sidewall hook base portion;
• and
• a plurality of scoop hooks protruding in the forward direction from the front face of the scoop,
• wherein each cleat of the plurality of cleats is configured to hold a stringing member of a pocket wrapped around the cleat base portion and within the first arm and the second arm such that the plurality of cleats forms a ball-retaining pocket portion of the pocket, and
• wherein the plurality of scoop hooks are configured to pull stringing members of the pocket against the rearward sides of the sidewall hook base portions and within the hook arms, so as to tension the pocket between the scoop and the sidewall hook zone and form in the pocket a ball channel that narrows in the rearward-to-forward direction from a rearward side of the sidewall hook zone to the scoop.

A method for lacrosse head pocket stringing comprising:

• providing a pocket having an array of openings;
• providing a lacrosse head having:
• a juncture configured to receive a handle, the juncture defining 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 and having a first lower portion when viewed from the side view;
• a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction and having a second lower portion when viewed from the side view;
• a scoop connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member, having an upwardly facing front face and a downwardly facing rear face,
• wherein the stop member, the scoop, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall form a pocket area extending in a rearward-to-forward direction from a first point on the stop member at the bisecting line to a second point at a distal edge of the scoop at the bisecting line,
• wherein the adjoining scoop and first sidewall form a first shoulder portion of the lacrosse head and the adjoining scoop and second sidewall form a second shoulder portion of the lacrosse head;
• a plurality of first cleats protruding from the first lower portion of the first sidewall at a rearward portion of the pocket area nearest the juncture, wherein each first cleat has a rearwardly-projecting arm and a forwardly-projecting arm;
• a plurality of second cleats protruding from the second lower portion of the second sidewall at the rearward portion of the pocket area nearest the stop member, wherein each second cleat has a rearwardly-projecting arm and a forwardly-projecting arm;
• a plurality of first sidewall hooks protruding from the first lower portion of the first sidewall at a forward portion of the pocket area forward of the rearward portion, wherein each first sidewall hook has a rearwardly-projecting arm;
• a plurality of second sidewall hooks protruding from the second lower portion of the second sidewall at the forward portion of the pocket area forward of the rearward portion, wherein each second sidewall hook has a rearwardly-projecting arm;
• a first anchoring means protruding from the first shoulder portion, wherein the first anchoring means has a rearwardly-projecting arm and a forwardly-projecting arm;
• a second anchoring means protruding from the second shoulder portion, wherein the second anchoring means has a rearwardly-projecting arm and a forwardly-projecting arm;
• and
• a plurality of scoop hooks protruding in the forward direction from the front face of the scoop, and including a first lateral scoop hook disposed on a first side of the bisecting line nearest the first sidewall, and a second lateral scoop hook disposed on a second side of the bisecting line nearest the second sidewall;
• attaching to the first anchoring means a first stringing member defining a first corner opening of a first row and a first column of openings of the pocket;
• attaching to the second anchoring means a second stringing member defining a second corner opening of the first row and a second column of openings of the pocket;
• attaching to each scoop hook of the plurality of scoop hooks a stringing member defining a different intermediate opening of a plurality of intermediate openings of the first row of openings between the first corner opening and the second corner opening;
• attaching to each of the plurality of first sidewall hooks and the plurality of first rearward cleats a stringing member defining a different opening of the first column of openings;
• and
• attaching to each of the plurality of second sidewall hooks and the plurality of second rearward cleats a stringing member defining a different opening of the second column of openings;
• and
• tensioning the pocket:
• from the first lateral scoop hook toward a first sidewall hook of the plurality of first sidewall hooks;
• and
• from the second lateral scoop hook toward a second sidewall hook of the plurality of second sidewall hooks,
• so as to form a ball channel in the pocket,