Lacrosse head pocket and related method of manufacture

A method of making a lacrosse head with an integral pocket, the method comprising:

• providing a first spool having wound upon the first spool a continuous first strand constructed from at least one of an aromatic polyamide and an ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene;
• providing a second spool having wound upon the second spool a continuous second strand constructed from a thermoplastic polymer;
• joining the first strand and the second strand with an automated knitting machine;
• knitting on the knitting machine a lacrosse pocket including a pocket outer perimeter constructed from the first strand, the pocket outer perimeter including a perimeter flange that is at least 2.0 mm in width, the lacrosse pocket including a middle pocket having a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape adapted to snugly hold a lacrosse ball therein, the middle pocket being located within the pocket outer perimeter and constructed from the second strand, the lacrosse pocket defining a side to side width taken perpendicular to a pocket longitudinal axis, the side to side width being greater between the middle pocket and a scoop pocket portion than in the middle pocket, the pocket outer perimeter curving outwardly in transitioning from the middle pocket toward the scoop pocket portion;
• defining in the middle pocket a bullseye opening that is shaped and sized to at least partially restrain the lacrosse ball within the middle pocket, the bullseye opening being bounded by a first vertical element on a first lateral side of a pocket longitudinal axis, a second vertical element on a second, opposing lateral side of the pocket longitudinal axis, and at least one join element extending transverse to the longitudinal axis, connecting the first vertical element and the second vertical element, the first and second vertical elements each having a width;
• defining a plurality of locator pin openings in the perimeter flange during the knitting process;
• removing the lacrosse pocket from the knitting machine;
• placing the perimeter flange in a mold, the mold defining a scoop mold cavity, a sidewall mold cavity and a base mold cavity so that the pocket outer perimeter is simultaneously disposed in each of the scoop mold cavity, the base mold cavity and the sidewall mold cavity;
• securing a plurality of mold locator pins within respective ones of the plurality of locator pin openings to hold the lacrosse pocket perimeter flange a preselected distance within the respective scoop mold cavity, sidewall mold cavity and base mold cavity;
• introducing a molten material into the scoop mold cavity, the sidewall mold cavity and the base mold cavity so that the molten material becomes impregnated within the perimeter flange, flowing between interlooped portions of the first strand within the perimeter flange, with the molten material extending from a first surface of the perimeter flange that faces generally toward the pocket longitudinal axis, to a second surface of the perimeter flange that faces generally away from the pocket longitudinal axis;
• allowing the molten material to cure to form a lacrosse head having a scoop disposed in the scoop mold cavity, a sidewall disposed in the sidewall mold cavity and a base disposed in the base mold cavity, and
• removing the lacrosse head from the mold with the lacrosse pocket projecting downward from the lacrosse head and being integrally molded therein.

A method of making a lacrosse head with an integral pocket, the method comprising:

• simultaneously knitting on a knitting machine a lacrosse pocket outer perimeter including a perimeter flange having a first knit pattern along with a lacrosse middle pocket having a second knit pattern, the lacrosse middle pocket having a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape, the middle pocket being located within the pocket outer perimeter, the second knit pattern being different from the first knit pattern so that the first knit pattern and second knit pattern exhibit different mechanical properties;
• defining in the middle pocket a plurality of different sized openings during the knitting, each opening being bounded by at least one vertical element and at least one join element;
• removing the lacrosse pocket from the knitting machine;
• placing the perimeter flange in a mold, the mold defining a scoop mold cavity, a sidewall mold cavity and a base mold cavity so that the pocket outer perimeter is simultaneously disposed in each of the scoop mold cavity, the base mold cavity and the sidewall mold cavity;
• introducing a liquid material into the scoop mold cavity, the sidewall mold cavity and the base mold cavity so that the liquid material becomes impregnated within the perimeter flange, flowing between a plurality of interlooped strands within the first knit pattern;
• allowing the liquid material to cure to form a lacrosse head having a scoop disposed in the scoop mold cavity, a sidewall disposed in the sidewall mold cavity and a base disposed in the base mold cavity, and
• removing the lacrosse head from the mold with the lacrosse pocket being integrally molded therein.