How to break in a lacrosse stick

Having a broken-in lacrosse stick can make a good player great. A broken-in stick will offer more consistent performance for passing, catching, and shooting. While modern mesh manufacturers such as ECD or StringKing have made mesh that is ready to go right out of the box, there is still a need to break it in before use in game situations. So, in today’s article, we’ll teach you how to break in a lacrosse stick like a pro so you’ll be ready come game-day.

In this article, we’ll cover:

Lacrosse mesh is made out of thousands of fibers, the break in process will stretch these fibers out giving you the most consistent pocket available. A consistent pocket will enhance the sticks overall performance and responsiveness, as well as providing more accuracy on shots and passes. The break in process will also soften the mesh allowing for more control and feel of the ball when stick handling.

The lacrosse stick is made up of three components; the head, shaft, and mesh. Checking these components is important when accessing the stick's usability. The shaft will need replacing if it has noticeable cracks or bends. If the head is severely warped or broken then it’ll need replacing. Also if the mesh is fraying or torn it’ll be time to replace that as well. Choosing appropriate components for different positions is important as well. A defender should have a 60” shaft while a midfielder or attackmen needs a 30” shaft. Also picking an offensive or defensive lacrosse head is important because a defender will easily break an offensive head. 

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Luckily, it doesn't take much to break in modern mesh. All you’ll need is a lacrosse ball, needle nose pliers, and pocket pounder or something similar like a baseball bat or even another lacrosse stick.

Cleaning and Treating the Mesh

Dirty or muddy mesh can definitely affect how it performs. Thanks to the mesh being water resistant, you can easily clean your mesh with room temperature water and dish soap, avoid using hot water as it can harm the mesh if it gets too hot.

There are two main ways to break in a lacrosse stick, the pocket pounder way or the wall-ball way. Today we’ll go over both.

Method 1: Pocket Pounder Break-In Method

1. Untie the Shooting Strings

  • The shooting strings are the strings that look like shoe laces, unto them but don’t remove them. The break in process will tighten these if left tied, making the stick throw down.
  • Remember to re-tie these after the break in process. The shooting strings should remain loose on the mesh to provide accuracy and feel.

2. Pounding Time

  • Using a pocket pounder, the knob of a baseball bat, or the butt-end of a lacrosse stick, begin pounding the pocket.
  • Focus on where you want the ball to sit first, then apply pressure to every part of the mesh to stretch the fibers.
  • There is no need to be gentle, the mesh is made to withstand 100 mph+ shots, so using a pocket pounder will not harm it.

Method 2: Wall-Ball Break-In Method

1. Untie the Shooting Strings

  • The shooting strings are the strings that look like shoe laces, unto them but don’t remove them. The break in process will tighten these if left tied, making the stick throw down.
  • Remember to re-tie these after the break in process. The shooting strings should remain loose on the mesh to provide accuracy and feel.

2. Wall-Ball

  • Using a lacrosse ball, play some wall-ball. Work on anything you need to improve on, strong hand, weak hand, switching hands, quicksticks, or anything else you can think of. As you play, your pocket will naturally break in through use. Thirty minutes of moderate wall-ball should be enough to completely break your stick in.

Don’t forget to check the depth of the pocket when you're done, if you can see the top of the ball under the sidewall strut then your stick is illegal. Tightening up the bottom string will help you shallow the pocket to make your stick legal again.

If the sidewall strings got loose, just use the needle nose pliers to tighten them up and retie them. Sidewalls and top string should always be tight. Enjoy your newly broken in stick, and don’t be afraid to make minor adjustments when needed!

  • Regularly check and tighten the sidewall strings and shooting strings
  • Clean the stick after each use to remove dirt and debris
  • Use a pocket pounder and tighten the bottom string  if you notice your pocket sagging.

There can be some common issues when breaking in a stick such as:

  • Excessive pocket depth
  • Lack of ball control
  • Inconsistent passes or shots

Excessive pocket depth is normally the cause for lack of ball control or inconsistent performance. All you need to do is tighten the bottom string to make the pocket shallower. Another reason for inconsistent passes would be the shooting strings, having these too tight will make the stick throw down, just loosen these until you start throwing straight again.

Using our methods to break in a lacrosse stick can make the process very easy. Remember to take your time when using a pocket pounder or doing wall-ball to make sure the stick is completely broken in. Also don’t be afraid to mix the two methods to break in your stick, there is no right or wrong way to do it!

How do you break in a new girls lacrosse stick?

Most women’s lacrosse sticks come broken in from the factory. However, if needed players can break in their stick with a pocket pounder or a couple wall-ball sessions.

How do you break in leather lacrosse sticks?

Leather traditional sticks are not water proof like mesh is. Ideally the stinger would pre-stretch the leather before stringing the head so it won’t have to be broken in. However, a pocket pounder can assist in breaking in a traditional stick, just make sure you adjust all the knots afterwards.

How do you break in a lacrosse stick fast?

Using a pocket pounder will break in a lacrosse stick very fast. 

How do you soften a lacrosse stick?

Semi-soft and semi-hard mesh are both relatively soft right out of the box. A pocket pounder or a couple wall-ball sessions will soften the mesh.