Longstreth Sporting Goods proudly announces a special event to kick off the Lacrosse Season. Professional women’s lacrosse athlete, Marie McCool will run a demonstration and meet and greet at Longstreth’s Spring City, PA campus.
Register for the Marie McCool meet and greet before the event. Marie McCool was the second overall pick of the 2018 Women’s Professional Lacrosse League College Draft. McCool who was the two-way midfielder from the University of North Carolina, became part of the WPLL’s Baltimore Brave. Marie was named the MVP of the WPLL last summer, in its inaugural year. Marie is perhaps the most decorated player in UNC women’s lacrosse history. She is the only two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist in Carolina history (2017, 2018). One of eight UNC players to be named first-team All-ACC three times and one of three to be a three-time first-team All-America. McCool was named 2018 National Midfielder of the Year and is the first player in ACC history to win the ACC Mid-fielder of the Year award twice. She was and still is a member of the US Lacrosse World Cup team. She played in England in July 2017, one of two college players on the squad. “It’s our mission to support and grow women’s lacrosse. Bringing professional female athletes to our site is a great way for young girls to meet players who are role models in the game – on and off the field,” stated Nikki Stevenson, Longstreth’s Lacrosse Manager. “We’ve hosted many of these events. It’s always inspiring to see young athletes meeting some of the greatest women in their sport.” Dedicated to female athletes for 40 years, Longstreth has a mission to support and grow the sports of field hockey, women’s lacrosse, and fastpitch softball by providing the best gear available for athletes at all levels. Longstreth has consistently been a source for female players – both beginners and elite – for equipment, uniforms, and expert advice. While specializing in field hockey, lacrosse, and fastpitch softball, Longstreth can also outfit almost any team or athlete. Located outside of Philadelphia, PA, Longstreth supplies uniforms, equipment, footwear, and training gear for female athletes across the United States. Visit www.longstreth.com to see the full selection of products.
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Longstreth’s retail store is second to none. As a forerunner in the female athlete industry, our company and the retail store are “the go-to shop” for many field hockey, lacrosse, and fastpitch softball players. Being part of the local community for almost 40 years, Longstreth’s retail store has been a place where generations of women shop for their gear.
This year, we believe we’ve met one of our ultimate super fans. Kayla Miller became a Longstreth shopper when she started playing lacrosse in middle school and continues to be a patron and brand ambassador today as a high school coach. Kayla is lucky enough to live close to our retail store and has visited many times per year to purchase the latest women’s lacrosse gear. Along the way, she began to collect our yearly lacrosse catalog and keeping them in a special binder. This summer, she brought them all along with her to the WPLL games to get them signed by the featured athletes. That’s where we met Kayla and learned just how dedicated she is to Longstreth. It’s always a pleasure for us to meet teams of athletes, families, and players - young and old. Many families make Longstreth a destination stop to visit during summer vacations. Teams bring busloads of their players for special shopping days. Mothers who were once shoppers and athletes themselves, bring their daughters to carry on the Longstreth tradition. And fans like Kayla continue to share our mission in being dedicated to the female athlete and growing the girls’ game. Are you a Longstreth Super Fan? Share your story with us on our facebook page (@longstreth.sporting.goods) or email us at [email protected] using the subject line #LongstrethSuperFan . Visit Longstreth.com to check out the latest field hockey, lacrosse, and fastpitch softball equipment. Longstreth Sporting Goods specializes in bringing the best of the best equipment to the female athlete. To plan a visit to our retail store in Spring City, Pennsylvania or take a virtual tour on our website. Rule changes regarding equipment are constantly fluctuating and the latest shift concerns goggles. As many of you know, goggles are a key piece of equipment that high school and middle school women’s field hockey and women’s lacrosse players are required to wear. In order for wire goggles to be legal for women’s field hockey, they must have a wire bar that stretches vertically through the goggle. The comparison between women’s field hockey and women’s lacrosse goggles can be found below. Notice that there is no veritcal bar running through the player’s vision in the lacrosse goggle. The reasoning behind the need for the vertical bar in field hockey is to prevent the toe of a stick from getting in the goggle. In lacrosse, this is not an issue, therefore they do not require the vertical wire piece.
Keep this rule of thumb in mind, you CAN wear your women’s field hockey goggles for lacrosse, but CANNOT wear your women’s lacrosse goggles for field hockey. So if you are a duel-sport athlete and want to invest in only one pair of goggles, your best bet would be to purchase women’s field hockey goggles. Many players prefer Bangerz goggles. There are two styles of Bangerz goggles that can be used for both women’s lacrosse and women’s field hockey. These are the Bangerz Elite Goggle and the Bangerz Sleek Fitting Youth Eyeguard. Unfortunately, the Bangerz Sunglasses Eye Protection is no longer legal for women’s field hockey. However, they are legal for women’s lacrosse. If you’re wondering about your current goggles, or you are just in search of a new pair, feel free to contact Longstreth Sporting Good’s Retail Store or Customer Service with any questions you may have. Visit our Ask the Experts page to forward us any of your sports related questions. We are here to help! It’s important that players know how to best take care of their women’s lacrosse stick, as well as the best places to practice. These are just a couple of tips for keeping your lacrosse stick looking like new.
You may not think that the temperature affects your women’s lacrosse stick, but it does, DRASTICALLY! Your women’s lacrosse head is made of plastic and could warp if you leave it in the heat for too long. It’s best to keep your lacrosse stick inside your house, where the temperature will remain consistent. Storing it in a car or garage – especially in the summer time – could be too hot. It’s important to keep in mind that warped women’s lacrosse heads are not covered under warranty, so storing it in a moderate temperature is a crucial tip. It’s really hard to avoid playing in the rain, but water can damage the stringing of your women’s lacrosse stick over time. So if you want to go outside and practice in the rain, try practicing with a back-up women’s lacrosse stick. Another great way to keep your stick longer is to practice on a grass or turf surface. Although it may be convenient to practice in your driveway, the hard pavement could damage your women’s lacrosse head and stringing when picking up ground balls. Practicing your lacrosse skills on grass or turf will prevent the lacrosse head from becoming scratched and the strings from being frayed or torn. There are a few good habits you’ll want to start that will help, too. Treat your women’s lacrosse stick with care by never leaning on or throwing it. Avoid using your women’s lacrosse stick as a cane to prevent warping the head. By leaning on your lacrosse stick, you are bending your head and causing more harm than good. Keep your stick safe by never throwing it to the ground. Even if you’re frustrated by a bad call or a really bad practice, it’s not worth cracking the head or damaging the lacrosse shaft. Caring for your women’s lacrosse stick is really important and can save you a lot of money in the future. Warranties do not cover self-inflicted problems like warped heads and damaged strings. To avoid the hassle of finding a new women’s lacrosse stick, simply follow the tips listed above to keep your current stick as new as possible. If you have any lacrosse related questions regarding your stick, visit Longstreth Sporting Goods’ Ask the Experts page. Longstreth’s sports managers are always helpful with answering questions and giving suggestions. Longstreth Sporting Goods is your one-stop shop for all your women’s lacrosse needs. Women’s Lacrosse Head
Women’s Lacrosse Heads differ widely from the men’s version to better fit the needs of the women’s lacrosse game. While the men’s stick has a deep mesh pocket to ease catching and carrying the ball, the women’s stick has a tighter pocket that requires proper technique to keep possession while cradling. Curve of the Scoop The scoop is the widest part of the women’s lacrosse head and is used to pick up the ball and also can improve accuracy when passing and shooting. Scoops vary in width and curvature. They range from a flat design where the scoop has a little curve at the top, to a more “U” shape, where the scoop has a lot of curve at the top. Heads with a flatter scoop are designed for developing players because it makes it more suitable for picking up ground balls. The “U” shaped scoop will channel the ball better during a pass or shot, making it perfect for improving shot accuracy. The Sidewall and Angle of the Scoop Sidewalls, like the rest of the head, are made of plastic mold and connect the strings to the lacrosse head. They vary in flexibility and depth. The shape and depth of the sidewalls directly affects ball control. A lower sidewall allows for a deeper pocket, which increases ball control. Most elite heads have dropped sidewalls for this reason. Beginner sticks tend to have flatter or straighter sidewalls to help teach younger players proper technique. The angle of the scoop from the sidewall area determines the way the ball will be released from the head. An extreme angled scoop provides more whip and accuracy when shooting. A flatter scoop will have less whip and not as advanced ball control. Weight of the Head The weight of the head is usually due to the head having more plastic, which not only increases the weight, but also makes it stiffer. This is beneficial to defenders, midfielders, and other players who are often stick-checking and aggressively going after ground balls. A lightweight head usually has thinner sidewalls and is more flexible. Many attackers, or midfielders that shoot, like having a head that is lightweight because it makes them feel like they have more control. A light head will make it more flexible, which can make them ineffective on ground balls and landing hard checks. It also makes the head more susceptible to breaking. Width of the Head Narrow heads are good for ball retention and accuracy, while wider heads have more surface area for blocking and catching the ball. Wide heads tend to be more desirable to defensive players. Attackers tend to like the more narrow heads, and midfielders look for a balance depending on whether they are more offensive or defensive. Ball Stop This thin piece of rubber or foam that is meant to cushion the ball as it sits in the pocket. Women’s lacrosse heads feature a larger ball stop area since the pocket is not as deep as the men’s and the ball comes in contact with the ball stop more often. The Pocket The pocket is where the ball resides. Pockets include the center piece, nylon stringing around the center piece, and leathers or thicker nylons on either side of the center piece. There is also a top string at the top, which may need to be replaced depending on what surface you play on and how often. The sidewalls strings, in conjunction with the top string, help to secure the pocket to the head. Sidewalls strings are also susceptible to breaking and are usually easy to repair. The last strings in the pocket are the shooting strings. They can be strung into a head in different shapes and positions, as long as they meet the stringing requirements. The most common shape and combination is a shooting string at the top threaded straight across, and then a U or V-shaped string below. Visit http://www.longstreth.com for details on the huge selection of women’s lacrosse sticks, heads, and gear. Longstreth Sporting Goods specializes in bringing the best of the best equipment to the female athlete. Check out the great selection of women’s lacrosse equipment at Longstreth. |
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