As a lacrosse player, adjusting your lacrosse pocket is essential to achieving optimal performance on the field. Knowing how to fine-tune your lacrosse pocket will enhance your control and accuracy, whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player. In this blog post, we’ll provide some essential tips for adjusting your lacrosse pocket and ensuring that your lacrosse head is in prime condition for gameplay.
Table of Contents
Key Elements of a Quality Lacrosse Pocket
A well-strung lacrosse head typically requires adjustments in two main areas: the shooting strings and the bottom string.
However, factory-strung pockets may also need some sidewall adjustments by a professional stringer. In this case, we recommend you visit your local lacrosse shop or consult an experienced stringer for help.
Bottom Strings: Adjusting Pocket Depth and Hold
- Lacrosse bottom strings are crucial for modifying pocket depth
- Enhances hold by deepening the pocket
- It can also increase whip in the process of increasing depth
- Consider if you can comfortably handle the pocket depth
- Use when adjusting pocket for the legality
Lacrosse Shooting Strings: Fine-Tuning Passes and Shots
- Lacrosse Pockets determine lacrosse shooting string placement
- Ideal for adjusting the accuracy of passes and shots
- If shots and passes are too high, tighten the top shooter first
- If trials continue to go high, pull the following shooting string
Lacrosse Sidewalls: A Key Factor in Pocket Performance
- If you’re inexperienced in stringing, consult a professional stringer to adjust your sidewall
- Sidewall patterns impact pocket placement, hold, whip, channel, and release
- Different stringers have unique sidewall styles
- In our experience, the Knotted Standard Interlock and Knotted Stacked Special Interlock offer the most consistent results.
Lacrosse Pocket Cheat Codes
The best time to adjust your pocket is when practicing wallball alone. I like to throw some headphones on and zone out to focus on what’s going on with my stick. Combining my understanding of the components of a high-quality lacrosse pocket and some observations,
- Pocket throwing low but shooting fine: Make the pocket more shallow by tightening the bottom string.
- Pocket throwing low and shooting low: Start with your shooters and loosen them. Tighten the bottom string if you are still throwing down but shooting fine. The sidewall pattern needs adjusting if it’s still shooting low and passing down. Alternatively, you can pull the shooters out with a no-shooter pocket!
- Pocket Shooting and Throwing Fine, but Illegal: Tighten the bottom string and leave the shooters alone.
- Pocket Throwing Fine but Cant Feel the ball: If you do not already have a shooting cord, add one. If you still can’t feel the release, try adjusting the sidewall pattern and aim for a slightly wider channel, as the ball is probably releasing before it hits the nylon/shooting cord.
- Pocket passing and shooting are fine, but no hold: You can try to deepen your pocket, but this might throw your shooting/passes off. The issue is likely the sidewall pattern design causing the lack of hold, and you should aim for a slightly tighter channel.
- No issues passing, shooting, or holding, but I can’t catch: Perhaps widening your head could help, but it’s more probable that your difficulty in catching is due to insufficient practice. Try practicing a wall ball routine once a day for 30 min.
- There are no issues passing or shooting, but the ball comes out when checked: This is a lack of hold that typically occurs from a lack of channel, especially on wider lacrosse heads. Typically, the wider the head, the farther you will have to pull the sidewall knots down, you will need to adjust your sidewall pattern to address the issue.
How to Make Lacrosse Pocket Deeper
To deepen your lacrosse pocket, use a wooden baseball bat to gently pound the mesh. This helps break in the fibers, soften the material, and shape the pocket for better ball control. Focus on the sweet spot where the ball naturally sits, and apply consistent pressure while rotating the bat to avoid uneven wear. For best results, combine this with placing a ball in the pocket overnight using a pocket stretcher to maintain depth. See the video below for an example:
How to Loosen a Lacrosse Pocket
To loosen a lacrosse pocket, start by adjusting the bottom string, which directly controls the depth and hold of the mesh. By lengthening the bottom string, you allow the mesh to sag more, creating a deeper pocket that softens ball release and improves control.
How to Tighten a Lacrosse Pocket
To tighten a lacrosse pocket, simply shorten the bottom string. This pulls the mesh closer to the plastic head, making the pocket shallower and reducing hold. A tighter pocket can lead to quicker ball release, less whip, and improved passing accuracy—especially useful for players who want a clean, consistent throw. This adjustment is also key for keeping your stick legal if the pocket depth exceeds regulation
How Deep Can a Lacrosse Pocket Be
For men’s lacrosse, a pocket is illegal if the ball sits below the bottom sidewall when the stick is held horizontally. This is known as the ball depth test—if you can’t see the top of the ball above the sidewall, the pocket is too deep and must be adjusted.
For women’s lacrosse, the rules are even stricter. The ball must remain partially visible above the sidewall when pressed into the pocket. Women’s sticks typically have shallower pockets to promote quicker release and reduce excessive hold.
Conclusion
By understanding the fundamentals of lacrosse pockets and making necessary adjustments, you can improve your overall performance on the field. Please remember to consult a professional stringer or visit your local lacrosse shop for expert advice and assistance, ensuring your lacrosse head is tailored to your unique playing style.
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