Abstract: Improvements in an expandable goal net are disclosed. The expandable goal net is foldable and can be taken from a full size goal to a smaller size that can be easily compacted for transportation. The vertical legs telescope inside each other to essentially reduce the height of the vertical members to essentially half. The horizontal cross posts fold in half thereby to compact the expandable goal net into a vertical folded rectangle. The folding joints are on the horizontal members. Joints lock into a horizontal orientation and can be released to allow the joints to fold essentially 180 degrees. Corners use similar hinged joints that allow the horizontal members to bend to essentially 90 degrees. Vertical members have locking slides that telescope to reduce the total length of the vertical members. The expandable goal net is made from aluminum tubes and formed or molded plastic components.

Abstract: The invention therefore provides a basketball hoop and net assembly having (i) a hoop or ring and a wave shaped rail attached thereto which depends downwardly from the hoop or ring so as to form a plurality of valleys thereby to provide apertures between the hoop or ring and each valley; and (ii) a net assembly having a top cord and a multiplicity of upper net loops attached thereto characterized in that the top cord has a multiplicity of inner parts and a plurality of outer parts and each inner part extends through a pair of adjacent primary apertures and each outer part is located outwardly of a secondary aperture wherein each secondary aperture is located proximal to a respective primary aperture and each upper net loop extends around each outer part.

Abstract: A storage cart for supporting a backboard assembly during replacement and storage is provided, which may also be used in combination with a quick change coupling system to permit the quick removal and replacement of the backboard assembly. The storage cart can include a frame, a carrier unit and a lifting mechanism. The frame includes a base, a top, and upright support members interconnecting the base and top. The base depth can be greater than the top depth to form a taper, permitting a backboard assembly to lean against the frame. The carrier unit includes a shelf sized to support the backboard assembly. The lifting mechanism includes means for adjusting the vertical position of the shelf to (dis)engage the shelf with the backboard assembly. The storage cart can include wheels, where the storage cart can be easily moved through a standard sized door and into its suitable position.

Abstract: A sports system may include a base and a support structure that is sized and configured to support a goal, such as a netball goal or a basketball goal, at a height above a playing surface. The base may be constructed from plastic and may include a hollow interior portion that is sized and configured to receive ballast. The base may also include a protrusion that is sized and configured to abut a support surface and the protrusion may have an at least substantially solid construction. The sports system may further include a brace that may be connected to the support structure and the base. The brace may be disposed through an opening formed in the base and it may be connected to the base by a sleeve and a pin that is disposed within a receiving portion formed in the base.

Abstract: Basketball training systems and methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a basketball training apparatus includes a first rim and a second rim. The first rim has a center and the second rim has a center. The first rim rotates about its center and the second rim revolves about the center of the first rim.

Abstract: The Present invention is a portable apparatus for use in practice drills and educational settings which returns soccer balls to a kicker in a controlled manner. The invention utilizes an upwardly inclined net which directs a ball upwards into an energy absorbing pocket rather than immediately rebounding the ball back to the kicker. The pocket then absorbs the energy of the ball and then sends the ball back down to the kicker in a controlled manner. The goal of the invention is to increase the user's accuracy and to allow for increased amounts of kicks as the controlled return allows for less reset time between kicks.

Abstract: A lacrosse head includes a ball stop having a bottom and side regions that transition at transition regions to head sidewalls, which are joined with a scoop of the head. The ball stop can include a longitudinal axis that extends toward the scoop. The transition regions can be located on a horizontal axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. At a distance less than or equal to 1.25 inches from the bottom along the longitudinal axis, opposing side regions and/or sidewalls are separated by a minimum width of 3 inches from the bottom. This construction provides a generally v-shaped ball stop that complies with proposed 2010 NCAA Lacrosse Rules regarding the dimensional requirements for a lacrosse head, while providing improved ball retention within the lacrosse head.

Abstract: A training mat for teaching controlled directional hitting of a ball. The mat consisting of a home plate zone, a plurality of equally spaced pitching lanes defined by a plurality of lines extending longitudinally through home plate. The pitching lanes including at least an inside lane defining the ball path of an inside pitch and at least an outside lane defining the ball path of an outside pitch. Each lane having a predetermined ball contact location defined by a marking indicia s the respective lane. The ball contact locations being configured and arranged to facilitate hitting of a baseball to a predetermined field location.

Abstract: The Golf Discney World or GolfDiscney World is the combinatory hot topic on golfdisc, ancient China mystery, SanXingDui heritage and Eastern Olympics, YanYun. The GolfDiscney World has the versatile Golfing activities. The GolfDiscney World goes through the mysterious China history to find out the ancient 5000 years golf history. It has the SanXing Golf which is reconstructed from the heritage of SanXingDui 3500 years ago. GolfDiscney has the GolfDiscney movie going through the 5000 years timing channel of the Oriental Grand Ming, Oriental Dark Ages, Oriental Renaissance and Oriental Olympics, YanYun Sports. The GolfDisney has the parade of the oriental YanYun Torch team and the ancient golf which are discovered from the SanXingDui heritage. The ancient golf are the YuanShi golf, 7-Sun golf and the GaoShang golf. Furthermore, the GolfDiscney has the modem RingDiscBall golf, ball golf, disc golf, golfrisbee, golfishing, and golfrisbee lifesaving, etc.

Abstract: A soccer training system is used to condition soccer players to make shots at the goal with an improved likelihood of scoring by conditioning the soccer players to aim towards the areas of the goal where shots are more likely to score. Similarly disclosed is a novel method of conditioning soccer players to improve their ability to score goals.

Abstract: Circonic Game, a simulated indoor or outdoor basketball game, is played on a circular court outlined by three concentric circles. The outer circle acts as the court boundary and is conjoined by four smaller circles placed tangentially in a location that conforms to the four cardinal points of the compass (i.e., north, south, west and east). Four similar smaller circles are placed in a location that conforms to four cardinal points of the compass (i.e., north, south, west and east) inside the two inner concentric circles of different radii forming a cluster of rings. A center pole in an upright position is mounted at the center of the court. Towards the top of the center pole are two primary ring baskets circumscribed by a larger circumferential ring basket supported by a transverse bar attached or welded to the rebounding center post centered in between these two primary ring baskets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lacrosse stick (220) comprising a unibody head and shaft construction that increases lacrosse throwing accuracy and power.

Abstract: A pocket for a head of a lacrosse stick is provided that includes a plurality of runners extending generally in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of cross laces extending generally in a transverse direction. The pocket further includes one or more joint members that are formed at an intersection of a runner and a cross lace. The runner and the cross lace lie over one another and are held in place by the joint member. A method for forming the pocket is also disclosed.

Abstract: A lacrosse stick including a lacrosse head attached to a handle, wherein the lacrosse head has a taller, or thicker, ball stop, wherein a portion of the ball stop portion is lowered with respect to the immediately adjacent portions of the sidewall portions relative to a centerline of the handle. The net securing structures in the ball stop are preferably located in the lowered portion and therein provides increased ball retention characteristics. The lower portion of the ball stop portion includes a concave inner surface that is preferably flared, or sloped, slightly outwardly along its interior surface from its front side to its back side. The openings for attaching the netting in the ball stop are preferably slightly recessed with respect to the upper surface.

Abstract: A temporary sunshade for a soccer goal which has a net and a goal frame for supporting the net in an outstretched configuration, the outstretched net having contiguous generally planar net surfaces including a horizontal top panel, upright end panels, and a sloping back panel. The sunshade preferably includes a removable flexible sunscreen connectable atop preferably all of the outstretched net as a sunshade for players during periods of soccer play inactivity. The sunscreen includes an airflow opening in a back panel thereof which permits moving air to flow there through for cooling players within the goal space of the soccer goal while remaining shaded. In one aspect, the opening may be an elongated slit formed along a substantial length of the back panel of said sunscreen. In another aspect, the opening may be a plurality of spaced U-shaped cuts through the back panel of the sunscreen each defining a flap movable by air movement thereagainst which produces an opening to permit air to flow there through.

Abstract: A structured lacrosse shaft includes a head portion configured to be connected to a lacrosse head, an end portion configured to be capped by an end cap, and a middle portion. At least one of the head portion, the end portion, or the middle portion includes an interior portion and an outer layer on an outer surface of the interior portion. The outer layer comprises wood veneer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a portable pitching mound for use indoors or outdoors. The portable pitching mound has a height setting mechanism and a plurality of wheels for portability. The portable pitching mound is comprised of a supported base frame unit with an anti-sink device that supports a non-collapsible and non-removable single downward sloping ramp section, the surface of which is covered with artificial turf and contains a conventional pitching rubber. The portable pitching mound has a height setting mechanism that allows the mound to adjust to different heights or slopes to comply with the official baseball rules regarding the height of the mound. Wheel connection features allow for easy portability without any disassembly of the ramp or framed unit. A utility handle pull is also attached to assist in the rolling of the mound on the two wheels provided.

Abstract: A lacrosse head includes a base, a scoop, and a pair of sidewalls. The sidewalls include upper and lower rims and further include a dual flare configuration. The first flare is in a rear portion and is characterized by the upper rims of the sidewalls being spaced closer together to one another than the lower rims. The second flare begins from approximately the middle portion of the sidewalls and generally throughout the forward portion and is characterized by the upper rims of the sidewalls being spaced further apart from each other than the lower rims.

Abstract: An ice hockey training device providing goalie training in preventing pucks, particularly deflected or “tipped” pucks, from entering an ice hockey goal is disclosed. The device is disposed on a playing surface in front of a goal guarded by a goalie. The device consists of a base deflector having a planar surface in one embodiment of the invention disposed at an upward angle which can direct pucks traveling on the playing surface that are hit by a player to ride up onto the upwardly angled planar surface of the base deflector and be directed upwards at the goal. In other embodiments a plurality of angled members can be disposed on the top surface of the base deflector, causing a puck traveling in a first path of travel and striking one or more of such angled members to be directed upwards at the goal at a second path of travel.

Abstract: A batter training and protection system is shown. A protector for protecting an infield area is provided with a plurality of indicia situated thereon or integrally formed therein to define a plurality of target areas, respectively. The indicia may comprise a plurality of material segments, a plurality of colors, patterns, graphics or the like in order to define the plurality of target areas at which a player may practice bunting a baseball.