Lacrosse Head With Enhanced Sweet Spot

Abstract

Embodiments provide a lacrosse head having a stop member, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a transverse wall. The stop member may be configured to receive a handle defining a horizontal centerline. The first and second sidewall may extend from the stop member in a forward direction, with the transverse wall connecting the first and second sidewalls opposite to the stop member. When viewed from a side view, a lower sidewall rail of the first sidewall may descend at a first angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a second forward end portion at a transition point of the first sidewall, and the first rearward end portion may be raised relative to a lowermost point of the stop member, such that the stop member is offset downwardly from the first rearward end portion.

Description

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/507,457, filed May 17, 2017, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field

The present embodiments relate generally to lacrosse equipment, and more particularly, to a lacrosse stick head having an enhanced sweet spot. The lacrosse stick head may have a sidewall rail that is angled downwardly in a forward direction when the head is viewed from a side view, which may provide an offset with respect to the stop member, a shortened sidewall height, stringing holes raised relative the stop member, and a sharper angle of the lower sidewall rail at the transition point in the forward portion of the lacrosse head.

SUMMARY

Embodiments provide a lacrosse head having a stop member, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a transverse wall. The stop member may be configured to receive a handle, with a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline. The first sidewall may extend from the stop member in a forward direction. The second sidewall may extend from the stop member in the forward direction. The transverse wall may connect the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member. The first sidewall may have a lower sidewall rail. When viewed from a side view, the lower sidewall rail may descend at a first angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a second forward end portion at a transition point of the first sidewall, and the first rearward end portion may be raised relative to a lowermost point of the stop member, such that the stop member is offset downwardly from the first rearward end portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a front view of a lacrosse head according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a rear view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram of a right side view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1, illustrating an angled lower sidewall rail;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a left side view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1, which is a mirror opposite of the right side view of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a top view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a bottom view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are schematic diagrams of perspective views of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram of a right side view of the lacrosse head of FIG. 1, further illustrating the relative configurations of the upper and lower sidewall rails in the rearward and forward portions of the lacrosse head;

FIG. 10 is an image of a lacrosse head according to another embodiment, including a pocket strung to the lacrosse head, and a ball within the pocket, showing compliance with commonly-accepted lacrosse head construction rules;

FIG. 11 is an image of the lacrosse head of FIG. 10 held at a considerable downward angle, showing the hold of the pocket;

FIG. 12 is an image of a lacrosse head according to another embodiment, including a pocket strung to the lacrosse head, and a ball within the pocket at a rearward position, showing compliance with commonly-accepted lacrosse head constructions rules;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are images of the lacrosse head of FIG. 12 after the ball is driven to a forward position at the sweet spot of the lacrosse head;

FIG. 15 is an image of the lacrosse head of FIG. 12 held at a considerable downward angle, showing the hold of the pocket;

FIG. 16 is a schematic diagram of a lacrosse stick handle having a bent end portion, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 17 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a bent head-handle configuration, showing a centerline for purposes of the present embodiments;

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a straight head-handle configuration, showing a centerline for purposes of the present embodiments; and

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram graphically depicting an embodiment of a lacrosse head providing a deeper, more forward pocket sweet spot, as compared to a conventional lacrosse head.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments provide a lacrosse stick head having an enhanced sweet spot. The lacrosse stick head may have a sidewall rail that is angled downwardly in a forward direction when the head is viewed from a side view, which may provide an offset with respect to the stop member, a shortened sidewall height, stringing holes raised relative the stop member, and a sharper angle of the lower sidewall rail at the transition point in the forward portion of the lacrosse head. As used herein, the sweet spot of a lacrosse stick head may be considered a location at or near a transition point in the sidewall at which a maximum pocket depth is achieved and maximum ball hold is realized.

FIGS. 1-8 illustrate an embodiment of a lacrosse stick 100, including a handle 102 shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1 and a double-wall synthetic head 104. As used herein, “stick” refers to the stick as a whole, including the head and the handle. Head 104 may have a generally V-shaped frame having a juncture 106, sidewalls 108 and 110, a transverse wall (or “scoop”) 112 joining the sidewalls at their ends opposite juncture 106, and a stop member (or “ball stop”) 114 joining sidewalls 108 and 110 at their ends nearest juncture 106. The frame may be considered to extend from a rearward end at the juncture 106 to a forward end at the transverse wall 112. As shown, handle 102 may fit into and through juncture 106, may abut stop member 114, and may define (by a majority length of the handle, as discussed below) a centerline of the handle 102 and head 104. A screw or other fastener may be placed through opening 107, securing handle 102 to head 104. Features of lacrosse sticks are shown generally in Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,495, Crawford et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,984, and Tucker et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,566,947, which are all incorporated by reference herein.

In embodiments, lacrosse stick head 104 may have a “traditional” pocket configuration or a “mesh” pocket configuration. The traditional pocket may include thongs made of leather or synthetic material strung from forward thong holes 116 in transverse wall 112 to rearward thong holes 118 in stop member 114. To complete the pocket web, the thongs may have nylon strings threaded around the thongs and string laced through string holes in sidewalls 108 and 110, forming any number of diamonds (crosslacing).

In traditional pockets, thongs (not shown in FIGS. 1-8) made of leather or synthetic material may extend from forward thong holes 116 in transverse wall 112 to rearward thong holes 118 in stop member 114. As one embodiment, FIGS. 1 and 2 show four pairs (116, 118) of thong holes that accept four thongs. Other numbers of pairs may be used. To complete the pocket web, nylon strings may be threaded around the thongs and string may be laced through string holes 120 in sidewalls 108 and 110, forming any number of diamonds (crosslacing). In embodiments, one or more throwing or shooting strings may extend transversely between the forward portions of sidewalls 108 and 110, attaching to throwing string holes 124 and a string laced through string holes 122. In embodiments, a thong may not be attached directly to a thong hole, and instead may be connected to a separate material that attaches the thong to the lacrosse head frame and that is easier to adjust through the thong hole. In addition, in some embodiments, a top string (e.g., nylon string) may be strung along the thong holes of the scoop, and the thongs may be attached to the top string.

A mesh pocket configuration may use a mesh knitted as a continuous piece of material. This continuous piece of material may attach to the lacrosse head as a single unit. The mesh may be attached to the lacrosse head using transverse lacing, which may reinforce the web of the mesh that is adjacent to the lacrosse head.

Embodiments may include provisions for improving the performance of a women's lacrosse stick, within the context of rules governing the configuration of a women's lacrosse head. In particular, certain rules for women's lacrosse (e.g., NCAA Women's Lacrosse 2016 and 2017 Rules, Appendix E, Section 27) require that the combined height of the sidewall and the depth of the pocket containing the ball shall not exceed 6.4 cm (the diameter of the ball) and that the top of a ball, when placed in the pocket of a horizontally held crosse, must be visible/seen above the top of the entire sidewall after reasonable force with one hand has been applied to and released from the ball. Referring to the side view of FIG. 3, in embodiments, lacrosse stick head 104 may have a lower sidewall rail 130 that is angled downwardly in a forward direction running from the juncture 106 toward the transverse wall 112. As shown, that angled configuration may provide an offset 134 with respect to the stop member 114. In other words, the stop member 114 may protrude downwardly with respect to the lower sidewall rail 130.

As shown, in embodiments, the downwardly angled configuration of the lower sidewall rail 130 may also provide a sidewall height 136 shorter than would otherwise be the case if the lower sidewall rail 130 extended in the same horizontal plane as the bottom of the stop member 114. In some embodiments, the upper sidewall rail 132 may also have a downwardly angled configuration, which may be approximately parallel to the lower sidewall rail 130, i.e., parallel to the dashed line 131 in FIG. 3. In embodiments, a women's lacrosse head may have a shortened sidewall height 136 within a range of about 30 mm to about 38 mm (e.g., in one embodiment, approximately 34.72 mm), measured at a horizontal distance 135 of approximately 34 mm in a forward direction from the rearwardmost point 137 of the upper edge of the stop member 114.

As shown, in embodiments, the downwardly angled configuration of the lower sidewall rail 130 may also provide stringing holes 120 raised relative the stop member 114, and to the thong holes 118 defined by the stop member 114. For example, as shown best in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, the bottom of the string hole 120 nearest the stop member 114 may be raised a distance 138 above the top of the adjacent outer thong hole 118, and an even greater distance above the tops of the inner thong holes 118. That distance 138 may represent a beneficial increase in pocket depth provided by the angled configuration. In one embodiment, distance 138 may be about 2.7 mm. In other embodiments, distance 138 may be within a range of about 0 mm to about 20 mm.

In embodiments, the downwardly angled configuration of the lower sidewall rail 130 may lead to surprising benefits, for example, related to improved ball handling and control, while complying with applicable rules concerning pocket depth (e.g., as discussed above, requiring that the ball must be visible above the top rail of the head, at all parts of the sidewall). As shown graphically in FIG. 19, by raising the lower sidewall rail 130 closer to the upper sidewall rail 132, the pocket 133 can be deepened without dropping the ball 175 below the upper sidewall rail 132. Generally, as illustrated in FIG. 19, in a conventional women's lacrosse head 394, when the pocket depth is maximized at the sweet spot (e.g., in the forward portion) of the head such that the ball is just visible over the upper sidewall rail at the sweet spot, the rearward portion of the pocket will end up measuring illegal when the ball is rolled closer to the stop member. In contrast, in the present embodiments, raising the lower sidewall rail 130 closer to the upper sidewall rail 132 compensates for slack in the pocket, allowing for deeper legal pockets. A deeper legal pocket may in turn provide improved ball handling and control, allowing the pocket to flex more and hold the ball in the lacrosse head.

Along those lines, FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate an example of a performance-enhancing, deeper legal pocket afforded by a lacrosse head 204 having a downwardly angled configuration of the lower sidewall rail 230. As shown in FIG. 10, a ball 275 within the pocket may remain above the upper sidewall rail 232 when rolled from the stop member 214 to the sweet spot of the head 204. As shown in FIG. 11, with the lacrosse head 204 held at a considerable downward angle, the configuration may increase the hold of the pocket, without being illegal.

FIGS. 12-15 illustrate another example of a performance-enhancing, deeper legal pocket afforded by a lacrosse head 404 having a downwardly angled configuration of the lower sidewall rail 430. FIG. 12 illustrates a ball 475 in the rearward portion of the lacrosse head 404 near the stop member, in a legal position with the ball 475 visible above the upper sidewall rail 432, and before the ball 475 is driven by the pocket to the sweet spot of the head 404. FIGS. 13 and 14 illustrate the ball 475 after being driven to the sweet spot of the head 404, and still in a legal position visible above the upper sidewall rail 432 of the head 404. In addition, as shown in FIG. 15, with the lacrosse head 404 held at a considerable downward angle, the configuration may increase the hold of the pocket, with the ball 475 still in a legal position. Thus, the embodiment of FIGS. 12-15 demonstrates how a pocket may be favorably deep at the sweet spot (FIGS. 13-15) without becoming illegal at a position near the stop member (FIG. 12).

In embodiments, a raised lower sidewall rail and a resulting shortened sidewall height may also enhance performance characteristics by reducing the material and weight of a lacrosse head. Referring to FIG. 3, the downwardly angled configuration may eliminate material (e.g., plastic) that would otherwise occupy the region between the bottom of the stop member 114 and the transition point 140 of the lower sidewall rail 130. The reduced material may decrease the manufacturing costs of a head. The reduced weight may improve playing characteristics related to, for example, faster lacrosse stick maneuvers, quicker passes, and increased shot speed.

In addition to increasing pocket depth, embodiments may also include provisions for driving a ball to the sweet spot of a lacrosse head, for better feel, control, and release of the ball. As shown in FIG. 9, for example, the downward angle of the lower sidewall rail 130 may drive a ball toward the sweet spot of the lacrosse head 104, which is in the area of transition point 140 in the forward portion of the lacrosse head 104. In embodiments, transition point 140 may be the lowest point, or point of maximum drop, of the lower sidewall rail 130, and may be the point at which lower sidewall rail 130 turns upward as lower sidewall rail 130 extends toward the transverse wall 112. Transition point 140 may also be in approximately the same horizontal plane 144 of, or slightly lower than, the lowest point of the stop member 114. In an embodiment, the downward angle 142 of the lower sidewall rail 130, as represented by dashed line 131, may be about 5.5 degrees with respect to the centerline 146 of the juncture 106, which would also be the centerline of the majority of the length of a handle inserted into the juncture 106. In embodiments, the downward angle 142 may be within a range of about 3 degrees to about 15 degrees, which may favorably drive a ball toward the forward portion of the head 104. In this manner, the present embodiments may allow a player the benefit of moving the ball as forward as possible within the pocket for a quicker, faster release from any angle. Indeed, referring to FIG. 19, the present embodiments, as represented by the head 104, may afford a sweet spot more forward in the head, as compared to conventional heads, as represented by head 394.

As used herein, the “centerline” refers to the centerline of the majority of a handle. In the case of a straight handle, the centerline coincides with the center longitudinal axis of the straight handle. In instances of handles having angled end portions inserted into lacrosse head frames, or in instances of angled throat sections of lacrosse heads, the centerline would be defined by the remaining majority length of the handle that extends away from the angled end portion or angled throat, and that is held by a player. For example, referring to FIG. 16, if a handle 302 bends within the last few inches (e.g., 3 inches) of the end of the handle 302, which in this example is bent at a 10 degree angle, then that bent end portion 303 is to be ignored for purposes of the centerline. Thus, in the example of FIG. 16, the horizontal line 346, which corresponds to the majority length 305 of the handle 302, is the centerline for purposes of the present embodiments. The line 347 is the center longitudinal axis of the bent end portion 303, and is not the centerline for purposes of the present embodiments.

Referring again to FIG. 9, in embodiments, the downward angle 150 of the upper sidewall rail 132, as represented by the dashed line 148, may be generally parallel to the downward angle 142. In embodiments, downward angle 150 may also be within a range of about 3 degrees to about 15 degrees. As shown in the example of FIG. 9, downward angle 142 may be about 5.5 degrees and downward angle 150 may be about 9 degrees.

In embodiments, the increased downward angles 142 and 150, especially when compared to conventional heads having horizontal lower sidewall rails, may allow for a sharper (i.e., fewer degrees) angle at the transition point 140, which may enhance the “hold” of the ball within the pocket, as well as feel, control, and accuracy in handling the ball in the pocket and releasing the ball from the pocket during a throw. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the downward angle of lower sidewall rail 130 may provide a sharper angle at the transition point 140, between the descending portion represented by the dashed line 131 and the ascending portion represented by the dashed line 158. Similarly, the downward angle of the upper sidewall rail 132 may provide a sharper angle at the transition point 140, between the descending portion represented by the dashed line 148 and the ascending portion represented by the dashed line 156. In embodiments, the descending portion of the lower sidewall rail 130 may be at an angle 142 of about 6 degrees, the ascending portion of the lower sidewall rail 130 may be at an angle 152 of about 38 degrees with respect to the centerline 146, and the angle at the transition point may be about 136 degrees, while the descending portion of the upper sidewall rail 132 may be at an angle of about 9 degrees, the ascending portion of the upper sidewall rail 132 may be at an angle 154 of about 35 degrees with respect to the centerline 146, and the angle at the transition point may be about 136 degrees.

As shown in the example of FIG. 9, the lower sidewall rail 130 and upper sidewall rail 132 may extend along essentially straight, or linear, descending lines from a maximum raised point near the stop member 114 to a maximum drop point at the transition point 140, which may be considered a vertex. This essentially straight configuration of the rails may allow for a pocket that smoothly and consistently descends in a forward direction toward the transition point and the forward portion of the head, to help drive the ball to the sweet spot of the pocket, where the pocket may provide improved hold of and feel for the ball, as well as improved control and release of the ball from the pocket.

In embodiments, the relative configuration of the downward angles of the lower sidewall rail 130 and the upper sidewall rail 132 may provide further enhanced performance in terms of complying with pocket depth rules, driving a ball forward to the sweet spot of the pocket, and improving hold and release of a ball. Referring to FIG. 9, the relative configuration may be characterized by the ratio between the downward angle 150 of the upper sidewall rail 132 and the downward angle 142 of the lower sidewall rail 130. For example, in an embodiment in which the downward angle 150 is about 9 degrees and the downward angle 142 is about 5.5 degrees, the ratio of the upper-to-lower sidewall rail angle is about 1.6:1. In embodiments, that ratio may be within a range of about 1:1 (at which the upper and lower sidewall rails are parallel) to about 5:1. This angle relationship between the upper and lower sidewall rails may work in conjunction with the sharper angle at the transition point, and the increased angle of the ascending portions of the upper and lower sidewall rails, to provide the compliance and performance enhancements discussed herein.

The lacrosse head embodiments of FIGS. 1-15 are configured to receive a handle with an end portion bent at a 10 degree angle, and are described herein under the assumption that such a bent handle is received in the lacrosse head. An example of this bent head-handle configuration is shown in FIG. 17, with the centerline 146 corresponding to the centerline 346 of the majority length 305 of the handle 302, and with the bent end portion 303 inserted into the head. In alternative embodiments, a lacrosse head may be configured to receive a straight handle, in which case the same angular relationships described herein in the context of a bent handle would also apply to the lacrosse head that is configured to receive a straight handle and receives a straight handle. An example of this straight head-handle configuration is shown in FIG. 18, with the centerline 146 coinciding with the centerline of the entire straight handle 370. As shown in FIG. 18, the straight head-handle configuration may provide the same benefits as a bent head-handle configuration, for example, in terms of sidewall rails that are angled downwardly in a forward direction when the head is viewed from a side view, an offset with respect to the stop member, a shortened sidewall height, stringing holes raised relative the stop member, and a sharper angle of the lower sidewall rail at the transition point in the forward portion of the lacrosse head. In addition, in embodiments, a straight head-handle configuration may raise the thong holes 118 closer to the centerline 146 and higher above the ground 373, while still providing thong holes disposed lower than the nearest adjacent stringing hole 120.

In embodiments, a lacrosse stick having the features described herein may include a lacrosse stick having a downwardly canted handle, and possibly also an upwardly canted head. Such configurations may be more suitable for men's lacrosse sticks. Examples of such configurations are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,488,266, issued Feb. 10, 2009, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Examples of suitable materials for a lacrosse head according to the present embodiments include nylon, composite materials, elastomers, metal, urethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyketone, polybutylene terephalate, acetals (e.g., Delrin™ by DuPont), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), acrylic, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA), alcryn (partially crosslinked halogenated polyolefin alloy), styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene styrene, thermoplastic olefinic (TPO), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), ethylene-propylene rubber (EPDM), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Examples of suitable materials for a handle according to the present embodiments include wood, metal (e.g., aluminum, titanium, scandium, CU31, C405, and C555), plastic, and composites.

For purposes of convenience various directional adjectives are used in describing the embodiments. For example, the description may refer to the top, bottom, and side portions or surfaces of a component. It may be appreciated that these are only intended to be relative terms and, for example, the top and bottom portions may not always be aligned with vertical up and down directions depending on the orientation of a component or lacrosse stick.

It should also be noted that relative terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “top,” and “bottom,” are used herein to describe the embodiments as depicted in the accompanying figures and are not intended to be limiting. Unless the context of the usage dictates otherwise, when used in reference to a lacrosse stick or head as a whole, the term “front” refers to the side of the lacrosse stick through which a ball is caught and the terms “back” and “rear” refer to the side of the lacrosse stick that is opposite to the “front” and is where the pocket is disposed. It should also be noted that figures provided herein generally depict the illustrated lacrosse head with the pocket side of the head (i.e., the rear) facing downward. It will be apparent to skilled practitioners that the orientation of a lacrosse stick varies dramatically during play and the relative position of the elements of the present embodiments will similarly vary from those depicted.

The foregoing disclosure of the preferred embodiments has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. Many variations and modifications of the embodiments described herein will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in light of the above disclosure.

While various embodiments have been described, the description is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting, and it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many more embodiments and implementations are possible that are within the scope of the embodiments. Any feature of any embodiment may be used in combination with or substituted for any other feature or element in any other embodiment unless specifically restricted. Accordingly, the embodiments are not to be restricted except in light of the attached claims and their equivalents. Also, various modifications and changes may be made within the scope of the attached claims.

Further, in describing representative embodiments, the specification may have presented a method and/or process as a particular sequence of steps. However, to the extent that the method or process does not rely on the particular order of steps set forth herein, the method or process should not be limited to the particular sequence of steps described. As one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate, other sequences of steps may be possible. Therefore, the particular order of the steps set forth in the specification should not be construed as limitations on the claims. In addition, the claims directed to the method and/or process should not be limited to the performance of their steps in the order written, and one skilled in the art can readily appreciate that the sequences may be varied and still remain within the spirit and scope of the present embodiments.

Claims

1. A lacrosse head comprising:

a stop member configured to receive a handle, a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline;

a first sidewall extending from the stop member in a forward direction;

a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction;

a transverse wall connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member,

wherein the first sidewall has a lower sidewall rail, and

wherein when viewed from a side view: the lower sidewall rail descends at a first angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a second forward end portion at a transition point of the first sidewall, and the first rearward end portion is raised relative to a lowermost point of the stop member, such that the stop member is offset downwardly from the first rearward end portion.

2. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein when viewed from the side view, the lower sidewall rail extends generally linearly from the first rearward end portion to the second forward end portion.

3. The lacrosse head of claim 2, wherein the lowermost point of the stop member and the transition point of the first sidewall are disposed generally on a horizontal plane that is generally parallel to the horizontal centerline.

4. The lacrosse head of claim 2, wherein the transition point of the first sidewall is disposed lower than the lowermost point of the stop member.

5. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein the first sidewall has an upper sidewall rail that, when viewed from the side view, descends at a second angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a third rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a fourth forward end portion at the transition point of the first sidewall.

6. The lacrosse head of claim 5, wherein the second angle is generally parallel to the first angle.

7. The lacrosse head of claim 5, wherein the first angle and the second angle are each within a range of about 3 degrees to about 15 degrees.

8. The lacrosse head of claim 7, wherein the first angle is about 5.5 degrees and the second angle is about 9 degrees.

9. The lacrosse head of claim 8, wherein at the transition point the lower sidewall rail turns upward at an angle of about 136 degrees.

10. The lacrosse head of claim 9, wherein at the transition point the upper sidewall rail turns upward at an angle of about 136 degrees.

11. The lacrosse head of claim 5, wherein a ratio of the second angle to the first angle is within a range of about 1:1 to about 5:1.

12. The lacrosse head of claim 5, wherein when viewed from the side view, a vertical distance between the lower sidewall rail and the upper sidewall rail is within a range of about 30 mm to about 38 mm, measured at a horizontal distance of about 34 mm in a forward direction from a rearwardmost point of an upper edge of the stop member.

13. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein the lower sidewall rail defines a string hole nearest the stop member, wherein the stop member defines a thong hole nearest the string hole, and wherein a bottom of the string hole is raised a distance above a top of the thong hole.

14. The lacrosse head of claim 13, wherein the distance is within a range of about 0 mm to about 20 mm.

15. A lacrosse head comprising:

a stop member configured to receive a handle, a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline;

a first sidewall extending from the stop member in a forward direction;

a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction;

a transverse wall connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member,

wherein the first sidewall has a lower sidewall rail, and

wherein when viewed from a side view: a descending portion of the lower sidewall rail descends generally linearly at a first angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a second forward end portion at a transition point of the first sidewall, an ascending portion of the lower sidewall rail ascends generally linearly at a second angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion at the transition point to a second forward end portion adjacent to the transverse wall, wherein the lower sidewall rail descending portion and the lower sidewall rail ascending portion define a lower sidewall rail transition angle at which the lower sidewall rail ascending portion turns upward at the transition point, and wherein the lower sidewall rail transition angle is less than 140 degrees.

16. The lacrosse head of claim 15, wherein the first angle is about 6 degrees, the second angle is about 38 degrees, and the lower sidewall rail transition angle is about 136 degrees.

17. The lacrosse head of claim 15, wherein the first sidewall has an upper sidewall rail, and

wherein when viewed from the side view: a descending portion of the upper sidewall rail descends generally linearly at a third angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from an upper sidewall rail first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to an upper sidewall rail second forward end portion at the transition point of the first sidewall, an ascending portion of the upper sidewall rail ascends generally linearly at a fourth angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from an upper sidewall rail first rearward end portion at the transition point to an upper sidewall rail second forward end portion adjacent to the transverse wall, wherein the upper sidewall rail descending portion and the upper sidewall rail ascending portion define an upper sidewall rail transition angle at which the upper sidewall rail ascending portion turns upward at the transition point, and wherein the upper sidewall rail transition angle is less than 140 degrees.

18. The lacrosse head of claim 17, wherein the third angle is about 9 degrees, the fourth angle is about 35 degrees, and the lower sidewall rail transition angle is about 136 degrees.

19. The lacrosse head of claim 17, wherein a ratio of the third angle to the first angle is within a range of about 1:1 to about 5:1

20. The lacrosse head of claim 15, wherein the first rearward end portion of the lower sidewall rail descending portion is raised relative to a lowermost point of the stop member, such that the stop member is offset downwardly from the first rearward end portion of the lower sidewall rail descending portion.

21. A lacrosse head comprising:

a stop member configured to receive a handle, a majority length of the handle defining a horizontal centerline;

a first sidewall extending from the stop member in a forward direction;

a second sidewall extending from the stop member in the forward direction;

a transverse wall connecting the first sidewall and the second sidewall opposite to the stop member,

wherein the first sidewall has a lower sidewall rail and an upper sidewall rail, and

wherein when viewed from a side view: the lower sidewall rail and the upper sidewall rail extend generally linearly, and approximately parallel to each other, along a descending portion of the first sidewall, the lower sidewall rail descends along the descending portion of the first sidewall at a first angle, relative to the horizontal centerline, from a first rearward end portion adjacent to the stop member to a second forward end portion at a transition point of the first sidewall, the first rearward end portion is raised relative to a lowermost point of the stop member, such that the stop member is offset downwardly from the first rearward end portion, and the first angle is within a range of about 3 degrees to about 15 degrees.