How to String a Lacrosse Head Sidewall

For novices, restringing the mesh inside of the head of a lacrosse stick can seem like a daunting, confusing task. Since the tautness, mesh type and method of stringing all contribute to the player’s ability to correctly catch, throw and cradle the ball, stringing the head is important. The sidewall strings inside the mesh are responsible for anchoring the mesh to the frame of the head; luckily, learning to string the sidewalls into the head is a relatively simple task.

Things You'll Need

• New mesh kit
• Scissors
• Nylon string

Instructions

1. Cut away the old mesh inside the head and discard. Flip the stick over so that the rear of the head is facing up. Look at the holes on both sides of the plastic head frame to find the sidewall holes (the number of holes depends on the make/model of the head).

2. Open the mesh kit and pull on the mesh to stretch it into workable condition. Cut about 36 inches of nylon string to create the sidewalls on the mesh. Lay the new mesh over the opening in the head and fold the top row of mesh over the tip of the head so that the first row matches the third row.

3. Thread the nylon string into the first sidewall hole on the top of the head, beginning on either the left or right side. Tie the string off into a knot on the end of the string, then pull it through so that the knot is flush to the outside of the head.

4. Loop the string over the head and thread it through the next sidewall hole, then thread the string through the loop of string, pulling it taut to the head. Continue this method down the side of the head to complete the sidewalls, weaving through the mesh in an over/under pattern, then thread the slack over to the opposite side of the head and work from the bottom to the top of the head.

5. Tie off any string left over into a secure knot. Continue with the string process, using the sidewalls as a basis for threading in the shooting strings to create the pocket.

Tips & Warnings

• Tie on leather cords first if leathers are part of your kit (or are preferred) before adding the sidewalls.

References

• Lacrosse Stringing Tutorial