Parts of a Lacrosse Stick: Head, Shaft and Pocket Explained

A lacrosse stick has three main parts: the head, the shaft, and the pocket strung inside the head. The head splits into the scoop, sidewalls, and throat. The shaft is the handle you grip, capped by a butt-end. The pocket is the mesh net, held by sidewall strings and tuned by shooting strings. Learn those names and every choice you make, buying, stringing, repairing, gets easier.

Here is each part, what it does, and why it matters when you are standing in a store or restringing at the kitchen table.

The three main parts of a lacrosse stick

Every complete stick, sometimes called a “full stick,” is two pieces of hardware plus one strung assembly. The head is the plastic frame at the top that catches and throws the ball. The shaft is the handle it screws onto. The pocket is the net inside the head, and it is the part you actually tune to change how the stick plays.

Understanding the split matters because you buy and replace these separately. Heads and shafts are sold on their own, and the pocket is strung or restrung independently of both.

Anatomy of the head

The head is where the action happens, and it has its own vocabulary. The scoop is the curved top edge; its shape controls how easily you pick a ball off the ground. The sidewalls are the two rigid rails running down each side, and they carry most of the head’s strength. The throat is the narrow bottom where the head meets the shaft. Many heads also have a small ball stop at the base of the throat that quiets the ball and helps hold it.

The sidewalls do double duty. They keep the head’s shape under a check, and their rows of small holes are what the pocket laces into. That is why the sidewall is both the strong part of the head and the part that holds the netting.

The shaft and butt-end

The shaft is the handle, and it is the strongest structural piece of the stick. Shafts are made from aluminum alloy, titanium, scandium, or composite so they can absorb checks without bending. Length is regulated: short sticks for attackers and midfielders, longer poles for defenders, per USA Lacrosse rules.

At the bottom sits the butt-end or end cap, usually a rubber or plastic plug. It is required for safety and it is the anchor point for a grip knob, the built-up ring of tape many players add so their bottom hand never slides off.

The pocket: mesh, sidewall strings, and shooting strings

The pocket is the strung net, and it is where a stick’s personality lives. Its parts:

• Mesh: the woven nylon net that holds and cradles the ball. This is the “netting” people ask about.
• Sidewall strings: the lengths of string that lace the mesh to the holes along each sidewall, setting the pocket’s depth and channel.
• Shooting strings: the strings woven horizontally across the upper mesh that fine-tune hold and release.
• Top string: the string tying the top of the mesh to the scoop.

Change any of these and the stick throws differently. The mesh type sets the baseline feel; if you are choosing, start with our rundown of the best lacrosse mesh. The sidewall and shooting strings are how you dial depth and whip, which is the craft covered in how to string a lacrosse head.

Two pocket terms are worth knowing before you buy a strung stick off the shelf. Pocket depth is how far the ball sags below the sidewalls; leagues cap it, and an illegal-depth pocket gets flagged, so this is a rules issue, not just a preference. Channel is the lane the mesh forms down the middle of the head that guides the ball on release. A well-defined channel gives a consistent, accurate throw; a flat, channel-less pocket sprays the ball. Both are set by how tightly the sidewall strings are tied, which is why two sticks with identical mesh can feel completely different.

Labeled parts of a lacrosse stick

Here is the whole stick in one place, grouped by assembly, with what each part actually does.

Assembly	Part	What it does
Head	Scoop	Curved top edge; picks up ground balls
Head	Sidewall	Rigid side rails; hold shape and anchor the pocket
Head	Throat	Narrow base where head meets shaft
Head	Ball stop	Cushions the ball, aids hold
Shaft	Shaft/handle	The grip; strongest structural part
Shaft	Butt-end	End cap; safety plug and grip-knob anchor
Pocket	Mesh	The net that holds and cradles the ball
Pocket	Sidewall strings	Lace mesh to the sidewalls; set depth
Pocket	Shooting strings	Tune hold and release
Pocket	Top string	Ties mesh to the scoop

Read that table top to bottom and you have named every part a store clerk, coach, or stringer will mention.

Why the parts matter for your position

The anatomy is not trivia; it drives what you buy. A face-off specialist wants a specific head shape and stiffness, which is why we keep a separate guide to faceoff lacrosse heads. A defender wants a long shaft and a durable head. An attacker wants a pocket tuned for quick release. Same three parts, tuned three different ways.

Once you know the names, you can shop and string with intent instead of guessing. Then take it to the field; our lacrosse drills for beginners will tell you fast whether your pocket and grip are set up the way you think they are.

The bottom line

Three parts, one job each: the head catches and throws, the shaft gives you the grip and reach, and the pocket, mesh plus sidewall and shooting strings, decides how the ball holds and releases. The sidewalls are the strong, anchoring part of the head; the shaft is the strongest part overall; and the mesh is the netting everyone asks about. Know those names and nothing about buying or stringing a stick feels like a mystery again.

Freshness note: part names are stable, but legal shaft lengths and head-dimension rules vary by level and update periodically; confirm current USA Lacrosse specs before buying for a regulated league.