November 23, 2010
The right gifts make for a Merry Laxmas
by Whitney Jaffe/
The Gladiator mouthguard makes a great Christmas present.
Nothing is worse at the holidays than getting a bad lacrosse gift. You get excited, and then let down, all at once.
So every player who wants good lacrosse gifts needs to take the right approach for the perfect present: Find that gift yourself and make sure your loved ones know about it. Clearly, some items top any lacrosse lover’ s list. But as a fellow player — with a father who happens to be editor of New England Lacrosse Journal — I have some definite ideas about what’s hot in the world of lax gifts this year.
A great gift can range from a t-shirt to an awesome new lacrosse spoon that’s fresh from the manufacturer.
Here are my ideas on where to go and what to do so that your family gives you a very Merry Laxmas in 2010.
(Note to my father: If you see something on here that I don’t already own, take a hint.)
GAME WEAR
If there is one thing that all lacrosse players want these days, it’s “flow.” Flow, in this case, isn’t referring to the length of one’s hair, but is actually the style of dress a player wears.
It’s about shorts or socks that ooze style. Mid-calf socks are the current starting point. It’s a splash of color – or maybe a retro look – that works with your uniform to show a bit of you. Adrenaline Movement is the leader here, with socks in seemingly every color, stripe, style and pattern. You can see the available options at http://www.adrenalinemovement.com/products/socks, but you’ll find the product at your local lacrosse store or a nearby tournament.
Cool shorts are a must, and some of the coolest out now are from a company that clearly gets the concept here, Flow Society Lacrosse. You’ll find their awesome shorts and t-shirts at http://www.flowsocietylacrosse.com/apparel, but you may need to ask your local retailer for help getting them, since they don’t sell directly to the public from their Web site. What’s great is that the company is so new that you will almost certainly be the first on your team with whatever design you like.
For girls, flow is less about shorts than spandex. The girls on my team like seeing which person has the most outrageous spandex; they are quite the conversation starter. Spandex are popular sellers at tournaments, but there are cool looks at http://www.q-sport.com/spandexshorts.html or bskinz.com (where they have some great looks in compression shorts for the guys, too).
T-SHIRTS
Some shirts, you know you need to have solely because of how fresh they’ll make you look during down time or at practice. My favorite shirt like this reads, simply, “Swagger” on the front; the right message starts conversations every bit as much as neon spandex or shorts. If you have to send a message to a teammate, consider the “I’m With Ball Hog” shirts at http://www.bruczilla.com, which has some other unique designs, too.
If you’re a lax bro, check out the gear being put out by the ultimate lax bro, professional player Connor Martin, at http://www.conbrochill.com. If you just want to see a lot of shirts with lacrosse messages, go to http://www.ChalkTalkSports.com.
JEWELRY
Speaking of the ladies, jewelry is always a good choice, and there is more and more cool stuff these days; whether it’s a ring, bracelet or necklace charm, find the piece you like the best. I’ve been longing for something cool with my number on it – which is also the kind of thing the guys could wear if they are so inclined.
Go back to ChalkTalk and http://www.Longstreth.com– and check out http://www.lacrossespecialties.com – for ideas on how to get your lacrosse bling on.
MOUTHGUARDS
OK, a mouthguard doesn’t seem like much fun, but it will improve your game right away more than a new stick or gloves. Every kid I know with a custom mouthguard – whether it’s made by Guardian, Defender or their own dentist – loves it. You breathe easier, you can talk to teammates with it in; the better you breathe, the longer and harder you can play. Trust me, the difference is much bigger than you expect.
This is a great gift idea for your grandparents. They may not like the violence of lacrosse, but they love your smile, they’ll pay up to protect it, and they want to support your passion. And they haven’t seen you lose your mouthguard every week as a youth player (which is why your parents won’t buy one); trust me, once you have a custom mouthguard, you’ll work hard never to lose it, because there’s no going back.
STICKS
Every player loves getting a new spoon, but sticks may be the hardest thing to buy as a present. That’s because most kids say “I want a new stick,” and parents or grandparents go buy something new or cool without the player ever having used it. Then the kid finds out that their new stick is head-heavy, or that they dislike the funky grip on the shaft.
If you want a stick, know precisely what you like and want. It’s about weight, whip, feel and more. After years of changing sticks and struggling every time I got a new one, I now play with a Talon Hummingbird shaft and a Brine Amonte II head; it’s my perfect combination of grip,weight, control and balance.
Check out what’s available, borrow sticks from friends, fool around in the store, put a ball in the stick – even if you can’ t have a catch – and see how it feels, and give your parents the specifics.
GO WITH THE PROS
If you are lucky enough to already have everything you need in equipment and gear, a night on the town watching the Boston Blazers at TD Garden is awesome.
And if you’re willing to be patient and wait for your gift until the weather turns, the Boston Cannons are a fun night out at Harvard. Be sure to stay to the end of the game and get a chance to meet the players.
