Abstract:
An apparatus ( 50 ) for training users to manipulate a lacrosse stick ( 10 ) having a fastening arrangement ( 60, 70, 75 ) that connects a user&#39;s wrist or forearm to the lacrosse stick ( 10 ) and restricts movement of the user&#39;s wrist or forearm relative to the lacrosse stick ( 10 ).

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/874,442 entitled, “Lacrosse Training Apparatus”, filed in the name of Matthew Fitzgerald, on Sep. 6, 2013, the disclosure of which is also hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to sports equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus for training persons to manipulate a lacrosse stick for athletic competition purposes. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    It is an axiom that all participants in competitive sports must practice their skills in order to improve their performance during the actual competitions. In many sports, a participant or player must also use and practice with specified sports equipment, such as a ball, a bat, a glove, a stick, etc. A player in the sport of lacrosse, in particular, is required to use a modified stick to catch, hold (i.e., carry or cradle) and release (i.e., throw or shoot) a lacrosse ball. As seen in  FIG. 1 , a typical lacrosse stick  10  comprises an elongated shaft  12  that has a straight segment  14  with its free end covered by an end cap  16 , which may be detachable. The straight segment  14  serves as a handle for the player and is known as the handle, bottom, or butt-end of the lacrosse stick  10 . The remainder of the shaft  12  is a second straight segment  18  that terminates into a curved or looped free end  20  that holds a flexible string or mesh pocket  22  for catching, holding/carrying, or throwing a lacrosse ball (not shown). In most lacrosse sticks  10  now manufactured, the second straight segment  18  has a free end that engages a hard structure  20  (called the “head”) that can have mesh pocket  22  installed or strung therein. Regardless, this second straight segment  18 , along with the head  20 , is generally referred to as the top or the head-end of the lacrosse stick  10 . It is understood that the shaft  12  is, in almost all cases, a continuous element and there is no interruption between the first and second straight segments  14 ,  18 . It is also understood that there is no clear demarcation between the two straight segments  14 ,  18  which are merely identified herein as separate segments for ease of description. 
         [0004]    A lacrosse player may hold the stick  10  with one or two hands, depending on the particular circumstance during the play of the lacrosse game. When both hands are holding or gripping the stick  10 , the dominant hand of the player tends to be positioned at the head-end  18  and the non-dominant hand tends to be positioned at the butt-end  14 . The dominant hand represents the preference of one hand (compared to the other) to perform fine and gross motor tasks. This so-called “dominant hand on top” grip permits a player to more proficiently control the action of the head-end  18  and, more specifically, the mesh pocket  22  for catching, holding/carrying, or throwing a ball. Accordingly, a right hand dominant, i.e., right-handed, player will tend to have the right hand positioned at the head-end  18  and the left hand positioned at the butt-end  14 , and a left hand dominant, i.e., left-handed, player will tend to have the left hand positioned at the head-end  18  and the right hand positioned at the butt-end  14 . 
         [0005]    Regardless of hand dominance, in the course of the play of a lacrosse game, a player invariably will be forced to switch the positions of the hands in gripping the stick  10  with both hands. This happens for several reasons, for example, when an opposing player physically pressures a player to give up a carried ball, or to move in a different direction, or to throw the carried ball in a different direction. The player may have several possible responses, such as moving his stick  10  away from the opposing player. Often, the player will switch his hand positions to maintain a controlled grip on the stick  10 , and thus protect the carried ball from the opposing player or continue his intended play. For many players, the hand-switching will result in the non-dominant hand being positioned at the head-end  18  of the stick  10  with an accompanying decrease in the control of the action of the mesh pocket  22  for catching, holding/carrying, or throwing a ball. A player therefore would have a competitive advantage if lacrosse activities and stick movements can be accomplished with equal or more equal skill regardless of the positioning of the dominant hand on the stick  10 . Accordingly, players customarily practice lacrosse activities and stick movements using different hand gripping positions. It would be advantageous if a player could utilize an apparatus to aid in training to manipulate a lacrosse stick with equal or more equal skill regardless of the positioning of the hands on the stick. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The above problems are obviated by an embodiment of the present invention which provides an apparatus for training users to manipulate a lacrosse stick, comprising a band that is adapted to snugly fit around a user&#39;s wrist or forearm; a fastening component that is adapted to be fastened to a bottom of the lacrosse stick; and a tie that connects the band and the fastening component together so as to restrict movement of the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm to the vicinity of the bottom of the lacrosse stick. The band may be adapted to form an opening and may comprise a deformable material that expands to permit a user&#39;s hand to pass through the opening and that, once the hand passes through the opening, contracts to snugly fit around the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm. The band may also comprise a non-stretchable material forming an opening of a selected size that permits a user&#39;s hand of similar or smaller size to pass through the opening and the band to snugly fit around the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm. In such case, the size of the opening may be close-fitting with the size of the user&#39;s hand such that the use of force, the folding of the hand, or the combination thereof is required for the user&#39;s hand to pass through the opening. Also, the band may be adapted to form an opening and may comprise a first section of a non-deformable material and a second section of deformable material that expands to permit a user&#39;s hand to pass through the opening and that, once the hand passes through the opening, contracts so both band sections snugly fit around the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm. 
         [0007]    The band may also comprise a deformable material and may be configured with a first free end and a second free end, each being adapted to stretch around a user&#39;s wrist or forearm and meet the other free end and to fasten, in a detachable manner, to the other free end, said band being maintained in a taut condition around the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm upon fastening of the free ends. In such case, the free ends may comprise complementary detachable-fastening mechanisms. Also, the band may comprise a first free end of a non-deformable material and a second free end of deformable material that is adapted to stretch around a user&#39;s wrist or forearm and meet the first free end, at least one of said free ends being adapted to fasten, in a detachable manner, to the other said free end, said band being maintained in a taut condition around the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm upon fastening of the free ends. In such case, the free ends may comprise complementary detachable-fastening mechanisms. 
         [0008]    The fastening component and the bottom of the lacrosse stick may comprise complementary detachable-fastening mechanisms. The fastening component may also comprise a detachable end cap for the bottom of the lacrosse stick. The tie may be adapted to be fixedly attached to the band, the fastening component, or both the band and fastening component. The tie may also be integral to the band, the fastening component, or both the band and fastening component. The tie may comprise a stretchable material. The tie may be adapted to be adjustable in length by the user to accommodate the user&#39;s usage of the apparatus. 
         [0009]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides an apparatus for training users to manipulate a lacrosse stick, comprising a fastening arrangement that connects a user&#39;s wrist or forearm to the lacrosse stick, said fastening arrangement adapted to restrict movement of the user&#39;s wrist or forearm relative to the lacrosse stick. The user&#39;s wrist or forearm may be anatomically proximate the user&#39;s dominant hand. The fastening arrangement may be adapted to be adjustable in length, tension, or both by the user to accommodate the user&#39;s usage of the apparatus. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a lacrosse stick apparatus, comprising a first band that is adapted to closely fit a user&#39;s wrist or forearm; a second band that is adapted to closely fit a bottom portion of a shaft of the lacrosse stick; and a joining member that links the first band and the second band, the movement of the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm being restricted proximate the bottom portion of the shaft of the lacrosse stick. 
         [0011]    Another embodiment of the present invention provides a lacrosse stick apparatus, comprising a band that is adapted to closely fit a user&#39;s wrist or forearm; an end covering that is adapted to wrap and lock onto a bottom portion of a shaft of the lacrosse stick; and a joining member that links the band and the end covering, the movement of the user&#39;s respective wrist or forearm being restricted proximate the bottom portion of the shaft of the lacrosse stick. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, and to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  is a schematic representation of a lacrosse stick; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2   a  is a schematic representation of a training apparatus for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2   b  is a schematic representation of a training apparatus for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a schematic representation of the training apparatus of either  FIG. 2   a  or  FIG. 2   b  attached to a lacrosse player and to a lacrosse stick; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4   a  is a schematic representation of a training apparatus for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with a second alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4   b  is a schematic representation of a training apparatus for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with a third alternative embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5   a  is a schematic representation of a training apparatus for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with a fourth alternative embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 5   b  is a schematic representation of the training apparatus of  FIG. 5   a  attached to a lacrosse stick. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 2   a  shows a training apparatus  50  for a lacrosse player constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus  50  comprises a band or bracelet  60  that forms an opening  62  and that is adapted to snugly fit around a player&#39;s wrist or lower forearm. The bracelet  60  may be made of a stretchable or deformable material that expands to permit a player&#39;s hand to pass through the bracelet opening  62 . Once the player&#39;s hand passes through the bracelet opening  62 , the bracelet  60  material contracts (for example, to return to its initial shape) and the bracelet  60  then snugly fits around the player&#39;s wrist or forearm. The bracelet  60  may also be made of non-stretchable material forming a bracelet opening  62  of a selected size that permits a player&#39;s hand of similar or smaller size to pass through the opening  62  and the bracelet  60  to snugly fit around the player&#39;s wrist or forearm. The size of the bracelet opening  62  may be close-fitting with the size of the player&#39;s hand such that the use of some force, the folding of the hand, or the combination thereof is required for the player&#39;s hand to pass through the opening  62 . The bracelet  60  may also have one portion made of stretchable or deformable material and another portion made of non-stretchable material so that the portion made of stretchable or deformable material expands to permit a player&#39;s hand to pass through the bracelet opening  62  and then contracts so both bracelet portions snugly fit around the player&#39;s wrist or forearm. 
         [0022]    Alternatively, the bracelet  60  may be made of a stretchable or deformable material that is configured with two free ends  63 ,  64 . This is shown in  FIG. 2   b . The length of the bracelet  60  material is adapted to wrap around a player&#39;s wrist or forearm so that one free end  63  can be stretched to meet or overlap the other free end  64  that may be held in place against a player&#39;s wrist or forearm. The two free ends  63 ,  64  are adapted to fasten, in a detachable manner, to one another or to another portion of the bracelet  60  material. In this way, the bracelet  60  material may be stretched and then maintained in a taut condition around the player&#39;s wrist or forearm. Again, the bracelet  60  may also have one free end made of stretchable or deformable material and the other free end made of non-stretchable material so that the free end made of stretchable or deformable material can be stretched to meet or overlap the other free end made of non-stretchable material that may be held in place against the player&#39;s arm or forearm. The bracelet  60  material may use any type of appropriate detachable-fastening mechanism, for example, complementary Velcro strips. 
         [0023]    The apparatus  50  also comprises a patch of material  70  that is adapted to be detachably fastened to the end cap  16  of the butt-end  14  or some other portion of the butt-end  14 . The patch  70  may use any type of appropriate detachable fastening mechanism. The patch  70  and the portion of the butt-end  14  to be affixed to the patch  70  (e.g., the end cap  16 ) may be configured with portions of a single detachable fastening mechanism, for example, complementary Velcro strips; hook and eyelet; etc. Alternatively, the patch  70  may simply be configured as a detachable end cap for a lacrosse stick  10 . The detachable end cap may replace the end cap  16  of a lacrosse stick  10  or it may snugly fit or snap-fit over the end cap  16 . 
         [0024]    The apparatus  50  also comprises a cord or tie  75  having one end attached to the bracelet  60  and another end attached to the patch  70 . The tie  75  may be fixedly attached to either the bracelet  60  or the patch  70 , or both. The tie  75  may be attached to the bracelet  60  or the patch  70  by various means. Alternatively, the tie  75  may be made integral to either the bracelet  60  or the patch  70 , or both. For most uses of the apparatus  50 , the tie  75  may be a fixed length, for example, approximately six to eight inches. Regardless of length, the tie  75  may be made of a material that may be slightly stretchable or deformable in length. One example is paracord (i.e., parachute cord). Alternatively, the tie  75  may be adjustable in length to fully accommodate a player&#39;s actual usage of the apparatus  50 . Also, the tie  75  may be manufactured and configured in various ways, for example, as a single strand, multiple strands, braided, sheathed, etc. Note that the tie  75  is shown in  FIG. 2   b  as being attached to a particular end  64  of the bracelet  60  although it is understood that the tie  75  may be attached to any portion of the bracelet  60 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows the training apparatus  50  attached to a lacrosse player and to a lacrosse stick  10 . In operation, the player attaches the bracelet  60  to the player&#39;s wrist or forearm anatomically proximate the player&#39;s dominant hand. The player also fastens the patch  70  to the butt-end  14  of the lacrosse stick  10 . With this usage of the apparatus  50 , the player&#39;s dominant hand will only be able to grip the stick  10  at the butt-end  14  of the stick  10  and, in fact, only move the dominant hand up the shaft  12  of the stick  10  by the length of the tie  75 . By restricting the player&#39;s dominant hand to the butt-end  14 , the player will be forced to use the non-dominant hand, which is not attached to the stick  10 , to grip the head-end  18  in order to control the mesh pocket  22  and perform appropriate lacrosse activities and stick movements during game play (for example, cradling, passing, shooting, fielding groundballs, etc.). The apparatus  50  may also help prevent the player from re-positioning the hands during breaks in lacrosse activities, or during use in non-lacrosse related activities, such as watching TV, allowing the player to become further conditioned to keeping the non-dominant hand positioned at head end  18  and the dominant hand positioned at the butt-end  14 . Through consistent use of the apparatus  50 , the player has the opportunity to increase the proficiency of manipulating a lacrosse stick  10  using the non-dominant hand and, over time, narrow the difference between the skill of manipulating a lacrosse stick  10  using the dominant hand and the skill of manipulating a lacrosse stick  10  using the non-dominant hand. 
         [0026]    In another usage of the apparatus  50 , the player attaches the bracelet  60  to the player&#39;s wrist or forearm anatomically proximate the player&#39;s non-dominant hand and fastens the patch  70  to the butt-end  14  of the lacrosse stick  10 . With this usage, the player&#39;s non-dominant hand will only be able to grip the stick  10  at the butt-end  14  and only move the non-dominant hand up the shaft  12  by the length of the tie  75 . By restricting the player&#39;s non-dominant hand to the butt-end  14 , the player will be forced to use the dominant hand, which is not attached to the stick  10 , to grip the head-end  18  in order to control the mesh pocket  22  and perform appropriate lacrosse activities and stick movements during game play (for example, cradling, passing, shooting, fielding groundballs, etc.). This provides the player the opportunity, through consistent use of the apparatus  50 , to increase the proficiency of manipulating a lacrosse stick  10  using the dominant hand. There are many reasons this may be needed. For example this may assist a player who needs to generally improve his stick movements. This may also assist a player who is rehabilitating an injured dominant hand. This may also assist a player who needs to overcome certain habits in positioning of the hands or in gripping a lacrosse stick  10 . Additionally, the apparatus  50  can be used to help younger or less experienced players learn to keep two hands on the lacrosse stick  10 , which is the preferred way to hold a lacrosse stick  10 , especially when the player is just beginning to learn the game of lacrosse. When a player&#39;s non-dominant hand is attached to the butt-end  14 , he/she will be more inclined to also keep the dominant hand at the head end  18 , so as to achieve optimum control, when performing lacrosse activities such as scooping ground balls, cradling/carrying the ball, catching and throwing the ball, and playing defense, rather than just using the non-dominant hand to control the lacrosse stick  10 . 
         [0027]    Other modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. The various components of the apparatus  50  may be conventional and known components. They may be configured and interconnected in various ways as necessary or as desired. For example, as noted above, the bracelet  60 , the patch  70 , and the tie  75  may be made as a single, unitary device. Also, as noted above, the components  60 ,  70 ,  75  may be adjusted in length, tension, or both by the user to accommodate the user&#39;s usage of the apparatus  50 . 
         [0028]    Further, the apparatus  50  may use other components in combination with or in place of the components described. For example, as an alternative to the patch  70 , the apparatus  50  may comprise a second band  80  that is similar to the band or bracelet  60 . This is shown in  FIGS. 4   a  and  4   b . The second band  80  forms an opening  82  and is adapted to snugly fit around the butt-end  14  of a stick  10 . The second band  80  may be made of a stretchable or deformable material that expands to permit the end cap  16  to pass through the second band opening  82 . Once the end cap  16  passes through the second band opening  82 , the second band  80  material contracts (for example, to return to its initial shape) and the second band  80  then snugly fits around the butt-end  14 . The second band  80  may also be made of non-stretchable material, or have one portion made of stretchable or deformable material and another portion made of non-stretchable material, that permits the butt-end  14 , in like fashion as described above with the band  60 , to pass through the second band opening  82  so as to snugly fit the second band  80  around the butt-end  14 . 
         [0029]    The second band  80  may also be made of a stretchable or deformable material that is configured with two free ends  83 ,  84 . The length of the second band  80  material is adapted to wrap around a butt-end  14  so that one free end  83  can be stretched to meet or overlap the other free end  84  which may be held in place against the butt-end  14 . The two free ends  83 ,  84  are adapted to be detachably fastened to one another or to another portion of the second band  80  material. In this way, the second band  80  material may be stretched and then maintained in a taut condition around the butt-end  14 . Again, the second band  80  may also have one free end made of stretchable or deformable material and the other free end made of non-stretchable material so that the free end made of stretchable or deformable material can be stretched to meet or overlap the other free end made of non-stretchable material that may be held in place against the player&#39;s arm or forearm. The second band  80  material may use any type of appropriate detachable-fastening mechanism, for example, complementary Velcro strips. 
         [0030]    In another alternative to the patch  70 , as noted above, the apparatus  50  may comprise an end cap or end covering  90 . An embodiment is shown in  FIGS. 5   a  and  5   b . The end covering  90  may be a flexible container that has one end  90   a  that opens into an interior space that is formed by a closed end  90   b  and a side wall  90   c . The open end  90   a  is adapted to receive the end cap  16  and butt-end  14  for insertion into the interior space and the covering  90  is adapted to envelop the end cap  16  and butt-end  14 . The closed end  90   b  is connected to the bracelet  60  via the tie  75 . The closed end  90   b  may be attached to the tie  75  by various means. Alternatively, as noted above, the tie  75  may be made integral to the closed end  90   b . Note that the figures show the closed end  90   b  is attached to the tie  75  at or near the center of the closed end  90   b  although the two elements  90   b ,  75  may be connected to one another differently. The end covering  90  may be made of a flexible material and may be slightly stretchable or deformable. One example is textile that may be woven or otherwise manufactured. The end covering  90  may be configured to receive the end cap  16  and butt-end  14  in a close-fit manner and, in such case, the end covering  90  may be made with a material that deforms to accommodate the size and shape of an inserted end cap  16  and butt-end  14  of a stick  10 . 
         [0031]    The end covering  90  also comprises a detachable-fastening mechanism  92 ,  94 , for example, a single Velcro strip with complementary ends, complementary Velcro strips, buckle and strap, pair of laces, etc., formed on or attached to the exterior of the side wall  90   c  proximate the open end  90   a . The mechanism  92 ,  94  may be fashioned on the side wall  90   c  in a variety of ways depending upon the specific mechanism, for example, sewn, bonded, glued, laced, etc. The mechanism  92 ,  94  is adapted to permit the open end  90   a , and a portion of the side wall  90   c , to be pulled in opposing directions, stretched and/or gathered, and securely held (in a taut and/or gathered condition) so as to wrap and lock the open end  90   a  around an inserted end cap  16  and butt-end  14 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 5   b , the covering  90  is configured to locate the mechanism  92 ,  94  on the side wall  90   c  so as to wrap the open end  90   a  particularly around the shaft of the butt-end  14 , avoiding wrapping around the end cap  16 . The mechanism  92 ,  94 , however, may be located so as to wrap around both the end cap  16  and butt-end  14 . The shown arrangement is particularly useful though in assisting to secure the open end  90   a  around the shaft of the butt-end  14 . By interposing the raised edge of the end cap  16  between the wrapped open end  90   a  and the closed end  90   b , the open end  90   a  will not only be wrapped onto the shaft but also will be caught by the raised edge, preventing or hindering the open end  90   a  from moving down the shaft and off the stick  10  as a player&#39;s motions of the arm or wrist attached to the bracelet  60  pulls on the closed end  90   b . Further, by having the tie  75  attached to the closed end  90   b  rather than another part of the end covering  90  (and, further, at or near the center of the closed end  90   b ), any pulling motion has lesser effect in moving the open end  90   a  down the shaft and off the stick  10 .