Patent Publication Number: US-11648449-B1

Title: Cover for the shaft of athletic equipment

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 16/384,460, filed Apr. 15, 2019, which in turn is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 15/498,795, filed Apr. 27, 2017, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 14/463,168, filed Aug. 19, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,636,558, issued on May 2, 2017, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/544,081, filed Jul. 9, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,730, issued on Aug. 26, 2014, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 12/892,144, filed Sep. 28, 2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,241,154, issued Aug. 14, 2012, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/975,288, filed on Oct. 18, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,828,680, issued on Nov. 9, 2010, which claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/852,777, filed Oct. 19, 2006, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates broadly to sporting or athletic equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to athletic equipment used in competitive team sports such as a lacrosse, field hockey or hockey stick, each of which has a relatively long shaft with a free end at one end and a working end at its other. The free end of the shaft and a substantial portion of the long shaft of such sticks are used by the athlete to hold and grip the shaft with his or her two hands spaced apart along the shaft typically “hip-wide” apart. In lacrosse the working end of the stick is a netted head to catch and throw a ball, in field hockey the working end is a curved head to scoop or hit a ball and in ice hockey the working end is a blade to shoot, pass or carry a puck across the ice. The present invention especially relates to a removable sheath-like cover for the hand-held shaft of athletic equipment of the type such, as, e.g., a lacrosse stick, field hockey stick or hockey stick, to provide a better gripping surface along its shaft for the athlete&#39;s hands. 
     STATE OF THE ART 
     Lacrosse is a team sport that is played with either ten players(men&#39;s field), six players (men&#39;s box), or twelve players (women&#39;s field), each of whom uses a netted stick (the crosse) in order to pass and catch a hard rubber ball with the aim of scoring goals (each worth one point traditionally, but Major League Lacrosse uses a two point goal for goals scored from a distance of 16 yards or greater from the goal) by propelling the ball into the opponent&#39;s goal. The team scoring the most points after two halves, of varying length from competition to competition, and overtime if necessary, wins. 
     Most popular in North America, lacrosse is Canada&#39;s national summer sport. It has grown in popularity in the United States, becoming the fastest growing sport at the high school and NCAA levels. 
     Lacrosse sticks generally include a relatively long shaft with a netted head attached to one end of the shaft. The shaft is typically octagonal in cross section and is fitted with an end cap at the end not connected to the netted head. 
     Traditionally, lacrosse sticks have been made of wood, although today most are made from metals such as aluminum or alloys and/or composites. The players or manufacturers typically wrap the shaft with tape. The tape enhances the grip of the stick and, in the case of wood sticks, also tends to protect the player from splinters. However, the tape is generally unsightly and attracts dirt. When removed, it leaves behind a sticky residue. Many players find themselves replacing the tape frequently. 
     Notwithstanding the problems associated with the use of tape, lacrosse players at every level of the game have been taping their lacrosse sticks for over five decades without a better solution in sight. In fact, in an article written by Matt DaSilva under the heading “CLASSROOM EQUIPMENT TIPS” appearing in the September, 2006 issue of  LaCrosse  magazine, the author talks about Jimmy Butter, a longtime equipment manager from Team USA when it embarked on the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation World Championships, who he called “The most respected stringer” in the game and a “sultan of the stick”, who&#39;s advice on the how&#39;s and whys of taping your stick are taught and highlighted in the article. The bottom line is that taping the handle of a lacrosse stick for better grip is the standard practice today. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a sports equipment stick for team sports, especially the shaft of a lacrosse stick, with a sheath-like cover which improves one&#39;s grip and avoids the problems of the prior art. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a cover which is lightweight, easy and facile to use, and is relatively inexpensive. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide such a cover that can absorb impact and shock and minimize splinters in wood shafts. 
     It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such a cover which facilitates imprinting with team names, colors, slogans, inspirational sayings or advertising. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are attained according to the invention by the provision of a cover for a lacrosse stick, comprising a base cap and a rolled flexible tubular sheath coupled to said base cap, wherein said rolled sheath is configured so that it can be unrolled onto the shaft of a lacrosse stick with the base cap abutting and mounted on the end of the shaft. 
     Preferably, the sheath is cylindrical, has a pebbled texture on its outer surface and/or is made from a flexible elastic polymer. Desirably, the base cap is cup-shaped. 
     In a preferred embodiment, a cover for a lacrosse stick comprises a rolled flexible tubular sheath configured so that it can be unrolled onto the shaft of a lacrosse stick, said sheath having a pebbled texture on its outer surface. The sheath is also preferably cylindrical and/or made from a flexible elastic polymer. 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the invention by the provision of a kit comprising a lacrosse stick having a shaft and a netted head and a rolled flexible tubular sheath configured so that it can be unrolled onto the shaft of said lacrosse stick. The kit advantageously further comprises a cup-shaped cap coupled to said sheath. Most desirably, said cap is integrally formed with said sheath and said sheath is cylindrical. 
     In yet a further embodiment of the invention, a cover for athletic equipment having a shaft comprises a base cap and a rolled flexible tubular sheath coupled to said base cap, wherein said rolled sheath is configured so that it can be unrolled onto the shaft with the base cap abutting and mounted on the end of the shaft. Here, too, the sheath is preferably cylindrical and has a pebbled texture on its outer surface and/or is made from a flexible elastic polymer. The base cap is desirably cup-shaped. 
     As noted above, the present invention provides a preferably unitary cap and rolled sheath cover. The cap is mounted on the free end or butt of a lacrosse stick and the sheath is unwrapped or unrolled onto the stick to the desired length or the entire length of the stick. The cap and sheath are preferably made from injection molded rubber, neoprene or other polymers that permit production in various thickness, colors and lengths. The elasticity of the material preferably gives it memory and durability. The diameter of the sheath is preferably smaller than the diameter of the lacrosse stick so that it stretches to a tight fit. After the sheath is unrolled to the desired length, excess material may be cut off, if desired. 
     As further noted above, the sheath is preferably provided with a pebbled texture. The pebbled texture enhances grip and channels away moisture. This also enhances player performance in wet weather conditions. The material is also temperature neutral so that it can enhance performance in cold weather conditions. The invention eliminates the need for tape and makes old lacrosse sticks look new again. The sheath can be quickly and easily removed from a lacrosse stick for use on another stick or for storage until used again. Unlike tape, the invention does not leave behind any damaging residual adhesive. 
     According to alternate embodiments of the invention, the sheath is color coordinated to team colors. The sheaths may also be imprinted with, e.g., team names, slogans, inspirational sayings or advertising. 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the present invention by the provision of a removable cover for athletic equipment in the form of a stick used in competitive sports having a shaft with a free end which is intended to be held by both hands of a player during play, comprising a cap configured and dimensioned for removably mounting on the free end of the shaft of the athletic equipment, wherein said cap is generally cup-shaped and comprises a generally planar end wall with an outer peripheral edge and a generally tubular upstanding side wall having a first end and a second end, said first end of said side wall being attached to said end wall generally adjacent to said outer peripheral edge of said end wall; and a flexible, resilient membrane-like tubular sheath which is configured and dimensioned to be rolled over onto itself to form a rolled configuration and having two opposite ends, one end of which is attached to said side wall of said cap and the other end of which defines a free end, wherein said tubular sheath is dimensioned and configured so that it can be unrolled longitudinally onto and along the shaft of the athletic equipment with said cap abutting and mounted on the free end of the shaft and said tubular sheath being dimensioned and configured to afford a tight friction fit over the shaft when unrolled and which can be rolled longitudinally in the opposite direction along the shaft towards its free end and onto said sidewall of said cap when fully rolled up, to permit removal of said cap and sheath from the free end of the shaft of the athletic equipment, and wherein the end wall and said side wall of said cap have a thickness which is greater than the thickness of said tubular sheath. Desirably, the sheath has a thickness less than ¼ of an inch. Most desirably, the sheath has a thickness in the general range of between about 0.010 and 0.050 inches and in a preferred range of about 0.025 to 0.035 and ideally about 0.030 inches. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the sheath is cylindrical and made from a flexible elastic polymer. The sheath may be imprinted. It also may have a textured outer surface. Moreover, it may be integrally formed with the cap. Alternatively, one end of said sheath may be attached to said cap or sidewall thereof via a friction fit. 
     In a further embodiment of the invention, the second end of said sidewall of said cap is slotted to define a plurality of fingers to facilitate mounting the cap on the free end of the shaft. Preferably, the sidewall has a recessed annular section between said first and second ends thereof and a relatively rigid, annular reinforcement ring at least partially received in said recessed annular section of said sidewall. Desirably, the ring is metallic. 
     Advantageously, the outer peripheral edge of said end wall extends radially beyond the peripheral edge of said sidewall thereof to define a peripherally-extending knob which is configured and dimensioned to abut the free end of the shaft of the athletic equipment. Preferably, the tubular sidewall has an octagonal cross-section or another polygonal cross-section. 
     Most desirably, the sheath is adhesive-less or the adhesive is applied only to the inner end of the sheath so it is adhesively affixed to the end cap. 
     Most advantageously, the tubular sheath is made of a stretchable material which has an inner diameter or width no greater than the diameter or width of the shaft of said athletic equipment so that said sheath stretches to a tight friction fit over the shaft when unrolled. 
     Most advantageously, the athletic equipment is a lacrosse stick, hockey stick, or field hockey stick used in team sports. 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the present invention by the provision of a method for removably attaching a removable cover for athletic equipment of the type described above which method comprises the steps of mounting the flexible resilient membrane-like tubular sheath in a rolled up configuration onto said sidewall of said cap; mounting said cap onto a free end of said shaft of the stick with said cap abutting and mounted on the free end of the shaft; and unrolling said sheath mounted on said cap longitudinally and directly onto and along the shaft of said stick. 
     Preferably, the method additionally including the steps of rolling up said sheath mounted on said shaft of said stick in the opposite longitudinal direction such that it is rolled over onto itself to form a rolled up configuration and is thereby again mounted on said sidewall of said cap, and removing said cap and rolled up sheath from said free end of said shaft of the stick. 
     The method is advantageously used with either a lacrosse stick, a field hockey stick or an ice hockey stick. 
     Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the detailed description taken in conjunction with the provided figures. 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the present invention by the provision of a removable cover for a lacrosse stick of the type having an elongated hollow shaft having an outer surface and an inner surface and an interior channel extending therethrough and a free end portion with an open end which serves as a handle portion of said lacrosse stick, comprising an end cap configured and dimensioned to be removably mountable in a friction fit manner on said free end portion of said hollow shaft, said end cap having a head portion and an elongated, resilient hollow body portion attached to said head portion and insertable into said open end of said free end portion of said hollow shaft; and a flexible, resilient, membrane-like, tubular sheath removably mountable on said outer surface of said free end portion of said hollow shaft and movable thereon between a furled position in which said sheath is rolled longitudinally on and along said free end portion of said hollow shaft onto itself to form a rolled-up tubular sheath disposed adjacent to said end cap, and an unfurled position, in which said rolled-up tubular sheath is unrolled longitudinally on and along said outer surface of said free end portion of said hollow shaft, said tubular sheath being dimensioned and configured to create a friction fit when mounted on and along said free end portion of said hollow shaft. The open end of said free end portion of said hollow shaft opens onto said interior channel of said hollow shaft, and said tubular sheath has a free end portion at one end thereof which is foldable over said free end of said hollow shaft and insertable into said interior channel thereof so that it forms a flap which covers and lies over said inner surface of said free end portion of said hollow shaft. 
     In addition, end cap head is removable securable to said tubular sheath and said foldable end portion thereof and said end cap body portion is configured and dimensioned to resiliently engage and bias said tubular sheath flap against said inner surface of said free end portion of said hollow shaft. 
     Preferably, said head portion of said end cap is substantially donut-shaped and has a central opening extending therethrough and said hollow body portion thereof defines an interior through passage opening onto said central opening of said end cap head portion, and wherein said removable cover further comprises a removable plug mountable in a friction fit manner in said central opening of said donut-shaped head portion of said end cap which is dimensioned and configured to lock said end cap in a fixed, non-rotatable manner. Desirably, said plug has a head portion and an elongated shaft portion joined to said head portion. Advantageously, said head portion of said plug is removably mountable in said central opening of said donut-shaped head portion and said elongated shaft portion thereof is insertable into said open end of said free end portion of said hollow shaft and said through passageway of said hollow body portion of said end cap, said elongated shaft portion of said plug being dimensioned and configured so that upon insertion it biases said body portion of said end cap against said flap of said resilient tubular sheath and, in turn, against said inner surface of said free end portion of said hollow shaft. It is preferable that said end cap elongated hollow shaft portion comprises a plurality of spaced, apart, flexible, resilient fingers. 
     In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, said donut-shaped head portion of said end cap has an outer portion with a centrally-disposed, bowl-shaped surface formed therein which defines a concave recess adjacent to, surrounding, and opening onto, said central opening thereof. Desirably, said removable plug has an enlarged head portion which is fully receivable within said concave recess of said head portion of said end cap when mounted thereon and said enlarged head portion of said plug has a substantially flat top surface. 
     Most advantageously, said plug has a double-step neck portion disposed between and joined to said plug head portion and said plug shaft, said double-step neck portion having an inner step which serves as a stop and which engages said bowl-shaped surface of said end cap when said plug is fully mounted in said end cap and an outer step spaced from said bowl-shaped surface which serves as a tool placement point to aid removal of said plug. Preferably, said donut-shaped head portion of said end cap has an inner portion with a recessed channel by which it is removably mountable in a friction-fit manner on said open end of said free end portion of said elongated hollow shaft so that it grips and holds said free end portion of said sheath disposed on said outer surface of said hollow shaft adjacent to said open end of said free end portion of said elongated hollow shaft and so that it also grips and holds said flap thereof disposed in said interior channel of said elongated hollow shaft against said inner surface of said hollow shaft. 
     In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, said elongated hollow shaft of the lacrosse stick is of the type having an octagonal cross-section, and wherein recessed channel and said central opening of donut-shaped head portion of said end cap are octagonally-shaped and wherein said hollow shaft of said plug has an octagonal cross-section. In addition, said end cap and said plug are made of plastic and said sheath is made of a flexible elastomeric material. 
     Certain of the foregoing and related objects are also attained according to the invention by the provision of a lacrosse stick comprising: an elongated hollow shaft having a free end portion with an open end which serves as a handle portion of said hollow shaft, said hollow shaft having an outer surface and an inner surface and an interior channel extending therethrough; and which includes a removable cover as described above. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention partially unrolled; 
         FIG.  2    is a top plan view of the open end of the sheath; 
         FIG.  3    is a bottom plan view of the end cap with the octagonal end of the lacrosse stick in phantom line; 
         FIG.  4    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with the first embodiment of the invention partially installed; 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with the first embodiment of the invention more fully installed; 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with the first embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  7    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with a second embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  8    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with a third embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  9    is a perspective view of a lacrosse stick with a fourth embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a field hockey stick with a fifth embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  11    is a perspective view of an ice hockey stick with a sixth embodiment of the invention completely installed; 
         FIG.  12 A  is an exploded, perspective view of the cover of a seventh embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  12 B  is a further exploded perspective view of the fully-assembled cover embodying the seventh embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG.  12 B , together with the fragmentarily-illustrated, free end of a shaft of a lacrosse stick; 
         FIG.  13    is a perspective view comparable to that shown in  FIG.  12   , but showing the fully-assembled cover mounted on the free end of the lacrosse stick shaft; 
         FIG.  14    is a fragmentarily-illustrated, side elevational view, in part section, of the fully-assembled cover mounted on the free end of the lacrosse stick shown in  FIG.  13   . 
         FIG.  15    is a perspective view comparable to  FIG.  13   , but showing the sleeve as it is initially unrolled and covers most of the sidewall of the cup-shaped cap of the cover mounted on the end of the lacrosse stick shaft; 
         FIG.  16    is a perspective view comparable to  FIGS.  13  and  15   , but showing the sleeve at an intermediate position as it is being unrolled onto the lacrosse stick shaft; 
         FIG.  17 A  is a fragmentally-illustrated, side-elevational view, in part section, comparable to that shown in  FIG.  14   , but showing a variation in the positioning of the inner free end of the rolled up sleeve, when initially mounted on the cap, such that it extends and abuts the inner end face of the enlarged basewall of the cap; and 
         FIG.  17 B  is a fragmentally-illustrated, side-elevational view, in part section, comparable to that shown in  FIG.  14   , but showing a further variation in the positioning of the inner free end portion of the rolled up sleeve, when initially mounted on the cap such that it extends over and entirely covers the enlarged basewall of the cap. 
         FIG.  18 A  is an exploded, perspective view of a further embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG.  18 B  is a fully assembled side elevational view of the embodiment shown in  FIG.  18 A ; 
         FIG.  18 C  is an enlarged, side elevational view comparable to that of  FIG.  18 B , but showing the sheath fully rolled up on the handle portion of the lacrosse stick adjacent to the end cap; 
         FIG.  18 D  is an enlarged, sectional view taken along line  18 D- 18 D of  FIG.  18 B ; 
         FIG.  18 E  is a further enlarged, sectional view of detail A shown in  FIG.  18 D ; 
         FIG.  19 A  is an end view of the cover assembly of  FIG.  18 B  mounted on the end of a lacrosse stick; 
         FIG.  19 B  is an exploded, side elevational view of the end cap and the plug which is to be removably mounted within the end cap; 
         FIG.  19 C  is an exploded, side elevational view of the end cap and plug comparable to that of  FIG.  19 B , but rotated  90  degrees relative thereto; 
         FIG.  19 D  is a bottom view of the plug fully mounted within the end cap of the cover assembly; 
         FIG.  19 E  is an exploded, perspective view of the end cap and the plug which is to be removably mounted within the end cap; and 
         FIG.  19 F  is an exploded, perspective view of the end cap and the plug which is to be removably mounted with the end cap comparable to that of  FIG.  19 E , but at a different perspective. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED AND ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning now to  FIGS.  1 - 3   , a cover  10  according to the present invention includes a generally cup-shaped, end cap  12  and a tubular, preferably cylindrical sheath  14  coupled to the open end of the end cap which sheath is normally in a wrapped, furled or rolled state. As shown in  FIG.  4   , the cap  12  is mounted on the free end or butt of a lacrosse stick  1  in a friction-fit manner and the relatively-thin, resilient, membrane-like sheath  14  is unrolled onto the shaft of stick to a desired length as shown in  FIG.  5    or the entire length of the shaft as shown in FIG,  6  to thereby, in effect, provide the shaft with a resilient “skin”. The cap  12  and sheath  14  are preferably integrally formed in one piece and made from injection molded rubber, synthetic rubber, neoprene or other synthetic plastic polymers that permit production in various thickness, colors and lengths. The elasticity of the material preferably gives it memory and durability. The sheath  14  and cap  12  are preferably cylindrical and are dimensioned to enable a friction fit on the shaft of the lacrosse stick which, as shown in phantom view in  FIG.  3   , is typically octagonal. The thickness of the cap  12  may be several times thicker than the thickness of the sheath  14 . The diameter of the sheath  14  is preferably smaller than the diameter of the lacrosse stick  1  so that it stretches to a tight fit. After the sheath  14  is unrolled to the desired length, excess material may be cut off, if desired. 
     According to the presently preferred embodiment, the sheath  14  may provide a pebbled texture  16  on its outer surface. The pebbled texture enhances grip and channels away moisture. This also enhances player performance in wet weather conditions. The material is preferably also temperature neutral so that it can enhance performance in cold weather conditions. The invention eliminates the need for tape and makes old lacrosse sticks look new again. Unlike tape, the invention does not leave behind any damaging residual adhesive. It also improves the safety of the stick as it provides a full sheath to protect the player from splintering wood shafts caused by checking during the game. The sheath can be quickly and easily removed from a lacrosse stick for use on another stick or it can be stored, e.g., in a pouch (not shown) until used again. 
     According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the color of the sheaths and/or caps is coordinated to the desired team colors. The sheaths may also be imprinted with, e.g., team names, logos, slogans, inspirational sayings or advertising, etc. For example,  FIG.  7    shows a second embodiment  110  which is imprinted with the name of a school and is colored to match the school colors.  FIG.  8    shows a third embodiment  210  which is colored to match a different school&#39;s colors and is imprinted with a different school&#39;s name.  FIG.  9    shows a fourth embodiment  310  which is imprinted with advertising.  FIG.  10    is a perspective view of a field hockey stick with a fifth embodiment  410  of the invention completely installed and  FIG.  11    is a perspective view of a hockey stick with a sixth embodiment  510  of the invention completely installed which has a cover on which is imprinted a logo of a team, sponsor, manufacturer of the stick or other associated entity. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  12 - 17 A and  17 B , therein illustrated is a seventh embodiment of the invention which as seen best in the exploded and assembled views of  FIGS.  12 A and  12 B  comprises a cover  610  which includes a cup-shaped end cap  612  and a relatively thin, resilient, membrane-like, tubular sheath or sleeve  614  which is normally mounted on the cap  612  and, in turn, the shaft  11  of the athletic or sport equipment, in this case (as shown) the shaft  11  of a lacrosse stick in a wrapped, furled or rolled state prior to it being unrolled onto shaft  11 . As seen in  FIG.  14   , sheath  614  has an inner free end  616  preferably coupled to the end cap  612  via a friction fit, as described in greater detail hereinafter. Like the embodiments of FIGS,  1 - 11 , the cap  612  is mounted on the free end or butt  15  of a lacrosse stick  11  in a friction-fit manner and the relatively-thin, resilient, membrane-like sheath  614  is unrolled onto the shaft of the stick  11  as shown in  FIGS.  15  and  16    to a desired length, such as shown in the first embodiment in  FIG.  5    or the entire length of the shaft as shown in  FIG.  6    to thereby, in effect, provide the shaft  11  with a resilient “skin” at least along the section thereof normally used as hand grips by the players. 
     As before, the cap  612  and sheath  614  are preferably made from injection-molded rubber, synthetic rubber, neoprene or other synthetic plastic polymers that permit production in various thickness, colors and lengths. The elasticity of the material preferably gives it memory and durability. As before the sheath  614  is preferably cylindrical and is dimensioned to enable a friction fit on the shaft  11  of the lacrosse stick which, as shown in  FIG.  14   , is typically octagonal. The thickness of the cap body  612  is preferably several times thicker than the thickness of the sheath  614 . The diameter of the sheath  614  is preferably smaller than the width of the lacrosse stick  11  so that it stretches to a tight fit. After the sheath  614  is unrolled to the desired length, excess material may be cut off, if desired. 
     However, in this seventh embodiment of the invention as seen best in  FIG.  14   , the cup-shaped cap  612  has a circular, generally planar end cap  613  which is intended to butt against the free end  15  of the lacrosse stick  11  to prevent the user from injuring his/her hand on the free end  15  of the lacrosse stick  11  which is more prevalently made of metal today. Optionally, the outer face of the planar end cap  613  can be slightly arcuate or domed. Moreover, it is preferably slightly enlarged to create a knob which serves as a stop to ensure that the rolled-up sheath  614  cannot be removed by simply rolling it over and off the free end of the shaft  11 . End cap  613  is also relatively thin, preferably having a thickness of about ¼ of an inch or less so that its outer face remains relatively closely adjacent to the end  15  of stick  11  which abuts the inner face of end cap  613 , and does not add any significant length to shaft  11  which would interfere with the proper use and handling of the stick or create an unsafe, improper extension thereof. 
     As further shown in  FIG.  14   , the octagonally-shaped sidewall of cap  612  may optionally be provided with a recessed inner portion  617  on which a cylindrical, preferably, metallic stiffening ring  620  may be frictionally mounted which serves to stiffen and strengthen the portion of the sidewall of cap  612  on which the furled sheath  614  is normally positioned when not in use and prior to unfurling thereof. As mentioned above, and as seen in  FIGS.  13  and  14    the inner end  616  of the  614  sheath is received over and on ring  620  in this recessed section  617  to effect a coupling of the furled sheath  614  to the ring  620  in a friction-fit manner. 
     The cap  610  is further modified to allow for relatively minor variations in configuration and dimensions of the sport shaft  11  on which it is mounted. More particularly, the tubular side wall  611  of the cup-shaped cap  612  in this embodiment has an octagonal cross-section which is dimensioned and configured to match the octagonal wall of the lacrosse stick shaft  11  so that it fits snugly over and on the octagonal end  15  of the shaft  11  and also in a friction fit manner. The outer portion of sidewall  611  of the cap  612  is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart fingers  618  which defined a plurality of longitudinally-extending slots  619  formed therebetween. The width of the fingers  618  are preferably dimensioned to generally match the width of the octagonal sides of the end of shaft  11  of the lacrosse stick which may vary and the slots  619  are similarly arranged so that they are generally aligned with the seven corners of the octagonal shaft  11 . As can be appreciated, the fingers  618  and slots  619  allow some flexibility and sufficient clearance, if needed, if the general dimensions of the respective walls  611  of the cap  612  and shaft  11  are somewhat off relative to one another, thereby allowing the cap  612  to still fit on the end wall  15  of the shaft  11  despite any relatively small variations in its configuration or dimensions. 
     The reinforcing ring  620  may be needed in situations where the cap  612  is not made of a sufficiently rigid plastic material to stand up to the radially-inwardly-directed force of the furled sheath  614  mounted thereon which might otherwise crush or cause the sidewall of cap  611  to buckle, preventing the end cap  612  from being fully mounted on the end  15  of the lacrosse stick  11 , Obviously, if the cap sidewall  611  of the cap  612  is sufficiently rigid and strong enough to resist such deformation as may be caused by the furled sheath  614 , the recessed section  617  and stiffening ring or collar  620  would not be needed. 
       FIGS.  17 A and  17 B  show two alternate positions of the placement and disposition of the inner end  616  of sheath  614  as compared to that shown in  FIG.  14   . In  FIG.  17 A , the inner end  616 ′ of the sheath  614  extends to the inner end face of the enlarged base or end wall  613  of cup  612  to provide a more neat and finished look, but its position on the sidewall  611  of cup  12  can be varied as desired.  FIG.  17 B  shows a further variation thereof where the free, inner end  616 ′ of sheath  614  extends over and past the enlarged basewall  613  sufficiently to allow the same to collapse inwardly (shown in phantom line), under its normal inherent resilient tendency, causing it to collapse inwardly against the outer face of the end wall  613 , such that it lies flat against the outer face of basewall  613 , covering most, if not all, thereof typically in a wrinkled, pleated erratic fashion. While the mounting of the sheath is typically adhesive-less, a small amount of glue could be used on the exterior face of the end cap  613  to ensure securement of the inner ends  616 ″ thereto. Alternatively, a disc-shaped or dome-shaped end piece (not shown), having a diameter or width equal to, or less than end wall  613 , and having a planar inner face covered with a self-sticking adhesive ply could be glued onto the outer face of end wall  613  for a more clean and fit finish. 
     Turning now to FIGS,  18 A- 18 E,  19 A- 19 D and  20 , therein illustrated in an eighth embodiment of the invention comparable to the seventh embodiment shown in  FIGS.  12 - 17 B . More specifically, the cover assembly  700  which also includes a removable resilient sleeve or sheath  714  also includes an end cap  712  having a plurality of spaced-apart, resilient fingers  718  (preferably with two wide fingers and two narrow fingers as before), but in this further embodiment the fingers  718  are disposed for engagement on the inside channel  13  of the lacrosse stick  11  rather than on the outer surface thereof as shown in the prior embodiment. In addition, the cover assembly  700  also preferably includes a plug  730  which also extends through the end cap  712  and into the inside channel  13  of the lacrosse stick  11  adjacent butt end  15  thereof to lock the end cap  712  and, in turn, sleeve  714  in a rigid, fixed position on the handle end  15  of stick  11 , as will be described in greater detail hereinbelow. 
     End plug  730  is of the general type sold by Vertical Lax Inc. of Altamont, New York, which is solely used for locking the end cap  712  in a fixed, non-rotatable manner on the butt end  15  of the handle portion of the lacrosse stick  11 , but in this invention it is used to also lock the sheath in place. More specifically, in the present embodiment end plug  730  of the hollow shaft employs a double step  733  consisting of lower step  735  and upper step  736 , the latter of which is adjacent its head  732  for engagement with the end cap  712  and for assisting in the removal of the plug  732  when the sheath  714  is to be removed and replaced. In addition, in the present invention, the end cap head  713  has an outer bowl-shaped concave recess  715  in which the end plug head  732  is fully received when installed as more fully described below. 
       FIG.  18 A  illustrates an exploded view of the handle portion of the lacrosse stick  11  adjacent butt end  15  and the cover assembly  700  which comprises a resilient elastomeric or rubber sheath  714 , an end cap  712  and an end plug  730 .  FIG.  18 B  illustrates cover  700  in a fully installed state on the handle end portion of the lacrosse stick  11 .  FIG.  18 C  shows the sheath  714  rolled up adjacent to end cap  712  prior to being unrolled for deployment onto, or removed for replacement, to the handle portion of the stick  11 .  FIGS.  18 D and  18 E  further illustrate the manner of engagement of cover assembly  700  and its components sheath  714 , end cap  712  and end plug  730 , on and within the butt end  15  of stick  11 . 
     As seen best in  FIGS.  18 D and  18 E , the sheath  714  is first received on and adjacent to the butt end  715  of stick  11  with an end portion  714   a  thereof folded inwardly over the butt end  15  of stick  11  and into the inner channel  13  thereof. The remainder of the furled sheath  714  would then be unfurled so that it would lie flat against the entire outer surface  722  of the handle portion  721  of stick  11  in a friction fit or resiliently gripping and fixed manner so as not to move or slip during play. It should be realized that the lacrosse stick  11  would be much longer than that shown in  FIG.  18 D  and that only the inner free end portion of the stick  11  is shown as its opposite outer end would be attached to a lacrosse head as shown in  FIGS.  4 - 9   . As defined herein, this inner end portion is simply referred to as the handle portion  721 , the entire length of which would normally be covered by sheath  714 . However,  FIG.  18 D  shows the outer portion of handle portion  721  uncovered to better enable identification of its outer surface  722  and inner surface  724  in a clearer fashion. 
     In this embodiment, the end cap  712  comprises an enlarged, rounded, generally donut-shaped end member or annular collar  713  defining an octagonal central opening  716  ringed by preferably, four spaced-apart resilient fingers  718  extending rearwardly therefrom. Fingers  718  are intended to be inserted into the cavity  13  of stick  11  and engage in a spring-like, biasing manner with the inner flap  714   a  ( FIG.  18 E ). Similarly, the inner end portion or flap  714   a  folded over butt end  15  and into cavity  13  would lie flat against the inner surface  724  of handle portion  721  in a resilient manner to hold it rigidly in place as shown. This resilient engagement of the sheath  714  on both the outer side  722  and inner side  724  of the handle portion  721  is enhanced by the provision of an undercut neck portion  717  of the enlarged head  713  of end cap  712  which defines an octagonal slot  716  ( FIG.  19 D ) in which the inner end  15  of handle portion  721  of stick  11  is received together with the snugly-fitting folded over inner end of sheath  714  and its inner-flap  714   a  which are also securely and rigidly received therein. 
     Furthermore, as further seen in  FIGS.  18 D and  18 E , an end plug  730  is also received with the cavity  13  of stick  11  adjacent its handle free end  15  so as to lock end cap  712  and sheath  714  in a rigid, fixed position. The plug  730  has an enlarged head  732  and a preferably octagonal, tubular shaft  734  joined by a double-step neck portion  733  disposed therebetween. The enlarged, rounded, donut-shaped end cap collar  713  of end cap  712  has a centrally-disposed, bowl-shaped or concave recess  715  in which the head  732  of plug  730  is fully received when installed. As seen best in  FIG.  18 E , the inner or first step  735  of neck portion  733  is intended to serve as a stop for plug  730  so that, when fully inserted, the head  732  thereof butts up against the step  735  at a position where it is fully recessed within the cavity  715  so as to prevent the head  732  from engaging and injuring the player&#39;s hand or causing other bodily harm or injury to another player. 
       FIGS.  19 A- 19 D  illustrate further details of the end plug  730  and its mating engagement with end cap  712 .  FIG.  19 A  is a plan view showing octagonal plug  730  fully inserted within end cap  712 .  FIG.  19 B  shows an exploded side view of plug  730  prior to its insertion into end cap  712  thereof (or after removal therefrom). 
       FIG.  19 C  is similar to  FIG.  19 B  but is rotated 90° relative thereto.  FIG.  19 D  is a bottom view of the end cap  712  and plug  730 .  FIGS.  19 E and  19 F  provide an exploded perspective view of the plug  730  and end cap  712  at different orientations to better illustrate their manner of engagement and the spatial arrangement of their engageable parts or components. In particular, they better illustrate the intended resilient engagement of the octagonal hollow shaft  734  of plug  730  with the inner sides of fingers  718  of end caps  712  within the octagonal bowl-shaped recess  716  of collar  713  to press the fingers  718  against the sheath flap  714   a  and, in turn, against the inner surface  724  as also seen best in  FIG.  18 E , to rigidly secure sheath  714  and flap  714   a  on, and in, shaft handle portion  721 , respectively. 
     As a result of this manner of engagement and construction, plug  730  creates an extremely rigid fixed cover assembly which will not twist in the user&#39;s hands which is extremely important during play. Moreover, plug  730  and the donut-shaped head portion  713  of end cap  712  are rigidly fixed upon the handle end  15  of lacrosse stick  11  in a manner which prevents user from injuring or slashing his/her hand on the free end  15  of the lacrosse stick which is typically made of metal today. 
     As a result of the foregoing and in order to use this cover assembly  700 , the user would initially unroll the rubber sleeve or sheath  714  from a coiled position ( FIG.  18 C ) onto the end of the handle portion  721  of the lacrosse stick  11  with an inner end flap thereof  714   a  being folded over and into the interior channel  13  of the lacrosse stick handle portion  721  via its free end  15 , Subsequently, the end cap  712  is slid onto the outer surface  712  of the handle portion  721  of the lacrosse stick  11  so that its fingers  718  slide into channel  13  and resiliently and frictionally engage the flap  714   a  of the sleeve  714  within the interior channel  13  of the handle portion  721 . As can be seen best in  FIG.  18 E , the plug  730  is then inserted into the central octagonal opening  716  of end cap  712  until its inner step  735  of neck portion  733  engages and abuts the recessed concave surface  715  of end cap  712  to provide a fixed, rigid engagement therebetween to prevent rotation thereof and to lock the cover assembly  700  in place. 
     When it is decided to remove the sleeve  714  and replace it with another sleeve  714 , the user would place an elongated tool, such as a screwdriver or the like (not shown), into the bowl-shaped recess  715  of the enlarged head  713  of the end cap  712  which recess  715  surrounds the plug head  732  and its neck portion  733 . By manipulating the screwdriver flat head underneath the second step  736  of the plug  730  and then applying thereto an upward or outward pivoting action, the screwdriver flat head tip engages the second step  735 . Then, a further rearward pivoting of the flat head pries the head  732  of the plug upwardly or outwardly so that the plug  730  would disengage from the end cap  712 . At that point, the end cap  712  could then also be removed from the cover assembly  700  following which the sheath  714  could then be rolled up and removed. The process can be repeated whenever a new sleeve  714  is needed to be placed on the handle portion  721 . 
     As can be appreciated, various modifications may be made as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, although the end caps are typically round or cylindrical, they could be configured to have a cross-section similar to that of the shaft on which it is mounted, such as octagonal for lacrosse sticks, although other shapes, such as round, oval, rectangular, or hexagonal are also sometimes used, such as for the shafts of other athletic equipment, such as ice hockey and field hockey sticks. 
     In addition, although the sheaths  614 ,  714  of the cover may possibly have a thickness of about 1/16 to ¼ inches, the same can be varied to suit the particular use or application and/or the official sport regulations governing such equipment. In fact, it has been discovered that, most advantageously, the sheath may have a thickness less than ¼ of an inch and even less than 1/16 of an inch, Most advantageously, it has been found that the thickness of the sheath made of extruded rubber is preferably in the range of 0.010 to 0.050 inches and most desirably is about 0.030 inches. 
     The sheath is preferably made from injection-molded, vulcanized rubber, neoprene of other polymers that permit production in various thicknesses, colors and lengths. The elasticity of the material preferably gives it memory and durability. The diameter of the sheath is preferably smaller than the diameter or width of the shaft of the athletic equipment employed so that it stretches to a tight fit. The enlarged end cap  613  preferably has a diameter of about 1 1/2  inches and the sidewall of cap  612  has a length of about 3 inches. The recessed inner portion is preferably about 1 ¼ inches in length and the outer portion of the sidewall is desirably about 1 ¾ inches with the slots having a length of about 1 inch. The cap end wall  613  preferably has an overhang of about ¼″ and a thickness or height of about the same. If a further disc-shaped or domed-shaped end piece (not shown) is used to create a neater appearance, it is desirable that the height of the end wall  613  and end piece does not exceed a maximum height of ¾″ and preferably, ½″ or less, so as not to appreciably extend the effective length of the stick  11 . The end cap  712  and plug  730  can be of generally comparable dimensions. For example, the end cap  712  can have a length of about 1 ½-2 inches and the plug can have a similar length of about 1 ½-2 inches. The enlarged generally round or oval head  713  also preferably has a width of about 1 ½ inches. 
     It should also be realized that although the cover  700  preferably includes both the end cap  712  and plug  730 , for certain applications some benefits of the invention may also be achieved by utilizing just the end cap  712  (i.e., without plug  730 ), but without having a central opening  716  so it entirely covers the free end of the lacrosse stick like the cup-shaped embodiments previously discussed herein. 
     Thus, while particular embodiments of the invention have been described, it is not intended that the invention be limited thereto, as it is intended that the invention be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. It will therefore be appreciated by those skilled in the art that yet other modifications could be made to the provided invention without deviating from its spirit and scope as claimed.