Patent Publication Number: US-10758799-B2

Title: Teaching device for improving scooping technique for ground balls in lacrosse

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Description 
     The present disclosure is directed to a lacrosse teaching device and, more particularly, to a lacrosse teaching device for improving a player&#39;s ground ball scooping technique. 
     2. Background of Related Art 
     According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in college athletics. Up until recently, competitive lacrosse in the United States was primarily found in the northeast. However, lacrosse is now played collegiately throughout the United States. In fact, Denver University, which is located in Denver Colo., won the men&#39;s division I National Championship in 2015. Due to its rising popularity, the availability of college scholarships for college lacrosse has also increased greatly. 
     There is a saying in lacrosse “ground balls win games.” A ground ball is a ball that is not possessed by either lacrosse team. In lacrosse, possession of the ball is important. Typically, the teams that win the ground ball battle control ball possession during the game. There is a technique to scooping ground balls. This technique involves stepping into the ball and protecting sides of the ball with the feet and legs, staying low with the body and the stick, and scooping up the ball. Staying low with the body and the stick facilitates protecting the ball as well as scooping up the ball. 
     A continuing need exists in the art for a teaching device that can improve a player&#39;s technique for scooping up ground balls in lacrosse. 
     SUMMARY 
     One aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a lacrosse teaching device including a body, a ball receptacle, and a valve. The body includes a first leg, a second leg, and an archway interconnecting the first leg and the second leg. The body defines a tunnel and the archway defines an opening. The ball receptacle defines a cavity and an opening. The cavity is dimensioned to hold at least one lacrosse ball. The ball receptacle communicates with the opening in the archway such that a lacrosse ball of the at least one lacrosse ball can travel from the cavity of the ball receptacle through the opening in the archway and into the tunnel. The valve is positioned between the cavity of the ball receptacle and the opening in the archway and is actuable to control movement of the at least one lacrosse ball from the cavity of the ball receptacle into the opening in the archway. 
     In embodiments, the ball receptacle is funnel shaped and the at least one lacrosse ball includes a plurality of lacrosse balls. 
     In some embodiments, the ball receptacle includes a cover to close the opening in the ball receptacle. 
     In certain embodiments, the valve is remotely controlled. 
     In embodiments, the valve is timer controlled. 
     In some embodiments, the valve is manually controlled. 
     In certain embodiments, a length of each of the first and second legs is adjustable to adjust a height of the tunnel. 
     In embodiments, each of the first and second legs includes a first portion connected to the archway and a second portion, the first portions being movable in relation to the second portions to adjust the length of each of the first and second legs. 
     In some embodiments, the first and second portions of each of the first and second legs are telescopingly connected. 
     In certain embodiments, the first portion of each of the first and second legs defines a plurality of first openings and the second portion of each of the first and second legs includes a second opening, the second opening being selectively movable into alignment with one of the plurality of first openings to fix the first and second legs at a selected length. 
     In embodiments, the lacrosse training device includes pegs that are received through the first and second openings of the first and second leg portions to fix the lengths of the first and second legs. 
     In some embodiments, a base member supported on each of the second portions of each of the first and second legs, the base members being dimensioned and configured to stabilize the body of the lacrosse teaching device on a support surface. 
     In certain embodiments, the base members include securement structure to secure the base members to a support surface. 
     In embodiments, the securement structure includes one or more spikes. 
     In some embodiments, the base members define openings to receive the one or more spikes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments of the presently disclosed lacrosse teaching device are described herein below with reference to the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presently disclosed lacrosse teaching device with a player positioned within the device shown in phantom; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the indicated area of detail shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is another exemplary embodiment of a ball receptacle and valve of the presently disclosed lacrosse teaching device shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The presently disclosed lacrosse teaching device will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the disclosure and may be embodied in various forms. Well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary detail. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     The presently disclosed lacrosse teaching device is shown generally in  FIGS. 1-3  as teaching device  10  and includes a body  12 , and a lacrosse ball receptacle  14 . The body  12  includes spaced legs  16  and an archway  18  that extends between the spaced legs  16  to define a tunnel or passageway  19  beneath the archway  18 . In embodiments, the legs  16  each include a base member  20  that has an area that is greater than the area define by a cross-section of the legs  16  to provide a stable support surface for the body  12 . The base members  20  may include or be adapted to receive structure to facilitate securement of the base members  20  to a support surface “S”. For example, the base members  20  may define openings (not shown) that receive spikes  22  that can penetrate the support surface “S” to secure the body  12  to the support surface “S”. It is envisioned that the body  12  of the teaching device  10  may include a variety of different types of securement devices other than spikes  22  to secure the body  12  to the support surface “S”. It is also envisioned that if spikes  22  are provided, the spikes  22  should be provided with atraumatic or unsharpened tips (not shown) to avoid injury to a player. In some embodiments, the area of the base members  20  can be increased to obviate the need for securement devices such as spikes. For example, the width and/or length of the base members  20  can be increased to provide a more stable support surface for the body  12  of the teaching device  10 . 
     In embodiments, each of the legs  16  includes a first portion  30  that is coupled to the archway  18  and a second portion  32  that is coupled to the base member  20 . Each of the first portions  30  is coupled to a respective second portion  32  to facilitate adjustment of the length of the leg  16 . In embodiments, the first portion  30  of each leg  16  is dimensioned and configured to telescopingly receive the second portion  32  of each leg  16  to allow the length of the legs  16  to be selectively adjusted. Alternately, the second portion  32  of each leg  16  can be dimensioned and configured to telescopingly receive the first portion  30  of each leg  16 . In some embodiments, each of the first leg portions  30  define holes  34  and each of the second portions  32  of the legs  16  define at least one hole  36 . Any one of the holes  34  of the first leg portion  30  can be aligned with the hole  36  of the second leg portion  32  to receive a peg  38  to secure the first and second leg portions  30  and  32  in relation to each other to set the legs  16  to a desired length or height. The adjustability of the length of the legs  16  allows the teaching device  10  to be adjusted to accommodate athletes of different sizes and ages. 
     The ball receptacle  14  is supported atop the archway  18  and defines a cavity  39  that is dimensioned to hold at least one lacrosse ball  40  and in some embodiments a plurality of lacrosse balls  40 . The ball receptacle  14  includes an outlet tube  42  that communicates with an opening  44  in the archway  18 . When a lacrosse ball  40  moves through the outlet tube  42  and through the opening  44  in the archway  18 , the lacrosse ball  40  is deposited in the tunnel  16  beneath the archway  18 . 
     In embodiments, a valve or ball drop mechanism  46  is positioned between the outlet tube  42  of the ball receptacle  14  and the opening  44  in the archway  18  to control the passage of lacrosse balls  40  from the cavity  19  of the ball receptacle  14  to the opening  44  in the archway  18 . In embodiments the valve  46  can be controlled by a timer  50 . For example, the timer  50  can be programmed via the buttons  52  ( FIG. 2 ) to drop a lacrosse ball  40  into the tunnel  19  at a predetermined rate, e.g., every 15 to 60 seconds. 
     In an alternative embodiment, the valve  46  can be remotely controlled with a remote controlled device  56  ( FIG. 3 ) to selectively drop a lacrosse ball  40  into the tunnel on demand. The remote controlled device  56  can send a signal to the valve  46  wirelessly via radio frequency (“RF”) or the like. Alternately, the valve  46  can be a manually controlled device that can be selectively actuated by an instructor or coach to drop a lacrosse ball  40  into the tunnel  19 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in use during lacrosse training, the coach or instructor can load one or more lacrosse balls  40  into the ball receptacle  14  and subsequently actuate the valve  46  to drop a lacrosse ball  40  into the tunnel  19 . When a lacrosse ball  40  is dropped into the tunnel  19 , a player “P” can enter the tunnel  19  to scoop the lacrosse ball  40  with the lacrosse stick  60 . As illustrated, the height of the tunnel  19  can be set to require the player “P” to lower her body “B” and stick “S” to access the tunnel  19 . This exercise will reinforce good habits when attempting to retrieve or scoop a ground ball. 
     Persons skilled in the art will understand that the devices and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments. It is envisioned that the elements and features illustrated or described in connection with one exemplary embodiment may be combined with the elements and features of another without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. As well, one skilled in the art will appreciate further features and advantages of the disclosure based on the above-described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be limited by what has been particularly shown and described, except as indicated by the appended claims.