3D printing takes the field in lacrosse

For a sport that traces its roots back to the 12th century, lacrosse has not shied away from transformation and innovation. First invented and played by Indigenous peoples of Canada, the game looks very different today than it did then, when hundreds would play the ceremonial sport on a massive field, carrying wooden balls in a hooped net mounted on a stick. French missionaries who witnessed the sport eventually coined the name lacrosse and in the 19th century it was adapted to something we might recognize today. Since then, the sport of lacrosse has continued to evolve and adapt, with small rule changes designed to improve the game’s pace and technological innovations on the equipment front. This is where 3D printing is coming into play. 

3D printer OEM EOS, a leader in powder bed fusion technology, is working with sports equipment manufacturers to develop and launch sports products that are optimized for performance and comfort. The company’s technology has been behind various innovative products, including ice hockey helmet liners optimized for shock absorption (in cooperation with Bauer) and lightweight soccer shin guards with an energy absorbing structure. Now, its technology is helping drive innovation in the sport of lacrosse. 

3D printed ball stops

Maverik—part of Peak Achievement Athletics who operates Bauer Hockey—is also leveraging EOS 3D printing to create a lacrosse stick ball stop. Ball stops are typically glued to the throat of the head and help to minimize the ball’s bounce back when it is caught in the pocket. Often made of rubber or foam, ball stops can enhance a player’s skills and facilitate ball possession. 

In an industry first, Maverik has 3D printed ball stops using EOS hardware and advanced TPE materials. These components, designed for the elite Maverik Logik Force and Optik Force lacrosse sticks, integrate a unique push tab that enables the ball stop to be mounted directly onto the lacrosse stick head, without the need for any adhesive. Not only does the 3D printed ball stop reduce assembly steps for the lacrosse stick, it also introduces improved functionality thanks to a flexible lattice structure. 

When asked why Maverik identified the ball stop as a suitable application for AM, Bell-Cormier explained: “The workflow was easier and the lack of geometric constraints and mold complexity meant we could iterate designs around geometry and insert it into the head to remove adhesive in ways we could not with normal micro-injection. Performance (weight, cost) was on par with current options, so that made it attractive.”

Maverik has already manufactured over 5,000 units of the ball stop on EOS systems, showcasing the scaling potential of the sportsgear application. In terms of market availability, however, the company will start by introducing the specialized components on advanced products and innovation heads. Even further down the line, there is also potential to use 3D printing to create team-specific ball stops with color customization.

A new millennium for lacrosse

As the sport of lacrosse approaches a thousand years of existence, innovation is very much on the horizon. As Maverik is proving, 3D printing and design innovation are unlocking new performance benefits that traditional lacrosse gear can’t achieve. 

With EOS 3D printers in house, Maverik has developed a lacrosse product that has already received positive feedback in early trials. “The players that have used or tried the ball stop have appreciated its uniqueness and are typically 16 years old or younger and seem to be interested in the newness or technology, which was quite interesting,” Bell-Cormier explained. “Some players are so performance-driven that they don’t even notice as long as they can play the game and things are seamless and don’t negatively impact them.”

Going forward, the lacrosse company plans to introduce the 3D printed ball stops on lower-volume products and innovation series products.