Drawing sports equipment is surprisingly annoying. You think it's just a stick and a net, but then you sit down with a pencil and suddenly the proportions look like a medieval ladle or a weirdly shaped tennis racket. If you've ever tried to figure out how to draw a lacrosse stick and ended up erasing the "head" of the stick six times, you aren't alone. It’s a game of geometry and tension.
Lacrosse is often called the "fastest game on two feet," and the equipment reflects that. It's aerodynamic, lightweight, and actually quite complex when you look at the sidewall strings. To get this right on paper, you have to stop thinking about it as a single object. Instead, think of it as three distinct engineering problems: the shaft, the head, and the mesh.
Getting the Skeleton Right First
Most people start with the head. Don't do that. If you start with the top, you’ll almost certainly run out of room for the handle, or the angle will be so skewed that the stick looks broken.
Start with a long, lean line. This is your "spine." Lacrosse shafts aren't actually round; they are octagonal. If you’re doing a close-up, you’ll want to show those flat edges. If it’s a full-body drawing of a player, a simple tapered cylinder works fine. Use a ruler if you want it to look crisp, but honestly, a slightly hand-drawn line has more "life" to it.
The head of the stick—the plastic part—is roughly the shape of a pear that’s been flattened at the bottom. It’s wider at the top (the scoop) and narrows down to the throat where it meets the handle. This is where people mess up. They make the throat too wide. In reality, that plastic has to wrap tightly around the shaft.
The Secret to How to Draw a Lacrosse Stick: The Sidewalls
Here is the thing: a lacrosse head isn't just a flat hoop. It has depth. Professional sticks have "sidewalls" that are about an inch or two deep. If you draw it perfectly flat, it looks like a bubble wand.
To make it look 3D, you need to draw the "near" edge and the "far" edge. The plastic rails have holes drilled into them for the strings. You don't need to draw every single hole—that’s overkill and usually makes the drawing look cluttered—but a few small circles or dashes along the side give it that authentic, technical feel.
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Let’s talk about the scoop
The top of the stick is called the scoop. It’s curved. Not just a "U" shape, but a subtle arch that helps players pick up ground balls. When you're learning how to draw a lacrosse stick, pay attention to the angle of that scoop. If it's a defensive long-pole, the head might be a bit wider. If it’s an attackman’s stick, it’s often pinched tighter for better ball control.
That Pesky Mesh and Stringing
The mesh is what scares most artists away. It looks like a chaotic web. But it's actually a very organized grid.
Instead of drawing a bunch of messy scribbles, draw a series of diagonal lines crossing each other. Think of a diamond pattern. The mesh doesn't sit flat inside the head; it sags to form a "pocket." This pocket is usually deepest in the middle or toward the bottom (the throat), depending on the player's preference.
- The Shooting Strings: These are the horizontal laces near the top. They usually go straight across. They give the ball a smooth exit.
- The Bottom String: This secures the mesh to the throat. It’s often just a simple knot or a loop.
- The Leathers: If you’re drawing a traditional stick (the kind used in wooden sticks or by some purists), you’ll see four thick leather strips running vertically.
If you're going for a modern look, stick to the diamond mesh. Keep your lines light. If the mesh lines are as dark as the plastic frame, the drawing will look "heavy" and hard to read. Use a finer pen or a harder pencil (like an H or 2H) for the netting.
Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them
I’ve seen a lot of drawings where the stick looks like it’s made of rubber. This happens because the shaft isn't straight. Even if a player is mid-shot and the shaft is flexing (which they do—carbon fiber and high-end alloys have a lot of "whip"), the curve should be a smooth, parabolic arc, not a jagged bend.
Another big one? The ball. A lacrosse ball is a solid hunk of vulcanized rubber. It’s heavy. When it sits in the pocket, the mesh should bulge out behind it. If the ball is just floating in the middle of a flat net, the physics look wrong. Show the weight.
Different Sticks for Different Roles
You’ve got to know what you’re drawing. A goalie stick is massive. The head is huge—literally a giant wall of mesh. If you're drawing a goalie, that head should be almost as wide as the player’s torso. On the flip side, a "d-pole" (defenseman) has a shaft that is 60 inches long. If the stick looks like a wizard's staff, you're probably drawing a defenseman.
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Mastering the Perspective
If the stick is pointing toward the viewer, the head will look like a wide, foreshortened oval. The shaft will look very short. This is the hardest angle to master.
Focus on the "butt end" of the stick—the rubber cap at the bottom. If the stick is angled, the butt end should be visible. It’s a small detail, but it adds a lot of realism. Most players also use athletic tape on the handle to improve their grip. Adding a few "tape lines" or a "criss-cross" tape job near the bottom of the handle makes the stick look like it’s actually been used in a game.
Step-by-Step Breakdown for Your Sketchbook
- The Spine: Draw your long straight line for the shaft.
- The Throat: Draw a small rectangle at the top of the shaft where the head connects.
- The Outer Frame: Sketch the pear-shaped head. Keep it symmetrical!
- The Depth: Add the second line for the sidewall to give it that 3D plastic look.
- The Mesh Grid: Lightly draw your diamonds. Make sure they "dip" to show the pocket.
- The Details: Add the shooting strings (horizontal) and the tape on the handle.
- Clean Up: Erase your "spine" line from inside the head and darken your final outlines.
Final Touches for Realism
Check your proportions. A standard attack stick is usually about 40 to 42 inches long. That means the head is roughly 1/4th the length of the whole stick. If the handle is ten times longer than the head, it's a defensive pole. If they are almost the same length, you've accidentally drawn a mini-stick.
Lacrosse sticks aren't perfect. They get scratched. The plastic gets "scuffed" from the turf. The mesh gets dirty. If you're coloring your drawing, don't make the mesh perfectly white. Give it some grey or brown smudges near the bottom where the ball sits most often.
Actionable Next Steps:
To really nail the look, grab a pencil and start with the "skeleton" line first. Don't worry about the mesh until the plastic frame looks solid and symmetrical. If you're struggling with the head shape, look up a "sidewall view" of a popular head like the Maverik Optik or the STX Surgeon—these have very distinct curves that are easier to reference than a generic shape. Once you have the frame down, use a fine-liner for the mesh to create a sense of depth and contrast against the thicker lines of the handle.