2010 NCAA legal lacrosse head Q & A with Reid Mayberry

Lacrosse fans sometimes only focus on professional or Division I lacrosse, and how the 2010 rule changes will affect the game at these levels. However, players from all over the country are being affected with the 2010 NCAA head specification rule change. LacrosseTURF caught up with Reid Mayberry, a lefty attackman from Roanoke College (VA), to talk about the new NCAA rule and its affect on Division III lacrosse (Reid transferred from Salisbury University to Roanoke College after his sophomore season). You might be surprised when you hear what he has to say…

Most discussions have revolved around the affect the new 2010 rule changes will have on Division I lacrosse, but are the rules applicable to Division III as well?

"Yeah, it affects us. The entire NCAA is under the umbrella of the new 2010 rules. So that means DI, DII and DIII."

Do all teams have the funding to replace last years heads?

"It's funny that you ask. Most Division III teams actually don't have the luxury of being sponsored and outfitted with a surplus of equipment and gear like most Division I teams. As far as I know, Salisbury is the only Division III team that is partnered with an equipment company like Brine."

"So this issue of purchasing brand new equipment because of an NCAA rule is bothersome. Even though it is now required for all of collegiate lacrosse to get new heads, most players are left to fend for themselves. I wasn't sure if Roanoke was going to help us out and give us the 2010 legal heads or a discount of some kind, so I had been searching around online looking for reviews of new sticks. I actually ended up buying a couple of the heads to use during fall ball so I could get used to them as soon as possible."

As an attackman, how do you feel about the heads being wider? Can you tell a difference?

"Personally, I hate the new heads. I suppose they look the same, but once I started throwing and shooting, especially shooting, I could tell a huge difference. Since the throat is so much wider the ball moves around a lot more than usual and it's a lot harder to get a constant release point from shot to shot. Fortunately, I was able to alter the release by stringing my stick differently. Now, I string my sticks by just adding/tightening a shooting string here or there to give the head a lot more whip and hold to make the ball stay in place.

Between STX, Brine or Warrior, which head do you use and prefer?

"As I mentioned earlier, we don't have a specific contract with a Brine, STX or Warrior, so we aren't exclusive to any one brand. It is a lot of mix and match. The only thing that really matters is color, as it needs to blend with the maroon and black colors of Roanoke. Right now I am using the new STX Proton Power. The only problem I've had with it thus far is its flexibility. I quickly noticed when I put pressure on the head, by holding my equipment on the shaft or going for tough ground balls, the head is already starting to pinch. Considering the lofty prices for a new head and stringing kit, this isn't exactly good news. I don't understand why the NCAA is trying so hard to make these companies alter their heads and change the rules. As far as I see it these rules are not dramatic enough to help or affect the game and it's putting all athletes and lacrosse players all over the country in an uncomfortable position."