What head do you use?
Last year in college and in the World Games I used the Brine Voyce X6. I really liked it because with the new college rules the head was able to be 6” across the top making the head more narrow and created a nice channel for the ball. In the MLL I used a Brine clutch because the head has to be 6.5” across top.
What handle do you use?
I use a Brine Scandium, its nice and light and really strong. I have always used colored shafts so I always use a team colored shaft.
Where does your pocket sit/what type of pocket to you prefer?
I like to use a high pocket. I think it gives me a quicker release and I just like the way that it feels when sitting in the stick.
Who is your stick doctor? Do you string it yourself or have a go-to-teammate/friend?
I have always strung my own sticks. I know exactly what I like and how I like it strung so whenever I string a stick I have it just the way I like it. Because I have been stringing my sticks for so long, if I ever need something fixed I can do it without messing up my pocket.
What kind of mesh do you use (Hard, soft, monster, traditional/leathers, marc , etc.)? Why?
I use hard mesh, I think it last longer and once it breaks in it is perfect. One of the best sticks I have ever had though was my sophomore year when I used monster mesh, but for some reason after that season I went back to regular hard mesh.
What is your preferred glove?
As long as it is a Brine glove I am good. They are durable, protective, and don’t take long to break in so I have the mobility I need.
How much whip does your stick have?
I have both a good amount of whip and hold in my stick. The way I string my stick, before I put my shooting strings there is already some nice hold in it. Then I put to V’s in right around the pocket so the ball sits perfectly nice and high in the pocket. I use the amount of hold and whip that I do so I can have a harder shot, but also so if there is a defender on my hands, I can just flick my wrists and get the ball to an open man.
Anything unique you do to your head or shaft (pocket up-keep, tape jobs, alterations, etc.)?
The only unique thing I do is the way I string the top string. I use two strings, the first one I string normally, the second one I go through and make triangles with it (hard to describe) and that’s what really keeps it tight. I learned this when I was working a camp out in NorCal with Matt Oglesby and All West Lacrosse. Thanks Cali!
How long do you keep a stick before you get a new one?
I like to use a stick for as long as I can before stringing up a new one, but after a while the mesh starts to lose its hold and just becomes dead. For a little while last year I used one stick for practice and one stick for games. They were the exact same stick so it was not hard going back and forth. I would say I use a stick for around 2 months before changing it up.
What’s most important to you in a stick/what makes a good stick?
The most important thing to me for a stick is that I feel confident with it. If you don’t feel confident when you pass or shoot with it, it is going to mess up your accuracy, confidence and the way you play. Having a stick that you can throw or shoot with without having to think about it makes the perfect stick.
What are you looking forward to this MLL season?
I am playing in my first year in the NLL right now and I am really excited to see how it helps my outdoor game. I never played box or even indoor lacrosse before because I was a hockey player so I couldn’t play lacrosse in the winter. So I have learned a lot of new things, the indoor game is very fast and played in close quarters, so your hands have to be much better. And with the goals being so small and the goalies being so big, your shot has to be very accurate and you have to make the goalie move with small shoulder movements. So I am excited to get to outdoor and see how indoor has helped my game.
What are you doing when you aren’t playing lacrosse?
When I am not playing lacrosse I am working at Trilogy Lacrosse In NYC. So I am pretty fortunate that my job is also lacrosse. I have to travel a lot for both the NLL and trilogy so if I am not playing or working, I really like to just hangout with my friends and go out. And always love being able to hangout with the Alford brothers!