Members of the Lacrosse Community:
My name is Ryan Harrington and I was a senior captain at Hampden-Sydney. I was recently put in charge of the lacrosse operations at True Temper, a company that I strongly believe will change the way you think about lacrosse shafts. I'd like to take this opportunity to quickly introduce both myself and True Temper Lacrosse; its identity, technologies and values. Please take some time to read this open letter and give us some feedback--your opinions and views will not go unnoticed.
You may not have heard of True Temper before, but we've certainly heard of you. We've been manufacturing lacrosse shafts for several companies for many years now, and we recently made the decision to give the lacrosse market our undivided attention. We currently have a 92% market share of the golf shaft market, and our technical expertise, materials engineering knowledge and manufacturing abilities are second to none. We want to bring all of those competitive advantages to lacrosse, and ultimately, right to your hands.
We've been watching product development and advertising in lacrosse from a distance for a while, and it seems that a lot of products promise many things but don't necessarily deliver. I made the decision to spend our advertising dollars reaching out to you, the players, instead of big-time photo shoots and expensive endorsements. In fact, we’ve never had to pay anyone to use our products, yet look at how often our products are used in the PGA and NHL. There’s a reason for all of this: we don't serve up any gimmicks, and we let our products do all of the talking.
You may have noticed some of our technology prototypes in the hands of the top college and pro teams this season (we can’t keep up with the re-order demands!), but our superior design and manufacturing process begins with all of you guys. We want to be a company that listens to its customers and delivers a home run time after time. As this season goes on, I will start introducing different aspects of True Temper Lacrosse right here on Lacrosse Playground, and by Memorial Day weekend, I hope that you will all have a good idea of who we are and what we stand for. Most of all, I'd like for everyone to understand the performance benefits of our technology and R&D. It's not all smoke and mirrors, folks...I promise you that.
We are a company built on our aerospace engineers, metallurgists, composites experts and design staff, but more importantly, we are a company built upon our customers. To that effect, I'd like to open up the table and give you guys a chance to give us some feedback:
- What are the current pains you experience with lacrosse shafts?
- Do they shatter, bend or break prematurely?
- Are they too expensive for the duration of their lifecycle?
- What kinds of things would you like to see in shaft technology?
- Which shafts out there do you like and why?
I look forward to speaking with and hearing from as many of you as possible. This is a brand that I love, and one that the lacrosse world needs. Please leave your feedback in the comments section.
Sincerely,
Ryan Harrington #9
True Temper Lacrosse
for more information on True Temper, check out their website
68 comments
[…] they’re all about. Lacrosse Playground got the chance to sit down with TTL program director Ryan Harrington and he had a lot to […]
Yeah all the new grips on the shafts are just annoying. I prefer smooth anyway, i have hardly any tape on my stick at all
I’m coming back to the game after having played in college (graduated in mid-nineties). Straight up I’m a bit of a gearhead. I think it’s great that you guys who are so well-known in golf are getting into lacrosse.
So I’m an old guy, live in Hong Kong and am therefore completely out of touch, but a few quick observations (based on my online shopping over the last week or so to gear up for a league here):
1) There’s a ton of choice on shafts
Aside from what the materials are made of, there is little obvious differences except in the graphics. I think someone mentioned below that graphics aren’t that important. I tend to agree. That said, if you are laying fiber nicely, show it, but know that it will probably get taped over anyway.
2) The marketing teams are forgetting the simple stuff
a) Note how there’s a lot of marketing like “this is the lightest handle we make.” I think a manufacturer would be wise to weigh their shafts AND the competitions shafts and provide that data to the retailers. In golf equipment, people sweat it down to the gram and I would want to know that my $300 true temper composite shaft is 100 grams lighter than the scandium from so and so and 120 grams lighter than the 7000 series aluminum from so and so.
b) do a demo reel of a titanium (or whatever) shaft show the brand and model snapping on contact with one of your carbon fiber shafts.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the video from I want to say Trek bikes demonstrating an aluminum pipe (picking on Cannondale) bending like a wet noodle over one of their carbon frames when struck by hand. (Obviously not a fair comparison as bike tubes aren’t meant to be as strong on the side, as they are “butted” to reduce weight by making the walls thinner). But I was like wow OCLV or whatever they call it is legit.
3) From a marketing spend perspective, why not continue to pitch your shafts to the established brands so that there marketing teams can be out there pushing it and you guys get an “Intel inside” or “Powered by Honda” nod via a decal on the graphics and a contract in writing that says that they need to mention you guys as their manufacturer in all their materials. Piggy back on the branding.
4) Someone mentioned below about a plug on top to make sure the screw stays put.
BEST idea EVER.
Keep up the great work!
I’m coming back to the game after having played in college (graduated in mid-nineties). Straight up I’m a bit of a gearhead. I think it’s great that you guys who are so well-known in golf are getting into lacrosse.
So I’m an old guy, live in Hong Kong and am therefore completely out of touch, but a few quick observations (based on my online shopping over the last week or so to gear up for a league here):
1) There’s a ton of choice on shafts
Aside from what the materials are made of, there is little obvious differences except in the graphics. I think someone mentioned below that graphics aren’t that important. I tend to agree. That said, if you are laying fiber nicely, show it, but know that it will probably get taped over anyway.
2) The marketing teams are forgetting the simple stuff
a) Note how there’s a lot of marketing like “this is the lightest handle we make.” I think a manufacturer would be wise to weigh their shafts AND the competitions shafts and provide that data to the retailers. In golf equipment, people sweat it down to the gram and I would want to know that my $300 true temper composite shaft is 100 grams lighter than the scandium from so and so and 120 grams lighter than the 7000 series aluminum from so and so.
b) do a demo reel of a titanium (or whatever) shaft show the brand and model snapping on contact with one of your carbon fiber shafts.
I don’t know if you’ve seen the video from I want to say Trek bikes demonstrating an aluminum pipe (picking on Cannondale) bending like a wet noodle over one of their carbon frames when struck by hand. (Obviously not a fair comparison as bike tubes aren’t meant to be as strong on the side, as they are “butted” to reduce weight by making the walls thinner). But I was like wow OCLV or whatever they call it is legit.
3) From a marketing spend perspective, why not continue to pitch your shafts to the established brands so that there marketing teams can be out there pushing it and you guys get an “Intel inside” or “Powered by Honda” nod via a decal on the graphics and a contract in writing that says that they need to mention you guys as their manufacturer in all their materials. Piggy back on the branding.
4) Someone mentioned below about a plug on top to make sure the screw stays put.
BEST idea EVER.
Keep up the great work!
If you get a chance, check out the handles we did (Men’s/Ladies) for Combat Lacrosse. Took our first steps toward making stripped screws a thing of the past. Posted a picture on our Facebook wall.
Would love to know what you think if you’re able to check one out …