Grip 'N Rip: Daniel Crawforth

Each week Lacrosse Playground will be featuring a different lacrosse athlete as part of our “Grip ‘N Rip” series, where we’ll find out what the best use to fine tune their game. This week we are featuring BYU senior defenseman and captain, Daniel Crawforth. Crawforth isn't the usual lax rat. He is from Idaho, is an Eagle Scout, and plans on enlisting in the Navy upon graduation. More after the jump.

What head do you use?
I use an STX X10 head.



What handle do you use?
Right now I have an STX Axe handle but I'll be switching to an STX Zirconium handle soon. I'm just waiting for the team to receive our next shipment of gear.

Where does your pocket sit/what type of pocket do you prefer?
I play with a pocket that sits low and is deep as legally possible.



Who is your stick doctor? Do you string it yourself or have a go-to-teammate/friend?
I string all my own sticks. I think it is important to know how to string a good pocket. It has proven useful for understanding how a stick works and being able to make adjustments on the fly when weather conditions alter the performance of any of my sticks. Plus, I tend to break a good amount of heads. It would be a pain to have to wait on someone else to string me a new one.

What kind of mesh do you use (Hard, soft, traditional/leathers, marc , etc.)? Why?
I use hard mesh. I give it a quick soak in warm water to loosen it up before I string it up. I find that it helps break it in faster. I like hard mesh because it strings a reliable pocket that doesn't need too much attention. I played with traditional once and did not like how much tuning-up it constantly needed.

What is your preferred glove?
I'm a big fan of the new STX K18 gloves we got this year. They have an awesome feel, do everything a glove should do, and they look sick.

How much whip does your stick have?
I don't like much whip. I feel that it interferes with my ability to play consistent. I string my sticks with as little as possible.

BYU Lacrosse vs. Utah from BYU Lacrosse on Vimeo.

Anything unique you do to your head or shaft (pocket up-keep, tape jobs, alterations, etc.)?
There isn't much uniqueness to my sticks. Part of the reason is that they get replaced frequently so I don't spend a lot of time putting little details on my sticks. I like things simple. I don't use any tape on my stick except a little to keep my end-cap on and I don't dye my heads either.

How long do you keep a stick before you get a new one?
I try to keep my sticks as long as possible but like I mentioned earlier, I do break sticks often. I remember last year there was a month and a half during the season that I was breaking a head or handle every other game it seemed like. One could say I'm off to a good start this season though. I've only broken one head during the first month of practice.

What’s most important to you in a stick/what makes a good stick?
The most important feature to me in a stick is reliability. I like being able to pick up any of my sticks and know exactly how they throw when the time comes. That goes from the structure of the pocket to durability of the head and handle. The most reliable stick will win my preference any day over flashy gimmicks and outrageous "new technology."