Many parents of young defenseman ask me the same
question time after time, “My kid is in fifth
grade and plays defense and he really wants a longer
stick to play with. What is a good age to give him
a longer shaft??” This is a debate that has
caused youth programs across the country to enforce
a rule that prohibits a player’s shaft size
to be no longer than 40 inches until he plays in
seventh grade. Although many people do not agree
with this rule I think this rule will benefit young
defenseman in the long run in many different ways
that you will see years later.
The first day I was handed a stick with a long shaft
on it was in ninth grade. Before that I had two
great coaches in junior high school at Manhasset
on Long Island that understood the big picture.
Those two coaches’,Rob Reddington and Tom
Wendoff still coach young players today. They have
helped groom many players that have gone on to become
high school and college All-Americans. They preached
to me that I have to master the 40-inch stick before
I play with a longer shaft in my hands. So naturally
I was a little upset when I played defense against
opponents with my shorter shaft in junior high.
I did not have the advantage of reaching for opponents
and chasing them with a longer shaft. But in the
long run it taught me not to rely on my stick and
it helped me to be in proper position with my feet.
Using the short stick also gave me more time to
work on one of my weaknesses, which was handling
a stick and using my weak hand. During these years
I excelled in many areas including my catching,
throwing, cradling and even shooting with my strong
and weak hands. I became more confident in my stick
handling and my the time I first touched a lonstick
in practice in the summer going into my freshman
year it was clear that I had much better stick skills,
positioning, and confidence with a longstick than
the kids who starting using a longer shaft years
earlier. I felt like a Gladiator with my 6-foot
stick in my hands, I felt like I owned the world!
I started playing with a 6-foot stick in ninth grade
and it worked wonderfully for me. If you want to
give your kid a longer shaft before ninth grade
(seventh grade would be the earliest I recommend)
there is one general rule to go by. The rule is
that the stick should be no taller that the kid.
Let your kid gradually work his way up with longer
shafts until he gets to the High School level. And
then give him the 6-foot stick and let him be the
Gladiator!
It was now time to start working on my checks…
Part 2 (Coming Soon) |
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John was a member of the 2001 MLL Champion Long
Island Lizards, and an MLL All-Star. John is a
two-time first team All-American defenseman from
Johns Hopkins. He is also a member of the Philadelphia
Wings (NLL), where he won a National Lacrosse
League Championship in 2001 and was named an All-Star
in 1999.
Gags typically covers the opposition's best attackman.
In the 2001 MLL playoffs, Gagliardi covered John
Grant Jr. of Rochester in the semifinal game,
and Mark Millon of Baltimore in the MLL Championship
Game. The two were held to a combined one goal
and two assists. John is considered one of the
games best takeaway defenseman. He comes from
a family of athletes, and enjoys traveling, coaching,
and playing basketball and golf.
John on the MLL: "I love traveling to new
places around the US and seeing lacrosse cages
on fields and in backyards. The MLL is helping
the growth of the sport by giving players a post
college arena to showcase their abilities and
something to reach for when your college playing
days are over. I hope everyone in the lacrosse
world starts embracing the MLL for future players
and the future of the sport."
He is Co-Director of No
Limit Lacrosse Camps.
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Johns Hopkins All-American, 1996-1997,
USCLA Defensive Player of the Year, 1999,
Manhasset High School All-American, NLL All-Star,
1999, Member, 1999 USA World Cup Team, North/South
College Al-Star, 1997,
MLL All-Star, 2000, 2001, 2002 Philadelphia
Wings World Champions, 2001 (NLL)
Long Island Lizards World Champions, 2001 (MLL)
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