Grip ‘N Rip: Deemer Class, Atlanta Blaze

After a stellar college career at Duke University where he won two National Championships, Deemer Class is starting in the MLL right where he got off adding a new punch on an already explosive Atlanta Blaze offense.

What head and shaft are you using in the MLL?

I used a Warrior Burn X and Warrior Burn shaft in my first game.

Deemer Class 2

Do you string your own sticks? If not, who does?

I haven’t strung my sticks in over a year. Greg from East Coast Dyes has done an awesome job and our equipment guy at Duke University (also the equipment guy for the USA U­19 team) did a great job helping throughout the spring as well.

Deemer Class 1

What kind of pocket are you using?

­ Mesh: East Coast Hero Mesh (Striker)

­ Pocket placement: Mid to high pocket

­ Shooters: Two across with a nylon for now, might switch back to pre-college rules.

­ Whip: Probably 6 or 7 on a scale of 1-­10. I like a lot of hold and whip.

How do you tape your sticks?

I use a donut on the end that is decently sized that I place my hand over. Then I go up to where my top hand stops when I shoot. I also do a small part at the top for grip when I cradle.

Deemer Class 4

Why do you like this set up?

It’s become comfortable to me for the way I play and it has felt most consistent in different types of weather. I feel I can pass effectively while maintaining great hold and can get my hands back far when shooting from different release points.

You had to adjust to the 2013 NCAA shooting string rule in college, how did you go about it? Was it a hassle?

It took adjusting. My first fall was tough. Wax mesh ultimately helped the transition and then I got a better sense of sidewall patterns that created a better channel in the pocket. I used to use 2 U’s so the channel wasn’t as important.

What kind of stick where you using in college?

I used an STX Stallion head and shaft this season.

Any superstitions or funny stories?

Fortunately I’m not too superstitious. I’ve found some things that I thought were cool to do before games and then I’ll forget to do them the game or two after. That’s when I realized the superstition hooplah wasn’t for me,­ what good is one if you can’t even stick to the same pre game routine?

What is your wall ball and shooting routine?

Without getting into too much detail, I start closer to the net with shooting. I warm up my back and hips and get a feel for how my stick is throwing. Then I start to move out as I warm up. I have a goal of what I want to work on and then ultimately scatter into different drills and shots. Wall ball is similar I’ll see some passes I want to try but as long as my technique is good, it all helps. I’ve tried to expand my game by trying things out on the wall first.

 

Lacrosse Playground

In 2009, Adam O’Neill, Harry Alford and Thomas Alford launched Lacrosse Playground as the preeminent site for lacrosse gearheads. For years Lacrosse Playground provided lacrosse fans with tutorials and tips on how to string a lacrosse head, up-close looks at the gear the top players used and sneak peeks at equipment and uniforms before they were released. More than 10 years and millions of visits later, Lacrosse Playground has relaunched with a focus on storytelling. Our mission is to provide comprehensive coverage of the latest lacrosse news, share insights into the sports betting and fantasy lacrosse world and showcase the lifestyles and personalities of the sport of lacrosse through articles, videos and podcasts.

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