How to build a PVC lacrosse net

How may of your sons play baseball? How about football? As you may know from previous posts, I live Canada and because of this, my son plays 'traditional' Canadian sports i.e. hockey and lacrosse. In our family, because of our weather, hockey is our winter sport and lacrosse is our summer sport (we did a couple of seasons of soccer but I hated it). Our son started both of these sports when he was four and has yet to learn how to play baseball or football. Of course he will be introduced to baseball and football soon enough. I don't know how parents with lots of kids manage all the different sports...how do you ladies do it? :)

I am sorry this post probably does not interest the vast majority of you out there...but I wanted to share it in case you can adapt it or if you also have a child who loves lacrosse as much as my son does.

A fellow lacrosse parent first made one of these lacrosse nets and after my husband studied it, he was able to make one of his own with minor changes. They are very easy and quite inexpensive to make (vs buying one).

Materials:
1 1/2 inch x 24 feet PVC pipe
4 x 90 degree corners
'Y' joint (with drain and plug)
PVC cement
2x3inch bolt with washer and wing nut
Replacement hockey net (54 inch)

Method:
Since my son is only 6 years old, he plays with a smaller lacrosse net. The net opening is 48 inches high by 48 inches wide.

 So using a miter saw, we cut:

• 3 pieces to 48 inches long
  
• 2 pieces to 63 inches long

We 'dry fit' all the pieces to make sure they fit together before we even thought about gluing them.

I really did not realize when we were planning this that it would be so big. I am spatially challenged :) So to deal with this massive net in the winter months, I convinced my husband to work his magic so it could be disassembled.

He glued the 2 top 90 degree pieces and the bottom 'Y' piece. He then decided (since it couldn't be glued) to put a large bolt through the bottom 2 x 90degrees and the PVC pipe to secure them. This allows us to take apart the net for storage (or transporting to the basement) during the winter months. He simply drilled straight through the 90 degree and the pipe being extra cautious that the holes lined up.

We put an opening/drain at the end of the 'Y' piece so that if the net needs weight, we can add sand or water into the bottom pipes. At this point, it doesn't seem necessary, but the option is nice.

 

Once all the pieces were glued and dried, we installed the hockey net. To purchase a lacrosse replacement net is rather pricey and hockey nets can be found at any local sports store for a really reasonable price. Using a large 54 inch hockey net and the nylon rope provided, we started by securing the middle of the replacement net to PVC stand.

 We looped the nylon rope through every third hole so that the lacrosse ball would not fit through.

 The net was a little short in the back (not reaching the 'Y' fully) so we just used some extra nylon rope and wove it through the net to keep it pulled back. As the net stretches, we will just tighten the extra nylon rope at the back.

A couple of hours of work and here is what we ended up with. A home made lacrosse net.

 My son has had a great time practicing at home!

 I hope someone will find this useful. :)
Linking to some great parties including: Story of A2Z