In this video I kick off Part 1 of my traditional lacrosse pocket tutorial, building toward a classic “up, down, up, down” traditional like the one I’ve got in my Under Armour Command. The biggest thing I want you watching the whole time is tensioning—traditional pockets live or die by tension over time. It usually takes a couple tries to really dial it in, and that’s totally normal, but if you rush the tension you’ll feel it later when the pocket bags out or shifts. I walk through the tools and materials I use (needle nose pliers, lighter, scissors, and a traditional stringing device), plus what you actually need to string it: four leathers, sidewall strings, and real crosslace for the center. I also show the leather “loop” setup at the top and explain the smooth-vs-rough orientation—smooth side faces the ball, rough side faces away—so you don’t end up with twists. Then I run the top string and attach each leather cleanly into the head, keeping everything as tight as possible, just like you would with a mesh top string. Before you lock anything in, I also recommend stretching your leathers (especially non-stitched) so you don’t snap one on your first pass.