My guide to lacrosse gear: make sure it works, but if it ain’t fly, it can die.

I don’t care when it is – if I put something on my body, it will be fresh.

I try to keep it clean with my style when I’m not playing lacrosse, but the same idea applies when I’m putting on my pads. If it doesn’t look good, I don’t want it. End of story.

Obviously, my lacrosse gear needs to work for me functionally, too. But if there isn’t some swag in there, I’ll find something else. It’s a statement point for myself.

When I was a kid, I was always in neon, like many others at the time. I’ve grown out of that phase, but I’m still all about shaping my look to the way I want it.

Customizations have become big for me. I have some shoes that I customized that I’ve worn, and I do it with my gloves plenty, too. I’ve had some funky designs and personalized nicknames on my gloves before. I like to change it up and not be so traditional with my appearance on the field and in the box.

For my lacrosse gear, I mostly use Epoch. I started with it my second year in the NLL, and I haven’t turned back since. At first, its gear wasn’t really ideal for transition players like myself, and I was going through shafts and heads like they didn’t exist. But over the years, Epoch has really improved on that front, and now its gear is great for mashing and bashing in box. And when it comes to protective gear, like kidney pads, shoulder pads, slash guards and all that, I’ve been Epoch since day one. The customizations are a big part of why.

I’ve been fortunate enough to use the same head for the last couple of years. I used it in the NLL, then used it again in the PLL, and I’m still using it now. But I was recently sent some more heads, so I’m in the process of stringing them up and getting them ready to go for the upcoming season, and ideally these will last a while, too. I don’t like changing up my heads, pockets or stringing strategy much – I prefer consistency there.

I’ve used the same style head almost the entire time I’ve played lacrosse. I’ve been loyal to East Coast 6-Diamond “Monster Mesh,” and you can go all over the place with it. My first stick had monster mesh, and while I know most players used shooting strings, I’ve stayed away from them since I began playing. It’s a bit of a funny look to the stick, but it’s comfortable for me, and it’s something I can say is kind of my unique style.

As the years have gone on, I’ve seen some kids in my area and while traveling around use monster mesh without shooting strings, and I get DMs and other messages from kids asking if I can send them pictures of my stick or my stick pattern so they can copy it. It’s pretty cool to see kids using monster mesh with no shooters. It makes me feel like I’ve made an impact on the sport that means everything to me, and that one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever experienced.

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Nothing in life comes easy. Lacrosse taught me that.

I’ve taken a difficult road to be where I am in the sport. I had to work extremely hard academically to salvage my career after making mistakes in the classroom, and it didn’t come easy. I got a later start than most players, let alone professionals, and it didn’t come easy. I had to fight for my roster spot in Calgary and solidify myself in the NLL, and it didn’t come easy.

Nothing worthwhile does.

Sometimes, it felt like it was too much. Some people consider Onondaga Community College to be the easy way out, or the easy way into something different. It might be that for some. It wasn’t for me. I struggled mightily during my two years there. I scraped by. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.

And I’m a better person for it.

It’s not just the sense of accomplishment and reaping the later rewards – it’s also the experiences you have along the way.

I’m a professional lacrosse player in two leagues, and I’ve represented my country on an international stage. None of it happened overnight.

There were many years before these things. Many years of trekking back and forth from practice, of having incredible coaches teach me the game, of lifting and conditioning, of winning and losing on fields and in boxes you’ve never heard of against teams you’ll never know existed.

Along the way, I’ve been introduced to some of the best people I’ve ever known, gone to places I never expected to see, let alone play at, and built relationships so deep that they’ll last a lifetime.

My perspective on life has opened up because of lacrosse. It has provided me with my lifestyle and shown me that nothing is taken lightly, and nothing is taken for granted. And in return for my dedication to the sport, it has given me so much.

Lacrosse is one of my best methods of relieving stress. Once I pick up my stick, my brain shuts off the outside noise. It is consumed with only thoughts of how I can become a better player, how can I best help my team, or making sure my pass to my friend makes it right in their pocket.

Life is hard. It can be overwhelming. Lacrosse taught me that. It also makes it more manageable.

In many cases in life, you get what you give. I have given a lot to lacrosse, and it has repaid me in turn. It is extremely special to me, and I hope I can help continue to bring the sport forward, promote its growth, and let it make a difference in as many more lives as possible.

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Lots of people probably don’t know this about me, but animals are one of my greatest passions. I’ve always had dogs in my life, but it’s more than that. Going to the zoo is one of my favorite activities, and I even considered working there at a time. That didn’t end up coming to fruition, but animals have remained a love of mine my whole life.

Here are my top five animals mixed with some education.

My Top 5 Animals

Lion

The lion is my top animal because of its pure strength and status as king of the jungle. Plus, a lion’s mane matches my own mane sitting atop my head.

Speaking of manes, a male lion’s mane can reach up to 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) long and are a sign of dominance. They are also important to attracting females. Now you understand my hairstyle.

Mantis Shrimp

It’s hard for me to articulate why these other four animals make my list, but there’s something about all of them that have all caught my eye with their looks and behaviors.

The mantis shrimp aren’t actually shrimp at all – they’re stomatopods, and they’re rarely available in aquariums. These sea creatures are so ruthless, their dactyl clubs can crack a glass tank, so it takes a unique environment to keep them behind bars, so to speak. If they can break glass, how much of a chance do you think shellfish stand?

Moose

If you’re Canadian, you know moose. But did you know a male moose has a flap hanging from neck called a dewlap. It isn’t entirely clear what it does for sure, but it’s thought that its size and shape can illustrate dominance level, and its scent can be used to mark females during mating season.

I have chosen not to adopt this behavior myself. The lion’s mane works better.

Panda Ant

The panda ant also has a misleading name. It’s not much of an ant, more of a wasp. But its black and white coloring is where the name comes from.

These little guys can pack a massive punch in one sting, nicknamed the “cow-killer” because their capability of taking out a cow and other animals significantly larger than themselves. My free piece of advice would be to never, ever, ever get stung by a panda ant.

Snowy Owl

Snowy owls are the heaviest owl species in North America because of all the feathers they need to make it through their frigid environment, including fluffy-looking feet. They are almost completely white, which helps quite a bit when sneaky up on unsuspecting prey.

Because of the length of Arctic summers, snowy owls have to hunt in daylight, a departure from most owls, who are nocturnal. Just another reason why these are the superior owls.

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Most people who play professional lacrosse first picked up a stick before they could walk.

Then there’s me – I didn’t do it until I was 13.

It was Billy Dee Smith who gave it to me. He ran the camp where I first learned the game.

Before picking up a stick, I was a baseball and hockey player. My dad and his brother were both excellent baseball players who had been drafted into the MLB, and I felt a strong pull to follow in their footsteps. Baseball and hockey were the sports I participated in since diapers – literally, I was still in diapers when I played my first hockey and baseball games – and until I learned about Billy Dee’s camp.

It wasn’t just his camp. Mark Steenhuis also ran it. But my dad and I had seen Billy Dee out, and he is the one who introduced the idea of me checking it out. After some consideration, I figured I’d give lacrosse a shot.

I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. All I knew was a lot of my hockey friends were there, and I liked that.

But once I showed up, the sport itself grew on me. It took some time for it to fully take over, but it eventually did. A couple years later, I stopped playing baseball in favor of lacrosse. It was a very difficult decision for me to make at the time. I wanted to continue the family’s legacy in the sport, and I genuinely enjoyed playing it. I had competed at a high level in baseball growing up, and that was how I saw myself living. I had some inner-conquering to do to accept that wouldn’t happen.

Lacrosse filled that void and then some. I was more of an action kid. I was doing the most at any time. With lacrosse, I could rough it up a bit – much more than I could in baseball, anyway. That aspect of the game grabbed my attention and hooked me in.

It also brought me community continuity. The group that I played hockey with was the same group I played lacrosse with, and that meant the bonds I could build with my teammates in those sports were much stronger than in baseball. It was a special thing, and another reason why I felt lacrosse was right for me.

Obviously, lacrosse is the sport that ultimately won my heart against its two contenders. It has taken me to places I never expected to go, showed me things I never expected to see, and introduced me to people I never expected to meet. It has given me some of the greatest joys I’ve ever experienced in life and is an important piece of my livelihood.

I don’t know what the life of Tyson Bell would have looked like without Mark Steenhuis and Billy Dee Smith’s lacrosse camp and that first stick, and I’m glad I didn’t find out.

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Welcome to the Tyson Bell Music Playlist!

It was tough, but I narrowed down my musical tastes down into just 15 songs. I have a pretty strong love for hip hop, and you will find that out pretty quick if you give my playlist a try. I like stuff from the past and present – from The Notorious B.I.G. and 50 Cent to Gunna and Pop Smoke – and I show love to multiple eras of hip hop in my selections. If you ask me, though, hip hop has been at its absolute best over the last five years, and my choices reflect that. But you have to recognize the greats, regardless of time.

Do you call yourself a hip hop head? Then proceed. If you don’t? It’s time to expand your tastes. That’s what I’m here for.

Tyson Bell Music Playlist

A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – Timeless ft. DJ SpinKing (TBA, 2016)

Kanye West – Waves (The Life Of Pablo, 2016)

NAV, Gunna – Turks ft. Travis Scott (2020)

Kid Cudi – Mr. Rager (Man On The Moon II: The Legend Of Mr. Rager, 2010)

The Notorious B.I.G. – Mo Money Mo Problems ft. Puff Daddy & Mase (Life After Death, 1997)

The Notorious B.I.G. – Juicy (Ready to Die, 1994)

Khalid – Saved (American Teen, 2017)

Chris Stapleton – Tennessee Whiskey (Traveller, 2015)

Pop Smoke – PTSD (Meet The Woo, 2019)

2Pac – Dear Mama (Me Against The World, 1995)

Travis Scott – SICKO MODE (ASTROWORLD, 2018)

Meek Mill – Blue Notes (DC4, 2016)

The Weeknd – After Hours (After Hours, 2020)

Future, Juice WRLD – Afterlife (Future & Juice WRLD Present… WRLD ON DRUGS, 2018)

50 Cent – Many Men (Wish Death) (Get Rich Or Die Tryin’, 2003)

If after reading this list of high-quality bops you believe my tunes would sound wonderful to your ears, then you can find and follow the Tyson Bell Music Playlist on Spotify!

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My cousin, Latrell Harris, shared his style guide with Lax All Stars recently, and we dress pretty similarly. I guess the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.

I would like the record to show that he copies me, though, not the other way around. I’m older; I did it first.

The most important aspect of my style guide is comfortability. I’m an active guy, and I want to be able to move freely and easily in whatever I’m wearing. You never know when the dogs will want to run outside, or when a lacrosse stick and ball will be laying around waiting for me to pick them up.

I always see myself in casual shoes, and it’s usually a pair of Nikes, Chucks (1) or Vans (4). At this point, those three brands have separated themselves in my mind and are where I get almost all my footwear from.

For pants, Lululemon (3) has become my go-to – I fell in love with the Lulu style and the comfort level that it brings, so it’s a regular occurrence for me to wear them around. They have some other good stuff, too, but the pants are what I feel the strongest about.

Up top, I am a hoodie man through and through. I like them nice, so I’m generally in something from Nike or something from New Balance. I have been wearing a specific New Balance hoodie for a while now, and it has served me very well. But my Nike Tech fleece hoodie (2) is another one of my favorites, plus I have a black Carhartt one that makes plenty of appearances. It’s crucial to have hoodies on tap.

There are times when you have to look professional, and when that time comes, I take care of business. But every other time, I intend to be comfortable and classic in my casual kicks, stylish Lululemon pants and high-quality hoodie rotation.

Check out Tyson Bell’s personal selection of kicks:

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