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A variable hand placement sports equipment handle, such as a lacrosse stick handle, hockey stick handle, or field hockey stick handle, that includes a shaft and at least one overlay attached to the shaft at a location of frequent hand placement. The overlays are specially located and structured to p

A variable hand placement sports equipment handle, such as a lacrosse stick handle, hockey stick handle, or field hockey stick handle, that includes a shaft and at least one overlay attached to the shaft at a location of frequent hand placement. The overlays are specially located and structured to provide the shaft with structural and tactile features that correspond to and accommodate the way in which a player moves his hands along the shaft and grips the shaft. The structural and tactile features, such as ribs, grooves, and hourglass and conical shapes, are located on the shaft to enhance a player's control of the shaft when performing various skills.

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What is claimed is: 1. A lacrosse stick handle comprising: a hollow tubular lacrosse stick shaft, the shaft having an outer surface and an axis, the shaft defining a slot substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a cross-section of the slot having a base and an opening, the cross-section taken subs

What is claimed is: 1. A lacrosse stick handle comprising: a hollow tubular lacrosse stick shaft, the shaft having an outer surface and an axis, the shaft defining a slot substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a cross-section of the slot having a base and an opening, the cross-section taken substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and the base being larger than the opening; and a rib disposed in the slot, the rib protruding above the outer surface of the shaft, and the shaft and the rib comprising separate structures wherein the rib being moveable within and removable from the slot. 2. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the shaft comprising a shape of one of generally round, octagonal, and oval. 3. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the rib sized slightly larger than the cross-section of the slot such that the rib is compressed in the slot. 4. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, a cross-section of the rib having a base, the rib cross-section taken substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and the rib base being larger than the opening of the slot. 5. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the rib comprising an overlay compressed into the slot. 6. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the rib comprising an overlay molded into the slot. 7. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the rib protruding above the outer surface of the shaft at varying distances to define indentations adapted to accommodate a player's hand. 8. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 7, a shaft cross-section of the shaft taken substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis having a generally round shape, the rib and the slot occupying only a portion of outer surface of the shaft when viewed in the shaft cross-section. 9. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 8, the rib and the slot occupying less than a quarter of the outer surface of the shaft when viewed in the shaft cross-section. 10. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the rib protruding above the opening of the slot at varying distances such that the rib is tapered above the opening of the slot. 11. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, the shaft defining a second slot substantially parallel to the shaft axis, and the lacrosse stick handle further comprising a second rib disposed in the second slot. 12. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 1, further comprising a lacrosse head attached to the shaft. 13. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 12, the lacrosse head having a centerline when viewed from a front face view, and the slot disposed on a line on the shaft drawn through the centerline of the head to indicate a direction the head is facing. 14. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 12, the head having a throat portion, the shaft being attached to the throat portion, the head being disposed radially outward of the shaft, a juncture being defined between the end of the throat portion and the shaft, and the rib spanning the juncture, with at least a portion of the rib disposed within the throat portion radially between the head and the shaft. 15. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 14, the throat portion defining a socket, the shaft disposed inside the socket, and the rib contacting and compressed by the socket. 16. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 14, the rib comprising a molded elastomer. 17. A lacrosse stick handle comprising: a hollow tubular lacrosse stick shaft defining a slot in its outer surface, the slot having a longitudinal axis, a cross-section of the slot having a base and an opening, the cross-section taken substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the base being larger than the opening; and a rib disposed in the slot, a cross-section of the rib taken along the longitudinal axis having a width larger than the opening, the rib protruding above the outer surface of the shaft, and the shaft and the rib comprising separate structures wherein the rib being moveable within and removable from the slot. 18. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 17, the rib being compressed within the slot. 19. The lacrosse stick handle of claim 17, further comprising a lacrosse head attached to the shaft. 20. A lacrosse stick handle comprising: a hollow tubular lacrosse stick shaft, the shaft having an outer surface and an axis, the shaft defining a slot substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a cross-section of the slot having a base and an opening, the cross-section taken substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and the base being larger than the opening; and a rib disposed in the slot, the rib protruding above the outer surface of the shaft, and the shaft and the rib comprising separate structures, wherein the rib protrudes above the opening of the slot at varying distances in a direction parallel to the shaft axis such that the rib is tapered above the opening of the slot wherein the rib being moveable within and removable from the slot. 21. A lacrosse stick handle comprising: a hollow tubular lacrosse stick shaft, the shaft having an outer surface and an axis, the shaft defining a plurality of spaced apart slots substantially parallel to the shaft axis, a cross-section of each of the slots having a base and an opening, the cross-section taken substantially perpendicular to the shaft axis, and the base being larger than the opening; a plurality of ribs, each disposed in a slot of the plurality of spaced apart slots and protruding above the outer surface of the shaft at varying distances such that the plurality of ribs are arranged to define contoured indentations adapted to accommodate a player's hand wherein the ribs being moveable within and removable from the slots.