With the second year of the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme due to begin with two assessment days in October and November, we’ve spoken to some of the players who took part in the inaugural year of the Programme.
Sean Paton first picked up a lacrosse stick after starting his studies at the University of Plymouth two years ago when he was searching for a fast-paced physical game to get involved in.
Previous to this, Sean was an accomplished inline hockey player, representing Great Britain at under-19 level, something he says helped him to take to lacrosse with ease.
“I found the transition between the two stick skills a lot smoother than I had thought. In my first BUCS game for Plymouth, I scored a hat-trick in the first 10 minutes showing how transferrable the skills I had learned in inline hockey were. Through meeting people from all different sporting backgrounds, I have realised that lacrosse is one of those sports that has something for everyone. Since starting, I haven't looked back.”
Sean was part of the first cohort of players to take part in the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme that included several training sessions with the other members of the Programme throughout the year as well as an end of season tour to Portugal; Sean says his experience was entirely positive and has helped him grow as a sportsperson.
“The University Aspire Programme was really amazing throughout the year! Seeing myself and other players who attended the training sessions grow and develop our skills was awesome. I grew into the sport really fast compared to people at my university lacrosse club who weren't members of the Programme.”
Each cohort of the University Aspire Programme will finish the season with a tour to Europe; this year’s tour took the squad to Portugal where they competed in the Lisboa Cup, facing teams from across Europe, eventually finishing fourth.
“The actual tour was such an enriching experience. It was organised and run very well and made me feel like an important part of the sport. Treating us as if we were a full performance team was a great feeling and really made me think about how I want to progress my skills so I can possibly play for the full performance team in the future.”
Sean’s belief that he could possibly one day join the England Lacrosse Perform Programme is attributed to being a part of the University Aspire Programme and he says the coaching he received and experiences he’s had over the past year have helped him to develop as a lacrosse player and an athlete.
“I found the coaches to be very knowledgeable and fixed most of the bad habits I had picked up which has definitely made me a more efficient player.
“I developed throughout the year with advice that was given to me during the sessions, and the programme of activities I should do outside the University Aspire training sessions to help me to improve were invaluable. I used the advice they gave me to improve my own game but also improve my university team as a whole, passing the tips and skills onto my team-mates. I am now setting my sights for high performance using my knowledge and love for the sport.”
As the assessment days for the 2024/25 University Aspire Programme creep ever closer, Sean’s message to anyone considering applying for the Programme this year is simple.
“It is a really amazing Programme that will develop your skills and, even if you are only able to attend one session, it will be worth it.
“If you want to get better and meet a group of like-minded people, going to most sessions is completely the right thing to do. I learned a lot, it opened my eyes up to what I could achieve, and I enjoy the sport more now, having a huge amount of fun in the process!”
The England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme aims to identify athletes who are not currently a part of any England Lacrosse programmes but have the potential to progress into the England Lacrosse Perform Programme.
To identify possible 2024/25 University Aspire Programme athletes, England Lacrosse is hosting two assessment days: the first at Bath University’s Odd Down Sports Ground on Sunday 27 October and the second at Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 10 November.
Each assessment day will include men’s and women’s sessions lasting approximately two and a half hours each with lacrosse coaching from experienced coaches from within the England Perform Programme.
Assessment Days
Sunday 27 October
Bath, Odd Down Sports Ground
Men's Assessment | 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Women's Assessment | 3:30pm - 6:00pm
Sunday 10 November
Nottingham Trent University
Men's Assessment | 11:00am - 1:30pm
Women's Assessment | 2:30pm - 5:00pm