Since the first national lockdown began on Monday 23 March due to the coronavirus pandemic, there hasn’t been a lot of lacrosse played at all: a few training sessions here, a few friendly matches there, and a heck of a lot of wall-ball!
Thankfully, during the summer and early autumn, and before the second lockdown was announced, many players and clubs were able to get back into training and some even began their 2020/21 lacrosse seasons!
However, there is one branch of lacrosse that has struggled to return to play in its preferred manner. That branch of lacrosse is box lacrosse.
Box lacrosse is the indoor version of the game we all love and is played with six players rather than the usual 10 (men’s) or 12 (women’s) seen in field lacrosse (think futsal or sevens rugby, if you need something to compare it to).
But how were the many box lacrosse players around the country supposed to keep up with their box-specific skills and organise training sessions and matches if they couldn't play the game indoors?
“With great difficulty”.
Those are the words of England Box Lacrosse national team goal-keeper, Eliot Pugh, who has been trying to keep fit and match-ready since the pandemic hit.
“It’s been quite difficult for box-specific training as the lack of available facilities has been the main problem.
“I did manage to complete the building of a home gym in my garden, however, as a result of the restrictions during lockdown.
“This has been very beneficial for both myself and my kids as it means we can get outside a bit more (even if they’re just cheering me on or, sometimes, laughing at me!)”.
Even though it has been pretty difficult to adapt his indoor training sessions to an outdoor setting, Eliot thinks it’s slightly easier for him as a goal-keeper.
“When doing box-specific training, as a goalie, I do more close-up hand-eye co-ordination work.
“Using the ball rebounder in my garden has been very useful and I have been doing less stick work and more foot work with ladder drills and things like that.
“I actually think the break has allowed me to forget my bad habits and I think I play better now than I did before lockdown”!
Before the second national lockdown started a couple of weeks ago, there had been a few outdoor box lacrosse sessions which had allowed box players to experience the game again after such a long time away.
“These sessions were really productive.
“There actually isn't much difference playing box indoor or outdoor and, in fact, many of the venues I've played at, either in Prague, USA or Canada, have been outdoor venues (but some do have a roof).
“The main issue can be weather affecting the surface and, with the extra amount of contact between players compared to field lacrosse, rain can have an impact on the way the game is played.
“Also, the outdoor venues in the UK tend to be smaller than a full-size box venue.
“But, even though it was raining most of the time at these sessions, it was just great to get the pads back on and playing something that looked like box lacrosse again”.
From an England national team point of view, it’s been quite tough as they are not recognised as an elite team in the same way England’s national football or rugby union teams are and therefore cannot train or meet up at all and must follow all restrictions like everyone else.
“Ultimately, it has changed our plans for the next 6-12 months; we were thankful to World Lacrosse and the European Lacrosse Federation for moving all tournaments back a year which will actually give us more time to prepare for the tournament and also strengthen our domestic reach”.
But Eliot remains positive that, come the 2 December, he, and the rest of the box lacrosse community, will be able to get back to something more like normal.
“I'm hopeful that we can quickly get back to training.
“Lockdown has allowed us to make contact with new venues who are open to the idea of letting us use their facilities, especially as many other sports have also been stopped from playing; this could open up a lot more opportunities for training.
“I would also love to see the final two games from the North v South tri-game series played as the first match was a fascinating tussle between two talented groups of players”.
The North v South game Eliot mentions was the final true competitive box lacrosse game to be played in England before the first lockdown in March.
A game which the south team won by eight goals to five.
Alongside hoping for a return to competitive box lacrosse, Eliot also believes that, moving forward, it’s more important than ever to be actively promoting box events as and when they happen.
“One of the most important things is clear and effective communication with the lacrosse community when box lacrosse is back.
“Good promotion of events and training will help to maximise attendance at events across the country and hopefully we can develop the player pool even further to give the national team the strongest squad possible for the future”.
The national lockdown in England is due to end on 2 December but for all the latest coronavirus advice, guidance, and information click HERE.
