Throughout the 2023/24 domestic season, we’ll be highlighting a different club each month to showcase the great work being done in the community by clubs around the country and our club for January is Leeds Lacrosse Club.
Founded in 2007 by a small group of Leeds University alumni who wanted to continue playing lacrosse after they graduated, Leeds Lacrosse has grown steadily over the past 17 years and comprises one men’s team.
That team currently competes in North of England Men’s Lacrosse Association (NEMLA) competitions, one of just two single team clubs to do so.
Leeds’ short-term aim is to continue to recruit players who live in the local area and grow the club sustainably; like many lacrosse clubs, Leeds was severely impacted by COVID-19 with much of their energies over the past two seasons being focused on bringing player numbers back to pre-pandemic levels.
So far, this season has been a real success in terms of participation numbers and that is something they want to continue as they head into the summer and towards the 2024/25 season.
Being a club with just one team means they are, and have always been, a very mixed-ability side, with new-comers often lining up alongside players with international experience.
That is something they are extremely proud of as one of their mantras is to be open and inclusive to anyone who wants to play lacrosse no matter their ability with a stick in their hands.
With the club being a modest size, Leeds are running without a dedicated Head Coach at present and senior members of the team have been sharing the coaching responsibilities between them.
The use of a coaching rota has proved successful to take any shortcomings on the field on a Saturday and try to solve them at training on a Monday.
Although this system has been working for them during recent months, they welcome interest from any coaches out there who are looking to volunteer their expertise in West Yorkshire!
Leeds believe they’ve managed to strike the perfect balance between being competitive on the lacrosse pitch and being a social, friendly, and welcoming bunch.
They are committed to improving their standard week on week but consider themselves a more beginner-friendly club since a huge number of their players picked up the sport at university-level or later and understand what it’s like to pick up a new sport as an adult.
And when it comes to social events, Leeds believe they do it better than anyone else with the city being home to “Britain’s best pub crawl” (their words), the Otley Run.
Their Christmas and end of season socials have always been popular as well and they’re looking to host bigger socials in the future as the club continues to grow.
This includes more mixed events with Leeds Lacrosse’s women’s team, Leeds Penguins, as they look to continue building that relationship after a successful shuffleboard social in the summer.
Originally based in Harrogate, Leeds Penguins relocated to Leeds in 2003 and has one senior ladies’ team. They welcome new players of all abilities with their aim being to create a fun and friendly environment for new and old players to come and enjoy playing lacrosse while building the awareness of the sport in the local area.
They believe that what makes them stand out is their friendly, welcoming players, with other teams often commenting on how nice they are to each other!
Looking to the future, they are always on the lookout for new players, and they, like the men’s team, would love to be able to invest in having their own coach.
As Leeds Lacrosse Club start to plan for the long-term future, they have their eyes on the creation of a second men’s team as well as earning themselves some silverware à la the Leeds teams of the past.
Off the field, they want to continue to champion lacrosse in the region and ensure people know there is lacrosse after university in Leeds with an ultimate aim of making West Yorkshire a hub of lacrosse just like that seen across the Pennines in South Manchester.
Men’s Team Captain, Adam Rogers, who joined Leeds in the summer of 2020, couldn’t believe his luck when he found such a fantastic and welcoming club.
"I started playing lacrosse at the University of Leeds and instantly fell in love with the physicality, tactics, and pace of the game, with the people I played alongside making the experience even better.
“I joined Leeds Lacrosse alongside university to continue improving as a player and to get as much experience as I could.
“It’s always a bit nervy joining a new team, but joining Leeds couldn’t have been easier. The lads made me feel right at home, and I know I’d have been made to feel equally welcome even if I’d never held a stick before.
“Cut to three years later as Captain and, quite frankly, I still couldn’t think of a better bunch to turn out with every Saturday afternoon to play the sport we all love."
Club Social Media Secretary, James Hutchinson, joined the club in 2021 after moving to Leeds and he says it was one of the best decisions he’s made.
"I've been playing lacrosse since my first year at the University of Nottingham in 2014, looking to try something a bit different.
“After my graduation, I continued to play and when I moved to Leeds in 2021, I was made aware that there was a club in West Yorkshire by a former team mate of mine.
“Moving to a new area is always difficult, but the boys welcomed me straight away and made me feel at home in Leeds - both the lacrosse club and the city.
“Now in my third season, I can say I've formed some fantastic friendships at the club which extend beyond the time we spend on the field together."
Leeds Penguins Co-Captain, Ellen Slay, absolutely loves playing for the Leeds Penguins.
“I’ve been playing lacrosse since school; the England goalie (at that time) was my coach and she inspired me to play!
“When I moved to Leeds, I was keen to continue playing and the Penguins were a delightful, welcoming bunch of players who made me feel like one of their own as soon as I attended training.
“I love the ethos and mentality of the Penguins! It is the most welcoming club I have ever played for; every individual is valued for what they bring to the team.”
Leeds Lacrosse Club trains at Adel Sport and Social Club, Leeds on Mondays (6:30pm-8pm) where it also plays its matches predominantly on a Saturday.
Leeds Penguins also train on Monday evenings at Adel Sports Club with matchdays on Saturdays; as the only team based in the Northeast, they spend many fun car journeys heading over the M62 to take part in the Northwest League.
Anyone wanting to get involved in the club as a player, coach, or volunteer can contact Leeds Lacrosse Club on Instagram HERE or by emailing mens@leedslacrosse.co.uk; those wanting to get involved with Leeds Penguins should contact them through Instagram HERE.
For more information about the club, you can also check out their website HERE.
