England Lacrosse thanks those who attended COVID-19 guidance update webinars

England Lacrosse would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took the time to attend either, or in some cases both, of England Lacrosse’s COVID-19 webinars on the evening of Thursday 3 December.

We enjoyed the opportunity to discuss with you the present situation and answer your questions.

For anyone who was unable to join either webinar, a recording was made of each one.

Government guidelines have placed a fresh emphasis on the following areas: social interaction, sanctions for non-compliance, and spectators.

Please read our Return to Play Help Page for more information on these areas. 

As is set out in the Government guidance, we would like to highlight the following statements:

• Social interaction can only take place in line with legal gathering limits and other relevant restrictions when not playing. Observing the rules during play but then disregarding them after (e.g., by socialising in breach of the wider restrictions) is unlawful, irresponsible and jeopardises both public health and the case for safe sport to continue.   

• You are advised not to travel into or out of tier 3 areas, including for sport, unless this is necessary to enable individual exercise (or exercise for people from the same household or support bubble). Where this is necessary (for example to access a green space for a run or cycle), you should only travel a short distance and stay as local as possible. Travel is also permitted where it is necessary to enable sport for disabled people, sport for educational purposes, or supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s, to take place, but should still be minimised and kept to short distances only. 

•  In tier 2 areas: you should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make, where possible. 

• Sporting activities are permitted despite wider restrictions because of the benefits of sport and physical activity for people’s physical and mental wellbeing. If people act irresponsibly when participating in sport (including off the pitch, and when socialising before and after activity) they jeopardise public health and undermine the case for safe sport to take place. 

• National governing bodies should ensure that clubs/leagues/providers are running their activities safely, and should take action to address any issues, including putting in place additional measures or suspending players/teams/leagues/clubs which do not adhere to guidance. If there are serious or consistent concerns with a particular sport which the NGB cannot or does not address, the NGB’s approval may be revoked so that the sport cannot take place. 

We all have a responsibility to ensure Phase 4 Return to Play guidelines are adhered to, in addition to the points highlighted above.

We have created a COVID-19 Guideline Breach document to assist the game.

"Wall ball has featured heavily": Playing Box Lacrosse During Lockdown

“I’ve tried to use lockdowns to get into the best shape possible”.

These are the words of England Box Lacrosse national team defender, Tom Roche, who has been, like the rest of the lacrosse community, trying to keep himself fit and match-ready during the past nine months or so since the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK.

“No matter what type of lacrosse you're playing you need to be fit and England field lacrosse national team player (and newly converted box lacrosse enthusiast), Jak Wawrzyniak, has helped me to focus on my speed with one of his online 16-week programmes. 

“Wall ball has also featured heavily; taking my stick to the park has been a great way to make sure I'm leaving the house during lockdowns”. 

When it comes to trying to adapt his indoor game, training, and drills for an outdoor setting, Tom believes all disciplines of the game are beneficial to each other.

“For me the two disciplines (box and field lacrosse) complement each other perfectly; the more box I play, the more I recognise the advantages when I'm playing field. 

“If you watched National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) teams play the last couple of years, you can recognise a lot of stuff from the box game happening in the attack. 

“Now, when I go back to field training and people are running a two-man game, I feel comfortable that it will be easier to handle than what I've experienced in box.

“I would hugely recommend playing box to field players in both attack and defence; attackers working in the small space and defenders having to deal with aggressive picks forces you to improve your game”. 

As an international box lacrosse player, the pandemic, and the subsequent lockdowns, have not been ideal; the England box lacrosse national team hasn’t been given elite status by the Government in the same way Premier League football clubs, for instance, have been.

“It's definitely been a challenge as box has pretty much been removed from the lacrosse calendar since the end of March. 

“Southern Box Lacrosse (SBL) had run some fantastic sessions in Disley, where we were able to play good games and, importantly, shoot at box goalies! 

“With that said, we're lucky to have Disley as another base for box lacrosse, and I know that our domestic coach Andy Downing is working to get sessions on there soon. 

“There's no substitute for game time and reps when it comes to box, so I think the wider pool of English players just really need to get playing again, outside if necessary. 

Despite a couple of outdoor box lacrosse sessions being hosted when restrictions were eased at the beginning of July, Tom doesn’t think there’s any substitute for an indoor setting.

“You can't practice everything outside, but you can definitely work the key elements. 

“Five-a-side pitches are great for playing a reduced-space game, and if you can get a goalie and box goal along then it is still possible to get a high-quality practice and scrimmage. 

“Missing the rebounds off the boards is a shame, but as a country we have so much to work on in the two- and three-man game that five-a-side pitches and the outdoor box at Disley can easily provide us with what we need to improve the standard of box lacrosse in England”. 

However, the most important thing for Tom is that box lacrosse players get back to playing outside as soon as possible and everything can move from there.

“I would love to play the second North vs South game; I played for the South in game one and we're feeling confident for the rematch. 

“I'd also love to see the Tasko cup make a comeback; that is our domestic box lacrosse tournament, which is open to all players”. 

And Tom is really hoping box lacrosse can continue to grow, as it has done over the past few years, despite the setbacks of 2020.

“We have to get playing outside. I know that SBL are planning something exciting to help make this happen, and that Northern Box Lacrosse (NBL) will make full use of Disley as soon as they can. 

“We need to create more exposure of the box game to the wider lacrosse community and provide an opportunity for people to play. 

“I've been amazed at the professional standard of tournaments available in Europe and I think improving the exposure of those tournaments to people in the UK will also help a lot”. 

England Lacrosse Support Annual Rainbow Laces Campaign

England Lacrosse are proud to once again be supporting Stonewall’s annual Rainbow Laces Campaign that has a particular focus this year on “celebrating the impact that sport has on LGBT people, and the impact that LGBT people have on sport”.

The campaign, which was initially launched seven years ago in 2013, aims to raise awareness around LGBT+ inclusion in sport and runs from 26 November to 13 December.

Since the campaign began, Stonewall have sent out over one million pairs of rainbow laces and supporters of the campaign this year will be able to support specific branches of the LGBT+ umbrella with the launch of laces depicting the lesbian, trans, bi, non-binary, pan, and asexual flags.

Maria Munir, Stonewall's Associate Director of Community Engagement, said: "It's fantastic that we've sent out close to one million laces across the UK and beyond. It shows what a phenomenal symbol lacing up has become for LGBT+ people”.

Given the circumstances the world faces this year, it’s no surprise that there’s a huge focus in the 2020 campaign on the impact that COVID-19 has had on LGBT+ communities after a recent Stonewall survey found that loneliness and isolation are badly affecting LGBT+ communities during this time.

England Lacrosse will be highlighting some of these stories across the next two weeks so keep an eye out on our social media channels and website to stay up to date!

World Lacrosse Postpone Upcoming World Championships

Last week, World Lacrosse announced three of their upcoming World Championships would be postponed and moved back a year to allow more time for the world to recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

The decision was made at the annual World Lacrosse General Assembly and means the Men’s World Lacrosse Championship will be moved from 2022 to 2023 while the Men’s World Indoor Lacrosse Championship and the Women’s Under-19 World Lacrosse Championship will both be moved from 2023 to 2024.

A decision will be made regarding the Men’s Under-21 World Lacrosse Championship and the Women’s World Lacrosse Championship in December where it is likely these tournaments will either be cancelled or postponed as well.

Although absolutely necessary to curb the rate of coronavirus infections around the world, the postponement and possible cancellation of World Championships does present a significant and unique challenge to talent & performance programmes both here in England and across the globe.

England Lacrosse National Performance & Talent Development Manager, Jane Powell, believes that, after a year devoid of World Championships and potentially another one just around the corner, she, and the England Lacrosse Talent & Performance team, has a number of key issues to deal with.

“After a difficult last 10 months, the motivation of players in our National Squads is still exceptionally high but all players need to have a goal on the horizon and until World Lacrosse have their board meeting in December we don’t fully know at this stage what the decision will be.

“Preparing and peaking at the right time are key priorities for our coaches and support staff and until we know those dates (for the Men’s U-19 and Women’s World Lacrosse Championships) we will not be able to put in place the key markers of fitness targets and match preparation around that.

“As a governing body, we are already seeking out potential match opposition to help test and prepare our teams in lieu of a World Championship in 2021.

Despite World Lacrosse taking the decision to postpone many of their upcoming World Championships, the European Lacrosse Federation (ELF) are still looking to go ahead with their Men’s European Lacrosse Championship next summer, something Jane says is quite difficult to prepare for at this stage.

“As far as the senior men are concerned, we are preparing as best we can for the European Championships scheduled for July 2021 but with a restriction on numbers at practice and overseas based players and coaches not able to contribute it is an uphill climb.

“During the national lockdowns, we have also had to shut down any practices and training as under UK Government guidelines we fall outside of the definition for elite sport; this has been a tough call on the players but they continue to be motivated via online Zoom team meetings and individualised training programmes.

“The squad continues to develop as best they can but it is certainly not an ideal scenario - when you consider the size of a men’s squad it is important to train at the level and intensity that you need to play at and with a maximum of 30 people which includes coaches, medical staff and sports science support we have yet to get the whole squad together”.

Many nations around the world are in the same situation as the England National Squads and Jane has been working tirelessly since March to ensure the Talent & Performance programme continues to function, enabling the best players in England to fulfil their potential.

“As a governing body and management teams of each of the squads, we have met via Teams video calls on regular occasions and we are monitoring the players and situation daily to check on the well being of all.

“We hope everything gets back to something like normal soon and we can restart our top-level training and matches as quickly as possible to ensure our National Squads are able to compete with the best in the world once again”.

In addition to the decision to postpone some World Championships made at the General Assembly, World Lacrosse also approved the World Lacrosse Official 6v6 rules, raised the upper age eligibility of age group tournaments to Under-20, removed restrictions on the number of teams who can compete at Under-20 and 6v6 World Championships, and voted that no World Championships will exceed 10 days in length.

The full details of day two of the World Lacrosse General Assembly can be read HERE.

Four More Triple Arrow 2021 Camps Added... and they're in the North!

England Lacrosse are delighted to announce four new Triple Arrow camp dates taking place over the Easter and summer of 2021.

The camps are the first to be announced in the north of the country and will take place on Wednesday 7 & Thursday 8 April (Easter camp) and Tuesday 27 & Wednesday 28 July (summer camp) at Oxton Lacrosse Club in Merseyside.

These four camps are in addition to the eight Triple Arrow camps already in place for next year which include:

• St Swithun’s School, Winchester (Monday 29 March - Thursday 1 April)

• Cheltenham Ladies College (Tuesday 6 & Wednesday 7 April and Thursday 8 & Friday 9 April)

• Charterhouse School, Godalming (Tuesday 13 & Wednesday 14 April)

• Queen Anne’s School, Caversham (Wednesday 14 & Thursday 15 April)

• Charterhouse School, Godalming (Tuesday 3 - Friday 6 August)

• St Swithun’s School, Winchester (Monday 9 - Thursday 12 August)

• Queen Anne’s School, Caversham (Tuesday 17 - Friday 20 August)

All the details for every camp can be found on the Triple Arrow Camps website HERE and any enquiries can be directed towards England Lacrosse Triple Arrow Camp Lead, Kerrie Lawler via email at k.lawler@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

Sophie Gillibrand Becomes First Woman in World to Captain a Men's Team

In May this year, Sophie Gillibrand, who has over 15 years experience playing lacrosse, was appointed co-captain of Camden Capybaras: Tokyo Drift.

This doesn't sound so spectacular until you learn that Camden Capybaras: Tokyo Drift are a men’s lacrosse team and Sophie is believed to be the first woman in the history of world lacrosse to captain a men’s side.

Indeed, many women over the years have played for men’s lacrosse teams but none have actually captained a side.

Currently, Sophie is the only woman to play for Camden Capybaras and, despite the clear differences between men’s and women’s lacrosse, she says it’s no different than playing with a team of women.

“Men’s and women’s lacrosse are effectively two different sports, and each are incredible in their own way.

“I absolutely love my men’s team, the boys are great fun, and most of the time it doesn’t feel like I’m the odd one out: a woman playing men’s lacrosse - it’s just me and my team-mates, we work together, support each other and have fun doing what we love”.

Sophie, a goal-keeper by trade, remembers her coach at school shooting at her with his men’s stick but had her first proper taste of men’s lacrosse while studying at university.

“I played for Bath Lacrosse women’s team at weekends, but most of the women’s training was for beginners, and I wanted something a little more challenging.

“Nik Roberts [England Lacrosse Regional Education & Skills Officer] was our coach, and I was good friends with the men’s 1st team captain at the time, and they both suggested I train with the men - so that’s what I did!

Sophie could have been forgiven for feeling a little daunted being the only woman turning up to a men’s training session but she thinks it was the men who were apprehensive!

“At first most of the guys were a bit unsure, but my dear friend, the captain, decided to warm me up by cranking an 80mph outside shot straight to the middle of my helmet, and the guys all looked at each other, looked at me, realised I wasn’t crying, went “Ok boys - game on!” and accepted me as one of their own”!

And on the subject of sexism since she began playing men’s lacrosse, Sophie feels she’s been lucky not to have experienced much but that doesn’t mean it’s not there in different, more subtle ways.

“Generally, the men I’ve played with/against have vocally been very supportive.

“As a player, I don’t think I’ve come across any guys who have eased off their shots because they’re shooting against a woman - conversely, I think they’re more likely to assume I can be intimidated by a powerful shot, and may shoot harder - but they do react a bit differently when I play outside the crease, and will either play unnecessarily high pressure or leave me completely un-marked - and you do wonder if that’s how they’d play normally, or if they assume I’m an easy target or not a threat because I’m a woman.

“Broadly though, the men I play against seem to view me the same way they view the rest of my team, which is something I really appreciate - as a woman as well as an athlete”. 

However, sexism, Sophie says, tends to rear its ugly head more online and within any space where she may want to give an opinion about lacrosse.

“While no-one has ever directly said anything sexist to me in person, online is a different matter; there have certainly been times when my opinions, views or feedback have been blatantly disregarded without explanation, or a man has interrupted me to say the exact same thing I had just been saying.

“There are times when, because I am newer to the men’s game, people assume I don’t know what I’m talking about or that I must automatically be wrong; and while I’m still learning the men’s game, I do have 15 years of women’s lacrosse experience to draw on, and there are some occasions where I know more about lacrosse than the men I am talking to.

“These situations are quite difficult to navigate - the question in my head is always “is this specific to the men’s game or do I know more than them”?

“Men are really supportive when you’re asking them for help; but when you’re trying to teach them something, it can be an up-hill struggle where they question and doubt everything you say, to the point where I will start to doubt myself; and then the absurd reality of being a woman playing on a men’s team and captaining that team hits home, and imposter syndrome and self-doubt kick in; which is demoralising and exhausting.

“This self-doubt has been the hardest thing about playing men’s lacrosse, but ultimately, my love for the game outweighs my fear, so even when everything gets difficult and scary and overwhelming - as it regularly does - I’ll push through and keep going, because giving up lacrosse or my captaincy is not an option”.

Playing men’s lacrosse and eventually captaining a men’s side has been a long time coming for Sophie but it’s clear that this hasn’t been without its challenges. None more so than fighting for the opportunity to play in the men’s leagues in the first place.

“Women had been unofficially playing in men’s leagues for many years before I started playing, but a rule was introduced prohibiting this the season before I started training with Bath.

“I managed to get that rule changed to allow women to play in men’s leagues in March 2019, and then at the beginning of the 2019/2020 season a rule allowing “potentially vulnerable” individuals (women, boys under the age of 16, disabled people, trans people etc.) was officially added to the England Lacrosse bye-laws.

“Before I was allowed to play in the league and when I moved back home to London after university, I tried to find another men’s club who would let me train with them.

“There was a club just starting at that time which a few of my friends were supporting on social media, and they seemed really friendly and were advertising “open” training sessions.

“So I sent them a message saying something along the lines of “please can I come to training, I’ve played men’s before, if any of the guys are worried they’ll hurt me, tell them it’s cute that they think they can” - and they said no problem, we’d love to have you along!

“And that is how I joined Camden Capybaras.

“I trained with them for one season while I sought permission from SEMLA to play in the league, then played for 2Camden 2Capybara last year, and now I’m co-captain of Camden Capybaras: Tokyo Drift”. 

These struggles mean that Sophie savours every moment playing the men’s game but acknowledges that it’s more than a little stressful actually captaining a team.

“This is my first time captaining any team, and everything is amplified - our wins and losses are not just my own to be proud of or work on; now I am proud of everyone or want to work on things with everyone, which is an incredible feeling - it’s very empowering, if nerve-wracking at times!

“I feel far more responsibility for the team, and I end up putting a lot of pressure on myself to make sure everyone is supported so they can do their best.

“Now, if we lose, the question is not just “what could I have done better as a goal-keeper”, but also “what can I do better as a captain, to help my team-mates do better?” 

Ultimately, Sophie believes that men’s and women’s lacrosse are two different games that are not necessarily defined by gender and it should be up to the individual which version of the game they play.

“Men are able to play women’s lacrosse in the form of mixed lacrosse. However, there is no mixed league for men’s lacrosse, and women shouldn’t be denied the chance to play this amazing sport.

“I also very passionately believe that if a woman is able to compete alongside men, she should be allowed to!

“There are definitely lots of things the men’s game can learn from the women’s, as indeed the women’s has already learned a lot from the men’s.

“While there are clear differences between the two games, there is a lot of overlap, and the experience, lacrosse IQ and new perspective that women’s players could bring to the men’s game could really help the development of individual players as well as the sport as a whole. 

“It is also the case that men often approach the women’s game with an attitude of “we do it this way in men’s so it must be better”, and don’t normally seek to understand how and why the women’s game is played the way it is before they try to change things - and speaking personally, I have been careful to learn as much as possible about the men’s game before stepping into a coaching role, so that I’m not just trying to turn men’s players into more physical women’s players, but appreciating the differences between the two games”. 

Box Lacrosse: Playing Indoor Sport with COVID-19 Restrictions

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.

Tilly Shires Shortlisted for BUCS Sportswoman of the Year Award

England women’s national team midfielder, Tilly Shires, has made it onto the shortlist for Sportswoman of the Year at this year’s British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) Awards.

The award “celebrates the domestic or international success of a student studying at a BUCS member institution. The award recognises the highest possible standard of competition achieved by an eligible female identifying student”.

Tilly, who studied at Durham University before her graduation this summer and was an integral part of their lacrosse team during her three years there as well as their captain, also represents England and has made 13 appearances so far for the national side.

She most recently represented her country at the 2019 Women’s European Lacrosse Championship in Netanya, Israel, where she played in all seven games, scoring nine goals, as England stormed their way to victory in the tournament.

Durham finished top of their league last season and were due to battle Exeter in the Cup Championship Final before coronavirus forced sport to be halted and this was thanks in no small part to captain Tilly who drove the team to success.

Her quality and class was clearly on show during last season’s top of the table clash between Tilly’s Durham side and Nottingham, caught by our England Lacrosse cameras for our BUCS Match of the Week.

Upon receiving the news that she’d been shortlisted for the award, Tilly remarked:

“It’s such an honour to be nominated for this award.

“It is a complete testament to the support and expertise of all those at Team Durham who helped shape my three years there into some of the best.

“They have helped me become the player I am today which wouldn't have been possible without their support and I miss playing with all of my team-mates everyday”.

Tilly is nominated for the award alongside Anna Emilie Moller (Athletics, St. Mary’s University) and Esme Burge (Hockey, University of Nottingham).

The winners of all the BUCS Awards 2020 will be chosen by 34 judges from across the sports’ spectrum and announced in a virtual awards ceremony held on 8 December.

Uganda Lacrosse Recognised as World Lacrosse Full Member

The Uganda Lacrosse Association (ULA) has become the first National Governing Body from the continent of Africa to be recognised as a World Lacrosse (WL) Full Member, in a move that indicates the huge growth in lacrosse across the world.

The ULA first became an Associate Member of WL nine years ago in 2011 and, by unanimous vote of the WL Board of Directors, is now being elevated to Full Member status.

As a Full Member, the ULA will have a voting delegate eligible to participate in the annual World Lacrosse General Assembly.

In addition, national teams representing Uganda will be eligible to advance to the championship bracket and win medals in all WL World Championship events.

After the announcement, WL President, Sue Redfern, said:

“Sport has the power to transform lives, and that is exactly what we see happening in Uganda through the important work and progress of the ULA.”

“Today’s announcement is a significant milestone in the growth of our game, but there is considerable work that still must be done in order to make certain lacrosse is available to any young person, anywhere in the world, who wishes to participate.”

The recommendation to elevate the ULA to Full Member status was made by the WL Development Committee, “based upon the tremendous progress being made to expand opportunities for participation in the sport in Uganda”.

The ULA joins Puerto Rico Lacrosse and the Hungarian Lacrosse Association as members of WL that have been elevated to Full Member status in the past year, taking the total of WL member-National Governing Bodies to 68 worldwide.

Read the full WL statement HERE and we wish the ULA all the best as we welcome them as a WL Full Member!

England Lacrosse Seek Non-Executive Director & Chair of the National Lacrosse Committee

England Lacrosse are seeking to appoint a Non-Executive Director & Chair of the National Lacrosse Committee who will help to support the delivery of the vision, values, four-year Business Plan, delivery programmes and company policies.

The ideal candidate will have an excellent track record in a business or commercial development environment, a good understanding of change management, experience of strategic planning and management, knowledge of accountability, monitoring and evaluation as well as the ability to grasp key elements of financial and budget control.

The role will involve working as a member of a high performing team who are committed to upholding the values of England Lacrosse as well as ensuring the organisation’s financial stability and appropriate risk management.

In addition, the role is responsible for ensuring that appropriate communication take place with all major stakeholders while representing and champion English Lacrosse by being its advocate and ambassador for the sport at local, regional and national levels.

To read the candidate brief for the role click HERE

For an informal discussion about this position, please contact England Lacrosse Chief Executive Officer, Mark Coups, on 07976258191 or m.coups@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

To apply for the role please email Kasey Allen - k.allen@englandlacrosse.co.uk with the below documents:

Closing date: Friday 1 January 2021

Applications to Host New Summer Lax Hubs Now Open

England Lacrosse are delighted to announce that applications to host one of our new Summer Lax Hubs are now open.

Launching in May 2021, our new Summer Lax programme aims to grow, develop, and increase participation in lacrosse around the country.

Anyone can take part; whether they’re a seasoned lacrosse player or someone who has never picked up a stick, everyone is welcome.

There will be taster and skills sessions for those who have never played as well as activities for the more adventurous to try out!

We’re looking for the best facilities in London, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton and Nottingham to be the base for these weekly recreational and developmental lacrosse sessions that will make up our Summer Lax programme.

Summer Lax will allow individuals and teams to enter, and compete in, a friendly league of the new 6v6 format game one night a week; the programme will run in 8-10 week blocks throughout the summer months from May.

By hosting a hub, venues will be helping to increase sport and physical activity at a time when exercise has been quite scarce.

Any local authority, university or college, facility manager or sports club interested in hosting a summer hub can apply; all applications must be supported by the facility.

Following a successful application to host a Hub, England Lacrosse will work with the venue to recruit a hub manager who will be on the ground to facilitate the hub and work closely with England Lacrosse to organise the venue.

We’ll also provide you with the support and advice you need to establish, and then manage, your hub effectively, and you will get benefits such as insurance; promotion via the England Lacrosse network; and advice and support regarding safeguarding, equality, inclusion and judiciary matters.

By investing in your area, we will both benefit in terms of players and teams and we’ll be able to grow England Lacrosse as a whole.

To express an interest or to request further information, please click HERE or email England Lacrosse Club Co-ordinator, Kasey Allen, on k.allen@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

Ron Balls Awarded World Lacrosse Lifetime Achiever Award

Former England Lacrosse board member, Ron Balls, has been awarded the Lifetime Achiever Award by World Lacrosse to commemorate more than 40 years service to the development of the sport around the world.

The honour, the highest bestowed by World Lacrosse, comes as Ron steps down from his role as Secretary General of the world governing body after four successful years.

Prior to his role as Secretary General, Ron spent eight years as the Finance Director on the international federation Board of Directors.

Ron, who was instrumental in establishing the Federation of International Lacrosse — known today as World Lacrosse (WL) — was honoured with the Lifetime Achiever Award by World Lacrosse President, Sue Redfern, during day two of the organisation’s Virtual General Assembly over the weekend.

The Lifetime Achiever Award is given to select individuals in recognition of extraordinary service to the international federation and lasting contributions to the global growth of the game.

As WL Secretary General, Ron helped lead the effort to gain recognition for the international federation with organisations such as the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) and, in November 2018, provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In addition to his service to the Board of Directors, Ron served as Men’s Competition Chair, where he played a lead role in the planning and delivery of numerous World Championship events and helped expand opportunities for athletes to compete at the highest levels of lacrosse.

In the pre-FIL days, he was also the Secretary/Treasurer of the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) during two periods: 1975-78 and 1990-94.

Ron initially got involved in lacrosse after a school friend introduced him to the game, joining Buckhurst Hill LC and going on to play at County and South of England level.

He organised the competitive league structure in the South of England for 33 years between 1969 and 2004 and served on the England Lacrosse Board from its inception in 1997 until 2016.

Prior to that, he was on the board of the men’s organisation in England (English Lacrosse Union) and was a prime mover of the merger of the men’s and women’s organisations into a single governing body.

World Lacrosse President, Sue Redfern said: “World Lacrosse would not be where it is today, nor what it is today, were it not for the extraordinary contributions and commitment of Ron Balls.

“I cannot think of a person better-suited to receive our most prestigious honour; Ron has left an indelible imprint on our international federation, and generations of players, coaches and officials will continue to benefit from his lasting contributions.”

England Lacrosse would like to congratulate Ron and wish him all the best for the future!

Hair Goes Nothing as Teams around the Country Take on Movember

This month, lacrosse teams all over the country are taking part in the annual Movember campaign to raise money to help support men’s mental and physical health.

The annual campaign, which has been taking place every November since the Movember Foundation was formed in 2003, traditionally sees men grow (or, in many cases, attempt to grow) moustaches to highlight male suicide as well as testicular and prostate cancers.

But the event is not just for those who can grow facial hair, affectionately called Mo Bros when taking part in Movember; women, or Mo Sisters, can take part as well through initiatives such as Move for Movember (the challenge is to run or walk 60km over the month), Host a Mo-ment (rally the troops and do something fun and easy - virtually, of course), or Mo your own Way (choose an adventure challenge - “a gruelling test of endurance or some other wildcard idea”).

So far, 34 lacrosse teams are taking the plunge and have already raised a whopping £40,054 between them in 23 days*!

A spokesperson for the University of East Anglia Lacrosse Club, one of the club’s taking part, said Movember, and the issues it highlights and raises money for, is so important.

“Movember is about saving and improving men’s lives through various different projects.

“Our club views it as a vital instrument to help raise awareness of issues surrounding men’s physical and mental health.

“So far, we have held various fundraisers which the whole club can take part in, and have many more exciting events to come”!

Any money raised will help to fund vital research into testicular cancer (the world’s most common cancer among men aged 15-49) and prostate cancer (1 in 8 men in the UK will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime), as well as helping to prevent male suicide (globally, on average one man dies every minute from suicide).

It is, perhaps, more important than ever to raise money for charities given the tough year everyone has had, with many organisations not being able to host the fundraising events they would ordinarily have organised.

England Lacrosse wish the teams well and can’t wait to see the final total amount of money raised at the end of the month!

Each team can be found on social media if you want to find out more about what they’re doing this Movember month or if you want to donate, simplyclick the links below!

• The University of the West of England Lacrosse

• Imperial College London Lacrosse

• Warwick University Lacrosse

• The University of East Anglia Lacrosse

• Exeter University Lacrosse

• Bournemouth University Lacrosse

• Lincoln University Lacrosse

• Cardiff University Lacrosse

• Glasgow University Lacrosse

• The University of Chichester Lacrosse

• Bath Lacrosse

• The University of Bath Lacrosse

• The University of Surrey Lacrosse

• Hillcroft Lacrosse

• University College London Lacrosse

• Southampton University Lacrosse

• Hull University Lacrosse

• Nottingham Trent University Lacrosse

• Oxford Brookes University Lacrosse

• Bristol Bombers Lacrosse

• Camden Capybaras Lacrosse

• University of Sussex Lacrosse

• University of Essex Lacrosse

• University of Northampton Lacrosse

• Leeds Beckett University Lacrosse

• Royal Holloway Lacrosse

• Sheffield University Lacrosse

• London School of Economics Mixed Lacrosse

• University of Bristol Lacrosse

• Sheffield Hallam University Lacrosse

• Swansea University Lacrosse

• Lancaster University Lacrosse

• Camborne School of Mines Lacrosse

• King’s College Lacrosse

*information correct at the time of writing.

Uganda Lacrosse Launch Brand New Website!

Earlier this week, Uganda Lacrosse, the national governing body for the sport of lacrosse in Uganda, announced the launch of their new website, marking a big step in the growth of lacrosse in the country and the world.

It is hoped the new website will “provide […] visitors with an easier way to learn about Uganda Lacrosse’s services and to browse information based on their own choices”.

Uganda Lacrosse became a World Lacrosse member in 2011 before making their international tournament debut at the 2014 World Lacrosse Championship in Denver, USA.

They made history at that tournament by becoming the first African team to feature at a World Lacrosse Championship.

And, although they finished 34th out of 38 teams that year, they did manage to gain their first win at an international tournament as they overcame South Korea 10-9 in their play-in game.

The new Uganda Lacrosse website will undoubtedly help the growth of lacrosse in the country and further afield and England Lacrosse wishes them all the best as they continue to grow the game in their part of the world!

In a statement, Uganda lacrosse said:

“We are very excited to announce the launch of our newly designed official website.

“After four months of hard work and dedication, we are delighted to officially announce our new website.

“We will continue feeding it with more information while at the same time making it faster, easier to navigate, and more user-friendly.

“As the national governing body for the sport of lacrosse in Uganda , it’s important for us to make information regarding our leadership, services and trends easily accessible for our current and prospective members, donors and partners.

“We endeavour to provide our members and partners with the most accurate, up-to-date information.

“Our goal with this new website is to provide our visitors with an easier way to learn about Uganda Lacrosse’s services and to browse information based on their own choices.

“We will be constantly updating our content with helpful information, updating our gallery, Association announcements and our successes in the Blog and News Center.

“You can also sign up for our Uganda Lacrosse Association Monthly newsletter.

“Finally, we would like to thank our amazing staff at Uganda lacrosse who donated their time and energy to make this site what it is, and our donor World Lacrosse, the world governing body, who provided the grant to us for the website. We wholeheartedly thank them!

“For any questions, suggestions, feedback or comments, please email us at info@ugandalacrosse.ug”.

To view the website, simply click HERE.

Registration Opens for Hong Kong Lacrosse Open 2021

After a break in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association have officially opened registration for the 2021 edition of the Hong Kong Lacrosse Open.

The tournament will take place from Friday 2 April to Monday 5 April next year at Stanley Ho Sports Centre on Sandy Bay, Hong Kong.

As has been the case in previous years, there will be a men’s and a women’s tournament taking place, welcoming teams from all across the world.

A youth festival, encompassing a six-a-side and an under-12 tournament, will also be held on the Saturday and Sunday of the Open.

In addition to the playing teams, there are also opportunities for officials to join the Open’s “Team Zebra” and officiate games at the tournament.

In a statement released earlier this month, the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association said:

“The Hong Kong Lacrosse Association is excited to announce that registration for the 2021 Hong Kong Lacrosse Open is officially open!

“As our tournament grows, we hope that it will capture the attention of the lacrosse community beyond just the Asia-Pacific region.

“After a pause in 2020, next year’s tournament will certainly be an event to remember and we hope to see many new faces in April”.

Registration is open until 1 December when the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association will subsequently select up to 10 men’s and 8 women’s teams to take part in the Open.

For more information about the tournament and details on how to register a team or sign up as an official, click HERE.

50% off all England Lacrosse Courses!

England Lacrosse are delighted to be offering 50% off all educational courses during the four-week national lockdown ending on Wednesday 2 December.

Our Field Lacrosse Coaching, Fundamentals of Coaching Lacrosse, Level 1 Refereeing, Level 1 Umpiring, and Safeguarding courses will all be available with a 50% discount starting today (Friday 6 November) using special discount codes.

Upon the launch of the new discounts, England Lacrosse Chief Executive Officer, Mark Coups, said:

“2020 has been a unique and difficult year and this second lockdown will be challenging for everyone.

“However, we want to continue to support the lacrosse community through these strange times and a 50% discount on all our educational courses will allow many more people to improve their knowledge of lacrosse.

“Lacrosse will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later, and these discounts will help the game to improve and grow in the long term”.

Each individual course has a unique code which must be used when purchasing:

Field Lacrosse Coaching Course = lckdn2fl

Fundamentals of Lacrosse Coaching Course = lckdn2fu

Level 1 Refereeing Course = lckdn2r1

Level 1 Umpiring Course = lckdn2u1

Safeguarding Course = lckdn2