With just one year to go until the highly anticipated 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, New York, USA, England’s Tom Roche believes there’s never been a more exciting time to be around the England box lacrosse team.
“There's been a lot of young, exciting players we've seen in all the different formats of lacrosse over the past few years; there's loads of exciting prospects around at the moment.”
And with open trials for next year’s World Championships’ England men’s squad taking place over the next couple of months at both Macclesfield Rugby Club and the Oxford Academy, Tom is hoping to be challenging for a spot once again and going toe-to-toe with those “exciting prospects”.
“I hope I've got at least one more [World Championship] in me. I'm gonna be at the trials. I'm really excited to measure myself against some of these really talented young players that we've seen.
“So I'm gonna show up for the trials and see where I stand next to these guys, but I think it's a really, really good time to be playing in and around the national squad.”
Head Coach, Walt Christianson, along with his Assistant Coach, Andy Downing, has a clear way he wants his team to play and Tom says he, along with the rest of the players in and around the England men’s squad, is aware of the sort of player he’s looking for.
“There's a pretty clear set of criteria that both Walt and Andy talk about: they talk about this FAST acronym, they're looking for Fast, Athletic, Smart and Tough players.
“I think we as a country certainly do a really good job of fostering and developing the Athletic, Smart and Tough sides. I think what we've done a better job of more recently is that fast-paced game which maybe we haven't always been amazing at; we've traditionally probably been a bit more patient, shall we say, particularly in our offence.
“But, yeah, they'll be looking for those things and I think there's a lot of people out there actually who can fulfill those criteria.”
It’s been more than a year since England created history by becoming men’s European champions for the first time at the 2022 European Box Lacrosse Championship in Hannover, Germany. Tom was England’s captain at that tournament and it’s something he’s not forgetting any time soon.
“I think with the success we had at the Euros and how tight-knit that group of players was and the team culture that we'd started to create, it's almost stayed in the back of a lot of our minds, I think, since then and the opportunity to kick on and take that group, plus hopefully a few other new faces, to a World Championship is really exciting.”
However, Tom is more than aware that England can’t rest on their laurels and continue to congratulate themselves on past results.
“We were really happy as a group of people with the success that we had at the Euros. It was an incredible thing, but, with that said, it doesn't count for much at this stage in the process and it won't count for anything at the World Championships!
“So, you know, just because we were successful doesn't mean there are not opportunities to improve all across the floor and I think the coaches will be really aware of that and they’ll be looking for those new influences who can take us to another level again from where we are now.”
When asked what positive things the 2024 World Championship men’s squad could take from the 2022 European Championship-winning team, Tom said it’s all about incremental improvements across the board.
“I think, with this whole box lacrosse journey that the coaching staff have taken us on over the last 10-12 years, every year we've been good at making incremental improvements and then finding a new level next time.
“Whether that's by recruiting players who historically weren't involved in box lacrosse, which has definitely happened quite a bit, or by developing the people who have been involved in box lacrosse for a long time, developing their understanding of the game and the different tactical elements where we have historically been a little behind some of our European neighbours and actually a number of the blue division countries as well who we’ll be playing against at the World Championship.
“So I think it's just about taking that platform and finding another level again and I think we're in a really good place to do exactly that and kick on.”
England finished fourth at the last World Championship in 2019 after a narrow defeat to the USA in the bronze medal game. Tom wouldn't be pushed on what England’s aims and objectives are for the World Championship next year, however.
“I think I'd be jumping the gun if I gave my two cents on that at the moment. I mean, we're a really competitive bunch. I'm almost certain in saying that we'll be stronger than we were at the last Worlds, but it's also fair to say that the rest of world lacrosse is getting stronger in box lacrosse as well.
“So, the competition will probably be better as well, and that's what's going to make it exciting, I think: to measure ourselves against those other nations that are still improving.”
The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships will see the inaugural women’s tournament take place alongside the men’s competition and Tom thinks that development is great for the future of box lacrosse around the world.
“I think it's really important that we as a country support the new format of the game that's going to be at the tournament alongside the traditional men's game and I also think as an advocate for box lacrosse, specifically of the different formats of the game, we all get stronger as a sport the more we support one another.
“The opportunity to have two tournaments effectively running side by side in the same place is something that I don't think I've ever seen in field lacrosse before, except in Sixes, but it is exciting, right?
“It's exciting to get everyone in the same place and help one another. Hopefully we can pass on some of the stuff that we've learned on our journey over the last 10 years and also learn some stuff from the women's England team as they get going.”
When all’s said and done, Tom’s overarching message seems to be that he’d like to see more people getting involved in box lacrosse in England and that anyone thinking about trying the format should simply go for it.
“I think what you notice [about box lacrosse] is the skill level that is required and that it helps you to develop as a player and, increasingly for me as someone who is involved in both field and box lacrosse and I've played a little bit of Sixes as well, the tactical side of box lacrosse is enormously influential in the other formats of the game.
“So whether you're on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, even if you're a goalie to be honest, there's a huge amount that you can learn from playing the game of box lacrosse and it's an opportunity that I think will surprise people in terms of the reality versus the expectations and it will definitely challenge you as well.”
England will be holding open trials on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 October at the Ice Arena in Sheffield and on Saturday 28 October at the Oxford Academy in Oxford.
The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships will take place in Utica, New York, USA from 20-29 September 2024.
For more information about England box lacrosse, click HERE.
