England Lacrosse announces new partnership opportunities

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce a brand new set of partnership opportunities allowing external companies and organisations to get involved in England Lacrosse-run events.

With the news that lacrosse is now an Olympic sport and will be featured at the LA 2028 Olympic Games in five years, there has never been a better moment to get involved in lacrosse and partner with England Lacrosse.

And with a category of partnership to suit every need and budget, this could be your opportunity to immerse yourself in one of the fastest growing sports in the world.

Two of England Lacrosse’s flagship events, the National Schools Lacrosse Championships and The Fly, are searching for partners for their 2024 iterations and beyond.

The National Schools Lacrosse Championships is an annual four-day competition that brings together some of the country’s best lacrosse-playing school teams across multiple age groups.

It is more than just a lacrosse competition, however, it is a platform for creating unforgettable memories that become a cherished and enduring part of each player’s personal lacrosse story.

As an England Lacrosse partner, you would help us to continue to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Our three partnership options for the National Schools Lacrosse Championships are:

Event Partner - £10,000 + VAT

  • Pitch-side branding

  • Team welcome pack

  • Winners’ medals

  • Event programme

  • Loud speaker announcements

  • 5,000 footfall over four days

Vendors - £1,650 incl. VAT (four day attendance) or £412.50 incl. VAT (per day of attendance)

  • Dedicated space in vendor village

  • 3,000 female lacrosse players in attendance over four days

  • Three age groups ranging from under-13 to under-19

  • 2,000 spectators over four days

Digital Partner - £2,000 + VAT

  • Website/social promotion

    • 36,000 unique website visits during event

    • 14,000-strong engaged social community

  • Competition results app

    • 5,000-strong database

  • Email distribution

    • 8,000-strong database

The Fly is the world’s first Sixes Lacrosse league showcasing the brand new Olympic version of the sport and bringing together the best lacrosse players in the UK and further afield.

With a men’s and women’s competition running concurrently and featuring eight teams in total, The Fly provides an elite level playing experience for the Olympic format of the sport.

Now heading into its fourth year, The Fly is looking for partners to join them on the next stage of their journey as England Lacrosse remains committed to promoting the growth of Sixes Lacrosse and providing an exceptional platform for players to showcase their skills.

Our four partnership options for The Fly are:

Event Partner - £10,000 + VAT

  • Affiliation with an exciting new Olympic sport

  • On-site branding opportunities

Media Partner - £5,000 + VAT

  • Streaming/broadcast advertising opportunities

  • Online branding opportunities

Stall Holder - £500 + VAT per day

  • Over 2,000 spectators across four days

  • Engaged lacrosse and sports fans

  • Young, health conscious audience

Fan Zone Partner - £500 + VAT per day

  • Interactive fan zone

    • Set up booths or activities for attendees - games, contests, product displays etc.

For more information about the competition and the partnership opportunities on offer at both the National Schools Lacrosse Championships and The Fly, click HERE.

From the archives | Great Britain at the 1948 Olympic Games

Top Row (left to right) - Anthony Dennis, Roy Whittaker, John Buckland, Brian Makin, Jack Little, Jack Griffith, John Sizmur

Middle Row (left to right) - Reggie Renshaw, Henry Prime, Jack Whitehead, unknown, Norman Coe, John Foy

Bottom Row (left to right) - Richard Zimmern, Rick Wilson, H. Wyatt, Joe Swindells, Hugh Ginn

As part of our celebrations to mark the announcement that Sixes Lacrosse will be featured in the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, USA, we’re taking a look back at the third and last Great Britain team to compete at an Olympics in 1948.

The Games, held in London, England, were the fifth to feature lacrosse after being a competitive medal sport in 1904 and 1908 and a demonstration sport in 1928 and 1932.

Great Britain didn’t participate in the 1932 Olympics in LA with that event seeing Canada and USA compete; USA won two games out of three and were declared winners of the tournament.

In 1948, just two teams competed once again, Great Britain and USA, with the USA team being made up of players from Rensselaer Polytechnic of Troy and Great Britain sending an All-England Lacrosse team.

Just a single game was played between the sides on 5 August at Wembley Stadium in front of an over 35,000-strong crowd; the game ended in a 5-5 draw.

Great Britain goal scorers | Whittaker (2), Dennis, Little, Wilson

John Buckland

Born | 30 June 1922
Died | 5 October 2000
Town | Barton-upon-Irwell

Like his father and two uncles before him, John Buckland attended William Hulme's Grammar School in Manchester. He also followed their footsteps into the school lacrosse team. One of his uncles was George Frederick Buckland, a 1908 Olympian. John Buckland went on to play for Old Hulmeians in the early post-World War II years, and enjoyed a 20-year career at the highest level of northern lacrosse. During his time at the club, the Old Boys won the league championship virtually every year in the 1950s and early 60s as well as the Iroquois Cup three times in 1949-50 and 1962 when Buckland was nearly 40-years-of-age.

A prolific goalscorer, Buckland won representative honours with England and in 1949 played in the first ever England versus Lord Robinson's XII, and also for England against The Rest. He was also in the Great Britain team that played the visiting Yale University team. However, it was in the coveted North versus South match that Buckland had perhaps his best record. He played in 10 consecutive matches between 1947-56, and was honoured with the captaincy in 1956. He continued playing at the highest level into the mid-1960s. Buckland was honoured with a lifetime achievement award by the Centurions in 1990.

Anthony Dennis

Born | 16 May 1921
Died | 24 May 1996
Town | Manchester

Arthur Dennis played lacrosse for Lancashire at the age of 18. He was educated at William Hulme’s Grammar School in Manchester and then went up to Peterhouse, Cambridge, where he studied mathematics. During his time at university, he gained representative honours for The South in the annual match against The North. One of the finest defenders in Britain after the World War I, he played his club lacrosse for the Old Hulmeians before moving to Truro, where he became clerk of the Cornwall County Council.

John Fletcher

Born | 5 December 1915
Died | 12 May 1977
Town | West Wickham

Fletcher played for the impressive northern team Boardman and Eccles and was a member of their team that won both the 1949 Northern and National titles. He also won county representative honours, and played for The North in the annual match against The South. He was capped by England against Lord Robinson’s XII at Lord’s in 1950.

John Foy

Born | Unknown
Died | Unknown
Town | Unknown

John Foy was an outstanding defender and captain. He played his club lacrosse for the Cheshire club Mellor, joining them as a teenager in 1926, and progressed through the ranks, eventually making the first team in 1934. In the three years from 1935-37, Mellor won both the Northern Senior Flags and England Championships. Foy played continually for Cheshire from 1935-52, and in 1937, scored in the 18-3 win over Middlesex that secured the County Championship. That same year, he played against the visiting American All Stars three times, for Mellor, The North, and England. He also played for England against the United States at the White City, in the first recognised international match in England since 1908. During the War, Foy served in India and on resumption of his lacrosse career after the hostilities, he again both won the Northern Flags and England Championships with Mellor in 1948.

Appointed captain of Cheshire in 1949, Foy captained England v Lord Robinson’s XII at Lord’s in both 1950 and 1951, and also skippered Great Britain, the North of England, and Cheshire three times against Yale University, during the American’s visit to Britain in 1950. Foy continued playing for the Mellor first team in the top division of the North of England, until 1960.

Derek Gleave

Born | 7 August 1922
Died | 28 January 2013
Town | Cheadle

Derek Gleave was educated at Cheadle Hulme School, Cheshire, where he first took up playing lacrosse. However, World War II put his sporting career on hold as he firstly joined the Home Guard before enlisting in the 39th Cheshire Regiment. He transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1941 and, after training in England and Canada, Gleave was promoted to flight sergeant and the following year went to Gibraltar for his first operational post with the 48 Squadron Coastal Command. He was later involved in the dropping of troops over France for the D-Day landings. However, while on a supply mission over Arnhem in 1944 his plane was shot down and crashed in German-held territory. He was initially reported as missing but was actually in a German military hospital, Gleave was then held as prisoner-of-war at Stalag VIIA. Towards the end of the War, Gleave and two other prisoners escaped Stalag and ended up in Paris on VE Day. He returned to England and was discharged from the RAF in October 1946.

After the hostilities, Gleave resumed his sporting career and played lacrosse for Old Waconians. He made his début for Lancashire in 1947, and for the North in 1950. He also played at cover point for Great Britain at the 1948 London Olympics when he was one of seven Old Waconians in the British squad of 18.

In 1954, Gleave married Jean Heaton, a leading tennis player in the Cheshire area.

Jack Little

Born | Unknown
Died | Unknown
Town | Unknown

Normally playing at 2nd home, Jack Little played for the Manchester team, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, and won representative honours with Lancashire in the Northern Counties Championship. Little also played for The North in the annual match against The South both before and after World War II, and in 1938 scored six goals in The North’s 14-6 win at Kennington Oval.

Brian Makin

Born | March 1918 (exact date unknown)
Died | 15 December 2008
Town | Stockport

Brian Makin was a member of the impressive Old Waconians lacrosse team that was invincible in the years immediately before and after World War II. They won six out of the nine Iroquois Cup finals between 1938-53.

Makin was one of eight children, five of whom excelled at sport, and two of his brothers, like Brian, played lacrosse at Cheadle Hulme School. Makin served with the Royal Corps of Signals during World War II and, after the hostilities, resumed his career with the Post Office, for whom he worked most of his life. Despite being from the Lancashire-side of the Pennines, it was after a posting to the Post Office in Leeds in 1936 that he played his club lacrosse for Parkside, and won county honours, for Yorkshire. He later went on to captain Lancashire, however, and also skippered the Old Waconians, and in 1952 had the honour of captaining The Rest in the annual match against England at Lord’s. Makin also played in the prestigious North versus South match on several occasions, and played for England against Lord Robinson’s XI in 1951.

Henry Prime

Born | 9 March 1918
Died | 29 March 1990
Town | Waltham Forest

Educated at Manchester Grammar School, Henry Prime played lacrosse for the Old Mancunians after his schooldays. Prime was a member of the Lancashire team that beat Cheshire at Cheadle Hulme to win the County Championship in 1949, and in 1951 played for The North in the annual match against The South at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

Reggie Renshaw

Born | 25 January 1915
Died | 17 March 1987
Town | Cheltenham

Reggie Renshaw started playing lacrosse during his time at Cheadle Hulme school, and later played for their old boys’ team, Old Waconians, of whom he was also an honorary secretary. A fine attacking player, and prolific scorer, he was four times a member of the Waconians Iroquois Cup-winning team in 1937-38, 1947 and 1951. He also played for The North in the prestigious annual match against The South at Lord’s both before and after World War II. He also won representative honours for Lancashire and England.

John Sizmur

Born | 22 December 1921
Died | 10 December 1996
Town | Hillingdon

John Sizmur attended St. Dunstan’s College in Catford, London, and played most of his senior lacrosse for the Old Dunstonians. An England international, he was also a Middlesex county player, and represented The South in the prestigious annual match against The North. In 1952 he moved to the Kenton club, and in 1953 was appointed treasurer of the South of England Lacrosse Association. Sizmur served with the RAF during World War II, and was promoted from flying officer to flight lieutenant in 1944, when he was involved in the Normandy landing, and was, that year, awarded the Air Force Cross (AFC).

Jack Whitehead

Born | 12 October 1910
Died | 7 November 1994
Town | Flixton

Jack Whitehead was captain of the 1948 Great Britain Olympic team. A member of the Old Waconians (Cheadle Hulme School old boys), he was one of seven "Old Wacs" in the squad. Whitehead, who played for Lancashire and the North of England, also captained his club side to five northern senior flags between 1947-55, going on to win the Iroquois Cup on each occasion.

Whitehead served in the Royal Navy during World War II, and his involvement in the raid on Dieppe in 1942 won him the Distinguished Service Cross, to which a bar was added following his involvement in the Normandy Landings. Whitehead spent all his working life at Barclays Bank, and after his retirement, was a non-executive director of Morland Brewery for 12 years. Later he was a general commissioner for the Inland Revenue taxation department, looking into complaints.

Roy Whittaker

Born | 21 October 1918
Died | 15 April 1998
Town | Chesterfield

Roy Whittaker attended Cheadle Hulme School, and first played lacrosse in 1928 at the age of 10. He also played cricket for the school first XI and was later a member of the Sale Cricket Club. After leaving school, he played lacrosse for the Old Waconians, and scored five goals on his debut as a 17-year-old. At the outbreak of World War II, Whittaker joined the Manchester Regiment. During his time in the Army he played football, rugby and hockey for his regiment, before his demobilisation in 1946. Whittaker played for Lancashire and The North, and was a member of the highly successful Old Waconians team in the immediate post-war years.

Rick Wilson

Born | 23 July 1922
Died | 4 June 2017
Town | Great Barton

Rick Wilson of the Old Waconians played against the touring Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (USA) lacrosse team three times in 1948. A prolific goalscorer, he played for both the North of England and Lancashire against them, and then at Wembley Stadium in the Olympics. In 1951, Wilson played for England in the prestigious match against Lord Robinson's XII. Later that year, Wilson moved south and joined Purley, and in 1952, after many years as the regular choice as first home for The North, he played for The South in the annual fixture. He also helped Purley win the Senior Flags for the first time, although they were beaten in the Iroquois Cup by Wilson's old team, Old Waconians.

Wilson was born in Cheetham Hill, Manchester and acquired the nickname “Rick” or “Ricky” in his youth during his time in Scouts. In addition to lacrosse, he also played cricket during his six years at Cheadle Hulme School from 1933 to 1939. He later attended Manchester University from 1939 to 1942 where he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering. He was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE) and spent most of his career working for the government in the capacity of a civil engineer, also spending time in Germany and Cyprus in his profession. He also served with the Royal Engineers during World War II. Upon his retirement in 1982 he moved to Great Barton, Suffolk where he remained until his death in 2017.

H. Wyatt

Born | Unkown
Died | Unknown
Town | Unknown

H. Wyatt played in goal for the All-England lacrosse team in the 1948 Olympic match against the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (USA). Three weeks earlier, he played against them as a member of the Lancashire team at the Manchester rugby union ground at Kersal. Wyatt played his club lacrosse with the top northern side Boardman and Eccles.

Norman Coe

Born | 23 July 1905
Died | 17 January 1959
Town | Stretford

During his time at William Hulme’s Grammar School in Manchester, Norman Coe developed his lacrosse skills. After joining the Old Hulmeians, he went on to gain representative honours for Lancashire, and was also a regular member in The North side in the annual fixture against The South throughout the 1930s, and again after World War II. He also had the honour of being vice-captain of The North against the touring USA side at Headingley, Leeds, in 1937.

Hugh Ginn

Born | 1 December 1916
Died | 29 December 1979
Town | Wilmslow

Hugh Ginn attended Cheadle Hulme School, and was head boy in 1934. He later went to Manchester University where he played lacrosse, normally as a right attack. He also played for the Willoughby club, and appeared in his first North v South match in 1939, representing The South. That same season, he was in the Willoughby side beaten by Hampstead in the final of the Southern Flags. After World War II, he played for the Old Waconians (ex Cheadle Hulme students), and in 1947 appeared in his second North v South match, this time representing The North. That year, he also helped the Wacs to retain the Iroqouis Cup, which they had last won in 1939, with a 17-5 victory over Hampstead. He was appointed the honorary secretary of the Old Waconians, and in 1950, Ginn had the honour of playing for Lord Robinson’s XII, in what was to be the first annual match against an England XII at Lord’s. Ginn was still playing for the Old Waconians in 1961 aged 45, and during his time at the club they won the Iroquois Cup five times. After his playing days, Ginn became a referee and officiated at the 1968 Varsity Match.

Jack Griffith

Born | 9 January 1923
Died | 28 April 1994
Town | Stockport

Jack Griffith of Stockport was the best goalkeeper in English lacrosse in the 1940s and 50s. He won representative honours with The North, Cheshire and England.

Joe Swindells

Born | 20 April 1913
Died | 20 April 2005
Town | Glossop

Although educated at New Mills Grammar School in north Derbyshire, close to the lacrosse “hot-spot” of Stockport, Joe Swindells’ job as a construction engineer took him around the country, and consequently he played for lacrosse teams in both the Northern and Southern Leagues. Before World War II, he played for London side Willoughby, and in 1937, made the first of several appearances in the annual South versus North match. That same year he was in the Middlesex side beaten by Cheshire in the County Championship final. The following year, Swindells scored six goals for Willoughby as they beat Surbiton 19-3 in the Southern Flags final. Unfortunately, Willoughby lost 12-2 to Old Waconians in the Iroquois Cup.

After the War, Swindells played for Hampstead, and was again on the losing side in the Iroquois Cup, after his new team lost, again, to Old Waconians. In 1949 he played for The South against The North. The game ended 9-9, and was the first time since 1908 that The North had failed to win. Later that year, after moving to Birmingham to work, Swindells played for both the Birmingham and Leicester lacrosse clubs. He ended his career with the Yorkshire side Old Grovians, in the third division of the North of England Lacrosse Association, leaving them midway through the 1954/55 season to work and live abroad.

A one-time assistant secretary of the South of England Lacrosse Association, Swindells, whilst serving as a lieutenant with the Royal Engineers in October 1945, became one of a small handful of mountaineers to have climbed the 18,500 ft Mount Damavand in Tehran. He made the climb accompanied by two other men.

Swindells later retired to Cyprus in 1974 where he lived in Kyrenia with his wife.

Richard Zimmern

Born | 18 December 1925
Died | March 2014
Town | Hitchin

Educated at Manchester Grammar School, before going to St. John’s College, Cambridge, Richard Zimmern played both lacrosse and ice hockey in the annual matches against Oxford. He won a lacrosse Half-Blue in 1948 and 1949, when he was team captain, but Blues were not awarded when he made his ice hockey appearance in 1949. Zimmern also skippered the University side to the final of the 1948 University Lacrosse Championship when they were beaten, ironically, by Manchester in the final. During his time at University, Zimmern appeared for The South in the annual match against The North in 1947. He moved back to the north of England late in 1949, and played his club hockey with Old Mancunians. Having been a reserve for the All-England team at the 1948 Olympics, Zimmern got a chance to play for Great Britain at Inverleith in 1950, when they played the visiting Yale University team. In 1961 he managed a combined Oxford/Cambridge University team on a tour of the United States. Shortly after World War II, Zimmern served in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps.

Our records on the 1948 Great Britain Olympic team are currently incomplete. If anyone has any more information about the 1948 Games and the players involved, please contact us via email on j.naylor@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

Rainbow Laces Campaign celebrates 10th birthday!

As a Stonewall Diversity Champion, England Lacrosse is once again delighted to be supporting Stonewall’s annual Rainbow Laces campaign that is celebrating its 10th birthday in 2023.

The campaign, which runs from the 25 November to 11 December, encourages those involved in sport to wear rainbow coloured laces in support of LGBTQ+ equality.

Over the past ten years, Stonewall has hit goal after goal, getting more than one million people to lace up and changing perceptions across the sporting world.

Thanks to the campaign and the support of millions of people around the UK, Stonewall has helped change the game; their polling indicates that, of fans who have seen the campaign:

  • 74% now consider LGBTQ+ people part of the sport community

  • 68% feel a responsibility to stick up for LGBTQ+ fans of the teams and sports they follow

  • 49% believe they are more likely to challenge anti-LGBTQ+ language at live sport fixtures

  • 71% think leading sports organisations are taking their responsibility to support LGBTQ+ fans and players more seriously than they were a year ago.

Obviously, this must-win game isn’t over yet and large parts of the LGBTQ+ community still can’t be their true selves whilst attending or participating in sporting events.

This year, discriminatory abuse and chanting on the pitch, on the side lines and in the terraces across grassroots and professional sports has been on the rise. That’s despite research showing that the number of people who see homophobic remarks or banter as ‘acceptable’ has halved over the last five years; from 25% in 2017 to 14% in 2022.

In 2023, that just blows our mind so while we should be proud of what’s been done so far, this is no time to take our eye off the ball and that’s why Stonewall’s 2023 Rainbow Laces Campaign message is to keep it up.

Keep up raising awareness. Keep up supporting each other. Keep up pushing to make sure sport is for everyone.

Lacing up is still making a difference but only if we keep doing it, and keep making all the noise we can. Lace up to keep it up.

For more information about the Rainbow Laces Campaign, visit the Stonewall website HERE or view their activation pack HERE.

Vacancy | England Senior Men's Head Coach

England Lacrosse is looking for an experienced, committed, and enthusiastic Head Coach to lead the England senior men’s programme initially through to the conclusion of the 2025 ELF Men’s Championship.

The England senior men’s team is currently ranked sixth in the world following this summer’s World Lacrosse Men’s Championship; England’s ambition is to consistently challenge the world’s leading lacrosse nations, as well as to retain their status as European champions.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape the England senior men’s programme, including leading the programme at the 2025 ELF Men’s Championship, the annual Home Internationals Series, and other international fixtures and tours as appropriate within the programme schedule.

The Head Coach will work closely with the England Lacrosse National Performance Manager in driving the strategy, culture, and ongoing direction of the programme in alignment with England Lacrosse’s vision and values.

They will be responsible for leading an integrated support staff, the development and implementation of plans designed to develop the squad, and driving a performance culture to underpin the squad’s ability to compete consistently on the international stage.

Ideally, they should be comfortable working with elite athletes and adept at managing and working collaboratively with a team of staff to achieve maximum output from available resources.  

The successful coach will also be required to work closely with the Head Coaches of the England Men’s under-20 and Boy’s Aspire programmes to solidify the synergy and clear progression pathway between the squads.

As with all coaching roles, England Lacrosse will be holding a full, open application and interview process for the new cycle with all prospective candidates welcome to apply.

The successful candidate must be available to fulfil the following initial commitments, leading domestic training camps on the weekend of 13 & 14 January, 24 & 25 February, and 16 & 17 March along with leading the England senior men’s team at the annual Home Internationals Series in Cardiff on 5, 6, & 7 April 2024.

To read a full job description for the role, click HERE.

How to apply:

To submit an application for this position, please email the following documents to Abi Merrill at a.merrill@englandlacrosse.co.uk:

· Cover Letter highlighting your motivation for the post and relevant experience. 
· Up to date CV.
· Complete Equalities monitoring form – via this link. - Equalities Monitoring Form

Responsible to: National Performance Manager and Chief Executive Officer

Application closing date: Friday 8 December

Interviews to be scheduled w/c Monday 11 December

Guildford High retain School Challenge Cup

Guildford High team photo after winning the 2023 School Challenge Cup

Guildford High claimed their second consecutive School Challenge Cup title after an incredible 6-4 comeback win over Moreton Hall in the final on Sunday.

Going unbeaten throughout their five games during the competition, Guildford High overturned a three goal deficit in the second half of the final to defeat 2023 National Schools Lacrosse Championships finalists Moreton Hall.

Their previous games saw them beat St Catherine’s 4-3 in sudden death overtime, Bolton 6-5, and Putney in the semi-final.

Bringing together the top eight performing under-19 teams from the last National Schools Lacrosse Championships, the School Challenge Cup is the premier schools lacrosse competition in the country.

This year’s competition was highly competitive with seven of the opening eight games being won by a single goal and four in sudden death overtime.

Guildford High is now the most decorated School Challenge Cup team with three wins (2019, 2022, 2023), two ahead of St Catherine’s (2021) and Berkhamsted (2018) who have one title each.

The National Schools Lacrosse Championships will return in 2024 between 9 & 12 March where the top eight will once again compete at the School Challenge Cup later in the year (date and venue TBC).

Final Results

Game 1 | St Catherine's 3-4 (OT) Guildford High
Game 2 | Moreton Hall 8-5 Caterham
Game 3 | Berkhamsted 6-7 (OT) Haberdasher's Girls'
Game 4 | Putney High 8-7 (OT) Bolton
Game 5 | Guildford High 6-5 Bolton
Game 6 | Moreton Hall 7-4 Berkhamsted
Game 7 | Haberdasher’s Girls’ 5-4 Caterham
Game 8 | St Catherine's 4-5 (OT) Putney

Semi-Final 1 | Guildford High v Putney
Semi-Final 2 | Moreton Hall v Haberdasher’s Girls’

5th Place Game | Caterham 5-9 St Catherine’s
7th Place Game | Bolton 5-9 Berkhamsted
3rd Place Game | Haberdasher’s Girls’ 3-8 Putney
Final | Guildford High 6-4 Moreton Hall

Final Standings

  1. Guildford High

  2. Moreton Hall

  3. Putney

  4. Haberdasher’s Girls’

  5. St Catherine’s

  6. Caterham

  7. Berkhamsted

  8. Bolton

2023 SBL Winter Box League squads announced

Knights squad with the 2022 Winter Box League trophy and their medals

The full squads for the 2023 Southern Box Lacrosse (SBL) Winter Box League have been released following the player draft last week.

The first set of players were revealed two weeks ago when SBL announced the protected players returning to each team after last year’s event.

England internationals Eliot Pugh, Eliot Leonard, Jamie Powell, and Will Allsop are among the players to have been picked ahead of this year’s competition.

The 2023 SBL Winter Box League will take place over four competition days at the Oxford Academy School and will feature four men’s teams and, for the first time, two women’s teams playing in a separate competition.

This follows the announcement of the first ever England women’s box lacrosse training squad earlier this month; those players will eventually be whittled down to a competition squad to play at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Lacrosse Championships in Utica, USA.

For more details about the 2023 SBL Winter Box League, click HERE and check out the squads below.

Knights

GK

Eliot Pugh (p)
James Tipple

Def

Albert Whitehead (p)
Callum Counihan
Hamzah Khalid
Joshua Rowland
Owen Edwards
Patrick Kearney
Rob Harris
Ryan Power
Seb Grant
Tom Bracegirdle 
Tom Roche (p)

Att

Ben Page-Laycock (p)
Daniel Aspin
Jack Nichols
Jude Krommenhoek (p)
Nathan Edwards
Will Walker (p)
Danny Hilton
Silas Burke (p)

Head Coach

Tom Roche

Steelheads

GK

Ben Stowe (p)

Def

Ben Stothard
George Bascom (p)
Iain Murray (p)
Jacob Lynch 
Jacob Nichols Cook 
James Small 
Jan-Oscar Huges
Juliusz Bokiej (p)
Kieran Garvey
Michael Byrne
Pete Smith
Peter Shepherd (p)

Att

Corrie Bruce
Dave Groves (p)
Elliot Leonard
Louis Alhage (p)
Andy Thomas
Ben Buchanan
Bence Cserkuti
Michael Boland
Sebastian Di Siena 

Head Coach

Rob Ingham Clark

Capitals

GK

Charlie Albuery (p)

Def

Alan Keeley (p)
Alex Taiano
Ben Young
Billy Rawlins
Dale Haxton
Kristien Warren
Matthew Morgan
Matthew Tatton
Reece Piper (p)
Will Allsop (p)

Att

Jamie Powell (p)
Jonny Howard
Paul Milner
Russell Farrer
Travis Payne
Tyler Rodberg
Ben Harvey
Dan Watson
Harry Morton-Smith (p)
Sam Perry (p)

Head Coach

Sam Perry

Hornets

GK

Jacob Brindle

Def

Alex Tyldesley-Worster
Archie Carr
Asyck Schildt
George Dury
Joe Hodgkins
Kyle MacQueen (p)
Ming Trinh (p)
Oliver Rogerson 
Taylor Harrison (p)
Toby Deans
Tom Hallam (p)
Valts Grinbergs

Att

Ben Collins
James McIlhagger
Matt Marsh
Tom Perera
Tom Roper (p)
Cai Jefferies (p)
Max Biddlestone 
Ollie Allsop (p)

Head Coach

Cai Jefferies

Ravens

GK Pool

Alice Loughran
Eleanor MacPhee
Lucy Kate Mayers

Def

Alys Johns 
Amelia Geddes
Annabelle Akintoye
Emily Ann Byrne
Emily Todd
Francesca Parshall
Gabby Wroe
Kate Russell
Katya Smith
Lexi Reynard
Meredith Ingham Clark
Phoebe Blakeley-Crewe

Att

Amy Bolton 
Hannah Foxcroft
Helena Prettyman
Jane Lee
Laura Beaman
Sofia Best 
Steph Grimes
Isabel Keane
Rosie Bathurst

Head Coach

Iain Murray

Blaze

GK Pool

Alice Loughran
Eleanor MacPhee
Lucy Kate Mayers

Def

Davina Emetulu
Erin Tufnell
Evie Stephens 
Hannah Gillings
Hannah Warren
Heather Cegla
Laura Wright
Lauren Hurley
Lizzie Bottrill
Sarah Hontz
Zara Russell

Att

Claudia Lane
Ellie Racle
Emily Chong
Esme Breach
Georgina Rutter
Katie Greenwood
Lauren Lewis
Lucy Ford
Miho Sakurai
Natasha Gage

Head Coach

Don McGraw

(p) denotes protected player from 2022 squad

BUCS Match of the Week | Nottingham Trent University v University of Birmingham

Our BUCS Match of the Week takes us to Nottingham this week as Nottingham Trent University take on the University of Birmingham in the Women’s Premier North 1 division.

Nottingham Trent come into this fixture sat in third place in the table narrowly behind Durham and Nottingham in first and second respectively.

They’ve had a mixed start to the season with three wins, three defeats, and a draw from their opening seven games and they are looking to get back to winning ways today after three games without victory, despite an enthralling 14-14 draw with Edinburgh last time out.

A close 12-9 victory in the reverse fixture will give Nottingham Trent some confidence heading into this one.

Birmingham are currently in fifth place in the league table, level on points with Loughborough who they beat 12-11 two weeks ago before tasting defeat in their last game against Durham.

They have a record of two wins and five losses so far this season and will be hoping to properly kick-start their campaign with a win against Nottingham Trent today.

Historically, this fixture has been a tight contest with both games last season won by one goal and this season’s encounter by three.

Ones to Watch

Nottingham Trent University

Nottingham Trent have a whole host of talent in their ranks for the 2023/24 season with several international players, including England’s Sofia Wise.

Fresh from helping the England under-20 team win the European Championship trophy in the summer, Wise is a threat on both sides of the ball.

Her speed and high-level stick skills carry the Nottingham Trent midfield and she currently leads the team stats in turnovers, interceptions, and ground-balls.

Another player who is part of the England set-up is Nottingham Trent’s top scorer Harley Tideswell.

Tideswell already has 10 years’ experience with a lacrosse stick after starting at Mellor Lacrosse Club at the age of 11 and she has grown into an agile attacker who uses her quick feet and stick control to find her way through the fan and defenders to grab vital goals for the team.

University of Birmingham

Birmingham aren’t short of an international player or two either and England’s Ellie Simpson is definitely one to watch this season.

Having started in the junior England teams, Simpson has recently progressed into the senior set-up where she has been continuing to progress with some speed!

A fierce defender, Simpson will play a huge part if Birmingham are to snatch a win later today.

A new addition to the first team for the 2023/24 season, Izzy O’Kelly has already proved her worth in the Birmingham team with her performances as both an attacking and defensive midfielder.

Fact Files

Nottingham Trent University

Captains | Shona McKenna & Fiona Cameron
Coaching Staff | Bella Ferraro (Head Coach) & Sam Patterson (Head of Lacrosse)
2022/23 League Position | 3rd (Women’s Premier North 1)

University of Birmingham

Captain | Katie O’Connell
Coaching Staff | Bryony Smith (Head Coach)
2022/23 League Position | 4th (Women’s Premier North 1)

2022/23 Meetings

Nottingham Trent 11-10 Birmingham | 23/11/22

Birmingham 7-8 Nottingham Trent | 07/12/22

England Lacrosse to hold workshop as part of Rainbow Laces celebrations

Girl with rainbow laces in her hair

England Lacrosse is holding an online workshop on Thursday 23 November at 6:30pm as part of our celebrations during Stonewall’s 2023 Rainbow Laces Campaign.

Entitled “Leading LGBTQ+ Inclusion in Student Sport”, the workshop is open to anyone interested in learning about inclusion and how they can improve inclusion in their club/team.

Despite having a focus on inclusion in student sport, the workshop is suitable for those at schools and clubs as well as universities.

Delivered by Stonewall, the workshop will explore the experiences and barriers LGBTQ+ students face in university and in sport, allowing attendees to understand how to incorporate inclusive action into their everyday leadership via Stonewall's ‘Everyday Inclusion’ model and identify practical steps for building, leading, and sustaining successfully inclusive clubs.

The workshop will be around 1.5 hours long and is free to attend but anyone wanting to attend should register their interest below, after which England Lacrosse will be in touch with more information.

The workshop comes just before the start of Stonewall’s annual Rainbow Laces Campaign that’s celebrating its 10th year in 2023.

Taking place from 25 November to 6 December, the Campaign aims to promote and create “a world where LGBTQ+ people feel welcome to watch and participate in sport - at all levels”.

Stonewall’s overarching message in 2023 is “Lace Up to Keep it Up” and they are challenging everyone to to share with the world what you are going to “Keep Up” in support of LGBTQ+ inclusion.

For more information about the Rainbow Laces Campaign, click HERE.

School Challenge Cup schedule announced

2023 National Schools Lacrosse Championships title winners St Catherine’s will begin their 2023 School Challenge Cup campaign against reigning champions Guildford High at Caterham School this weekend.

In the other opening games of the competition, Moreton Hall will take on hosts Caterham, Berkhamsted play Haberdashers’ Girls’, and Putney High battle against Bolton.

The eight-team premier schools tournament features the country’s best young talent, pitting the top eight schools at U19 level against each other in knockout competition.

St Catherine’s come into the competition after an entertaining 3-2 win over Moreton Hall in the 2023 National Schools Lacrosse Championships final while Guildford will be looking to win consecutive School Challenge Cup titles this year after they overcame the competition in 2022 to lift the trophy with a 6-3 final victory over Putney High.

Previous winners of the competition include Guildford (2019, 2022), St Catherine’s (2021), and Berkhamsted (2018).

The first round of fixtures gets underway at 10.30am all leading through to the final scheduled for 4.45pm.

Spectators are welcome to attend, with parking and a kiosk serving hot and cold drinks and snacks available onsite throughout the day.

2023 Full Schedule

Game 1 | St Catherine’s v Guildford High | 10:30am
Game 2 | Moreton Hall v Caterham | 10:30am
Game 3 | Berkhamsted v Haberdashers’ Girls’ | 11:20am
Game 4 | Putney High v Bolton | 11:20am

Game 5 | Winner G1 v Loser G4 | 12:10pm
Game 6 | Winner G2 v Loser G3 | 12:10pm
Game 7 | Loser G1 v Winner G4 | 1pm
Game 8 | Loser G2 v Winner G3 | 1pm

Semi-Final 1 | Winner G5 v Winner G8 | 2pm
Semi-Final 2 | Winner G7 v Winner G8 | 2pm

7th Place Game | Loser G5 v Loser G6 | 2:50pm
5th Place Game | Loser G7 v Loser G8 | 2:50pm
3rd Place Game | Loser SF1 v Loser SF2 | 3:45pm

Final | Winner SF1 v Winner SF2 | 4:45pm

BUCS Match of the Week | University of Plymouth v University of the West of England

BUCS Match of the Week | University of Plymouth v University of the West of England

The BUCS Match of the Week takes us to the south-west coast this week as we focus on the University of Plymouth v the University of the West of England (UWE) in the Western Tier 1 - 1A.

Plymouth start the day in third place in the league after an impressive unbeaten start to the season that has seen them narrowly defeat Southampton 4-3 in their last match and take a 10-1 victory in the reverse fixture against UWE on the opening day.

Plymouth’s first two results are doubly impressive considering they are newly promoted to the Western Tier 1 - 1A after winning the Western Tier 2 - 2A last season.

It’s a 260-mile round trip for UWE to play Plymouth but they’ll be looking to kick-start their 2023/24 domestic campaign that has so far yielded just one win from their opening four games.

A win against Plymouth today would make it consecutive victories for the first time this season after a 3-2 away win over Bath 2s last Wednesday; they currently sit in fifth position in the league three points behind Plymouth.

After finishing fourth last season, UWE’s hopes for the season once again look to be maintaining their Western Tier 1 - 1A status.

Ones to Watch

University of Plymouth

After a hugely successful season last year that included promotion and a Western Conference Cup title, Plymouth are looking to continue their run of good form and their lead long-pole, Alex Webb, is integral if they are to do so.

An unstoppable defender who has been a part of the Plymouth side for a number of years now, Webb is physical in defence, willing to stop anyone from getting past him, and is a huge part of their transition game.

After stepping down as Plymouth captain at the end of last season, James Stansbury is back for the 2023/24 season to once again lead the Plymouth attack.

Stansbury is a fast-thinking, confident dodger who can find the back of the net with ease; defenders would be foolish to leave him open in front of goal!

University of the West of England

UWE’s Alfie Stanton is a towering presence in between the sticks for his side and, despite being a new addition to the team this season, has started with intent showing what he’s capable of in UWE’s last game against Bath 2s.

Another new addition to the UWE side for 2023/24, Theo Powell is a defender not to be messed with and again showed his defensive capabilities against Bath 2s last week.

UWE have had some tough fixtures so far this season but with Stanton and Powell continuing to improve week by week they’re sure to pick up some more positive results.

Fact Files

University of Plymouth

Captain | Sean Paton
Coaching Team | Sean Paton (Head Coach), Ben Lipinski (Assistant Coach), James Stansbury (Offensive Co-ordinator), Alex Webb (Defensive Co-ordinator)
2022/23 League Position | 1st (Western Tier 2 - 2A)

University of the West of England

Captain | Jack Hutchins
Coaching Team | Kyle McHugh
2022/23 League Position | 4th (Western Tier 1 - 1A)

Women's training squad for 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships announced

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce the first ever 44-player England women’s training squad ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, USA.

Head Coach, Rob Clark, along with his coaching team, has concluded his evaluations following a series of trial sessions last month and has selected his 44-player strong group to take forward towards the Championships set for September next year; the squad will be whittled down to a smaller final Championship squad early next year.

The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships will take place between 20-29 September in Utica, USA where women’s and men’s competitions will run concurrently for the first time.

Rob would like to congratulate everyone who’s been included in the training squad and thank everyone who attended the trial sessions.

Please note, there are still additional overseas-based players yet to be assessed who will also be considered for the final squad.

For more information about the England box lacrosse programme, click HERE.

GK

Alice Loughran
Eleanor MacPhee
Lucy Mayers

Def

Annabelle Akintoye
Phoebe Blakeley-Crewe
Heather Cegla
Hannah Foxcroft
Hannah Gillings
Lauren Hurley
Meredith Ingham Clark
Alys Johns
Rosie Jones
Annabel Kitson
Claudia Lane
Amy Rogers
Kate Russell
Zara Russell
Katya Smith
Evie Stephens
Emily Todd
Erin Tufnell
Gabby Wroe

Transition

Lizzie Bottrill
Laura Carruthers
Emily Chong
Katie Greenwood
Steph Grimes
Francesca Parshall
Helena Prettyman
Sam Reardon
Lexi Reynard
Georgie Rutter
Hannah Warren
Laura Wright

Att

Rosie Bathurst
Laura Beaman
Sofia Best
Esme Breach
Lucy Ford
Sarah Frost
Natasha Gage
Jane Lee
Lauren Lewis
Ellie Racle

Staff

Rob Clark | Head Coach
Scott Joyner | Assistant Coach
Anna Speight | Manager

Club Focus | Camden Capybaras

Club Focus | Camden Capybaras

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 November is Camden Capybaras.

Founded in 2018 by Rob Ingham Clark, Louis Friedlander, and Kees van der Sande, Camden Capybaras is a lacrosse club situated in north-west London that has men’s rules and, more recently, women’s rules sections.

Originally founded to fill a hole in the North London lacrosse scene, Camden Capybaras put a huge emphasis on inclusivity and community with the capybara animal being chosen because it is one of the friendliest and most social animals in the world.

They’ve become known within the online lacrosse community for their funny and engaging social media posts, particularly on Instagram, where they have gained over 1,300 followers; a modern approach that has assisted them in recruiting players by emphasising their fun, friendly, and inclusive values.

The women’s rules section is playing its first season in the South East Women’s Lacrosse Association (SEWLA) Division 2B league where they currently sit second after two wins from two.

Described as a “truly mixed ability team”, the women’s rules section features several international players including ones from England, Ireland, and New Zealand as well as some players enjoying their first ever season of lacrosse.

Rob Ingham Clark, who works as the Head of Lacrosse at Stowe School and Assistant Coach of the England men’s box lacrosse team as well as being a former Belgium women’s Sixes and Wales under-20 women’s Head Coach, is the current Head Coach of the women’s rules section.

The men’s rules section is led by former NCAA player and star of The Fly for the past two seasons, Louis Alhage, who takes charge of their three senior men’s teams competing in the South of England Men’s Lacrosse Association (SEMLA) Premier Division and Division 2 leagues respectively.

These teams currently sit in first place in the Premier Division and third and fourth in Division 2; they also take part in the London Local Leagues as well as the annual Southern Flags tournament.

Camden Capybaras’ men’s rules teams have players ranging from current England internationals and ex-NCAA starters to British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) players alongside new recruits who are taking their first steps into the world of lacrosse.

The Club’s teams train at the University College School in London on Mondays (8pm-9:30pm) during the season and at Regent’s Park on Wednesdays during the summer months with men’s rules section home fixtures taking place at Middlesex University and women’s home fixtures at The Regent’s Park Hub.

It’s not all about the lacrosse-playing at Camden though as they organise a whole heap of social events throughout the year for everyone involved in the club to attend; events such as formal(ish) meals at Christmas and the end of the season, themed-nights out, and sober team socials like pasta parties are hugely popular with the Camden crowd.

And, because they’re so well connected with other teams, clubs, and players in England and around the world, there are plenty of tour opportunities which serve up a mix of lacrosse-playing and social activities.

Looking to the future, Camden are hoping to see their women’s rules team and men’s rules second team promoted up the leagues in the short-term before also adding a second women’s rules team.

In the longer term, Camden want to have a genuine impact in growing the game in the UK by beginning to follow the great work that Spencer and Richmond Lacrosse Club’s have done in building youth lacrosse in the South of England while also continuing to keep sticks in the hands of graduates post-university.

Club Secretary, Emily Cumming, says that Camden Capybaras helped her to continue the fun she had been having while playing lacrosse at university.

“Having enjoyed lacrosse so much at university, I was worried that this sort of club experience would be behind me.

“However, in finding Camden, I have been able to develop as a player and enjoy getting to know my team really well off of the pitch socially.

“The club puts a lot of emphasis on encouraging new members to feel welcome from the get go which really shines through with the growth of the women’s rules side after only one full season in SEWLA.”

Official Club Handsome Man, Jay Moore, couldn’t believe his luck when he found such a welcoming club after relocating from Manchester to London last year.

“I’ve loved the game since I was a kid growing up in Manchester playing for WACs and the English Knights.

“After moving to London last year, I met a bunch of the boys at the train station and they ecouraged me to join.

“Ever since I dipped my toe in the water at Camden, it’s been a blast going to practice, games, socials and tournaments for the club! There are teams at all levels with great vibes all round!“

To find out more about Camden Capybaras and how to join their club visit their website HERE.

If you’d like your club to be featured in our series, please send an email to j.naylor@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

The Fly issues open invitation to tender streaming

The Fly is delighted to issue an invitation to tender for a production company for The Fly 2024, the latest edition of the first Sixes Lacrosse competition in the world.

The tender includes providing high-quality live streaming of The Fly 2024, graphics to support the live stream, multi-camera coverage, creation of highlights/on-demand content among other things.

We are looking to form a productive and meaningful working relationship with a successful company that is innovative, forward-thinking, and reliable who can help us to cement The Fly as the premier lacrosse competition in the world with a high-quality look and feel, while providing a value for money product.

Showcasing the version of lacrosse that will be on show at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, The Fly is the premier lacrosse competition in the UK, featuring elite athletes from the UK and around the world.

With three incredible seasons already under our belts and with Sixes Lacrosse officially confirmed to be played at LA28, we’re looking to partner with a high-quality production company to co-ordinate our live streaming output during the three-weekend competition next year.

The Fly features eight teams (four men’s and four women’s) from four franchises (Forge, Hustle, Swift, Rise) and pits them against each other over the course of three competition days in summer.

The league culminates in a grand final to determine who wins The Fly title in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

Please note, the deadline for submission of interest is 16 December 2023.

For more information about The Fly, click HERE.

To view the tender document in full, please see the presentation below.

BUCS Match of the Week | University of Cambridge v University of Oxford

BUCS Match of the Week | University of Cambridge v University of Oxford

The BUCS Match of the Week sees us focus on the women’s Premier South 1 as the University of Cambridge take on their old rivals the University of Oxford later today, with both sides looking to highlight their title-challenging credentials.

One of the oldest rivalries in the world, Cambridge have been playing Oxford at lacrosse for at least 107 years and this year is no different as both sides look to get one up on the other early in the season.

Both teams have started the season strongly with Cambridge winning two (20-5 v UCL, 16-8 v Cardiff) and losing two (12-5 v Bristol, 22-4 v Exeter) of their opening four matches leaving them in fourth place in the league and one place behind Oxford on six points.

Oxford meanwhile are yet to taste defeat in the league so far this season with two wins (12-6 v UCL, 9-8 v Cardiff) and an enthralling 10-10 draw with Exeter; they currently sit in third place on seven points, just three points behind Exeter in top spot.

A win for either team at this point in the season would be significant as they look to give chase to early leaders Exeter and improve upon their second (Oxford) and third (Cambridge) place finishes from last season.

Ones to Watch

University of Cambridge

A veteran in the Cambridge side, Lily Mainwaring has all the attributes of an excellent lacrosse athlete with all the experience to go with it having learned her skills at Moreton Hall School before captaining Wales at under-19 level.

Mainwaring’s been playing matches against Oxford since 2019 and has played with some of the best in the business, including England’s Julie Wise and Scotland’s Sophie Tamblyn.

Another player to keep an eye on this week is another stalwart of the Cambridge team, Jasmine Ventham.

One of Cambridge’s captains up until this season, Ventham was a pupil at Wycombe Abbey School where she first began to hone her lacrosse game before heading to Cambridge to study in 2020; she’s got experience playing in the annual Super Counties competition and is no stranger to a match against Oxford!

University of Oxford

Tenacious midfielder Isla Finlay brings huge positive energy to the Oxford team and her hustle in the midfield and strength in creating opportunities in the attack are what make her one of the first names on the team-sheet.

Finlay’s ability to react quickly to game-specific scenarios and help her team-mates in all areas of the pitch mean that she’s definitely one to watch.

A new addition to the Oxford squad for the 2023/24 season, Tilly Pearse is a player that Oxford are really excited about and they believe she’s a player to keep an eye on this season and over the coming years.

A former pupil at Putney High School, Pearse’s goal-scoring abilities are clear to see and the improvement in her game since the season began has been incredible to watch.

Fact Files

University of Cambridge

Team Captains | Sophie Duncan & Alice Hawken
Coaching Staff | Hollie Harrington
2022/23 League Position | 3rd (Premier South 1)

University of Oxford

Team Captains | Libby Cowan & Vicky Browne
Coaching Staff | Charlotte Williams
2022/23 League Position | 2nd (Premier South 1)

2022/23 League Meetings

Cambridge 14-13 Oxford | 26/10/22
Oxford 10-8 Cambridge | 30/11/22

Men's training squad for 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships announced

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce the 38-player England men’s training squad ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, USA.

Head Coach, Walt Christianson, along with his coaching team, has concluded his evaluations following a series of trial sessions last month and selected his 38-player strong group to take forward towards the Championships set for September next year; the squad will be whittled down to a smaller final Championship squad early next year.

The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships will take place between 20-29 September in Utica, USA where the England men’s team will be looking to continue their good run of form after winning the European Championship last year and finishing fourth at the last World Championship in 2019.

16 of that European Championship-winning squad have been selected as part of the new training squad, including captain Tom Roche.

A women’s World Championship will run concurrently alongside the men’s competition for the first time next year and England will be releasing their initial training squad for that event in due course.

Walt would like to congratulate everyone who’s been included in the training squad and thank everyone who attended the trial sessions.

Please note, there are still additional overseas-based players yet to be assessed who will also be considered for the final squad.

For more information about the England box lacrosse programme, click HERE.

GK

Jacob Brindle
Eliot Pugh
Ben Stowe
James Tipple

Def

Will Allsop
George Bascom
Tom Bracegirdle
George Dury
Tom Hallam
Taylor Harrison
Kyle MacQueen
Luke Mills-Doig
Jacob Nichols Cook
Travis Payne
Billy Rawlins
Tom Roche
Oliver Rogerson
Matt Tatton
Ming Trinh
Kristien Warren
Albert Whitehead

Att

Ollie Allsop
Elliott Bickerton
Ben Buchanan
Silas Burke
Ben Collins
Nathan Edwards
Russell Farrer
Dave Groves
Jude Krommenhoek
Eliott Leonard
Matt Marsh
Ben Page-Laycock
Sam Perry
Jamie Powell
Tom Roper
Andy Thomas
Dan Watson

Domestic Coaches

Eliot Pugh | General Manager
Rob Gooch | Team Manager
Andy Downing | Assistant Coach
Rob Ingham Clark | Offence Coach
Chris Wainer | Defence Coach
Paul Polland | Nutritionist
Dr Nick Ripley | S&C Coach
Merrisa Heraldson | Physio
Megan Hodge | Assistant Physio (North)
Adam Low | Assistant Physio (South)

From the archives | Great Britain at the 1928 Olympic Games

As part of our celebrations to mark the announcement that Sixes Lacrosse will be featured in the 2028 Olympic Games in LA, USA, we’re taking a look back at the second Great Britain team to compete at an Olympics in 1928.

The Games, held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, were the third to feature lacrosse and the first with lacrosse as a demonstration sport after previously being a competitive sport in 1904 and 1908.

Great Britain, Canada, and USA competed in the 1928 Olympic Games between 5 and 7 August in a round robin format with each team playing the other teams once.

After the round robin, all three teams ended with a record of one win and one loss with Great Britain claiming a 7-6 victory over USA before succumbing to a 9-5 defeat to Canada in what was a replay of the Olympic final from 20 years earlier.

With all three teams also scoring 12 goals, a three-way tie was declared; USA suggested a three-way play-off to decide a single victor. Canada agreed but Great Britain refused and the Olympic Committee declared all three teams gold medal winners.

Percy Astle

Born | 21 January 1900
Died | 27 November 1974
Town | Stockport

Astle was the son of a newspaper editor and a leading goalscorer in the Stockport team that dominated Cheshire lacrosse in the 1920s, winning the Iroquois Cup four times in the first eight finals after World War I. 

Astle won representative honours with Cheshire and The North on many occasions in the annual match against The South. He also served on the committee of Stockport Lacrosse Club. In 1930, Astle toured the United States with a team made up mostly of Oxford University players and they returned home having deprived Syracuse University of the Flannery Cup, which they had held for the previous seven years.

Leonard Clayton

Born | 20 April 1899
Died | 6 December 1942
Town | Stourbridge

A former Manchester Grammar School student, he played club lacrosse with Second Division Monton before joining Albert Park in the First Division in September 1924. At the end of the season, he helped them win their first ever Senior Northern Flags before going on to beat Brockhurst Hill and win the Iroquois Cup for the first and only time.

Clayton won county honours with Lancashire and regularly played for The North in the annual match against The South. In 1926, he was in goal when Lancashire beat Middlesex 15-5 in the County Championship Final.

Alexander Baird Craig

Born | 12 June 1901
Died | 4 October 1989
Town | Didsbury

A former Manchester Grammar School student, Craig played attack for Old Mancunians before joining Mellor for the 1927/28 season. In his final season at Old Mancunians, however, he helped them reach their first Senior Northern Flags final. Unfortunately, the Old Boys were beaten 12-6 by Heaton Mersey.

Craig, who won representative honours with Lancashire and The North, retired after just one season with Mellor, but came out of retirement when he got the call to join the Great Britain squad for the Amsterdam Olympics.

Henry Crofts

Born | 8 September 1895
Died | 24 December 1961
Town | Rutherglen

Henry Crofts played his club lacrosse as a defence-wing with Eccles and was a regular member of the Lancashire side that dominated the County Championship in the 1920s. He was part of the team that enjoyed big wins over Middlesex in the 1925 and 1926 finals, winning 21-3 and 15-5, respectively. He was also in the team that beat London Counties 18-3 in the 1929 final.

Crofts was a regular member of The North team in the annual fixture against The South throughout the 1920s, and in 1930 played in The North’s 22nd consecutive game without defeat, stretching back to 1902.

Maurice Stanley Fleeson

Born | 14 September 1847
Died | 4 May 1964
Town | Northenden

Stan and two of his siblings, Wallace and Marcus, all played lacrosse for South Manchester. Stan started playing during his school holidays before World War I, helped by some coaching from his brothers. He progressed to the South Manchester juniors but was a first team regular from just after the War until the mid-1930s and he maintained the continuity of the Fleeson name in South Manchester lacrosse circles for more than 30 years.

Fleeson first played for Lancashire in 1922 and held his place continuously in attack until 1932, when he was captain. He also played for The North in the annual match against The South on several occasions.

Stan rounded off a long career with victory over Stockport in the final of the Senior Northern Flags in 1933, and followed that by scoring a hat-trick in the 10-0 victory over Oxford University to bring the Iroquois Cup back to South Manchester for the first time in 24 years. 

By profession, Stan Fleeson was an estate agent, valuer, and auctioneer in the family business of Richard Fleeson and Sons.

Geoffrey Higson

Born | 26 May 1899
Died | 27 May 1984
Town | Stockport

Geoffrey Higson was a member of the brilliant Stockport team of the 1920s. A county player, he played for Cheshire from 1923 and eventually became the team captain. He also represented The North in the annual match against The South. A leading goalscorer, Higson was still playing up to the mid-1930s and in 1933 helped Cheshire win the County Championship. The following year he scored in Stockport’s 25-5 triumph over Cambridge University in the Iroquois Cup.

Frederick Johnson

Born | 9 May 1905
Died | 1960s (exact date unknown)
Town | Liverpool

Ex-Manchester Grammar School student Frederick Johnson played for Old Mancunians and was selected to represent The North in the annual match against The South several times in the 1920s. An attacker, he also played for Lancashire, and was in their County Championship-winning teams of 1925 and 1926 when they beat Kent 21-3 and Middlesex 15-5 respectively. He was also a member of their winning team in 1929 when they enjoyed another big win, by 18 goals to three over a combined team from the London Counties.

Herbert Carleton Johnson

Born | 10 May 1899
Died | 19 December 1967
Town | Stockport

Herbert Carleton Johnson was a defender with Stockport, one of the most successful lacrosse cubs of the 1920s. He was a member of their Iroquois Cup team that enjoyed a 20-8 win over Hampstead in 1924, and an even bigger 24-2 win against Buckhurst Hill in 1926. When Stockport won the Cup for a record 14th time in 1928, however, it was a closer affair, beating Oxford University by a single goal, 7-6. Johnson had the unwanted distinction of captaining Stockport when they were beaten by Oxford University in the 1931 Iroquois Cup match, because it was only the second time since the Cup was inaugurated in 1887 that a Northern team had failed to win it. In addition to his club triumphs, Johnson also played for The North and won the County Championship with Cheshire.

Orric Knudsen

Born | 21 January 1892
Died | 18 August 1974
Town | Withington

Orric Knudsen attended Manchester Grammar School and then played for their Old Boys team, Old Mancunians, from 1911 until the early 1930s. After leaving school, he was an assistant agent with his father at the United Steamship Company of Denmark. During World War I he served with the 22nd Manchester Regiment and saw action in France. He was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre and in 1919 was made a temporary captain. After the War he was based in Cologne as a Railway Training Officer with responsibility for the movement of troops. For his work in this role he was awarded the OBE.

After his demobilisation from the Army in 1922, Knudsen resumed his lacrosse career and won Lancashire county honours and also played for The North in their annual match against the South. In 1930, Old Mancunians beat Oxford University 4-3 with a last-minute goal to win the Iroquois Cup for the first time. Knudsen was still playing for Lancashire in 1931 at the age of 39.

Knudsen was also a fine athlete, and in 1914 ran the 800 metres in 2:09.6 in a meeting dubbed “Olympic Trials” at Fallowfield, Manchester. In 1933 Knudsen was granted a Royal Licence to wear the Insignia of Chevalier of the Order of the Dannebrog, conferred by the King of Denmark and Iceland, in recognition of his services as Denmark’s Honorary Vice-consul in Manchester. In 1937 Knudsen was appointed Honorary Consul of Roumania (now Romania) in Manchester, and held the post until 1940.

Eric Parsons

Born | Unknown
Died | Unknown
Town | Disley

At the time of his Olympic selection, Eric Parsons was the only member of the Great Britain squad not to have played in the annual North versus South match. He was, however, a county player and represented Cheshire for more than 10 years. Leading club honours were not forthcoming for Parsons because most of his league lacrosse was spent in the second division with Disley.

Francis Cyril Grenfell Perceval

Born | 15 September 1892
Died | 3 May 1979
Town | Ossington

Francis Cyril Grenfell Percival was one of the leading attack players in the South of England and started playing for Lee before World War I. He also won Kent county honours and played for The South in the annual match against The North. Lee won the Senior Southern Flags in the last year before the War (1914) and the first two after the hostilities, 1920 and 1921. In the 1927/28 season, Percival switched and played for Hampstead Lacrosse Club in North London. He was the treasurer of the South of England Lacrosse Association until 1932, when business commitments forced him to resign the post.

Albert Phillips

Born | 2 February 1896
Died | 8 June 1966
Town | Ashton upon Mersey

Albert Phillips was the son of a Derbyshire farmer and was educated at Manchester University before serving three years in World War I. From 1921 he was a mathematics teacher in schools at Egham in Surrey and Merton, London. He returned to his native North of England in 1932, when he was appointed the headmaster of Colne Grammar School, near Burnley.

Phillips was a keen sportsman and was captain of the school football team. He also played lacrosse for Manchester University and on moving South joined the Willoughby Lacrosse Club in Surrey. He played in defence and was a regular member of The South team in the annual match against The North. He also won county honours with Middlesex and was in their team beaten 15-5 in the final of the 1926 County Championship.

Ernest “Jack” Richards

Born | 25 January 1886
Died | 10 January 1958
Town | Wolverhampton

Along with W. D. Stott and A. B. Craig, defender Ernest Richards came out of retirement to join the Great Britain squad for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, but did not get to play. He played for South Manchester and also had the honour of captaining both The North and Lancashire, and in 1923 was in the side that beat Middlesex to retain the County Championship. Richards was appointed chairman of the North of England Lacrosse Association in 1924, and that same year he enjoyed his finest moment in club lacrosse when he helped South Manchester beat the invincible Stockport side 7-4 to win the Senior Northern Flags.

George Seed

Born | 18 February 1891
Died | 3 September 1976
Town | Manchester

Although he did not play in Amsterdam, defender George Seed of South Manchester was the Great Britain team captain at the 1928 Olympics. He had enjoyed a long playing career going into the Amsterdam Games, and had been playing for his club, The North and for Lancashire since before World War I, and played in the 1913 County Championship final against Middlesex. Ten years later, he was captain of the Lancashire team that beat Middlesex, again to win the Championship. Also in 1923, Seed played for Lancashire against the visiting Syracuse University team, and helped his side to a 10-5 win.

Walter Stott

Born | 11 February 1899
Died | 21 July 1989
Town | Barton

Walter Stott came out of retirement to join the Great Britain squad for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, but did not get to play. Stott played his league lacrosse with the Manchester-based Monton club and, because he spent most of his career in the second division, Monton never appeared in a Senior Northern Flags final. Stott did, however, win representative honours with The North and also with Lancashire, and scored in the 18-3 win over Yorkshire in 1922. He scored four goals in Lancashire’s 11-6 win over Cheshire in 1925.

Stott was also active in track and field as well as boxing during this time at Manchester Grammar School. He also saw service in World War I with the Lancashire Fusiliers and was awarded the Military Cross. He later farmed in Southport, Lancashire before retiring to Anglesey, Wales.

Edric Tweedale

Born | 4 June 1895
Died | 18 November 1969
Town | Chorlton-cum-Hardy

Edric Tweedale was one of the great lacrosse goalkeepers in the 1920s. He was captain of Heaton Mersey in the early part of the decade when he also played for Cheshire and represented The North in the annual match against The South. He was in goal for The North in 1926 when they won 26-2 at Lord’s. It remained a record score for this fixture until 1982 when The North won again by the same score.

Sam Wood

Born | 25 September 1906
Died | 18 September 1961
Town | Stockport

Stockport’s Sam Wood was equally at home either in goal or in defence. Originally a goalkeeper, he switched to defence before reverting back to tending the goals towards the latter part of his career.

Along with H. H. Crofts, Wood was one of two late selections for the 1928 Great Britain Olympic squad but, unlike Crofts, he did not play in Amsterdam. Wood played for The North and also won county honours with Cheshire and was their skipper when they won the 1933 County Championship. With Stockport he won the Iroquois Cup in 1926 when they beat Buckhurst Hill 24-2, in 1928 when they beat Oxford University 7-6, and in 1934 with a record 25-5 win over Cambridge University.

John Woollam

Born | 7 March 1900
Died | 8 May 1975
Town | Manchester

John Woollam made his debut for Lancashire juniors as a 15-year-old in 1915, in the first representative lacrosse match after the outbreak of World War I. It was a charity match for the benefit of the wives of soldiers and sailors in the Manchester area who had gone off to fight in the Great War. Woollam himself served in the Air Force. After the hostilities, Woollam played his lacrosse as a defender with Old Hulmeians, the Old Boys team of the William Hulme’s Grammar School in Manchester. He also played for The North and Lancashire. In 1927 he was a member of The North team that beat The South by a record 26 goals to two in the 50th anniversary match at Lord’s.

Woollam played in some other memorable matches during his career. In 1923 he was involved in one of the most remarkable Senior Northern Flags games ever, when the Old Hulmeians went into the match having suffered six league defeats throughout the season, whilst their opponents Stockport were unbeaten. It was the Old Boys, however, who came out on top with a memorable 6-4 win. A chemical engineer, Woollam later went on to captain Lancashire and his finest moment with his club side was in 1932 when they followed up a Norther Flags triumph by beating Oxford University 13-1 to win the Iroquois Cup.

Our records on the 1928 Great Britain Olympic team are currently incomplete. If anyone has any more information about the 1928 Games and the players involved, please contact us via email on j.naylor@englandlacrosse.co.uk.

37 players selected to join England under-20 men's performance programme

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce the names of the 37 domestic players chosen to be a part of the England under-20 men’s performance programme for the 2023/24 season with some overseas athletes joining the programme later in the year.

With the first training weekend for the players taking place from 17-19 November, each player has been selected due to their impact and potential to develop as lacrosse athletes as they gain more playing experience and are exposed to different and high-level coaching techniques.

Several players who have been chosen are already highly experienced lacrosse athletes with Hugo Peel having travelled to San Diego in the summer to play (and score) at the 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship and Joshua Clegg, Drew Wilkinson, Will Brown, Jim Hartley, and George Shonfeld (along with Peel) all representing teams at The Fly 2023.

A number of these players will go on to gain further tournament experience next summer at the 2024 ELF U20 European Championship in Poland but all 37 players will be coached and nurtured as part of the England under-20 men’s performance programme over the next 12 months.

Head Coach of the England under-20 men’s performance programme, Mike Armstrong, said:

“I’m excited to finally get down to work with the players and coaching team for the 2023/24 programme.

“We have some great talent we want to nurture and I’m looking forward to November’s first training camp and seeing where we can go, not just in the run up to the Euros next year, but beyond.”

GK

George Jenkins
Joachim Ruby
Luke Bond
Noah Arnison
Sam Polya

Def

Alex Tyldesley-Worster
Archie Carr
Calum Watson
Dan Goodwin
James Thompson
Luke Flower
Matthew Forrester
Wil Baker
Will Hodgson
Will Locker

Mid

Drew Wilkinson
George Parker
George Smith
Hugo Peel
Jack Dearden
Jamie Mochan
Jim Hartley
Josh Phillips
Joshua Clegg
Leo Baythorpe
Ryan Frayne
Sam Ginger
Will Brown
Will Hodnett

Att

Ben Jackson
Ellis Baythorpe
George Shonfeld
Henry Smith
Oscar McCarthy
Owen Shuttleworth
Sam Griffiths
Zak Spreckley

Volunteer at 2023 School Challenge Cup

England Lacrosse is searching for a number of committed and enthusiastic individuals to volunteer as part of the 2023 School Challenge Cup.

Taking place at Caterham School on Sunday 19 November, the School Challenge Cup pits the top eight under-18 teams from the 2023 National Schools Lacrosse Championships against each other in a best of the best competition.

Volunteering opportunities are available throughout the entire day of the competition with volunteers able to choose to be present for the whole day, in the morning, or in the afternoon.

Volunteering will generally entail assisting with the table officials with timing and scoring during the matches at the School Challenge Cup.

Please note, volunteers will be required to undertake a DBS check with England Lacrosse before the competition.

To apply to be a volunteer at the 2023 National School Challenge Cup, please click the button below and fill out the form.

BUCS Match of the Week | Lancaster University v University of Manchester

The BUCS Match of the Week sees us focus on the Men’s Northern Tier 1 - 1A clash between Lancaster University and University of Manchester.

Both teams come into this fixture off the back of differing results in round 1 of the National Trophy; Lancaster picked up their first win of the season as they defeated Durham 2s 9-4 while Manchester suffered a narrow 9-6 defeat to Nottingham Trent 2s which put an end to their National Trophy campaign for this year.

Manchester, who were promoted from the Northern Tier 2 - 2A as champions last season, have started well and currently sit in third place in the league with three points from their first two games; their only win a narrow but impressive 9-8 victory over their rivals from across the Pennines, Sheffield.

Lancaster have failed to win in the league so far this season after defeats to Sheffield (11-3) and Leeds (9-0) in their opening two games but are hoping their huge win over Durham 2s in the National Trophy last week will kick-start their campaign.

They hope to once again maintain their Northern Tier 1 - 1A status this season after a solid third place finish last year.

Ones to Watch

Lancaster University

A part of the Altrincham CofE Primary School’s 2012 National Schools Pop Lacrosse Tournament winning side, the first Altrincham team to win that prize, Ben Grime is one of the more experienced players in Lancaster’s squad; indeed he was the first team captain up until July this year when he completed his undergraduate degree only to return in September to begin his post-graduate studies.

Grime is a prolific goal scorer whose signature fake pass has confused many a defender over the years and he has scored five of Lancaster’s goals this season so far.

Having begun his studies at Lancaster University in 2022, Ben Hordern quickly became one of Lancaster’s most important players in the attack; he’s already stepped up another level this year scoring a hat-trick in Lancaster’s National Trophy win over Durham 2s last week.

University of Manchester

Led by experienced former England international, Tim Blower, as Head Coach, Manchester had an incredible season in 2022/23 where they went unbeaten in the league and claimed the Northern Tier 2 - 2A title in style with an overall goal difference of +63.

This season, in a new league, Manchester are hoping to make a statement in a higher division and with lightning-fast face-off man Freddie Goodrham in the attack you wouldn't bet against them.

Goodrham captained the Manchester side to promotion last season and, despite taking a slight step back this year, he is still one to keep an eye on as the 2023/24 season plays out.

A new recruit to the first team this season, defender James Boam is already a solid part of Manchester’s back line and can always be trusted to put in a big hit when required to stop the opposition from scoring.

Fact Files

Lancaster University

Team Captain | Andy Nash
Coaching Staff | Team Members
2022/23 League Position | 3rd (Northern Tier 1 - 1A)

University of Manchester

Team Captain | Alex Timms
Coaching Staff | Tim Blower
2022/23 League Position | 1st (Northern Tier 2 - 2A)

2023/24 Results

Lancaster 3-11 Sheffield | 11/10/23
Lancaster 0-9 Leeds | 18/10/23
Lancaster 9-4 Durham 2s | 25/10/23

Sheffield Hallam 12-0 Manchester | 11/10/23
Sheffield 7-8 Manchester | 18/10/23
Manchester 6-9 Nottingham 2s | 25/10/23

2024 National Schools Lacrosse Championships registration open

Registration is now open for the 2024 edition of the National Schools Lacrosse Championships, England Lacrosse’s premier school lacrosse competition.

The Championships, taking place once again at the Aldershot Garrison Sports Centre are back for 2024 and scheduled to take place between 9-12 March.

The tournament has several age categories across Under-19, Under-15, Under-14, and Under-13 age categories and sees schools from all around the country battle it out to be crowned National Schools Lacrosse champions with St Catherine’s School, Bramley taking the prestigious U19A championship back in 2023 for the first time since 2014.

The Championships is the highlight of the school sport season for thousands of young players and gives them the opportunity to display their skills on the biggest stage in a festival of lacrosse.

Competition Dates:
Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 March - U19A & U19B
Monday 11 March - U19C, U15A & U15B
Tuesday 12 March - U14 & U13

Schools are able to register for the competition until Friday 1 December and more information about the registration process and the National Schools Lacrosse Championships more generally can be found on the National Schools website below.

Should schools have any questions about entry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Abigail Merrill via email a.merrill@englandlacrosse.co.uk 

Relive last year’s competition and watch the 2023 U19A Championship final below: