University Aspire Programme | Sean Paton

With the second year of the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme due to begin with two assessment days in October and November, we’ve spoken to some of the players who took part in the inaugural year of the Programme.

Sean Paton first picked up a lacrosse stick after starting his studies at the University of Plymouth two years ago when he was searching for a fast-paced physical game to get involved in.

Previous to this, Sean was an accomplished inline hockey player, representing Great Britain at under-19 level, something he says helped him to take to lacrosse with ease.

“I found the transition between the two stick skills a lot smoother than I had thought. In my first BUCS game for Plymouth, I scored a hat-trick in the first 10 minutes showing how transferrable the skills I had learned in inline hockey were. Through meeting people from all different sporting backgrounds, I have realised that lacrosse is one of those sports that has something for everyone. Since starting, I haven't looked back.”

Sean was part of the first cohort of players to take part in the England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme that included several training sessions with the other members of the Programme throughout the year as well as an end of season tour to Portugal; Sean says his experience was entirely positive and has helped him grow as a sportsperson.

“The University Aspire Programme was really amazing throughout the year! Seeing myself and other players who attended the training sessions grow and develop our skills was awesome. I grew into the sport really fast compared to people at my university lacrosse club who weren't members of the Programme.”

Each cohort of the University Aspire Programme will finish the season with a tour to Europe; this year’s tour took the squad to Portugal where they competed in the Lisboa Cup, facing teams from across Europe, eventually finishing fourth.

“The actual tour was such an enriching experience. It was organised and run very well and made me feel like an important part of the sport. Treating us as if we were a full performance team was a great feeling and really made me think about how I want to progress my skills so I can possibly play for the full performance team in the future.” 

Sean’s belief that he could possibly one day join the England Lacrosse Perform Programme is attributed to being a part of the University Aspire Programme and he says the coaching he received and experiences he’s had over the past year have helped him to develop as a lacrosse player and an athlete.

“I found the coaches to be very knowledgeable and fixed most of the bad habits I had picked up which has definitely made me a more efficient player.

“I developed throughout the year with advice that was given to me during the sessions, and the programme of activities I should do outside the University Aspire training sessions to help me to improve were invaluable. I used the advice they gave me to improve my own game but also improve my university team as a whole, passing the tips and skills onto my team-mates. I am now setting my sights for high performance using my knowledge and love for the sport.”

As the assessment days for the 2024/25 University Aspire Programme creep ever closer, Sean’s message to anyone considering applying for the Programme this year is simple.

“It is a really amazing Programme that will develop your skills and, even if you are only able to attend one session, it will be worth it.

“If you want to get better and meet a group of like-minded people, going to most sessions is completely the right thing to do. I learned a lot, it opened my eyes up to what I could achieve, and I enjoy the sport more now, having a huge amount of fun in the process!”

The England Lacrosse University Aspire Programme aims to identify athletes who are not currently a part of any England Lacrosse programmes but have the potential to progress into the England Lacrosse Perform Programme.

To identify possible 2024/25 University Aspire Programme athletes, England Lacrosse is hosting two assessment days: the first at Bath University’s Odd Down Sports Ground on Sunday 27 October and the second at Nottingham Trent University on Sunday 10 November.

Each assessment day will include men’s and women’s sessions lasting approximately two and a half hours each with lacrosse coaching from experienced coaches from within the England Perform Programme.

Assessment Days

Sunday 27 October
Bath, Odd Down Sports Ground
Men's Assessment | 12:00pm - 2:30pm
Women's Assessment | 3:30pm - 6:00pm

Sunday 10 November
Nottingham Trent University
Men's Assessment | 11:00am - 1:30pm
Women's Assessment | 2:30pm - 5:00pm

Mike Nicholls 1945-2024

England Lacrosse is saddened to learn of the death of Mike Nicholls on Thursday 15 August at the age of 79.

Born in Mellor, Mike began his Lacrosse career as part of the junior scheme created by Charles Middleton; one of Mellor’s founding members. This beginning would undoubtedly inspire Mike’s lifelong love of Lacrosse and the tough, no-nonsense player he developed into.

Mike enjoyed a long playing career moving for a period to play on Urmston’s 1st team where he would narrowly miss out on winning the Senior Flags before returning to Mellor, to become the Vice and then Captain of the A Team between 1965-1978, winning the Junior Flags and the 2nd division in 76/77.

Possibly his biggest contribution to Lacrosse was off the pitch and 1981 saw Mike transition into what would be many successful years of coaching starting with Mellor juniors and his son, Rob. His coaching style, as his playing style, was designed to build resilience and strength with little patience for those not giving 100%.

With his playing years behind him but the desire to contribute strong, he would continue to find ways to serve Lacrosse, becoming Mellor’s President between 1989-1991, sitting on several committees over the years that would help shape our game and regularly refereeing all levels of Lacrosse.

His love of the sport was not limited to the Men’s side, and he coached the girl’s game, supporting his daughter, Alex at Stockport Lacrosse Club and also coaching Cheshire teams to success.

Mike (Right) during his coaching days

Finding his niche, he then progressed to enjoy a period coaching Stockport Metros in the 1990s and then onto the first of several roles with England as he became the Assistant Manager to the U19s for the 1992 World Championship and the Men’s Senior team in 1998. 2003 would find him back with the U19s, with his experience in this role invaluable to Manager and friend Ravi K. Sitlani.

He is remembered as a determined, dogged competitor on the field who would give everything to the final whistle, but off the pitch, a true champion of the sport and an example of what giving back to Lacrosse looks like.

Mike passed away peacefully on 15th August 2024 aged 79 years. Beloved husband of Sue and devoted Dad of Rob, Stasia and Alex. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends.

A funeral service will take place on Friday 20 September 2024, 2.30pm, at Rowan Chapel, Stockport Crematorium. Family flowers only, donations if desired to Cancer Research UK.

Anyone looking to make contact can email Mrs Alex Anderson at alex@adaptandimprove.com

England Lacrosse sends our condolences to Mike’s family and friends at this time.

Three English officials heading to Utica for World Lacrosse Box Championships

England Lacrosse is delighted to announce three English officials have been selected to officiate at the upcoming 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, New York, USA.

Taking place from 20-29 September, Michael Leahy, Emma Jones, and John Pordum will travel across the pond for the inaugural women’s competition as well as the sixth edition of the men’s and will take charge of games across both codes.

All three officials have extensive international experience with all having attended previous World and European tournaments across the box, field, and sixes formats.

In 2022, Leahy was the first person to be awarded World Lacrosse’s prestigious Level 3 Officiating Award and, until recently, he was the only official in the world to hold the award.

England Lacrosse would like to wish the three officials all the best over the next couple of weeks!

Watch World Lacrosse Box Championships on WLTV

England fans can watch every game at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships live or on-demand on World Lacrosse’s new direct-to-consumer streaming platform, WL TV.

The 133 Championship games, including every England game, will be streamed on WL TV with spectators able to purchase a World Lacrosse Box Championships package for $49.99 (about £38).

Alternatively, women’s box fans can watch that tournament’s pool stage and play-in games with one $12.99 (about £10) pass with play-off games from the quarter-finals to the medal games available with a separate pass at $17.99 (about £14).

Similarly in the men’s competition, viewers can watch the pool stage and play-in games in that Championship with one pass costing $19.99 (about £15) and the play-off games from quarter-finals to the medal games with another $19.99 pass.

Placement games in both Championships will be streamed on the platform for free.

Launched ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship in Hong Kong, China last month, World Lacrosse TV has been designed as the “premier video platform dedicated exclusively to bringing you the very best of World Lacrosse championship content, both live and on-demand”.

Sign up to World Lacrosse TV and watch all the games HERE.

England Men’s Group A Fixtures (all times BST)

Saturday 21 September | Canada v England | 10:30pm
Sunday 22 September | England v USA | 6pm
Tuesday 24 September | Haudenosaunee v England | 9:30pm

England Women’s Pool A Fixtures (all times BST)

Friday 20 September | England v Hong Kong, China | 6:45pm
Sunday 22 September | England v Haudenosaunnee | 1:15am
Monday 23 September | Netherlands v England | 11:15pm
Tuesday 24 September | USA v England | 6pm

Rampant Rochdale win first Border 8s title

Rochdale secured their first Border Eights title on Saturday after defeating Leeds in the final and remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament.

After an initial group stage, the top four teams progressed to the knockout stage with Rochdale (1st), Border City (2nd), Leeds (3rd), and Ashton (4th) all making it through to the semi-finals.

Leeds narrowly beat hosts Border City while Rochdale defeated Ashton meaning the final would feature two teams who had never lifted the trophy before.

After an enthralling final, Rochdale lifted the trophy and claimed their first Border Eights title at the fourth edition of the competiton.

Following the conclusion of the event, Border City thanked all the attending teams, officials, and volunteers for making the tournament the best it’s ever been and also confirmed the competition will return in 2025.

Places for the 2025 competition are extremely limited so expressions of interest should be made early by emailing cumbrialax@gmail.com.

British Lacrosse announce squads for USA Lacrosse Experience and Canada Super Sixes

British Lacrosse has announced its women’s and men’s squads to attend the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience as well as a women’s squad to take part in the 2024 Canada Super Sixes event.

45 British players have been selected in total as British Lacrosse truly begins its journey towards the LA 2028 Olympic Games in four years’ time.

Taking place from 11-13 October at Indiana University, Indianapolis, USA, the first ever USA Lacrosse Experience will see British Lacrosse play USA, Puerto Rico, and Colombia in a round robin competition playing the Olympic sixes version of the sport.

Also taking place during the same time period, the Canada Super Sixes will see British Lacrosse take on some of the best sixes teams in the world in Vancouver.

Last year’s event saw USA defeat Canada 8-7 in the final to lift the title with Haudenosaunee picking up bronze after a 21-4 victory over Kenya.

The two events mark the first competitive outings for British Lacrosse teams since the conclusion of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

British Lacrosse Men’s Head Coach Tom Wenham said:

“The USA Lacrosse Experience gives us an excellent opportunity to test ourselves against top-level opposition. We’re looking forward to the challenge and see this as vital stepping stone on our journey towards Olympic qualification.”

British Lacrosse Women’s Head Coach Phil Collier said:

“British Lacrosse is committed to developing a world leading sixes programme which is evident in the fact that we are able to send two equal strength teams to compete in two tournaments over the same weekend. We see the October Super Sixes tournaments as a key step in our preparations for the 2025 European Sixes Championships in March and The World Games in August.”

Men’s USA Lacrosse Experience Squad

Jack Allen
William Baxter
Drew Bickerton
Lyndon Bunio
Tim Collins
Hal Dwobeng
Ryan Hunns
Dan Jones
Tommy Kirkland
Luke Mills-Doig
Cole Paciejewski
Ben Page-Laycock
Mike Pomfret
Will Prescott
Tomos Rosser
Alex Russell
Will Shirt
Matt Tatton

Women’s USA Lacrosse Experience Squad

Torz Anderson
Jordan Carr
Lauren Hart
Anna Neville
Emma Oakley
Sienna Parekh
Alice Ripper
Lottie Robertson
Emma Savage
Tilly Shires
Georgie Southorn
Dylan Whittington
Liv Wimpenny
Sofia Wise

Women’s Canada Super Sixes Squad

Emilie Chandler
Ella Cohen
Lucy Devine
Chess Gray
Cece Green
Georgie Greenwood
Millie Hughes
Minty Loxton-Barnard
Loulou Rowlands
Anna Saunter
Livy Schellekens
Hannah Whiteley
Julie Wise

Mellor retain Bath Eights men's title; Cheltenham Cougars take home women's trophy

Mellor retained the Bath Eights men’s trophy after defeating Loughborough University Alumni 5-4 in the 2024 final on Saturday while Cheltenham Cougars picked up their first women’s title with a 2-1 victory over hosts Bath, maintaining the incredible record of no team having won the trophy more than once.

The 5-4 final win for Mellor means the Greater Manchester side have now claimed four Bath Eights men’s titles and sit third in the all-time list of winners after Cheadle and Wilmslow (both on six titles) and Sheffield and Timperley (both on five titles).

In the women’s competition, Cheltenham Cougars picked up their first title in the seventh edition of the tournament after a close 2-1 final victory over Bath.

That result means that no team has retained the Bath Eights women’s title or even won the trophy more than once since its inception in 2017.

By reaching the final, Bath’s women’s team became the first Bath team (men or women) in the history of the Bath Eights tournament to progress past the quarter-final stage; they reached the final by defeating 2023 winners Cirencester with a sudden-death over-time win after a 4-4 draw in regular time in the semi-final.

A total of 58 teams took part across the men’s and women’s competitions this year, making it one of the biggest editions of the event in its 37 year history.

England Lacrosse add to FREE 'Introduction to Lacrosse' video series

England Lacrosse is delighted to add six new videos to the FREE ‘Introduction to Lacrosse’ video series, offering simple tutorials highlighting the principles of the game, the technical skills involved, activities, and game-based practices for those teaching beginner lacrosse players.

The new videos are available on the England Lacrosse YouTube channel and take the number of ‘Introduction to Lacrosse’ videos to 14, alongside an accompanying 30-page ‘Introduction to Lacrosse’ resource pack.

New videos added to the series include 3v2 Keep Ball, Bench-Ball, Build-Up Match, Passing into 4v3, Pressure Box, and Stuck in the Mud.

Each video takes the viewer through, in a simple way, how to set-up, coach, and modify each activity or game-based practice.

The first eight videos in the series highlight the fundamentals of lacrosse, including Scooping/Picking up the Ball, Carrying or Moving with the Ball, Cradling, Changing Hands, Shooting, Dodging, Catching or Receiving the Ball, and Throwing or Passing the Ball.

Both the video series and resource pack are designed to be accessible to everyone looking to pick up the sport or teach beginners who are new to the game.

Registration open for 2024 BUCS Lacrosse 6s Championship

England Lacrosse is excited to announce that registration is now open for the 2024 BUCS Lacrosse 6s Championship to be held at Surrey Sports Park on Sunday 20 October.

Team registration opened today (Tuesday 10 September) at 2pm and will remain open until Thursday 3 October at 11:59pm with players able to join each team until 11:59pm on Tuesday 15 October.

The 2024 competition will be held at Surrey Sports Park after being hosted by Nottingham Trent University in 2022 and 2023.

The BUCS Lacrosse 6s Championship marks the start of the domestic university season and is the largest university lacrosse competition playing the Olympic Sixes version of the sport.

Over 45 teams took part in 2023 with the University of Nottingham claiming both the men’s and women’s Championship titles after wins over Nottingham Trent University and Durham University respectively.

In the Trophy competition, Nottingham Trent University 2s secured the men’s title and University of Nottingham 2s claimed victory in the women’s final.

Please note, the cost per team is £178.50.

England Lacrosse relaunches partnership with FORZA

England Lacrosse is excited to relaunch our partnership with FORZA, a sub-brand of Net World Sports, ahead of the upcoming 2024/2025 domestic season.

Having signed a three-year contract extension with the sports equipment brand in February 2023 which saw FORZA become the England Lacrosse Official Match and Training Equipment Provider, we’re now relaunching the partnership to offer England Lacrosse members some exclusive offers, including a discount code to purchase lacrosse equipment ahead of the new season.

To take advantage of the exclusive England Lacrosse members’ discount, simply use the discount code found in this week’s England Lacrosse weekly newsletter, hitting your inbox this Friday (13 September).

In addition to the England Lacrosse members’ discount, FORZA will be offering our social media followers the opportunity to win prize bundles throughout the year through social media giveaways and competitions.

Since 2021, FORZA has provided equipment for various England Lacrosse events, including lacrosse goals, ball stops and coaches’ clipboards at The Fly.

Based in Wrexham, FORZA has been a champion of designing and manufacturing the best quality sporting products since 2009 and houses more than 15,000 products, 95% of which are own brand, in their new 411,000 square foot warehouse.

They provide equipment for some of the biggest sports brands in the world, including Manchester United, Manchester City, Durham Cricket, and Leigh Leopards.

They sell equipment across a huge range of sports from archery and cricket to Gaelic football and pickleball and they stock a huge variety of high-quality lacrosse training equipment for everyone’s needs, whether you’re an individual practising in your back garden or a club coaching the next generation of talent.

Lois Jones, Partnerships Executive at FORZA said:

“We’re thrilled to be continuing our partnership with England Lacrosse. By leveraging the expert knowledge of the team at England Lacrosse, we’re excited to further enhance our range of equipment and support the growth of the sport across the country.”

Caroline Royle, England Lacrosse Head of Marketing & Partnerships, said:

“Our partnership with FORZA has been growing over the past three years and we’re delighted to be able to continue working with our Official Match and Training Equipment Provider into the future. Offering benefits to our England Lacrosse membership is high on our agenda and, with discount codes and prize giveaways throughout the year, we believe our continued partnership with FORZA delivers on this.”

Hampstead claim Men's European Club Championship crown

Hampstead LC claimed a second Ken Galluccio Cup win after defeating Hamburg Warriors 15-8 in the final in Barcelona to become European Club Champions.

The English national champions improved on last year’s third place finish, going unbeaten in their eight matches across the weekend and again picking up the title they first won back in 2019.

In the women’s competition, it wasn’t to be a third consecutive Club Championship for Blues Women as they finished third, missing out on the final after a tightly contested semi-final defeat to Rotterdam Jaguars, who went on to win the title.

Despite a final that at times was played in a complete downpour with playing conditions far from perfect, Hampstead weren’t deterred from completing the perfect weekend, laying down a strong performance against their German opponents to seal victory.

The London based side had comfortably moved through the group stages across Friday and Saturday, led by Owen Caputo’s huge tally of 26 points (23G, 3A) across the tournament, only being ran close in a 3-2 win against Oslo, Hampstead topped the round robin stage.

They then dispatched Olten Saints of Switzerland 9-3 in the semi-final, despite being 3-4 behind with 10 minutes to play, a five-goal run towards the final whistle secured their final place against Hamburg who beat Oslo in overtime.

In the final it was Carl Klepper who led the way for Hampstead scoring eight goals while Caputo chipped in with four as with Hampstead only leading by two going into the final 20 minutes, a 7-2 run saw them pull away and successfully claim the European Club crown.

In the women’s event, Blues were free scoring throughout their group stage winning 10-9 (vs Oslo), 18-0 (vs Wettingen) and 16-4 (vs Madrid) to top their group, Chloe Wyner tallying 15 points (13G, 2A) in leading the way for Blues in Barcelona.

Blues were then going well in their semi-final and, leading 8-5 with eight minutes to play, on track for another appearance in the final.

However, Rotterdam produced a storming comeback to score four answered goals to turn the tie around and end Blues’ winning streak at the competition with an 8-9 win.

They did though manage to swiftly put any disappointment behind them to come back on the Sunday to win the bronze medal game 6-1 against Oslo and end the weekend on a positive.

Blues have been the dominant force in women’s lacrosse in England across the last few years winning three straight national titles, while Hampstead have also now won two in a row and both teams will be looking for more success as they begin their respective league campaigns in a few weeks’ time.

Hampstead Results

Group Stage
Hampstead 10-0 Amsterdam Lions
Hampstead 7-1 Hamburg Warriors
Hampstead 3-2 Oslo
Hampstead 8-2 Olten Saints
Hampstead 9-1 Milano Painkillers
Hampstead 5-2 Madrid Osos
Semi Final
Hampstead 9-3 Olten Saints
Final
Hampstead 15-8 Hamburg Warriors

Blues Results

Group Stage
Blues 10-9 Oslo
Blues 18-0 Wettingen Wild
Blues 16-4 Madrid Osos
Semi Final
Blues 8-9 Rotterdam Jaguars
3rd Place
Blues 6-1 Oslo

Tom Roche named England men's box captain ahead of World Championship

Defender Tom Roche has been named as the England men’s box lacrosse team’s captain ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships later this month.

Taking place from 20-29 September, the World Championship will be Roche’s third consecutive major tournament as England captain after previously helping his side to Euros glory in 2022.

One of England’s longest serving players with 33 caps, Roche made his international debut in a World Championship defeat to Haudenosaunee in 2015.

In his nine years as an England international, he has played at four major tournaments (two World and two European Championships) helping his team to become the number one team in Europe and fourth in the world.

In 2023, Roche scored his first international goal for England in a 24-3 victory over Norway at the E-Box Invitational event.

During the 2024 World Championship, Roche is likely to become England’s most capped player and overtake goal-keeper Eliot Pugh (35 caps) who retired earlier this year.

Roche’s first foray into the world of lacrosse was at Mellor as a 10-year-old where he followed in the footsteps of his dad who was first team captain and won several trophies with the Greater Manchester club before taking up a coaching role that saw him nurture his young son.

After completing his journey at Mellor at the age of 18, Roche joined Loughborough University where he played for five years while studying.

Since 2014, Roche has played for London club, Spencer, where he has become an integral part of a team that has won three SEMLA Premier Division titles in the past 10 years.

For England, Roche was appointed as one of the assistant captains ahead of the 2017 European Championship in Turku, Finland where his side finished fifth.

Since then, Roche has been a part of the England leadership group and in 2019 he was voted to captain the team at that year’s World Championship, a role he has continued to do to this day.

With the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships just a matter of weeks away, Roche says he cannot wait to lead his team out as captain once again.

“Playing for my country was a dream of mine since I first found out that some of the Mellor first team players like Ben Macallister and Alistair Wallace represented England. I thought it was the coolest thing ever!

“I never dared to dream of captaining England, and it was a massively pleasant surprise to join the leadership group in 2017 for the first time.

“I am extremely proud to play alongside this group of players and to be a part of the box programme, and to wear the C on my jersey is the icing on the cake. I know that I'm not a player who scores lots of goals or does the fancy stuff, so being able to support my team-mates in a leadership position off the pitch, and by trying to do the dirty work on it, is my absolute pleasure.”

Roche will be assisted by Ben Page-Laycock, Luke Mills-Doig, Albert Whitehead, and Dan Watson who have been selected as assistant captains for the tournament.

Blues and Hampstead announce squads ahead of 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup

Blues and Hampstead have announced their squads as they look to be named the best teams in Europe at the 2024 Ken Galluccio Cup over the weekend.

Both squads are packed full of world-class players with the reigning women’s champions, Blues, naming a 13-player squad boasting talents such as Miho Sakurai, Jane Lee, and Izzy Middleton.

Hampstead, who finished third in 2023, take a 20-strong squad to Catalonia as they look to back up their National Club Championship victory with a first Ken Galluccio Cup title since 2019.

Blues have been drawn in Group A alongside Oslo (Norway), Wettingen Wild (Switzerland), and Madrid Osos (Spain) while Hampstead will play a round robin competition against Hamburg Warriors, Oslo Saints, Amsterdam Lions, and Olsen Saints; both competitions will move into a knockout stage following the first round of action.

Starting tomorrow (Friday 6 September) in Barcelona, Spain, the Ken Galluccio Cup was originally named the Champions Cup before being renamed as a tribute to its creator after his death in 2009 and is the largest European lacrosse tournament featuring the best teams from all over the continent.

Fans looking to cheer on the English teams from home can watch every second of action live on Spain Lacrosse’s newly launched YouTube channel HERE.

Hampstead

1 Brian Vandenbossche
2 Vasilios Fokas
3 Jim Parry
4 Carl Klepper
5 Declan Mulholland
6 Bo Fischer
7 Ted Kapp
9 Bubba Wallace
10 Miles Blair
11 Owen Caputo
12 Chris Tully
16 Matt Sheinfeld
17 Aidan Turner
18 Eddy Roberts
20 Will Pickett
37 James Devine
51 John Sirisuth
58 Mason Gorman
61 Zac Guy
74 Cole Palmby

Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 6 September

11:10am | Hamburg Warriors v Hampstead
1:10pm | Oslo Saints v Hampstead
3:50pm | Hampstead v Amsterdam Lions
4:30pm | Hampstead v Olsen Saints

Saturday 7 September

9:50am | Hampstead v Milano Painkillers
12:30pm | Hampstead v Madrid Osos

Squads

Blues

2 Miho Sakurai
4 Emily Thompson
7 Jane Lee (C)
12 Maeve McKenny
14 Pippa Lloyd
15 Sophie Beane
17 Bex Jordache
18 Flora MacPherson
22 Chloe Wyner
23 Darcy Bance
54 Harriett Mann
88 Izzy Middleton
99 Mimi Painting

Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 6 September

9am | Blues v Oslo
3pm | Blues v Wettingen Wild

Saturday 6 September

9am | Blues v Madrid Osos

37th Bath Eights to take place on Saturday

The 37th Bath Eights tournament is set to take place this Saturday 7 September with over 55 teams from all over the country taking part.

Taking place at Bath’s Odd Down Sports Fields, reigning men’s champions Mellor will be back searching for a fourth title while 2023 women’s winners Cirencester will return looking to become the first team to win back-to-back women’s titles at the seventh edition of the competition.

After holding its first event in 1986, the men’s Bath Eights tournament quickly established itself as the lacrosse season opener with teams from north, south, east, and west taking part.

Teams from the north of the country have traditionally fared best in the men’s competition with 33 of the 37 titles going to teams from that region.

In 2017, a women’s tournament was also introduced, which has since proven a hugely competitive competition, with no team winning the title twice with Stockport (2017), Bristol Bombers (2018), Bath University (2019), Godolphin School (2021), Wilmslow (2022), and Cirencester (2023) all picking up the women’s trophy since its inception.

Women’s Teams

Bath
Bristol Bombers
Cambridge City
Camden Capybaras
Cardiff Harlequins
Cheltenham Cougars
Cheltenham Ladies’ College
Cirencester
City of Stoke
Derby Hurricanes
Guildford Gators
Nuneaton
Oxford Brookes University
Phoenix
RAF/UK Armed Forces
Reading
Reigate
Sheffield Hallam University
Sherborne Girls’ School
Sherborne Girls’ School 2nds
Southampton
Stowe School
Welwyn
Wilmslow
York Vikings (ViQueens)

Men’s Teams

Bath
Bristol Bombers
Cambridge City
Camden Capybaras
Cardiff Harlequins
Cardiff Harlequins (The Leftovers)
Cheadle
Cheadle Coffin Dodgers
Cheltenham Cougars
City of Stoke
Derby Hurricanes
Durham University
Exeter University
Guildford Gators
Hitchin
Keele University Alumni (Los Ocelots)
Leicester Boars
London Purley Raptors
Loughborough University Alumni
Lancaster University Alumni (Purple Moose)
Mellor
Nuneaton
RAF/UK Armed Forces
Reading
Richmond
Sheffield Hallam University
University of Bath
University of Leeds
University of Plymouth
Welwyn
Wilmslow
York Vikings (Team Odin)
York Vikings (Team Thor)

Annabelle Akintoye named first Black Woman to captain England

Annabelle Akintoye has been named the first Black Woman to captain England in any format of lacrosse at a major tournament after being selected as the England women’s box lacrosse team captain ahead of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships.

Taking place from 20-29 September, Akintoye will make history by leading England into the first ever Women’s Box World Championship, running concurrently alongside the sixth edition of the men’s competition, in Utica, New York, USA.

Akintoye, along with fellow defender Davina Emetulu, will also become the first Black Women to represent England at a major tournament.

Akintoye has been a part of the England squad since the very first 44-player training squad was announced back in November last year and featured for England in their first competitive games at the ShE-Box event in April.

During that event, Akintoye played three times before getting injured as England picked up four wins from their five games against Finland, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Germany, and Canada (WGN).

After first picking up a lacrosse stick at Queen Anne’s School when she was just 11 years old, Akintoye had a successful playing career at school before playing for Swansea University  while studying for her undergraduate degree.

From Swansea, she moved further north to the University of York where she continued to play before moving into club lacrosse in 2020 when she joined Spencer.

After two years at Spencer, Akintoye hopped across London to Camden Capybaras and took up the captaincy for the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons; ahead of the 2024/25 season, Akintoye has been appointed as the Camden Capybaras Vice Chair.

With less than three weeks to go until England take to the floor against Hong Kong, China in their first match at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships, Akintoye says she cannot wait for the tournament to begin.

“It is an absolute honour and a privilege to not only be part of the inaugural women’s World Lacrosse Box Championships, but also to go as the first Black Woman to captain an England Lacrosse team in any format.

“It is no small feat being the first to do anything, but I can’t wait to step on the floor with Laura Beaman, Lucy Ford and the team, and show the world what we’re made of!”

Akintoye will be assisted by Beaman and Ford, who have been selected as captain alternates during the World Lacrosse Box Championships.

North West's Referee's Trophy schedule revealed

The schedule for the annual Referee’s Trophy has been revealed by the North West Lacrosse Association (NWLA) with four games throughout the day.

Taking place on Sunday 6 October 2024 at Wilmslow Lacrosse Club, the day will feature three Lancashire v Cheshire matches in U15 boys, U17 boys, and senior women age groups before a battle for the senior men’s Referee’s Trophy between Stockport and Heaton Mersey.

The aim of the Trophy is to raise money to aid the development of referees in the north of England by charging an entry fee to spectators.

Adult tickets are £5 with concessions costing £2 and there is also the option to purchase a family ticket (two adults, two children) at £12.

Stockport are the reigning champions after a 16-10 victory over Cheadle in the 2023 competition; in that competition Lancashire beat Cheshire 12-11 in the U15 match while Cheshire defeated Lancashire 12-10 in the U17 game.

The scheduled women’s match was cancelled due to one of the teams being unable to field a team.

Schedule

11am | Lancashire v Cheshire (U15)
12pm | Lancashire v Cheshire (U17)
1pm | Lancashire v Cheshire (senior women)
2pm | Referee’s Trophy | Stockport v Heaton Mersey (senior men)

England Lacrosse men's U20 performance programme to host assessment day

The England Lacrosse men’s performance programme is seeking eligible players to attend an assessment day to be considered for inclusion in the programme for the 2024/25 season.

Held alongside current members of the programme, some of which featured for the England side that finished second at the 2024 ELF Men’s U20 Championship in July, the assessment day will take place on Saturday 14 September with further details of venue and timings to be sent once registration has been completed.

The England Lacrosse men’s U20 performamce programme operates on a 12-month training cycle and, following this summer’s Euros, is reviewing its training group ahead of the new season.

The programme trains regularly over the course of the season, usually one weekend a month, including some residential trips, along with a number of online sessions.

Out of season, during the spring and summer months, there is often increased contact time, and while the programme allows for academic commitments, there is also an expectation of time management to incorporate the demands of the U20 programme.

The programme is populated by players who are considered to possess the potential to represent England at senior international level in the future and presents the opportunity for players to deepen their understanding of a performance environment, challenge their capabilities on and off the field, and gain valuable international experience through competition exposure.

A further remit of the programme is the responsibility to select squads to represent the England U20 men’s team at events such as Home Internationals as well as European and World Championships with the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship taking place in August next year in Korea.

Following the initial assessment day on 14 September, players who are assessed to be of the standard required will be asked to a further assessment day on Sunday 15 September ahead of potential inclusion in the England Lacrosse men’s U20 programme for the 2024/25 season.

To take part in the assessment day, players must be at least 16 years of age on 14 August 2025 and under 20 years of age on 31 August 2024 while also meeting World Lacrosse eligibility criteria to represent England in international competition.

To register for the assessment day, please complete the registration form below and make a payment of £30 by bank transfer to the following account:

English Lacrosse
Nat West Bank
Account Number: 1554 8171
Sort Code: 01 08 81

Please use reference MU20ASS_surname on your payment.

USA Lacrosse Experience schedule revealed

British Lacrosse’s men’s and women’s team have discovered the timings of their matches at the inaugural USA Lacrosse Experience after the schedule was released last week.

Both teams will take on Puerto Rico, Colombia, and the USA over Friday 10 and Saturday 11 October in a Sixes Lacrosse competition as part of the first ever USA Lacrosse Experience.

Taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana, the USA Lacrosse Experience aims to showcase the best of the Olympic sixes version of lacrosse to fans of all ages and abilities.

The competition will showcase the new sixes discipline that will be used in the LA28 Olympics; Sixes Lacrosse is a fast-paced version of the sport played on a smaller field, with fewer players, a condensed game length, and a 30-second shot clock.

The USA Lacrosse Experience will mark the first competition for the British Lacrosse men’s and women’s teams since the conclusion of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Both men’s and women’s teams for the competition will be selected in due course from the wider 2024/2025 British Lacrosse squads announced last month.

British Lacrosse Schedule (all times BST)

Friday 11 October

2pm | Puerto Rico v British Lacrosse | Men
3:15pm | Puerto Rico v British Lacrosse | Women
8:30pm | Colombia v British Lacrosse | Men
9:45pm | Colombia v British Lacrosse | Women

Saturday 12 October

11:30pm | USA v British Lacrosse | Women

Sunday 13 October

1:00am | USA v British Lacrosse | Men

Former lacrosse player falls short of Paralympic final

Former lacrosse player Issy Bailey fell short of a first Paralympic final as she went out at the qualification stage of the P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 Rapid/Precision event.

Bailey, a former pupil at Rendcomb College, scored 281 in the Rapid event and 276 in the Precision event to leave her with a final score of 557, in 19th place and just 12 points from qualification.

The SH1 classification of shooting means athletes are able to support their firearm without assistance.

The 2024 Paralympic Games marks Bailey’s third consecutive Paralympic appearance after previously competing at the 2020 Tokyo and 2016 Rio Games.

In 2016, she missed out on a spot in the final by five points after finishing in 14th place in qualification while in 2020 she competed in both the P2 Women’s 10m Air Pistol SH1 and P3 Mixed 25m Pistol SH1 events finishing 18th and 21st respectively.

Initially a talented hockey player, Bailey first picked up a lacrosse stick aged 13 when it was the spring term sport at her new school.

She took to the new sport amazingly well, making Rendcomb’s first team, where she won a school’s competition, before securing a spot on the county team.

After a vehicle collision in 2013 left her with a spinal cord injury, however, Bailey left hockey and lacrosse behind and took up pistol shooting during her recovery at Stoke Mandeville Hospital.