Lacrosse Nations Cups 2022 – Dresden
Follow the men as they continue their preparation and build up for The World Games in July. They will take on Germany, Poland, Switzerland and Hong Kong on 21st & 22nd May. You can view the game schedule online to see when they are playing. The games are being streamed so you can cheer on from your armchair or deckchair.
U.S. College Honours for British Goalkeeper
Image: Limestone University Saints
This week William Baxter was honoured with two accolades at the end of the American college season.
Baxter has been playing this year at Limestone College, a Division II programme in the USA. He was awarded the South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. He is the first player at the college to earn the honour since 2017. Baxter recorded an impressive 62.6% save percentage over the SAC season, and an average goals against of just 7.25. The impressive performance over the season has also seen him pick up Division II All American 3rd Team honours.
Check out his college profile and honours announcement
Congratulations on an outstanding achievement.
Help our players to get to TWG2022
Our teams have recently won the first-ever EuroLax Sixes Cup and are on their way to the US this July to compete in The World Games - a global event that features a multitude of sports that don't currently make it onto the Olympic Games agenda (though we hope to be there in 2028).
British Lacrosse does not yet get funding or grants and it's early days on our journey to secure sponsorship deals, so our athletes have to self-fund to compete and represent Great Britain. Sadly, that's how it is for lacrosse and many lesser known sports. We've been doing what we can to support them and this is the latest initiative, a GoFundMe page.
Spreading the word may really help our athletes. If you can please like, share and/or donate. Every little helps - visibility as well as money!
Thank you.
British Lacrosse Branding Story
Check out the story of the our brand. We are delighted to have a modern British identity for our new national sports body, brought to you by the talented Keith Hancox, Founder of Lark Design Studio, complemented by great photography from Rafaella Macintosh and James Fowles.
It is great to see how the teams are bringing it to life on and off the field.
At the Face Podcast
Have a listen to the podcast where Head Men's Coach Tom Wenham chats about all things lacrosse on At The Face.
What’s the buzz about Sixes
The Sixes format is still in it's infancy, but at British Lacrosse we live and breathe Sixes.
Why?
Apart from being a fast, athletic and exciting format of lacrosse, our teams will be competing for medals this summer at The World Games. This will be the debut for Sixes at a global multi-sport event.
Fresh off the back of their Sixes victory at the Eurolax Sixes Cup in Portugal last month we caught up with a few of our players to find out more about Sixes.
What is the biggest difference between Sixes and 10s?
Iona Dryden: I’d say the biggest difference is the speed of the game. If you thought 10s was fast… Sixes is rapid.
Resh Panesar: The biggest difference is the need to be able to do everything. In 10s, you have specialist defensive players, face-offs, wings etc. In Sixes, every player must be able to do all of that and at speed.
Alex Russell: There is much less time to think, you must make decisions on the fly. Sixes is also less physical than 10s with the loss of long-sticks. The “equal force rule” is just one of the rules that tilts the game in favour of the attacking team.
Hannah Grant: That's funny. I was going to say Sixes is more physical!
no specialists
rapid
What skills are most transferable?
think fast
handling
Chloe Chan: All of them. From knowledge of the game to stick skills, I think they’re all relevant.
Alex: Handling has always been important in 10s and its arguably more vital in Sixes . High lacrosse IQ is extremely transferable due to the time pressure you're under, and making the right decision quickly is key.
Iona: With 6s being even faster, the ability to think fast and scan the field for the second/third play leads to rapid ball movement and fast break goals. It’s definitely taught me that 30 seconds is actually plenty of time to get creative and work for the best goal lay-up if the fast break isn’t the option.
What are you having to learn new?
Hal Dwobeng: Definitely what tactics we want to implement as a team. Every session we spend is about learning methods of play we can implement in the new format. At the end of the day there's no lacrosse person on the planet that is experienced with this format so learning and adapting is key to our success.
Resh: I have learnt to play the game faster, make decisions quicker and to move on from mistakes better. There is no time to dwell on a missed shot or ground ball in Sixes.
Hannah: As well as the different on-field rules the Sixes format is also tactically a very different game. We are learning how to best utilise the 30 second possession to our advantage in attack and how to minimise our opponent's possession through our defensive plays.
Alex: I have played midfield growing up then got moved into attack for senior lacrosse and back to offensive midfield for my NCAA career. As you can see defence wasn’t high in my skill set! So, learning defensive footwork and positioning are the areas where I need the most work.
What advice would you have for young athletes wanting to try Sixes?
Hal: Definitely play it. It's so exciting for both player and fan, and really brings in so many skill elements that can be transfers to other formats of the game.
Chloe: Put yourself out there and learn all aspects of the game. It’s a fantastic opportunity to enhance your own skills and further develop new ones.
Alex: Firstly, do it. it is a whole lot of fun! To be good at it, I would tell them to continue to work on their handling get it as sharp as possible. Together with getting into great shape so they are able to keep up with the fast-paced nature of the game and not be fatigued into making bad decisions.
Iona: Say YES to every opportunity you get to play, whether that be Sixes or 10s.
Resh: I would encourage them to play Sixes as they get more touches of the ball than in regular 10s. My top tips: Be to be a team player, take pride in the little things of the game – ground balls, defensive stops and clearing the ball, and above all have fun!
Want to read more about Sixes?
Click here to read about what GB & England player Torz Anderson had to say about Sixes, in her guest blog post for England Lacrosse: Will the future of our sport destroy or develop its heritage and heartland?
Euro Sixes Cup : Player Blog
Iona Dryden and Jamie Powell offer us their insider day-by-day view on the EuroSixes tournament.
Friday morning started early with a women’s rehab club led by Rich (Strength & Conditioning) and Andrew (Physio). Our two women’s teams, GB Red and GB Blue, then headed over to the tournament venue. After a squad meeting, mobility, and a walk-through in the sun we had our first group games.
GB Red were up first against England U23. After a slow first quarter, the team kicked into gear and were hustling hard for turnovers and burying shots at speed, coming away with a 20-8 win. Over on pitch 2, GB Blue took on Spain. They played with speed, discipline, and plenty of assisted goals. GB won 24-3.
The sun came out for us in the afternoon which called for a beach trip and a recovery swim. Then a game of Spike-ball fiesta created some healthy competition. Following a team meeting and dinner we were ready for sleep ahead of a big Saturday of games.
After an early wake up call, both teams met for a pairs stretching session led by GB White captain Tom Bracegirdle. After a quick breakfast we headed out for the first day of games.
GB Red were up first competing against Germany. The boys were ready and put on a clinical performance to win 27-10. GB White were up next and were keen to also put on a good show. They played Belgium with a display of speed and discipline that took them into an early lead. They didn’t let up and with break after break won convincingly 35-0.
GB Red returned to the hotel for some recovery in the outdoor pool while GB White played their second game against the newly formed European Team. Riding high off their previous game and after a dominant performance, with a star turn from Hal, GB White won 23-2.
GB Red organised an exhibition game against U23 England. GB Blue put on a strong performance against Germany in their opening game of the day, executing plays and rides finishing on 26-6. GB Red produced a slick performance against Belgium with plenty of crowd-pleasing finishes. GB Blue’s final group game was against Team Europe. They finished with a strong 17-1 win. By this stage our teams were really starting to deliver on our key areas of focus: working hard for each other, moving the ball fast, looking for assists and utilising the Sixes rules to great effect.
After a busy morning it was time for feet up, re-fuel and recovery swims ahead of the evening semi-finals.
GB Red performed well against Germany in their semi-final. They showed impressive defensive moves and won 26-2 with some beautifully creative goals. GB Blue were up against England U23 who played with speed, aggressive turnovers and efficient finishes. However, GB Blue pulled through when they needed it most to win 23-7.
The result? An all-GB final for the women!
It was a brilliant day. We finished up with a much deserved team dinner on the beach and celebrated Chess Gray’s 25th birthday.
We were early again for our separate morning stretch sessions. GB Red tucked into a big breakfast to set them up for the three games ahead!
GB Red displayed great teamwork in their first game against Portugal. Portugal struggled to break down the defence and GB Red won 25-5.
Next up Switzerland. This was the biggest test so far in the tournament. With Switzerland’s average player height of 6ft 5in GB Red needed to come out fast and strong. After exhibition of ball movement, speed in the attack and strong one on one defence, GB Red won 21-5.
GB White team played an exhibition game against Germany at a blinding pace and won. They started to utilise new tactics in both the defence and attack.
GB Red played the European Team next in the semi- finals and finished the day on a high with a score of 24-7 and a place in the final. The team headed back to the hotel for some recovery and food. GB White faced Switzerland in the other semi-final and had a slow start in the first quarter. However, they lifted their game and showed some fantastic creative and efficient goal scoring to win 18-5 and secure a place in the final against GB Red.
Our teams woke with some serious energy for what was about to be a great day ahead. After a pre-breakfast swim at the beach for our early birds, we enjoyed our final feast at Hotel
Energize (can we come back soon?!) The tone of the day across the squad was set during a relaxing pool-side mobility session, thanks to Rich. The GB Blue vs. GB Red final was at 1pm. We caught the final half of men’s final which was full of elite skill, speed and passion for the Sixes game that we’re all truly loving. Congrats GB White on a hard-fought win!
Our warm-ups were looking sharp and both teams were pumped and ready to perform. GB Red came out fast from the first whistle scoring three in quick succession. GB Blue stayed calm and quickly put points on the board through work-rate on the ride and calm possession, really utilising the 30-second clock. Penalties came fast in the 2nd quarter and at one point saw a 3 v 3 situation. The pace of the game was fast. Both teams continued to show moments of pure magic; proving just how exciting this sport is to watch, let alone play. GB Blue entered the final quarter a couple goals up forcing a few wide shots to turn over the ball and maintain their lead and take gold with a tight 14-11 win!
The final really showcased elite Sixes lacrosse from both GB Red and GB Blue – congratulations to all and thank you to our coaches and to British Lacrosse for giving us this opportunity to compete together.
For now, all eyes on are The World Games – here we go Team GB!
Although both teams stretched out together there was excitement rather than hostility.
Both teams had a game plan that needed to be executed. The first quarter began and Pomfret was first on the board. GB White performed with exceptional speed in transition and were precise with their shooting. Scarpello brought GB Red team back into the game with some incredible dodging and shooting but GB Red struggled to find the net. The fast pace of the game showed just how exciting this new format is.
GB White pushed transition and found a good rhythm in the attacking end utilising the full 30 second shot clock. Hunns looked incredibly strong assisting multiple goals and creating some amazing goal scoring opportunities. After a hard-fought game, GB White team capitalised on their athleticism and game management ultimately taking home gold 21-11. Congratulations to GB Red and GB White for a great performance.
The journey so far as a British Lacrosse athlete has been extremely exciting with both teams working exceptionally hard. A massive thank you to Resilient Nutrition for keeping us fuelled throughout the tournament. Thank you also to the organisers of the tournament. We enjoyed every minute and would love to return in coming years!
All eyes are now set on The World Games 2022!
Join Us
We are in start-up mode so are now looking for three additional INEDs to boost our capabilities and impact. As we do not currently have any paid staff, the roles are both unpaid and ‘hands-on’.
We are in an exciting period in the journey for British Lacrosse and have ambitious plans for our squads. Our men’s and women’s teams recently won the first-ever EuroLax Sixes Cup and will be competing in The World Games in the US in July in a brand-new game format of six-a-side.
Independent Non-Executive Director Opportunities
Voluntary Positions
Commitment – approx. 12 days per annum
We are specifically looking for competencies in the following areas:
• Commercial and Fundraising
• Finance, Audit and Risk
• Sports Marketing and Public Relations
We are seeking Directors who:
• Think both strategically and operationally
• Demonstrate clear analytical intellect
• Challenge effectively and constructively
• Add significant value to decision making
• Contribute to enhancing BL’s overall governance
• Are well-connected and effective communicators, able to liaise with and influence a wide range of stakeholders
• Align with, and uphold, BL’s stated purpose and values
• Are collegiate and supportive, comfortable in building relationships and influence without authority
Knowledge of elite team sport and/or the not-for profit sector is an asset.
Dummy
- Hidden
Commercial and Fundraising Requirements
- Proven Senior Executive experience in developing short-term and longer-term commercial strategies to generate and secure recurring funding
- Strong and relevant network of commercial contacts to develop external partnerships with a view to identifying new commercial opportunities in support of BL’s brand-building strategy
- Knowledge of funding agencies and the sporting political system an asset.
Finance, Audit and Risk Requirements
- Senior Executive and/or Board level experience with ability to analyse proposals, examine their financial consequence, make concise recommendations, and communicate financial information clearly.
- Possess a recognised financial and/or accounting qualification
- Proven experience of managing finances, accounts and audits and in developing and monitoring financial plans and budgets as well as developing and managing a Risk Register for the organisation.
Sports Marketing and Public Relations Requirements
- Senior Executive and/or Board level experience obtained through working in a sports marketing or public relations organisation or role
- Understanding and experience of driving both national and international campaigns, digital content creation and digital marketing will be essential
- Strong commercial acumen and a variety of contacts within the media industry, ideally sports related.
British Lacrosse is an equal opportunities organisation and will not discriminate against applicants on the grounds of gender, gender identity, sexuality, race, age, or disability. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment and actively encourage applications from diverse backgrounds and perspectives across underrepresented communities such as Disabled, Ethically Diverse Communities and LGBTQIA+ applicants.
While these roles are unpaid, Directors can claim reasonable expenses if required, such as travel to attend meetings in person. Currently all meetings are held virtually on a monthly schedule, though this may evolve over time.
If you are excited by the potential of joining British Lacrosse and can commit to a three year term of office, please apply with your CV and Covering Letter detailing your relevant experience, suitability and motivation for the position to Sallie Barker, Chair, British Lacrosse at
Closing date for applications: 18th April 2022
Interviews expected the weeks beginning: 25th April 2022 and 2nd May 2022
Teams for The World Games 2022
British Lacrosse is delighted to announce the 24 men and women who will be representing Team GB at The World Games 2022 in Birmingham, USA.
GB Women
Jenni Aiton
Chloe Chan
Emilie Chandler
Iona Dryden
Claire Faram
Chess Gray
Katie Greenwood
Laura Merrifield
Emma Oakley
Laura Warren
Megan Whittle
Olivia Wimpenny
GB Men
Will Baxter
Tom Bracegirdle
Lyndon Bunio
Hal Dwobeng
Zac Guy
Ryan Hunns
Tommy Kirkland
Luke Mills
Ben Page Laycock
Mike Pomfret
Alex Russell
Ryan Sweetman
The following players will be travelling reserves for the women's squad: Torz Anderson, Anna Featherstone, Tilly Foster, Emily Gray, Liv Thomas.
The remaining squad members will continue to train with the squad in the run up to the tournament and form a reserve pool in case of injuries or withdrawls.
“It’s a great honour for me to be able to announce the 12 players who have been selected to represent British Lacrosse at The World Games. The quality of the 23 players in our world games training squad gave us some very tough choices to make in reaching the final selection. However, that has resulted in what we believe is a strong Sixes team that will be able to compete successfully against the world's best in July.
We have selected a team with lots of international experience. The squad has a blend of talents, each player bringing their own personal strengths. Collectively this will give us a dynamic and creative team with lots of options to call on, so that we are able to meet any challenges that we might face in Alabama.
We are very excited to see this team perform to their full potential and be amongst the medals at the World Games."
Phil Collier
Women's Head Coach
"This is undoubtedly the hardest selection process that I’ve ever been involved in. The players in the training squad are extremely talented so choosing the final 12 to represent British Lacrosse at The World Games this summer was a real challenge. Each and every player demonstrated world-class levels of commitment and engagement. I’d like to thank them all for making our job so difficult. We’re really keen to keep the squad together and have invited all those not selected to continue to train with us as reserves until the World Games.
We're very excited about the players who have made the final squad. Stopping goals in the Sixes format is vital and we’ve got players who can do just that. I’m also thrilled to see what we can produce offensively so it's a great combination. Our training focus will now intensify as we count down to the Games in July. I very much look forward to working with all the players and the coaching staff to prepare for success on the world stage."
Tom Wenham
Men's Head Coach
