Congratulations to Graham Brady MP for addressing and raising the profile of Lacrosse in his EDM on the 17th of March. His comment that Lacrosse is one of the fastest growing sports both in Britain and internationally is correct. The growth of the sport in this country is hindered by the lack of funding for its international players. These players who represent their nation at the highest level possible should not have to reach into their own pockets to fund their tournament.
Lacrosse is a sport with such potential in the UK, special turf or playing surface is not manditory to play which allows for a wide range of potential players from all different backgrounds. The hand eye coordination skills needed already exist here in sports such as tennis and cricket. The sport itself is already very popular amongst both men and women in the UK. It requires such explosive speed and physically is quite demanding with alot of running similar to football, the mens game is full contact whereas the womens is alot tamer and the varying positions allow for people of all shapes and sizes.
Currently there are Lacrosse clubs dotted around the country which play in a national league on saturdays. There are 5 divisions in the northern league and a similar number in the south, split into the south east and south west. Apart from the lacrosse they provide, these clubs are social institutions, with life lasting friendships being formed. The womens game is played at some schools whereas most men only get their first experience of lacrosse at University. This has resulted in a large number of graduates looking to continue playing the sport once they have finished their studies therefore increasing the number of players in the country year after year. I myself started playing at University and have noticed how the sport has expanded in the past 4 years with many new teams and players entering into the frame, this growth will only continue and increase in the future with more club and University teams being founded than ever before.
One only has to look at the US where the sport probably has the highest profile globally. The mens college league started in 1971 and the womens in 1982, with the mens game turning proffessional in 1999 with the formation of the MLL. Lacrosse is the fastest growing sport in the US and the NCAA mens championship is now the most attended in college sport. The US has shown that the popularity for the sport is most certainly there, it just needs a little assistance to compete for attention with the more mainstream sports.
England has the potential to set the standard of Lacrosse in Europe. With historical facts such as the first womens game being played in 1890 at the St Leonards School in Scotland and the arrival of the worlds best players to our shores for the 2010 Mens World Championships in Manchester, there is no reason in the future why other countries won’t be looking at England as an ambassador for Lacrosse.
