England women take on visiting team from the USA

The England team will face stiff competition from the Div 1 school

Attention lacrosse fans! The England women’s lacrosse team are giving you a chance to watch them in action in what promises to be an incredible display of international lacrosse.

On Thursday, June 2 the England team will take on a visiting team from the University of Louisville.

The England team, fresh from their win at the Senior Home Internationals, are sure to face a real challenge from the visitors and, for some, this game will be their first experience (aside from Home Ints) of playing at elite international level.

Love Lacrosse can’t wait to see how the England team will perform against the Div 1 team from the US and we will be bringing you updates from the game as it takes place.

Tickets are free – just head to http://internationallax.eventbrite.com/ to register.

The game is scheduled to take place at the Surrey Sports Park at 6.30pm.

ELA conference: help or hinderance?

We here at Love Lacrosse are sad to say that we were unable to attend the ELA conference in Solihull on Sunday. BUT, we have already heard so much about what went on, what was on offer to all ELA members and what people thought about the whole affair.

Being the lacrosse-loving people that we are however, we want to know more!

Were you at the conference? Did you find it useful? Boring? Fun? Exciting? We want to know. Comment below and let us know what you thought was useful about it, what more you would have liked to see and anything else that you think the lacrosse world should know! Even if it’s just about the quality of the refreshments!

We look forward to hearing what you’ve got to say!

ArchLevel Love

ArchLevel Lax and Love Lacrosse have some exciting plans in the works

We have some exciting news in the works for you Love Lax fans.

Love Lacrosse is teaming up with the guys at ArchLevel Lacrosse to bring you something NEW and EXCITING.

Lacrosse in the UK has never seen anything like this before so keep an eye out for more news on the site, on our Facebook group and our Twitter.

More news in the next couple of days!!!

Guest Post: Where should the ELA funding go?

Giles wants to see more lacrosse coaching for younger players with less experience

Giles Roo Cuddy is the embodiment of a true lacrosse lover.

Having played the sport since his time at Swansea University, Giles has gone on to play for a number of different teams – from touring teams such as Gin and Juice, to national success as the captain of the Wales Development squad.

He is one of the most enthusiastic players I have ever come across – pretty much to the point of pure obsession! – and he is eager to see others benefit from all that the game has to offer.

Lacrosse, I love it! Where did my passion for this game come from? When did it start? Like most I began at uni. It started with mixed lacrosse and the promise of great socials as well.

University lacrosse is the starting point for many of today’s best players, both men and women. Those new to lacrosse are helped through their lax steps by those who had played it before they came to uni and so on.

This process makes me wonder why the ELA have decided to spend the grant of £300k they were awarded on coaching for growing the university pool of players. Do we need to inject more funding into the university scene which has been growing steadily with the current succesful model already in place?

Last chance!

The survey will help to shape the future of UK lacrosse

Just a reminder to all UK-based lacrosse players that the ELA’s Shape your Membership survey closes TODAY at 7pm.

The survey gives players and lax lovers alike the chance to decide how they want the sport to be organised and run – from coaching to kit. It’s a great chance for all laxers to tell the ELA what they want to see changed in the sport and what they want to see happening in the future.

Not only that, but all entrants will be in with a chance of winning a number of laxstastic prizes;

1st Team Kit from Radsheep
10 free places on English Lacrosse courses
£200 John Lewis voucher
£200 Intersport voucher

Head to http://www.equalstm.com/englishlacrosse/ and fill out your survey now.

The results are in…

And it’s DeBeer for the win.

Love Lacrosse voters took to our poll to vote for their favourite lacrosse sticks and it’s clear to see from the results which one the majority of you prefer!

While DeBeer stormed ahead to seize the lacrosse stick crown, however, it is evident that many of you have opted for the lesser used varieties.

DeBeer sticks were way ahead of the other competition

As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently switched from a DeBeer stick to a Brine and, while I still hold onto my Essence as a back-up should anything happen to my Anthem, the change has given me a chance to broaden my lacrosse-ing horizons.

Guest post: Goalie feels lacrosse love

Chloe has played in goal for Wales and Warwick Uni

While I was a student at Warwick, the women’s 1st team was (pretty much, bar a few) unbeatable. We had an immense team and an incredible goalie who saved our booties on more than one occasion, particularly when the defenders were having a (rare) off-day. This goalie was Chloe Beejy Bensaid: former Wales superstar and ex-Warwick 1st team captain.

Beejy was one of the most dependable players I’ve ever played with, never giving less than 110% in every single game. Sadly Chlo has been absent from the laxing world since September due to an intensive study program (super top secret – now she sounds interesting huh?), however she’s already plotting her comeback later this year.

Look out world. Beej is back.

Feel the love.

Lacrosse has been a big part of my life since picking up a stick at 13, at St Swithun’s School Winchester. Since then I progressed to university, county, regional and international levels. From having a throw around on a sunny day with your mates to playing the USA in a match, lax is great.

What lacrosse means to you

Having spoken to a lot of lacrosse lovers and having read through the comments that you’ve written on the blog and on the Facebook group for Love Lacrosse, I put together a fun infographic that highlights some of the most important aspects of the sport, the elements that you feel are most important;

What aspect of lacrosse is most important to you?

The graphic speaks for itself, demonstrating the passion and enthusiasm that so many people have for the game. Love Lacrosse would love to hear from more of you out there, whether you want to share your thoughts about the future of lacrosse or perhaps to rant about why it has yet to be recognised as an Olympic sport. Either way, it would be great to hear from more of our readers.

Guest Post: Elite Wales squad member Amy Martin speaks out for lacrosse

Amy plays for the Welsh international team as well as captaining her university team

Amy Meebs Martin is a member of the senior elite Wales squad and co-captain of Warwick University’s Women’s 1st team. She’s an enthusiastic and talented player who always throws her heart and soul into every game – often to the point where people poke fun at her for her over-the-top dedication to the sport! However, she’s a brilliant player and team mate and one to watch for the 2013 Women’s World Championships.

Amy took some time out from her busy lacrosse-ing lifestyle to share her thoughts on the future of lacrosse in the UK.

As an avid university and international lax player, I am frustrated about the pathetic amount of funding and coverage in the media that lacrosse gets in the UK. For the lacrosse commnuity, which is small, yet growing rapidly, we need more than ever to feel like our sport is important in the country.  The first way in which this should be done is by putting more money put into the sport.

Durham University have thousands of pounds to spend on their lacrosse teams, while many other universities and clubs cannot even afford a coach, leaving it in the hands of the players to teach themselves.  This neither helps the development of players, nor encourages people to take up a sport that is so badly recognised.

Guest post: A Yank in the UK

Sarah spent her term in London coaching and playing for Clapham

I had the pleasure of playing alongside Sarah Sazzle Caswell while she spent a term (or, as she would call it, a semester) in the UK. Sazzle spent her time in London coaching and playing for Clapham Ladies, teaching us all the ways of the ‘pinny’.

Sarah, an incredibly talented goalie, is now tearing up the pitch back home in the good ole US of A, at Hamilton College to be precise.

A true lax lover, she’s reflecting back on her time spent laxing on our humble island.

I spent my first semester of college studying in London. First time I’d ever been away from home, and unlike most of my friends, my parents were not a short car ride away. When I returned back to the states, I knew that I would be playing lacrosse at Hamilton College, a top Division III program (that’s US speak for one of their leagues) that I couldn’t have been more excited about. I knew that I couldn’t just take the fall off from lax though; somehow it would have just felt wrong.