By Henry Edwards, Sport Editor
For the majority of new students joining Bristol, the sport of lacrosse may be something quite alien. Nevertheless, the female, male and mixed lacrosse teams have developed an impressive reputation around Bristol University, not only for being successful on the field but also for their sociable ethos. I spoke to the men’s and mixed club treasurer, Harry Patchett, and club captain, Will Stallibrass, about what life with lacrosse is all about.
Discussing the best facets of the club, both club members agreed that the blend of priorities – sporting and social – was something that really helps to set the society apart. Harry Patchett celebrated the club’s capacity to strike ‘such a great balance between striving to be one of the best university lacrosse clubs in the country whilst also maintaining a massive sense of fun whilst doing it.’
Stallibrass echoed this sentiment: ‘The sport itself is amazing and a real challenge, the socials are wild and the people within the club are the best.’ Indeed, it appears the holistic nature of the society constitutes a crucial part of it’s undeniable ‘pull-factor’.
‘The club has something for everyone, catering for people who want to play competitive and non-competitive sport and even those who just want to come to socials.’
Last season, the male teams experienced great successes in a variety of competitions. The first team went undefeated in the Southern Premiership for an unbelievable second successive season, and reached the National Cup quarterfinals. Similarly, the second side was unbeaten throughout the season, winning their league, their cup and earning promotion in the process. The highlight, in the view of both Patchett and Stallibrass, came in the vital away victory at rivals Aberystwyth, which was wildly celebrated both on the pitch and upon their return to Bristol. Even the newly formed third team surpassed expectations in their debut campaign: their victory over the UWE seconds in their first ever match will live long in the memory.
The club also hosted a massively successful Varsity within the ‘Friday Night Lights’ series, and is looking forward to having another event this coming season. In terms of the mixed team, more members signed up than ever before and the performance side finished a commendable fifth in the Imperial Cup.
But despite the considerable successes across the board last season, Harry Patchett still feels there is more to come: ‘We want to build even further. Our aims are for our first team to continue to dominate the Southern Premiership and challenge the northern powerhouses of Durham and Nottingham Trent in the National Cup.’ Increasing the performance levels and competitiveness of the second and third sides is another priority, but Patchett admits it is not all about results. A major aim for the club, as he says, is to ‘get as many people playing lacrosse as we can'.
'It’s such a great sport and it’s given us so much, so we want other people to enjoy it as much as we do.'
Lacrosse is a highly physical sport that demands fitness and speed. Both the members I interviewed admitted that upon first viewing, the sport can seem ‘pretty crazy’, but this is surely a key selling point. If university life is about trying out new things – dipping one’s toes in the unexpected – then it is little wonder why so many students are such keen lacrosse players.
Week 3 of our biggest and best ever pre-season underway with more clubs returning this week. @bristollacrosse grafting hard in their yo-yo #WeAreBristol #preseason pic.twitter.com/fNAnnk1SlM
— Bristol Uni Sport (@BristolUniSport) September 11, 2018
Featured image by Facebook / UBMLC
If you are at all interested in playing lacrosse, or indeed joining such a vibrant team, liking the ‘University of Bristol Lacrosse’ Facebook page is a good way to start. On there you can find dates for training and events, as well as information for you to learn more.
