University of Sheffield: Lacrosse in the Community
University of Sheffield Lacrosse Club are enjoying a fantastic start to the 2022/2023 season. The club have also been involved in various exciting community outreach endeavors.
ULO for Sheffield, Isabella Harkin, was excited to report the return of Tanger- the city’s joint university lacrosse team. It is open to men from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, and has played since 1961.
Up until the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanger played in NEMLA, however they since entered the Midlands Conference League in SEMLA.
The team played several friendlies against Steelers Lacrosse Club during preseason, before also training and maintaining a good relationship with Nuneaton Lacrosse Club.
The club also recently established the Sheffield Women's Lacrosse Saturday League in 2021. The team returned for its second season this September, competing in NEWLA.
The side was first introduced to reinstate lacrosse after the COVID-19 pandemic, and looked to provide as many opportunities as possible to play in the city.
In creating another cross-university club, it has proved an amazing opportunity for players to expand and combine their lacrosse communities, and play with different people.
Isabella says it “has been an amazing opportunity to play with so many different people, getting to know Hallam ladies and the rest of the teams in the league- who have been very welcoming and understanding to our new setup!”
The team welcome players of all levels of ability and experience, but it currently mainly comprises of present or alumni players from the city’s universities.
With no women’s side to Sheffield Steelers Club, Sheffield Saturday League will hopefully become the much needed starting point, and begin to bridge the gap with non-university and local community players around Sheffield.
Sheffield University Lacrosse Club are also involved in several local community outreach schemes. The club won the Volunteering and Community Outreach Award, in addition to Club of the Year, at the university’s Sport Awards in 2022.
Introducing the next generation to lacrosse…
One of the university’s outreach initiatives includes taking lacrosse into schools in the local area. In the long term, it is hoped this will help build a city-wide lacrosse community.
A couple of players offer a weekly afterschool club to Year 6 children at a local primary school, coordinated by the club’s Charity and Volunteering Secretary.
The club have also started offering one hour taster sessions for various year groups at other primary schools in and around Sheffield and Rotherham.
This provides a fantastic opportunity to introduce young people to lacrosse, who might otherwise never come across a chance to play the sport.
The club also volunteered with Sheffield Children’s Hospital earlier in the year, at their ‘Do it for You’ day, for children receiving treatment on the hospital’s Oncology Ward.
This provided a welcome distraction and an opportunity for patients to try something new, and hopefully find a sport to continue playing after their release from hospital.
In terms of bridging the gap for children hoping to begin playing outside of these casual environments, Steelers have a junior boys section for under 14s, 16s, and 19s.
There is sadly no opportunity for girls lacrosse in Sheffield at the present moment, however it is hoped such clubs could develop in time, subject to provisions and interest.
Now approaching the end of the year, Isabella is looking forward to term recommencing in 2023 and strengthening the ties between University of Sheffield and Hallam.
She also said “it would be great for both the university teams to have better communication with Steelers” to help integrate players into the wider Sheffield lacrosse community.