Influential member of the lacrosse community, Ray Nash, has sadly passed away following an extended period living with Alzheimer’s.
Ray was a long-time player, coach, referee, volunteer, and committee member who was the South of England Men’s Lacrosse Association (SEMLA) President for several years in the 2000s.
A founding member of Hillcroft Lacrosse Club and a teacher at Ernest Bevin School (formerly Hillcroft School), Ray inspired and taught many pupils to play lacrosse, including Centurion Lacrosse Club’s Ian Ballantine who has written the following obituary:
It was with great sadness that we learned of the passing of Ray Nash on Monday 6 October 2025.
In recent years, Ray had been living with Alzheimer’s and for the past few months had been living in a nursing home in Wales where he retired with his wife Sue several years ago.
Ray was known as a man with his own voice and being a unique and outstanding character who was extremely well known in the south of England as a player, coach, referee, lacrosse enthusiast and stalwart as well as an avid developer of youth lacrosse.
As a professional teacher, Ray worked for many years at Hillcroft School, which later became Ernest Bevin School, in Tooting, South West London and it was during his time at the school that he introduced lacrosse to as many of the students as possible with a large number of them becoming outstanding players.
He was also involved in hosting the first Lancer Tour to England back in 1975. His desire and ability to coach young men to play lacrosse was inspiring and sometimes hilarious but achieved amazing results.
Ray went on to coach the South of England junior teams and it would be appropriate for me to relay one of the many hilarious stories of Ray coaching here.
Ray was always known as a coach for his clipboard of notes and his ability to generate a considerable volume of noise from his mouth.
We were in training in Lloyd Park, Croydon on a Sunday morning. Perhaps his young charges, me included, hadn’t quite followed his clipboard script so Ray took to informing us of our defects and putting us right. An elderly lady approached and started shouting at Ray - “you can’t talk to those young men like that” - Ray being Ray, apologised in his own way but couldn’t stop 20 lads bursting into hysterical laughter.
As a player, Ray was a founder member of the Old Hillcrovians, known today as Hillceoft Lacrosse Club, and was a solid and unwittingly good defender. He was duly selected and played for the South fo England.
His coaching ability was infectious and extremely able. Many, many, many juniors were under his tutorage and several went onto achieve high levels of playing including international appearances. He duly went onto coach the South of England Squad and the Welsh national team and achieved some good results.
With a shortage of referees, Ray eventually donned the black and white stripes with great success.
Off the field, Ray was recognised by his peer group and elected President of SEMLA and in 2008 was presented the Centurion Award for Services to Lacrosse.
When Ray retired down to Wales, his input didn’t stop - he was persuaded to come and coach the Welsh Universities and being the character he was didn’t limit it to just the universities as he coached at Cardiff Harlequins alongside refereeing and continued to encourage and enthuse people. His appetite for lacrosse and showing the sport to as many people as possible never dwindled.
Ray was a one club man and the heart and soul of Hillcroft Lacrosse Club for many years. He was a one off, unique in many aspects but has had such a big influence on loads of young players over many years.
I am glad to say I was one of them, despite the fact I played for Southfields School and then Lee Lacrosse Club. I will forever carry the image of him slamming the famous clipboard on the floor and jumping up and down on it but most of all as the chap who would always encourage and give me a chance.
Thanks Coach and may you rest in peace.
Ray’s funeral will take place on Wednesday 29 October at Barry Crematorium, Port Rd E, Barry CF62 9PX with people invited to head to The Old Post House, St Fagan’s, Greenwood Ln, Cardiff CF5 6EL afterwards.
England Lacrosse would like thank Ian Ballantine and Nik Roberts for their help in putting these words together and we extend our deepest sympathies to Ray’s family and friends at this difficult time.