More than 120 students who had never played lacrosse before attended the University of Nottingham Men’s Lacrosse Club’s freshers taster sessions in October, helping build a growing community of beginners.
First Weeks, Next Steps follows England Lacrosse’s Student Ambassadors and their university clubs as they welcome new players, sharing how students discover lacrosse, give it a go and find their place in the sport.
At UoN, it’s been an encouraging start to the year, with newcomers learning alongside one another and beginning to put their developing skills into practice.
The club’s beginners have already experienced their first match against Birmingham’s first team, keeping a clean sheet in the third quarter and drawing the fourth quarter 1–1.
For players taking up a new sport, those early experiences offer opportunities to learn together, build confidence, and recognise progress.
The club says the influx of newcomers has helped strengthen its second and third teams alongside the first team.
Its third team consists entirely of players who had never played lacrosse before university, providing a setting in which they can develop their skills and gain match experience. Players are working towards opportunities to progress into the second team.
The second team brings together experienced students and newer players, with the club highlighting the leadership that older members can offer as the squad targets a league-title challenge.
Meanwhile, the first team hopes to retain its league title and pursue a national championship.
UoN’s opening weeks provide an encouraging example of students moving from discovering lacrosse to playing their first matches.
As the season develops, we look forward to hearing how newcomers continue to learn, how experienced members support them, and what helps students stay involved.
Interested in playing at UoN? Contact the men’s or women’s teams to find out about current opportunities and joining arrangements.