National Lacrosse Committee update: developing & supporting the lacrosse workforce

The National Lacrosse Committee (NLC) met on 17 August to discuss the continued development of England Lacrosse's workforce strategy, with a particular focus on creating a more connected journey for coaches, officials, and other members of the lacrosse workforce. 

Discussions explored how England Lacrosse can move beyond a traditional focus on qualifications towards a more holistic approach that supports people throughout their involvement in the game. NLC also reviewed the new Learner Management System (LMS), evolving membership models and plans to strengthen partnerships with schools. 

What is the NLC?

The NLC, chaired by an England Lacrosse Board member and comprised of appointed individuals recommended from the Regional Associations alongside identified individuals, who demonstrate specific knowledge or expertise to enable NLC to achieve its objectives, oversees and reports to the England Lacrosse Board on the implementation of the national initiatives, underpinned by safe, fair, and equitable policies, which expand and develop the domestic recreational game for all and in all its forms. NLC is supported by the Regional Associations and Officiating Advisory Group.

Workforce Development Framework Review 

A central focus of the meeting was the ongoing development of England Lacrosse's Workforce Development Framework and how it can better support people throughout their involvement in the sport. 

NLC discussed the importance of looking beyond the number of people completing qualifications and considering the entire workforce journey, from attracting new coaches and officials through to their continued development, deployment, and long-term retention. 

This represents a move towards a more holistic approach, providing a broader range of learning and development opportunities alongside traditional qualifications and ensuring members of the workforce continue to feel supported and connected to the game. 

Measuring Success and Understanding Retention 

Developing the workforce also means understanding what happens after someone completes their initial training. 

NLC discussed how success should be measured through a combination of participation figures and wider indicators such as course completion, deployment, retention, and the overall learner experience. 

Retention remains a particular challenge, especially among younger officials and coaches and those involved in the university game. While many people complete qualifications, encouraging them to remain actively involved in lacrosse requires continued engagement and appropriate opportunities. 

Annual workforce and lapsed member surveys are already helping England Lacrosse understand these experiences. Future research will look more closely at different groups and regions to build a clearer picture of why people remain involved or step away, helping to inform more targeted support. 

Learner Management System and Continuous Development 

The introduction of England Lacrosse's new LMS is an important part of the developing workforce strategy. 

Rather than acting solely as a platform for qualifications, the LMS is designed to become a central destination for continued learning. A growing catalogue of courses will be complemented by resources such as session plans and drill videos, with future content shaped by feedback from across the lacrosse community. 

Some learning opportunities will form part of England Lacrosse membership benefits, while others will remain accessible to non-members, including parents and volunteers. This approach is intended to make learning more accessible while encouraging people to continue developing throughout their time in the sport. 

Responsibility for the LMS will increasingly move into the relevant departments, with coaching and officiating education leads overseeing their respective content. A new workforce project team will also be established to coordinate the platform and wider workforce initiatives. 

Membership, Affiliation, and the Associate Member Model 

NLC also discussed how the developing membership structure can better connect individuals and organisations with England Lacrosse resources. 

One area being developed is an Associate Membership model for organisations such as state schools and emerging clubs that may not currently participate in national competitions. 

The aim is to ensure organisations can remain connected to the National Governing Body and benefit from learning opportunities, guidance, and resources even if they are not part of traditional competition structures. 

For schools, providing access to areas such as safety guidance and best-practice resources can offer tangible value while helping organisations deliver lacrosse safely and effectively. 

Linking membership and affiliation more closely with learning resources will form an important part of creating a stronger overall offer for individuals and institutions. 

Schools Forum and Partnership Working 

Plans for the upcoming Schools Forum were another key area of discussion, building on NLC's previous work around the future of school engagement. 

The forum is designed to give schools a stronger voice while creating opportunities for networking, professional development, and collaborative discussions around some of the challenges facing school lacrosse. 

Rather than England Lacrosse providing all the answers, the forum will encourage schools to work together on practical solutions to challenges including sustaining participation, sharing resources, competitions, and staff recruitment. 

This reflects a wider ambition to move towards a genuine partnership model between England Lacrosse and schools, with both sides contributing expertise, ideas and resources to support the development of the game. 

Monitoring and Evaluation 

As the workforce strategy develops, NLC emphasised the importance of regularly measuring progress and ensuring initiatives are delivering meaningful results. 

A combination of quantitative and qualitative KPIs will be used to build a more rounded understanding of workforce development, with updated dashboards and delivery plans providing the committee with regular insight into areas including participation, membership, and workforce engagement. 

Clear ownership within England Lacrosse will also help ensure the LMS and wider workforce projects remain aligned with the organisation's strategic priorities. 

International Collaboration 

The meeting also explored the potential for greater international collaboration following a discussion around opportunities to work with officials from China Lacrosse. 

A separate conversation will now be arranged to explore where collaboration could be beneficial and identify potential opportunities to share knowledge and expertise. 

Next Steps 

Work will continue over the coming weeks to translate NLC's discussions into practical action. 

A dedicated workforce project team will be established, bringing together coaching and officiating leads alongside wider staff to oversee the LMS and workforce initiatives. The workforce delivery plan and KPI dashboard will also be refreshed to provide clearer and more regular reporting on progress. 

Meanwhile, preparations will continue for the Schools Forum, where workforce development and partnership working will form important parts of the conversation with schools. 

NLC will meet again following the forum to review progress and continue developing an approach that not only attracts people into coaching, officiating and volunteering, but gives them the support, opportunities and connections they need to remain an active part of lacrosse. 

The next National Lacrosse Committee meeting will take place on Monday 28 September and the 2026 Schools Forum will take place on Friday 25 September. 

If there are any questions about the NLC, please contact [email protected].