Lacrosse summer leagues underway
The new lacrosse season swings into action this weekend with both the Women’s Club League and Intermediate School League getting under way at Bremworth Park in Dinsdale.
Both leagues have matches every Saturday and will continue through the summer months until March next year.
Te Awamutu College teacher Ursula Johnson says the summer leagues are a great chance for people to find out about this exciting sport.
Until recently Ursula was chairwoman of the Te Awamutu Lacrosse Association. She stepped down to take on the role of co-head coach for the New Zealand U23 Women’s Team.
She also mentors coaches in the Te Awamutu College programme, which plays in the recently completed winter league, and supports other teams in Te Awamutu — a town where lacrosse is gaining in strength.
In the Waikato School Girls Competition Premier Grade, Te Awamutu College Premier Team placed fourth and in the A Division Te Awamutu College Development Team was runnerup. two other teams play in the B Division.
Te Awamutu College Premier Boys team placed second in the Waikato School Boys Competition.
Te Awamutu Sports is one of a number of clubs from around the Waikato region which have entered teams in the Women’s Club League.
Others include Cambridge, Suburbs (Hamilton), Kaipaki and Morrinsville. Kaipaki took out the A division last season and will be the team to beat this year.
Te Awamutu Sports has one team in the A division and three in the B division.
The Intermediate School League is open to boys and girls from Years 7 and 8, and offers a fantastic introduction to the sport.
The league is growing at a phenomenal rate as interest in lacrosse continues to grow in the Waikato region.
Last year Cambridge Middle School, Berkley, Te Awamutu and Morrinsville Intermediates, St Columba’s and Marian entered teams.
This year they will be joined by new entrants St Peters, Peachgrove and Southwell.
The Intermediate League plays 6-aside games and runs in parallel with the Women’s Club League at Bremworth Park.
Te Awamutu Intermediate has two teams in the boys division, one team in the A Girls Division and three teams in the B Girls Division.
Te Awamutu Marist Club also has teams in the Waikato Men’s Club League, one in the Senior Division and one in the Junior Division.
They play on Wednesday evenings split between Marist and Leamington Rugby Clubs.
Further details at waikatolacrossenz.ipage.com