The growth of lacrosse at Worth

“Ultimately, I want everyone leaving the School to have picked up a lacrosse stick at some point,” says Worth’s first dedicated lacrosse coach whose mission it is to raise levels, awareness of and participation in the sport.

Lacrosse is just one of numerous sports that we offer at Worth, but the quiet revolution in the sport is something to be proud of. Lacrosse has been offered at Worth since Director of Sport Mr David Burton introduced it a few years ago, but Mr David McColl is taking the sport to new levels.

Since joining the school last summer, he has introduced lacrosse to more students than ever before, has made it available to boys as well as girls and provided small group and one-to-one sessions for keen players.

But this is just the start of things. Next academic year, Mr McColl plans to introduce a structured fixtures programme, he will have an U15 team in addition to the U18 team which the School currently runs and he intends to take Worth to the National Schools Lacrosse Championships for the first time.

Mr McColl, who has previously worked as a Science teacher, is a Level 2 coach and umpire, and the lead for development at SEWLA (South East Women’s Lacrosse Association). He has coached on the England Lacrosse talent pathway, SEWLA Super Counties, taken a regional team on tour to the US and was Coach of the Year with Holloway University last year after the men’s team were promoted.

As part of building the programme, Mr McColl has used the school’s VEO camera to do game analysis, has encouraged keen players to join local clubs and taken them to sessions run in conjunction with Reigate Lacrosse Club, East Grinstead LC and Sussex University LC.

In January, a mixed lacrosse team was introduced, with boys taking part alongside girls for the first time, and they enjoyed their first games against Cranleigh School.

A few weeks ago, he ran a trip to the National Schools Championship in preparation for entering next season. To help bridge the skills gap, lacrosse will be offered in the Summer Term and there will also be a pre-season programme. England Lacrosse will also be holding one of their Triple Arrow summer camps at Worth, giving another great opportunity to the students.

Mr McColl said: “I am excited to see the impact that regular fixtures at U18 and U15 will have and the progress we can make on our way to competing at the national championships for the first time.

“Through the activities programme this year, we have had 60 different pupils in Years 7 to 10 taking part in lacrosse for the first time, which has been incredibly rewarding. Lacrosse will continue to be offered in the Summer Term and will be introduced as an inter-house competition. For me, it is about making lacrosse available to any student who wants to try it and then offering them the best possible opportunities to succeed through everything we are offering.”

Additional photography by Adam Scott.

For more on Sport at Worth click here.