Well the year has changed but the weather has basically stayed the same with torrential rain fast becoming the norm. The only slight change for me was that as I left home on Saturday morning there were a couple of inches of snow on the ground. However, I drove towards Manchester confident that the fact that it never rained on a Saturday morning would hold good and although the grass would certainly be a swamp we would enjoy a dry and even sunny morning of Lacrosse on the Timperley ATPs.

Somebody probably forgot to tell the powers that controlled the weather that we were planning an early start but although the early match and the POP/LAX programme started in poor weather things soon changed and we enjoyed the usual Timperley blue skies and sunshine.

We managed to play 3 junior matches at Timperley and despite the weather had a surprisingly well attended POP/LAX session.

However, you can tell how fortunate the clubs with access to ATPs are because there were only 5 junior games in total played in the North, the others were also played on ATPs at Brooklands and Wilmslow.

The senior programme was absolutely decimated. All 3 Timperley Men’s teams and the Women’s team were victims of the weather. There was only one Premiership game played with Sheffield defeating Wilmslow 13-3 on their excellent 3G pitch. The only other game to be played saw Mellor get a home win over Leeds. One can only speculate as to the state of the pitch during and after the game. Mellor pitches are challenging if it has been dry for a month!

Junior girl’s U13 games at Poynton were not surprisingly postponed because of water logged pitches and will be rearranged when the floods recede.

One interesting result I missed before Christmas was that Mellor inflicted a second defeat of the season on Oxton in the Women’s North League in what was I understand a very feisty game. One can only speculate!

JUNIOR BOYS TEAMS
U16 Boys v Cheadle Hulme/Norbury (H) Won 16-5
It was a measure of how much the U16 squad has improved during the season following a narrow 9-6 victory against CHN earlier in the season. This win showed the real progress that all of the players have made so far this season, both individually and playing the system that the coaches have drilled into the players.

On Saturday the team played some excellent lacrosse and came away with a really comfortable and impressive victory. Timperley were never behind during the game, and from 2-2 midway through the first quarter drew away with some steady scoring and tight defence, before a 5 goal final quarter blast sealed a conclusive win.

Timperley scorers were; Ed Loveland (4.5) Patrick Mcgowan (3.1) Louis Humblet (3.1) Toby Doughty (3.0) Will Greaves (2.0) Chris Jurkowski (1.0) Marius Robinson (0.1)

U12 A Boys v Norbury (H) Lost 5-9
On Saturday Timperley entertained a strong Norbury team. The boys started slowly and Norbury moved the ball well and caused the Timperley defence problems taking a 0-3 lead but Timperley managed to pull a goal back through Oliver Hill. Timperley started the second quarter brighter as the weather improved. Some nice interplay between the midfield led to Oliver Hill scoring his second goal but with the defence struggling to hold the Norbury star attackman it saw the visitors lead 2-5 at half time. 2 more goals from the Norbury striker saw a reply from Timperley’s Angus Gilchrist leaving the score 3-7 at the end of the 3rd period. Timperley fought hard in the final quarter but goals from the outstanding Matt Fazal and Jim Hartley were equalled by 2 from Norbury to leave the final score 5-9.

It was a fighting performance from Timperley and the game was much closer that the score suggests.

Timperley scorers were Oliver Hill (2), Angus Gilchrist (1) Matt Fazal (1) Jim Hartley (1).

U12B Boys v Wacs (H) Lost 5-7
Despite the loss this was an encouraging display from Timperley. There was a great turnout after the festive break so obviously players had been missing their lacrosse. A good turnout for the A team as well meant that the club fielded 30 U12 players on the day. As Wacs were shorthanded Timperley loaned them players so all players got plenty of field time. Mackenzie Baird and Callum Legg both put in impressive stints for both Wacs and Timperley.

Callum scored for Wacs who took an early 0-3 lead in the 1st quarter. Laurie Bailey used both his pace and good support play from the team to score 3 goals and level the score 3-3 at half time. Loaned players were rotated and on his return to Timperley Callum Legg scored 2 goals. Unfortunately this wasn’t quite enough with the game ending in a 5-7 win for Wacs despite a strong and brave performance from Ben Lawton in goal. Whilst all performed enthusiastically Kit Sanders is worthy of special mention showing some great energy and ability and there were the usual surprising physical interventions from the min-terrors – Matt Harrison and George Rommel.

Timperley goals came from Laurie Bailey (3) and Callum Legg (2)

U10 Boys v Cheadle Won 4-3, v Norbury Lost 1-2
Sunday’s triangular games against Cheadle and Norbury provided much stiffer opposition than the U10 had previously encountered with the loss to Norbury being the first of the season.

The games were played on grass which was in good condition despite the weather though was heavy which made ground balls challenging. Against Cheadle Kai Alty was outstanding with 3 goals with the other coming from Ben Edwards.

The game against Norbury was very competitive but played in a good spirit. Kai Alty was on target for Timperley and Tom Allen played outstandingly in the Timperley goal with 5 good saves and some excellent clearances. Timperley shots came from Kai Alty (7), Jim Hartley (5), and Owen Shuttleworth (2) Ben Edwards (1)

A special mention should be made of George Rommell who led the team in ground balls and passing.

Timperley scorers were Kai Alty (4.0) Ben Edwards (1.0) Asa Davies (0.1) Jim Hartley (0.1)

TIMPERLEY SPONSORHIP
Timperley is a successful and prominent community sports programme which delivers a positive experience to local school children through our school coaching programme. Those children who then become lacrosse players at the club, play the sport we know and love. As well as the bread and butter lacrosse, we also organise an exchange programme with MDX - a community programme near Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Timperley also regularly produces players for men’s and women’s international teams which goes to show the overall strength of the club and programme.

We are always looking at ways that we can improve the quality of our programme and that often means looking for other sources of income.

Led by Ros Armstrong we are looking to develop a sponsorship programme. We are confident that there are parts of our programme which would appeal to businesses and other organisations.

We are putting together a sponsorship document but have already had expressions of interest from several companies. This document will be available when complete but in the meantime if you have any contacts who may be interested in an involvement with Timperley please contact either Ros at rosarmstrong@btconnect.com or David Shuttleworth at davidshuttleworth7@gmail.com

ATP SURFACES
The horrendous weather has played havoc with lacrosse this year and although junior lacrosse generally has reasonable access to Timperley ATPs, Saturday afternoons are currently monopolised by hockey.

One of the ways that the amount of lacrosse played can be increase is for teams to accept timing flexibility. With a start at say 8.30am it is perfectly feasible that instead of 5 games across all juniors we would have seen 12 games played.

Looking forwards to next season it would be good to have a regular Saturday booking on a local ATP. If anyone is aware of an under- utilised facility could they please let us know.

SUBSCRIPTIONS
Although the season has been very badly disrupted bills still have to be paid by TLC and by the Main Club.

There are still a small number of unpaid subscriptions. Could those who are the guilty ones please pay up immediately. Being a volunteer club officer is a difficult job at the best of times but to have to be continually chasing people for subs is quite soul destroying.

Additionally, the main club is in negotiation with Trafford MBC for the payment of a significant sum of money. The amount is getting on for £500K and could possibly be matched. The Club executive is engaged in considering what could be done with such a sum of money to improve the facilities at Timperley.

The sports which have a good subs record will certainly have an argument for better treatment so PLEASE PLEASE pay off your debts.

CHANGING STRUCTURE IN LACROSSE
English Lacrosse are involved in an important project to restructure the organisation with a view to enabling it to capitalize on the significant progress that the sport has made in recent years and to position itself to continue this progress particularly in light of the fact that the outcome of the recent review of sport could well lead to a reduction or at least a standstill in funding to National Governing Bodies.

ELA Board
The role of the main governing body boards has changed in recent years under guidance of and pressure from Sport England and Lacrosse is no exception to this change. The main responsibilities of a Board are now to ensure that a sport operates to the highest standards of corporate governance and probity and that the finances of an organisation are managed in a competent and transparent manner.

To this end Boards have to be made up of Directors who have the skill sets which are required to carry out these duties. Boards have had to also recruit a number of qualified non-executive directors who can be completely objective and ensure that the required standards are met.

Lacrosse is fortunate that the members of the main Board possess a combined skills set enable it to carry out its duties to the very highest level.

The Board also has a responsibility to ensure that the ELA professional staff are delivering the agreed plans and strategies and are achieving identified objectives.

National Lacrosse Committee
The main Board does not have the time or in some cases the knowledge to deliver the actual sport.

The responsibility for this will now lie with the National Lacrosse Committee. The members of this committee are drawn from various areas of the game and from the professional staff. They will possess a comprehensive knowledge of Lacrosse in England and internationally and have a passion and enthusiasm for the sport. The committee’s brief will be to deliver lacrosse at all levels from introductory community programmes and primary schools through clubs and the competitive structures through to the Elite level.

Represented on the NLC will be the newly formed regions which include, which will be of particular interest to Timperley, the North West Lacrosse Association.

North West Lacrosse Association
The North West Lacrosse Association (NWLA) will be centred on Greater Manchester but will also be responsible for Lacrosse activity in Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire and the Potteries. It will be responsible for both Men’s and Women’s Lacrosse.

Among its functions the NWLA will be responsible for the running of the competitive structure for senior women, girls, senior men and boys. It will facilitate the introduction of players onto the performance pathway which leads to elite level lacrosse by organising representative teams and encouraging elite teams from the region to travel to Europe and North America to expose young player to the challenges of international competition.

The NWLA will be responsible for organising and promoting tournaments and events at all levels of the game from juniors through to Masters.

At regional level the NWLA will be responsible for communication with its players and clubs and for the marketing and promotion of the game including sponsorship where possible of regional activity.

The changes that have occurred over the last 20 or so years in working patterns, family life and social life and the 24/7 society have forced sports to seriously examine the way they are organised. The pressure on EL resources places an increasing burden on the volunteer work force which has always been at the heart of North West Lacrosse.

It is a threat to the viability of clubs but at the same time gives us an incredible opportunity to alter our game to serve the demands of 21st century life and allow the region to continue to make its significant contribution to Lacrosse in England from the grass roots through to the elite level of international teams.

A PAT ON THE BACK
As mentioned on the email...Kerry, the lady who produces the gourmet food for the U12 teams after games (sausage, beans and chips) has commented that the lacrosse players are by far the most polite and best behaved.

For parents who do not recognise this description of their offspring it will be comforting to know that actually their parenting skills are producing good and mature young citizens.

STOP PRESS - POP LACROSSE
On Tuesday evening Timperley hosted the First Round of the National POP Lacrosse Tournament. The Timperley programme has produced National winners in the past including Bowdon Church School, Hale Prep and Altrincham C of E.

This year there were 13 Primary schools from the Timperley Programme who entered.

Those schools, who will progress to the Trafford Competition, include Bowdon Church School coached by former Timperley player Erin Parle. Navigation who are coached by Timperley parents Rick Cain and John Allen and who are one of this season success stories. Hale Prep who are coached by the Alex Ferguson of POP Lacrosse, Jo Baker who has the most National titles to her name and St Hugh’s who have been stalwarts of the programme for many years and produced some outstanding Timperley players.

A full report on the tournament will be contained in next week’s newsletter.

BEST WISHES
Sarah Baron’s husband, Gary, has suffered a serious fall which has resulted in a fractured skull and concussion. He is, we understand, comfortable in Wythenshawe Hospital.

We send him our best wishes for a speedy recovery.