In the UK, Lacrosse is still very much a niche sport. Building a successful University team is an uphill task, with the game is still in its infancy,

most of the new recruits have little to no previous experience in the game, with the exception of the occasional North American import, and are trained from the ground up.

The BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sports) league begins next Wednesday with University teams across the UK gearing up for the new season, bringing in new blood into the fold.

Armed with hand-me-down sticks thrust into their hands, and rugged determination in their eyes, the newly arrived freshmen must take a crash course in learning the game of Lacrosse, from basic stick skills to the rules of offside.

These players are without doubt the future of the sport’s growth in popularity in the UK. At this grassroots level, Lacrosse has seen an exponential increase in participation year on year, and the bug spreads as more players fall in love with the game, passing the new-found passion onto others.

The most notable match of the new season is at Durham University, who are dominating the scene as three-time consecutive Premier North Division and Championship Cup winners. They are facing off their first game of the new season at home, hoping to continue their invincible streak against Nottingham.

It is one of many games across 14 regional leagues due to be played at Universities across the country next week, where hundreds of newcomers are set to make their first ever competitive Lacrosse debut. Even at this level, every game is a battle, and the war has just begun.