Editor’s Note: Help us to welcome Lacrosse the Pond to the LaxAllStars.com family. We are giving the gang over at LTP a voice here on the site to fill us in on the growth of lacrosse in Great Britain. Let’s start off with relocated New Yorker, Robert Hutchinson!
My name is Robert Hutchinson, Hutch for short, and I am a native from Islip Terrace, New York. I had the wonderful opportunity to play my collegiate ball in sunny Florida at DII Saint Leo University. Saint Leo is a small school located just north of Tampa Bay which competes in the Sunshine State Conference.
Through my 4 years of playing, I met my Assistant Coach, Pete Sessa, who traveled to England through the English Lacrosse Association and coached the youth and college teams. With my talks with him, he set me up with Sam Russell, the founder of Lacrosse the Pond which is the program I am currently apart of over here in England.
Manchester, My New Home
Lacrosse the Pond helps to bring Americans over who wish to continue playing lacrosse while studying to obtain a Masters’ degree at an English institution.
I have been here for 6 months so far studying Business Management, playing for the University of Manchester, while also coaching and playing in the Men’s Club league as a member of Poynton.
Between semesters, I have had the opportunity to get some travel in through different places in Europe. One of the early semester trips I made in the fall was to Dublin, Ireland to check out the Guinness Factory.
As the semester came to a break, plans for Christmas and New Year’s – might as well mention my 23rd birthday – were in full force. Break began with one last game for Poynton before we were off for 5 weeks in which we played a fantastic, all-around team game for the win to propel us into the New Year.
From there, I had two things to do before the fun began: finish a paper and pack… neither of which I enjoy. As you can guess, I got both done “just in time” because what kid doesn’t want to travel the world.
Globe-trotting!
Over my Christmas break, I traveled with other American friends I have made since being over here and we went to Brussels, Belgium; Berlin, Germany; Prague, Czech Republic; Budapest, Hungary and Edinburgh, Scotland.
Once the journey was over it was finally back to Manchester as my travels of Christmas break had ended. After sleeping for what seemed like 2 days straight, I began to study for the two weeks of finals I had ahead of me.
Since finals, my second semester of Graduate school has begun and things are back into full swing both academically and on the lacrosse fields. I would not trade in the experiences I have had over the last month or so for anything and I would do them all over again in a heartbeat; this time around I would like to have my family and friends along.
Back in the Saddle
For now it’s just school and lacrosse, but spring break plans have been set as now I have more travel to look forward to. Hope all is well with everyone reading as I know this was long, but well worth the read. I encourage anyone looking to expand their horizons and play lacrosse overseas to look into the Lacrosse the Pond programs, it’s truly a once in a lifetime experience!
Until next time, stay classy San Diego (Anchorman reference).
-Hutch
LTP ‘15
