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Scotland lacrosse 2014 world lacrosse championship denver
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Scotland Lacrosse: Road to Israel, Part One

Editor’s Note: Welcome our friends at Scotland Lacrosse to the LaxAllStars.com network! The Scottish boys are setting their focus on a successful run to the 2018 World Games in Israel. With that comes updates straight from the source…

Hello from Scotland Lacrosse! We’ve teamed up with Lacrosse All Stars to run a training blog as we build towards the 2018 Men’s World Championship in Netanya, Israel.

With the European Box Championships and Women’s World Cup in the books, the international lacrosse community turns its attention to the next major event. It’s time to put the focus on the Men’s World Championship in Israel next summer.

Taking a Step Forward

Scotland are newly promoted to the Blue Division, replacing the tenured Japanese team. The move is partially owed to an overtime goal from Jimmy McBride against Japan in the previous World Championship.

Denver 2014 is deep in the background now, and the squad have a busy 12 months ahead as they prepare for the elite competition of Canada, USA, Iroquois, Australia, and the Auld Enemy (England).

Scotland v Finland - EC16 QuarterfinalsThe purpose of this blog is to provide a window into the team’s preparations for the World Championship, as well as insight into the training programme of international players from countries where lacrosse is an emerging sport.

The majority of Scotland’s players have full-time jobs. That means our athletes must take a greater level of individual responsibility for their training regime, than professional or college (NCAA) players.

Trial Process

The first event on the calendar is the opening round of trials. Our guys will meet domestically in Stirling from August 18th through the 20th. This training weekend is open to all players who are eligible to represent Scotland and will include fitness testing, classroom-based coaching sessions, and scrimmages against France.

Scotland v Finland - EC16 QuarterfinalsFrom this initial trial, a smaller training squad will be invited to a weeklong training camp in San Francisco, California, in October.

The training camp will include scrimmage games against D1 opposition Marquette, current MCLA (college club) powerhouses Utah, Cal-Berkeley and Stanford, as well as D2 staple Notre Dame de Namur (CA). From this tour, the final 23 man roster for the 2018 World Cup will be selected.

Regular training weekends, tournaments, online coaching sessions, and game tape analysis will complete the squad’s preparation.

Coaching Staff

Lacrosse Scotland Men’s Director, David Grinter, and Head Coach, Brian Silcott, have assembled the following coaching staff to work with the players over the coming months.

  • David Grinter: Director
  • Brian Silcott: Head Coach
  • Peter Lawrence: Defensive Coordinator
  • Mark Hodkin: Offensive Assistant
  • Anthony Kelly: Face Off Coach
  • Josh Rachman: Defensive Assistant
  • Adam Terry: Strength and Conditioning Coach
  • Lorna Powell: General Manager
  • Elizabeth Zanolli: Athletic Trainer

We are pleased to team up with former NFL athlete Adam Terry from Power Train to help develop the players’ strength and conditioning. Historically, it has been difficult to implement a formalised training programme, as many of the players live and play in different countries.

However, Power Train has supplied all the players with a training app for their phones. Gym plans, nutrition guidance and training support are sent directly to players. Then, training plans are altered to meet the specific needs of individual players. Players log their sessions on the app, and have the ability to communicate directly with the coaches. Just as important, coaches are able to monitor the training patterns and performance of the players remotely.

Scotland - 2014 World Championships Opening Ceremony-24We will dive more into the backgrounds and visions of our talented coaching staff when we circle back around with the next update.

Scottish Domestic Lacrosse

The domestic club and university leagues in Scotland run from September to April. With places in the National Team up for grabs, competition promises to be as fierce as ever.

Reigning champions Edinburgh City, captained by Andy O’Donnell, look to retain their title against league rivals Glasgow City. Luckily we’re less than two months away from all of the action.

In the meantime, if you want to learn more about Scotland Lacrosse, or get involved with the tour of Northern California, visit our website and get connected.