THE Hitchin Lacrosse Development Programme is better off to the tune of a whopping £12,000. The programme has received £6,000 sponsorship from local company UK Goals backed by £6,000 from Sportsmatch to help fund its youth lacrosse project. This money wil

THE Hitchin Lacrosse Development Programme is better off to the tune of a whopping £12,000.

The programme has received £6,000 sponsorship from local company UK Goals backed by £6,000 from Sportsmatch to help fund its youth lacrosse project.

This money will be used to buy equipment and provide qualified coaches to teach youngsters at schools in Comet country.

The project was recently launched at the Lacrosse Academy held on Monday nights at the Priory School in Hitchin from 7-8pm.

The presentation of the cheques was made to Hazel Wisbey, secretary and funding co-ordinator for the Hitchin Lacrosse Development Programme.

UK Goals, which manufactures and supplies goals to clubs and individuals all over the country, is run by Ray Harry.

He is keen to see the development of lacrosse and sporting activities which provide something for children to do in out-of-school hours as well as encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

Sportsmatch agreed to match his sponsorship amount.

This project will enable the programme to offer schools, in and around North Herts, the chance to take part in the lacrosse education and coaching programme via their own sporting curriculum.

It will offer youngsters the opportunity to learn and develop new sporting skills as lacrosse is open to children of all abilities and sexes.

The project will also offer after-school and lunchtime lacrosse clubs and there are plans to hold camps during half terms and school holidays. And the aim is to establish a new lacrosse club within North Herts and develop clubs in Stevenage and Letchworth.

The development programme grew out of Hitchin Lacrosse Club which has just celebrated its 25th anniversary.

In 1990, an idea was formed to teach children how to play lacrosse and start off junior lacrosse in North Herts and the surrounding areas.

The Welwyn Warriors junior team was started successfully and currently help to recruit new junior players for the Hitchin Hackers junior team based in Hitchin.

The most recent success was a new lacrosse club being established in Harpenden last year.

Lacrosse is a rapidly growing sport in the south of England with clubs already existing in Beds, Cambs, Essex, Kent and London.

The ultimate aim is to develop a Herts Junior Lacrosse League for the local clubs.

* Anyone interested in joining a junior team or any schools wanting to take part in the coaching programme should contact the local development officer Kyle Auch.

Call 07786 053834 or 01462 622676 or email him on:

kauchnz@hotmail.com