A big welcome to the Scotland Women’s Lacrosse Squad crowdfunding page! Thank you for your interest in our cause, all donations are greatly appreciated and will go towards our 2017 World Cup campaign.

The Story

We are currently in our final year of preparation for the Women’s Lacrosse World Cup which takes place in England in 2017. Off the back of a successful 2013 World Cup campaign where Scotland finished 6^th from 19 competing countries we went on to win the bronze medal at the European Championships in 2015.

The year ahead is incredibly exciting; the team tour to the USA in November and February for some top class competition, before participating in the Home Internationals in Wales in April, and finally, travelling to England to compete in the World Cup next July.

With very limited sponsorship each player has to cover their own training, travel, and accommodation costs, tournament and coaches’ fees, kit costs, and more, and we estimate that this year will cost each squad member circa £5,000 plus to play – a total for our squad of 18 players of £90,000. Fundraising therefore plays a vital role in helping us achieve our goal to win a medal at the World Cup.

Our initial fundraising target is £5000, which would contribute £275 towards each player’s expenses. If we can surpass this though we would be absolutely delighted!

The Background

The original game of lacrosse was invented by the North American Indians, but the home of the modern day game is Scotland. St. Leonard’s School in St Andrews claims to be the first girl’s school to have played lacrosse in 1890, the game has continued to progress and is now widely known as the fastest sport on two feet.

The Scotland Women’s Lacrosse Squad currently consists of an elite pool of 28 players. This squad will train together up to the World Cup and a final 18 will be selected to represent Scotland in England, the remaining players acting as reserves.

Our training schedule is intensive and requires huge commitment and dedication, particularly given that all players have to fit this around their full time commitments at work or university. We meet as a squad for training every third weekend, and each player also trains individually on a daily basis, with sessions including sprints, endurance, circuits, weights and agility training.

We would be unable to do any of this without our Support Team, which totals 8 people – 3 coaches, 1 manager, 1 assistant manager, 1 strength and conditioning coach, 1 physiotherapist, and 1 nutritionist.

Women’s Lacrosse World Cup 2017

The 2017 World Cup is being held in Guildford, Surrey from 12^th to 22^nd July. It is scheduled to be the biggest ever Women’s World Cup with 30 countries due to compete. There will be online coverage of the tournament, with TV and radio coverage currently being negotiated. All information can be found on the official World Cup website: www.englishlacrosse.co.uk/RWLC17

The Prize Draws

We have two prize draws running alongside our fundraising campaign so that each donation you make gives you the chance to win a prize! You can enter the draws by selecting the relevant option in the donations section.

You can donate without entering any prize draw by selecting the ‘choose your own payment’ option. The possibility to pledge additional funding to support the squad is also available, further details are set out in the donations section, if you have any questions regarding this then please email our manager at [email protected]

Prize Draw A

• Signed Scotland Rugby 7s shirt
• One round of golf for four players over the Championship Lansdowne Course at The Blairgowrie Golf Club, valid April-October 2017, worth up to £260
• Afternoon Tea at The Glasshouse Hotel, Edinburgh (for 2 people)
• Rabbie’s Small Group Day Tour for 2 people, departing from Edinburgh or Glasgow, worth up to £110
• £100 Boden voucher
• Gourmet food hamper from Ibérica Restaurants, worth £100
• Luxury chocolate hamper from Rococo Chocolates
• £25 John Lewis voucher
• 3 months membership at Westwoods Health Club, Edinburgh
• 3 months membership at Edinburgh Sport & Exercise Gym
• Case of 12 Paolozzi beers from Edinburgh Beer Factory
• Case of 5 Paolozzi beers, Edinburgh Beer Factory glass and coasters
• Tour of the Glenkinchie Distillery, including tasting session (for 2 people)
• Tour of the Edinburgh Gin Distillery (for 2 people)
• Voucher for lessons at Coast to Coast Surf School
• Camera Obscura & World of Illusions Experience (for 2 adults and 2 children)
• The Royal Yacht Britannia Tour (for 2 people)
• The Scotch Whiskey Experience Silver Tour (for 2 adults and 2 children)
• Tour of the West Brewery (for 2 people)
• DBA Sports Bra

Prize Draw B

One week stay in Stables Cottage, a newly renovated 3 bedroom holiday cottage (sleeps 7) in the foothills of The Cheviots near Jedburgh, Scottish Borders. Valued at £600. Week to be booked between January and March 2017 inclusive. For more information, visit https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/VacationRentalReview-g1544618-d4170775-Stables_Cottage_Lochtower-Morebattle_Scottish_Borders_Scotland.html

Prize Draw C

Long New Year weekend in a beautiful city centre Victorian flat set over the ground and lower ground floors of a traditional Edinburgh tenement, 10 minutes’ walk from Princes Street. Available 30^th December 2016 – 2^nd January 2017 inclusive, Edinburgh’s best time of the year – Hogmanay! Join in the famous street party (tickets required to be purchased separately) and see the world-renowned NYE fireworks over Edinburgh Castle. Valued at £1000.

• Consists of 2 double bedrooms, bath/shower room, large dining/kitchen area and spacious living room, with traditional high ceilings and wooden floors throughout. There is also a comfortable double air mattress to enable to the property to sleep 6 people. Fully furnished, all linen and towels provided, satellite TV and Wi-Fi. For further information please contact Ailsa Stott at [email protected]

The results of the prize draws will be announced via Facebook on Friday 16^th December. We will also contact the prize draw winners by email so please ensure you include your email address in your contact information.

The End

Playing lacrosse at the elite level is a huge commitment and requires a lot of dedication and motivation but the enjoyment, sense of achievement, and pride that comes with representing Scotland is what drives us on and what makes the sacrifices worth it.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!