SBL Report 2020
26/05/2021
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Southern Box Lacrosse (SBL) Registered Charity (England) - 1183368
11 Waterford Common, Waterford, HERTS, SG142QD
TRUSTEES: Luke Wylie - Chair Sam Perry - Secretary Rob Clark - Treasurer Mackenzie Peace - General member
Object:
“To promote community participation in healthy recreation by advancing the sport of Box Lacrosse, and of Lacrosse as a whole, in the United Kingdom, with particular emphasis on the South of England.”
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Structure Overview
During the 2020 period, SBL’s trustees were also the key volunteers for planning and carrying out operations. As such, our structure remains as a board of trustees, with informal working groups operating underneath, for planning and delivery of objectives.
We still sit in partnership with SEMLA (South of England Men’s Lacrosse Association), to meet our objectives and maximise volunteers available.
We looked to expand the board during this year, both to expand the internal skillset, and in advance of Mackenzie Peace stepping away from the organisation in September. A job listing was put out via our media channels, trustee WoM and channels and via the England Lacrosse website. We received no applications and so closed the process to re-evaluate options.
Objectives
We identified our objectives for the year as being:
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Launch a Women’s program (to run alongside our existing ‘mixed’ program)
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Launch a Juniors program
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Including upskilling our trustees and volunteers to meet the safeguarding needs of this project
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Including acquiring sufficient equipment to outfit juniors
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Establish the UK’s first Box Lacrosse league, to provide an exit route for those engaged with our outreach efforts.
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Grow our store of equipment to include full sets of pads, so we could better meet the needs of new players
Performance
Participation
93 registered players since May 2018. Session data has total of unique users at 250 across our lifetime.
SBL has noted that our data collection and player registration methods are very basic and need to be improved to help better track growth. Identification of new players/player
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groups has been done, but is based on anecdotal information/personal judgement, rather than specific analysis.
Examples of areas identified for the coming 2 years are:
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Universities
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London players (as a mid-week evening offering)
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Women’s Game
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Juniors
Effects of COVID 19
The global pandemic, understandably, had a marked effect on our ability to meet our objectives.
The women’s, juniors and league projects were all due to launch between March and June 2020. All were postponed due to government restrictions on sport, and are yet to be given a relaunch date due to uncertainty around future regulations.
In spite of this, we were able to deliver adapted outdoor sessions in 5-a-side cages in Milton Keynes and London (in the short window of autumn 2020 when this was permitted). These sessions were well received as an opportunity to get back out participating in physical activity after lockdown, and as a more geographically accessible means of participating in our outreach efforts. 60 people attended across both sessions, with roughly 25% of these being new participants. Following on from the success of these events, the board opted to greenlight the ‘SBL’ Roadshow for 2021 - a series of outreach events in different areas of the South, away from our usual base in Woking, to continue this theme of taking the opportunity to participate in healthy physical activity via Box out to the people, rather than asking them to come to us.
Finances
Founding Dept: £7412
Balance (as of May): £3033.56
Single largest area of expenditure (after venue hire) is buying Box-specific equipment to be used by participants, and this trend will likely continue during the next phase of SBL’s development. We now have 3 full sets of Goalkeeper pads (which has been a significant financial investment), but much more outfield protective equipment will be needed for the organisation to be able to successfully sustain a women’s program, and a junior program in the future. SBL is committed to the building of a sustainable domestic game, and this includes the appropriate remuneration for referees, and any other support staff. As such this is another cost that is being integrated into budgeting of events.
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Projected income from all three projects set for 2020 was due to be enough to clear all founding debt owed to the trustees. As such, we are in a period of financial consolidation. Steady income from our sessions over the last 3 years had put us within distance of clearing the founding debt (owed to the 3 founders, 0% interest, no set payment date or other terms - including early repayment). However, the impact of COVID meant that we took the decision to deliver the Milton Keynes and London sessions in Autumn of 2020 for free. Aside from the postponed 2020 projects, the board has decided to focus on clearing the organisation’s debt, before additional high cost or capital projects are pursued. We plan to take temporary ownership of the long running ‘Tasko Cup’ this coming year, as a commercial project to generate sufficient revenue to meet this goal.
Grant funding is being explored to assist with the costs of Junior and women’s sessions.
Greenlit Projects
I. Box Lacrosse League
Was initially due to launch in May of this year, but was postponed in February due to the COVID19 crisis. The replacement date has been provisionally set for Dec 2021.
The league aims to build upon the success of the ‘Resolution’ series of match days, offering a competitive outlet for Box. This is in contrast to our more education focused training events.
At the start, the league will consist of 3 teams, all owned and operated by SBL. The league will consist of 4 match days, played across 4 months. Teams will be decided by a draft and supported by a trading system.
Full details of how the league will run can be found in the league founding document, which is available upon request.
II. The Tasko Cup 2020
Was scheduled to be played over 31st July-2nd August. In light of the COIVD19 situation, the event has been postponed. Replacement dates are being explored but will likely fall in the Dec/Jan window (2021) to avoid conflicts with other tournaments and the field season.
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The aim is to have the 4 active English box teams and 2 Scottish and welsh teams, joined by teams from Europe and NA to help elevate the English game to the levels seen on the continent thanks to international tournaments. The total of teams with registered interest in attending currently sits at 10.
Tasko 2020 is also planned to have a women’s exhibition tournament, with interest from 4 teams currently.
III. Women’s Offering
SBL was scheduled to host it’s first women-only session in Feb of this year, however once again COVID 19 prevented this from happening.
The 2 sessions planned had 70 registered participants, with a female equivalent to the SBL Capitals (not officially announced as of yet) due to attend a tournament in April as a follow up.
Replacement dates will be announced when the timeline for reopening is clearer.
Additional Information
- Outside of the information provided above, SBL is currently investigating means to engage directly with University teams and their players. A coordinated effort with SEMLA clubs to encourage participation in the game outside of the ‘BUCS bubble’ would be the preferred and likely more successful approach.
Southern Box Lacrosse
Financial Activities
May 2019 - August 2020
| TOTAL | |
|---|---|
| Income | |
| Donations and legacies | 200.00 |
| Sales | 7,503.10 |
| Sales of Product Income | 656.33 |
| Total Income | £8,359.43 |
| TOTAL | £8,359.43 |
| Expenditures | |
| Advertising/Promotional | 180.22 |
| Computer Costs | 251.03 |
| Facility Hire | 1,308.34 |
| Office/General Administrative Expenses | 143.68 |
| Refund | 222.00 |
| Supplies | 1,427.49 |
| Tournament Entry | 750.56 |
| Travel and Accommodation | 540.06 |
| Total Expenditures | £4,823.38 |
| NET OPERATING INCOME | £3,536.05 |
| NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE) | £3,536.05 |
Accrual Basis Wednesday, 4 August 2021 05:20 pm GMT+01:00
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