Unit 4 – Sport in the UKAO2

Compare the structure and functions of two governing bodies of sport

Lacrosse Netball

Structure – NationalSimilarities Differences

O Both sports (Lacrosse and Netball) are looking to boost numbers of participation for the sport per week/month/year etc.

O They are also wanting to increase the amounts of performance centres for the younger players to improve them and advance them into the national teams.

O Internationally, neither of these sports are seen as professional as the people who play them cannot make a living off of it.

O With netball attracting the larger funds from Sport England, netball employ around 12 staff to travel throughout areas of the country to cover.

O Meanwhile, Lacrosse has 2 members of staff who work full time, they visit schools around the country to introduce the game and rules to pupils, they also go to local clubs

Netball has a higher national participation number than Lacrosse, netball – 77,931 meanwhile Lacrosse is around -8,900.

This large difference effects the funding provided by Sports England.

Structure – RegionalSimilarities Differences

O Both sports have recreational, competitive and high performance leagues for players who like to play regularly or even every now and then.

O Whilst Netball have 51 clubs per region e.g. Avon. Lacrosse have only 2, resulting in a lack of numbers signing up and playing the sport.

O Within the Whole sport plans, Netball are looking to build on existing clubs in certain areas while lacrosse are looking to build more teams for different age groups.

Lacrosse are looking to build teams from Community groups, schools, universities etc.

Structure – Local

Similarities Differences

O Both sports have local leagues for recreational players, competitive players etc.

O Competitive players can join teams like the Bath University.

O Both sports have local leagues, but while Lacrosse has to have leagues within the south west due to lack of participation, netball has leagues within just Bath and Bristol, with many others throughout the South west.

Whole Sport Plan

Similarities DifferencesO Both of the sporting

committees are looking to increase participation over the next few years.

O English Lacrosse and England netball plan to move up through the world rankings.

O English Lacrosse have set goals to increase participation to 25,000, meanwhile Netball are aiming to increase participants to 19,600 playing a week.

Increasing the participation of both sports will attract Sport England’s interest, possibly increasing the chances of funding to

boost and advertise the sports further.

Rule MakingSimilarities Differences

O Both sports have a goal they have to throw the ball they use into, whether the goal is facing them horizontally or vertically.

O Lacrosse requires players to use a stick with a bowl of netting on the end to catch the ball, players can also travel with the ball, meanwhile netball, the players have top catch with their hands and then are not allowed to travel whilst holding the ball.

O To score in Lacrosse, you have to shoot into goals which also have a goalkeeper protecting it, and in Netball, the players have to throw the ball into a ring with netting (like basketball).

Lacrosse teams consists of more players per team, resulting in fast action team play.

Netball can also be a very quick sport in high performance matches.

MerchandisingSimilarities Differences

O Within both sports, the players receive discounts for kit and equipment to play and train with.

O Both Lacrosse and Netball receive funding from Sports England.

O On the England Netball website, the sponsors of the sport are shown at the bottom.

Competitions and Tournaments

Similarities Differences

O Netball and Lacrosse have a top league (e.g. the Premier League) and then 2 leagues below that.

O National teams compete in top competitions, euro championships, world cup etc.

O Netball consist of only female players meanwhile Lacrosse have men and women involved in the sport.

Starting from regional teams, players can progress their ways up through the ranks, they can go into school/university teams and then develop as a player which could possibly enable them to move into semi-pro. Eventually they could reach the high performance centres and play at the highest level. Playing for England..

Training of OfficialsSimilarities Differences

O Training courses are available to people of over 14 years old.

O Lacrosse and Netball coaches have different qualification needs, netball officials need the basic levels 1,2 and 3 meanwhile Lacrosse officials need extra qualifications after they complete their basic level qualifications.