(HONG KONG) The Hong Kong men’s lacrosse team is gearing up to compete in the Federation of International Lacrosse World Championships in Denver in 2014 (July 10th – 19th).
Held every four years, the FIL World Championships hosts the premier event in international lacrosse. Forty countries are expected to participate in the 2014 World Championships, including national teams from the United States, Canada and the Iroquois Nationals featuring the world’s elite players.
Following a convincing first-place finish at the 2013 Singha Battles Lacrosse Invitational tournament held in Bangkok, the Hong Kong team showcased sharp form with wins over Singapore (13-8), Thailand (12-6) and Malaysia (11-2).
“We are committed to putting Hong Kong lacrosse on the map.”
—Louis Hou, Executive Director of HKLA
Louis Hou, executive director of the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association (HKLA), the governing body of lacrosse in Hong Kong, says he is looking forward to seeing Hong Kong make its mark at the upcoming World Championships. “We held extremely competitive try-outs over the summer to put together our current roster of 28 players, and 23 out of this group will proudly represent Hong Kong at the World Championships,” he said. “Right now, the team is focused on training to be in peak physical and mental condition for the challenges that lie ahead in Denver. We are committed to putting Hong Kong lacrosse on the map.”
While lacrosse is not widely played in Hong Kong, the sport has a long tradition as a club sport played by students and graduates of the residential halls at the University of Hong Kong through an eight-team league organized by the HKLA. “We hope the team’s journey to Denver will spark greater interest in the game and inspire a new generation of home-grown talent,” added Hou.
“Our guys are…committed to being in the best form they can be when Hong Kong competes on the world stage next year.”
— Scott Browning, Head Coach
Head coach Scott Browning believes the Hong Kong squad has the potential to develop into a strong contender in its division in Denver. Browning, who is from Canada and coached the Canadian National U19 team in 1999 and again as an assistant coach in 2012, says it is empowering to note some of Hong Kong’s most promising lacrosse players have come through local club programs. “It’s great to see local lacrosse initiatives in Hong Kong produce such good talent,” he said. “While a few of our players hail from US Division I and Division III college programs, the bulk of our team is home grown, with players who learned how to play lacrosse while they were in university. Coming off a successful campaign in the Singha Battles tournament, we still have a lot of work to do, as the competition in Denver will be tougher than the teams we have faced so far. Our guys are ready to take on this challenge and are committed to being in the best form they can be when Hong Kong competes on the world stage next year.”
Prior to the World Championships in Denver, the HKLA will host an international exhibition tournament in April 2014. Details about this tournament will be released in the coming weeks. To stay on top of the Hong Kong Lacrosse Team’s road to Denver, follow updates on our Facebook page and Twitter account.
Media Contacts
Released by Racepoint Group on behalf of the Hong Kong Lacrosse Association. For further information or high-resolution images, please contact:
Racepoint Group Racepoint Group
Victoria Pye
(+852) 3111 9934
vpye@racepointgroup.com
Crystal Ha
(+852) 3111 9932
cha@racepointgroup.com
Photos Singha Battles in Bankok
For more information and photos visit:
Facebook/HKLAX2014
Twitter/HKLAX2014
About HKLA
Lacrosse was first introduced in to Hong Kong by a British professor teaching at the University of Hong Kong. The Hong Kong Lacrosse Association was then founded in 1993 by a group of graduates from the University and is the governing body of lacrosse in Hong Kong. The association regularly participates in oversea tournaments including the Lacrosse World Championships, the Asian Pacific Lacrosse Tournaments and the China Ambition Friendship Games.
Every year a men’s league is held from January to June and a mixed game is held each August where all men and women lacrosse players of all levels of experience, come together and form teams to compete against each other. The association also regularly holds fun day events for children to promote and develop lacrosse in Hong Kong.
All our members enjoy the benefits of regular organized practices, the opportunity to participate in overseas tournaments and the local league and regular newsletters of lacrosse news in Hong Kong and around the world.
For more information visit our website: hklax.org.
