Is this the worst week ever?
This week saw a complete wipe out of Junior Boy’s Lacrosse. If young boys do not get regular play then they soon stop being Lacrosse players.

The weather seems to have been terrible for the last decade, at least. Whether this is climate change is arguable. The answer is almost certainly a yes though the dispute is to what extent change is the result of human activity is an argument for another day.

We have debated over the years whether Lacrosse should have a winter break. In recent years we would seem to have moved almost seamlessly to a winter break which extends from mid December to mid January. This has been due to the changes in people’s and families’ habits. Christmas has become a long holiday for socialising and doing basic things like having a skiing holiday.

This does not really solve the weather issue as although we all know that the weather is getting worse we do not know when it is going to be worse. The answer is undoubtedly better facilities. At Timperley we are lucky to have two ATPs and we have recently spent a lot of money on improving the drainage of the grass fields. This has definitely improved them beyond recognition but recently even these have succumbed to the deluge.

There have been recent discussions on the future of TSC and its role in the community. I have always been of the opinion that the club is a sports club and its priority should be Cricket, hockey, lacrosse and Soccer.

The answer to me is that the club needs a floodlit 4G pitch somewhere close to the clubhouse. This would provide vastly increased capacity and allow us to introduce a more flexible playing schedule with lacrosse played on midweek evenings, Friday, Saturday and Sundays or whenever.

Has Netball got it right? Has the most boring sport become the coolest and best run?
One of the successes, in my view, in recent years, has been the emergence of netball as a major sport. Super League Netball has become a great TV sport. Matches that only a couple of years ago drew a couple of hundred spectators now regularly draw 3-4,000. Places like Surrey Sports Village at University of Surrey in Guildford host top class Basketball and Netball and it is tickets for Netball which sell the fastest!

It does not seem too long ago that netball was dismissed as “Basketball without the fun,"

In Manchester the Belle Vue Sports Village venue hosts Manchester Giants Basketball and Manchester Thunder Netball. Manchester has always produced great netballers and the Class of 92 is in full throttle in supporting netball with Phil Neville’s sister Tracy being England Coach and formerly the coach of the Thunder.

My initial response is “that should have been Lacrosse”.

In the TV launch of Super League the AENA CEO very convincingly laid out the netball strategy. She expected that the amount of money available from grant aid to the NGB would decrease in the years to come. If the organisation was to thrive then alternative forms of revenue have to be developed. One of the ways netball is planning to do this is by developing an income generating event strategy.

Lacrosse could adopt a similar strategy. It would struggle to operate at the same level as netball but in 1990s Lacrosse in the North operated a Games Promotion Committee which basically developed the Senior Flags Final into a major occasion. Promoting the Flags Semi Finals and “Match of the Month” creating sponsorship opportunities and generating income. The result was an income for Lacrosse of some £15k per annum, which is probably double that at today’s values.

The 2018 World Championship would have been the perfect launch pad for such a strategy.

2018 World Championship
The FIL have just announced that 48 nations have committed to the 2018 World Championship in Israel (the full list is at the end of this article). This is an increase of 10 over the 38 who competed in Denver. A continued triumph for the FIL and its journey to make Lacrosse a major sport.

I am sure Israel will stage a great 2018 World championships but with vision and leadership that should have been Manchester

MGS Founders Day-an inspiration
In 1956 I failed the only really important examination that I sat. In those days ambitious boys tried to get into schools which were deemed to be a cut above those which you got into by passing the 11 plus. I lived in Sale so the aim was Manchester GS or William Hulme’s GS. Stockport GS and Cheadle Hulme School were similar but in another part of the world

The Part 2 exams were different but similar (All exams were two part). You took Part one which sorted out the wheat from the chaff and then went forward to part two. The only exam I have ever failed was MGS Part 2. I was picked up by mother who asked me how I had done. My answer was one of optimistic confidence. The lesson from the experience is that if you think an exam was easy you probably did not understand the questions. Exams are not meant to be easy.

So I ended up at William Hulme’s GS. We seriously thought we were comparable to MGS. We got numbers to University including Oxbridge and playing them at Rugby and Lacrosse generally meant a couple of wins.

60 years later the only one of the Direct Grant Grammar Schools in Manchester (MGS, Manchester High School, Withington, St Bede’s, Xaverian and William Hulme’s) that did not to make the transition to Independent status is William Hulme’s. This is a profound disappointment to me but WHGS is now a very well respected state school which has a rich diversity which truly reflects modern Manchester. It is much sort after in the local community. Perhaps more disappointing is that driving past the school lacrosse goals and rugby posts are a thing of the past.

MGS and Withington are now nationally recognised schools and set enviable standards. I now have a daughter who teaches at MGS and a grandson who is at the school. The more I see of the school the greater my admiration is for it.

Last Friday I was fortunate to be able to attend the Founders and Benefactors Day at Manchester Cathedral. It was an inspirational experience.

Manchester Cathedral was packed with standing room only and the pupils attending were restricted to the senior forms.

The music which was provided by the school choir and orchestra was exceptional.

MGS is a very diverse and well integrated school with pupils drawn from a wide range of ethnic and religious backgrounds and this diversity was reflected in the readings.

These came from the Old Testament delivered in English and Hebrew; from the New Testament in English and Greek. Verses were read from Hindu scriptures found in the Gita and from the Quaran delivered in English and Arabic. Recognising that some people did not embrace a religion there was a reading from the Humanist Karl Popper’s “All Life is Problem Solving”.

One thread which was clear from the readings was that the beliefs and philosophies of all the religions had much more in common than separated them.

The address was delivered by the Cathedral Sub Dean, Dr David Holgate whose theme to the boys was that when selecting a career they should ask not what they can get but what they can give.

Many were visibly moved by the occasion and the experience. Sat next to me were, on one side parents and on the other Muslim brothers who had attended the school and who had ten of their extended family as either current pupils or Old Mancunians.

MGS has been a part of Manchester life for over 500 years and in my view, in many ways, the beliefs and aspirations of the city are encapsulated in the school.

Altrincham update and comment
The first news of the New Year was the closure of the Altrincham branches of two high street names – Clinton Cards and Samuels the Jewellers.

I do not think they are necessarily the sorts of business’s which are essential to the continued health of the Altrincham town centre.

Generally speaking the resurgence of Altrincham would seem to be continuing apace and if anything gathering momentum. As Altrincham thrives do places like Hale, Timperley and Sale struggle even more?

My beliefs are that successful communities be they cities like Manchester, towns like Altrincham or villages like Timperley, Hale or Hale Barns depend on a positive relationship between municipal authorities, inhabitants and local businesses and voluntary organisations.

In Manchester the role of the council has always been vital despite the political complexion of the council. (Manchester has in the past been Tory!) In the dark days of the depression in the 1930s Manchester decided to send out a positive message by borrowing to build the Central Library and the Town Hall Extension. More recently buildings like the Bridgewater Hall, Urbis and Home have been a part of the city’s growth. I consider the council in Manchester to be pragmatic socialists seeing the need for a dynamic mixed economy, Developments like housing in Ancoats and the University expansion with investment from Man City owners Abu Dhabi and the growth of the airport in partnership with Chinese investors all demonstrate the proactive approach necessary.

For many years Trafford council seemed to me to be focussed only on increasing parking charges and keeping council tax at the lowest possible level despite the negative effect this had on the community with Altrincham becoming a ghost town with one of the highest rates of empty shops in the country. Over the last few years there would seem to have been a sea change in council policy and we have seen the transport interchange, the new community hospital and the public realms upgrade all adding to the town vibrancy kick started by the market. The Health Centre and apartments on the site of the old hospital and the long awaited start on the building of the Altair development show a commitment to driving forward increased living, working and socialising in the town centre.

Perhaps even more indicative of the change in council policy are the recent announcement of an exciting development on Regent Road Car Park of a multi storey car park and apartments and to me even more surprising the purchase of the Grafton Mall by the council, with a view to refurbishment.

The rejuvenation of Altrincham is at a cost of a relative decline in Hale but at least something positive is being done about that with the submission of plans for a new community centre and library.

In Timperley a new community centre is planned and builders are on site expanding Broadheath Primary School and building a new community centre, nursery and restaurant.

In my view there is a lot going on in Altrincham and when you walk into the town you do get positive vibes and not the feelings of gloom you had in the recent past.

Is this change due to Sean Anstee? Thought for the future.

Would you pay a wealth (Guilt?) tax
Several Local Authorities have suggested that some of their wealthier residents would be willing to make an extra contribution to their funds to make up at least in a small part the growing deficit in their budgets caused by the cuts from central government and the increasing demand for services as a result of growing poverty and greater longevity.

It will be interesting to see whether this idea has real legitimacy or is just a seven day wonder.

List of Nations Participating in 2018 Men's World Championship
1 Argentina – returner from 2014, where they finished 34th.
2 Australia – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 4th in 2014.
3 Austria – returner from 2014, where they finished 28th.
4 Belgium – returner from 2014, where they finished 27th.
5 Bermuda – returner from 2014, where they finished 24th.
6 Bulgaria – new team for 2018!
7 Canada – 2014 champs, Blue Division team!
8 China – returner from 2014, where they finished 31st.
9 Colombia – returner from 2014, where they finished 35th.
10 Croatia – new team for 2018!
11 Czech Republic – returner from 2014, where they finished 14th.
12 Denmark – Played in 2010, not in 2014, but they are back!
13 England – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 5th in 2014.
14 Finland – returner from 2014, where they finished 13th.
15 France – returner from 2014, where they finished 37th.
16 Germany – returner from 2014, where they finished 9th.
17 Greece – new team for 2018!
18 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) – Blue Division team, finished 3rd in 2014 for first field medal ever.
19 Haiti – new team for 2018!
20 Hong Kong – returner from 2014, where they finished 21st.
21 Hungary – new team for 2018!
22 Ireland – returner from 2014, where they finished 10th.
23 Israel – host team, returner from 2014, where they finished 7th.
24 Italy – returner from 2014, where they finished 18th.
25 Jamaica – new team for 2018!
26 Japan – returner from 2014, where they finished 8th.
27 Korea – returner from 2014, where they finished 33rd.
28 Latvia – returner from 2014, where they finished 19th.
29 Luxembourg – new team for 2018!
30 Mexico – returner from 2014, where they finished 23rd.
31 Netherlands – returner from 2014, where they finished 16th.
32 New Zealand – returner from 2014, where they finished 12th.
33 Norway – returner from 2014, where they finished 25th.
34 Peru – new team for 2018!
35 Philippines – new team for 2018!
36 Poland – returner from 2014, where they finished 20th.
37 Puerto Rico – new team for 2018!
38 Russia – returner from 2014, where they finished 30th.
39 Scotland – long time participant, Blue Division team, finished 6th in 2014.
40 Slovakia – returner from 2014, where they finished 26th.
41 Spain – returner from 2014, where they finished 29th.
42 Sweden – returner from 2014, where they finished 11th.
43 Switzerland – returner from 2014, where they finished 15th.
44 Taiwan – new team for 2018!
45 Turkey – returner from 2014, where they finished 22nd.
46 Uganda – returner from 2014, where they finished 32nd.
47 USA – Silver medal in 2014, Blue Division team, long-time participant.
48 Wales – returner from 2014, where they finished 17th.