Wednesday 15 February 2012

GB Lions: The next Step



Following the recent successful junior and senior GB open trials, players who are through to the next stage have now been contacted.

Over 500 players from across the UK attended open trials for both age groups in Doncaster, Bristol and Hertfordshire – a huge pool of talent for the GB coaching team to select from.

The next step in the journey for the new national programme will be invitational one day camps, held at Loughborough on March 17, May 19 and August 18. The events will host both junior and senior players.

As well as the open trials, players have been selected for invites on the basis of film, discussions with coaches and performance in the last year’s games.


Costs for the day long camps will be kept as low as possible to make sure that as many players as possible can attend. Exact costs will be confirmed soon, but are likely to be £10 per event for junior players and £20 for senior players.

The junior GB Lions will have an initial list of 75 players affiliated with the team. The next step for them over the series of camps will be to make the travelling squad for the European tournament taking place from 7-9 September in Italy.

The selected players represent over 30 different junior and university teams, with a third of the selections coming from the under 17 age group. This is crucial for building a strong foundation for the junior team by ensuring at least two years of eligibility for competition.

The team to see the most representation for invites at junior level is the London Blitz with 11 players selected from their Championship winning team. Other teams showing good representation include the London Warriors (6), Birmingham Bulls (5) and the Lancashire Academy (5).

As senior players won’t see competition until 2013, their selection process will be managed a little differently. Players will go through the invitational camps before being formally affiliated to the GB senior team and subsequently selected for a travelling squad.

Around 80 senior players will be initially invited to attend the camps, with players from the London Blitz again seeing the strongest representation amongst current selections after their EFAF cup and Britbowl treble season with 14 players in the 80. This is followed closely by players from the East Kilbride Pirates (7), Birmingham Lions (9) and Doncaster Mustangs (5).

“The invitational camps will be a tremendous next step in the national programme’s journey,” said GB Lions General Manager Nick Wasmuth. “These present the opportunity for the elite coaches in the country to work with the elite players, as we as a nation continue our drive towards European competition at the highest level.”

17 comments:

  1. Tamworth Phoenix have 7 players at the GB senior invitationals also, Tristan Varney, Adam Hope, James Hossack, Jack Daley, Craig Harris, Jon Varney, Emir Battaloglu

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    1. Would be a travesty for the Varney brothers to not get in. Only thing stopping Tristan is his blown ACL though i guess

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  2. but apart from the blitz those all look like 'northern' teams, and weve been told for years that the northern teams arent good, how can this be???

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    Replies
    1. One man does not make a team - the whole team performance makes a team

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  3. Have all the junior emails been sent, I know of two players from the pirates youth who havent heard anything either way?

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  4. Anyway of seeing a list of who was selected?

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  5. Junior emails have been sent out. At least me and my teammate at the Thrashers Junior have ours.

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  6. Caro Freeman - Colts team manager15 February 2012 at 15:48

    It's actually 7 from Lancashire Wolverine Colts...

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  7. Credit to the coaching at Thrashers for producing 2 GB Juniors after only 1 full season under their belts.

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  8. I'm sure coach Hill being the head coach of the Lions had nothing to do with 5 of them being selected on defence.

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    1. I'm sure the fact that they're all talented definitely has nothing to do with it - Brum's D is so solid

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    2. Probably nothing to do with the fact players like Burrows and Freemand consistently tear up Offensive Lines week in, week out

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  9. Who cares who selected who, let's get behind the boys.....come on GB!!!

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  10. its who you know!!

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    1. 'Its who you know' what a load of rubbish. people work hard, perform, and get in. simples.

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  11. Somebody bitter are they!!!

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