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Outside interest: lacrosse

Written by: Jez Abbott
Published on: 4 Nov 2016
Category:

Katie Wray

When planner Katie Wray isn't working at the Manchester office of Deloitte Real Estate she plays lacrosse.

How did you get into lacrosse

I currently play for Heaton Mersey Lacrosse Club but have played the sport for about 20 years, starting at school. I played at University of Durham where I studied history and then at Manchester University when I did my masters in planning. I have played lacrosse at county level and for the North of England team.

What does it involve?

We train once a week – an hour and a half on a Monday – and play most Saturdays in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. As a running, non-contact, game you have to be pretty fit, so I also go to the gym and do trail running to keep in trim. I also do netball and in the past have enjoyed fencing. 

Why do you do it?

I love the game. There's a lot of strategy and thinking about the flow of play. To be effective you have to be a really tight-knit team and good at high levels of communication. When the skills all come together it's a very, very impressive sport.

What’s the toughest thing about it?

Keeping up with stick skills is a challenge. When I started we used wooden sticks; then they switched to plastic, and now there are a hundred or so varieties and with each one the technical demands go higher. Some of the younger players who have known only plastic sticks have sharper skills than those who have played longer.

What’s the most rewarding thing about it?

The teamwork aspect of lacrosse is the most satisfying element. As a defender it really feels good closing down an attack or when the attacker I'm marking fails to score in the game. In many ways playing as a tight unit is better than winning.

Are there any similarities between your day job and lacrosse?

Communication is really vital to both disciplines: planners need to communicate with their team and get their ideas across very clearly, just like lacrosse players. 

Do you have any unusual interests or hobbies that you would like to tell us about? If so, please email planning@haymarket.com