Forge Team Icon, Tom Roche, on preparing for The Fly 2023

“My big plan following the Box Euros, was to come back and drop a few kilos, lots of longer running, 200-300 metre sprints. But I didn’t get to do any of that, I was in a knee brace for four months after I came back from the championship.

“So now I’m really picking up the slack for the off-season stuff that I missed. But I’ve got a great physio, so I don’t feel I’ve quite missed out on 100% of that time but I’m probably a bit behind where I would have liked to have been.”

Forge Men’s Team Icon, Tom Roche, returns to The Fly this year, after first appearing at the event in 2021.

But, after winning the 2022 European Box Lacrosse Championship in Hanover, Germany, his preparations were set back following a knee injury.

Not only has this setback pushed him back in terms of fitness, but Tom now has had to adjust his training process for The Fly 2023.

“I think that there’s probably a different physical profile required to play Sixes, or field Lacrosse, against Box Lacrosse for the position that I play.

“When I’m playing Box, it’s much more about being capable of going out for one or at most two 30 second shifts back-to-back and feeling strong, difficult to move, and able to get to those short, sharp bursts.

“I’m a big body. I have to work hard to make sure that I don’t pack on the pounds. For me, there’s been a lot of circuit training, sprint training, lots of agility after I hurt my knee last summer.

“So, I think the way I’m preparing right now is possibly slightly different to some of the other players. But it’s all good stuff and I’m enjoying doing it.”

Tom’s return will also be made easier with Team Forge being made up of several familiar faces, like coach Conor Dockery and Brian Davies.

“Right now, I’m probably playing with 50% of that team every week even though we can’t have a dedicated Team Forge session.

“We’ve got a pretty tight-knit group and it’s just going to be about bringing those other new faces. But I’m not worried about that at all.

“We’ve got a couple of experienced coaches who I would say are pretty strong on the culture side.”

Despite setbacks in training, his excitement is building towards the first game of The Fly against Hustle.

“We’re in a fortunate position. I hear from a lot of people in Lacrosse of how good this Hustle team looks, and how they’re maybe the favourite for the whole tournament.

“That’s perfect for us. There’s a lot of pressure on them to win that game. We can turn up, do our thing, and play together. What happens, happens.

“I’m really looking forward to it and I think we’re in the slightly better position heading into it.”