Founded in 2003, Gin & Juice has to be the oldest and most successful travel team in European lacrosse. We've put up some serious milage over the years attending tournaments all over the UK as well Berlin Open, Lowlands, Tilburg Cup, Turku to name just a few. One of the best things about Gin & Juice is the way the team is made up of players from so many different lacrosse playing nations, players from Sweden, Finland, Scotland, Germany, Netherlands, England, Belgium, USA, Spain, Canada, Wales, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand have suited up for the Juice.
I think it's safe to stay Juice normally field a very competitive team at the tournaments we enter, back when US teams would regularly tour the UK we would play them and more I think about it we never lost to one of those teams. All those US touring teams got very competitive games, one or two got a good old fashion arse kicking. There was a period where would play the odd game against the England team years ago. Talking of England, we used to get many current England players join us on tour but it seems few and far between these days as the players seem to have to commit more and more time to training camps and tours....I feel another blog coming soon!
As with all tours there are great stories and amazing experiences had by all the players, the funfair in Tilburg, boat parties in Amsterdam, camping at Bluesfest, planes, trains and automobiles to get to and from the Turku Tournament, the goth with an axe who chased us into a whiskey bar, sweat dripping from the ceilings of clubs in places that many players would have never of visited if not for this sport and this team. It's safe to say that there are more stories from tour that can't be published to the internet then ones that can.
Gin & Juice will be 20 years young in 2023, they'll be tours and games aplenty along with the formation of a women's touring team. We will be seeking sponsors to assist in costs involved in tournament entry fees, uniforms and equipment and of course celebrating in style, previous sponsors have included HBG Properties, Plymouth Gin, East Coast Dyes and Adrenaline.
Gin & Juice has had some sweet gear over the years, keep an eye on on part 2 of our blog for a closer look at the 2022 uniforms and gear.