The university's men's lacrosse team are regional champions in only their third season of competing.

Life at university is all about new experiences and taking up opportunities for the first time.

Whether that’s through study, socialising, activities or locations, there is never a shortage of ways to add a string to a bow.

This is never truer than with sports, with Sussex offering the possibilities of trying out in dozens of different sports and active pastimes.

At university, students can discover a skill they never knew they had, such as these members of cup-winning squads this season who have gone from novices to pros in a matter of months.

In a three-part series, we’re profiling our victorious sports teams and finding out how a step into the unknown has brought them huge personal satisfaction, new friendships and a host of fun memories.

First up are members of the men’s lacrosse team, who won the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Cup last month after beating Reading in the final 8-3.

The team was founded in 2013 and was the vision of one student, David Charles, who managed to grow the team from just him at Freshers’ Fair to ten female and three male members to play every Sunday.

The team grew from there, with a women’s team officially forming in the following year to play friendly matches before entering a BUCS team in 2015.

A year later a men’s team entered BUCS for the first time, last year reaching the semi-finals before going even further this year to sweep all before them.

Lewis Williams only started playing lacrosse in October, encouraged by a teammate from the Sussex Saxons American football team who had been playing the sport for many years in his native Canada.

The 20-year-old film studies student from Shepherd's Bush said: “Before coming to Sussex I had no knowledge of the sport. I may have been able to recognise a stick but that’s as far as my knowledge extended. 

“I've always played sport, starting in football then moving onto cricket, and I even played handball fives for a couple of months. Since coming to Sussex, I now play the Active US football sessions, I am a proud Saxon and I play lacrosse. Prior to uni I’d always played sport but typically it was one at a time. The hours a week I play have gone up rapidly and can reach up to 11.5 hrs during some weeks.  

“I realised I’d stick around in the sport after just one training session. Everyone was joking around, making me realise that this wasn’t just a sports team; cheesy how it may seem, it was a family.

“The friendships I’ve made have been the best aspect of joining the lacrosse team. Not just friends in the men’s team but also the women’s. Pretty much every time I go out in a week now is linked to the lacrosse team, whether it’s a party or post-training food socials. I can’t express how different my university experience would’ve been without those guys and girls.

“The final was the first game I’d started all season and for it to be in such a big game in our club’s history, I was immensely proud. 

“I was pretty nervous before the game because I was starting in a foreign position to me (I usually play in midfield but started in attack) but before the game our captain Guillame gave me a chat, telling me ‘I chose you because you are ready, you deserve this’, which immediately calmed me down and let me enjoy playing in such an important game. 

“I’ve played in a lot of sports but I can’t think of one where the captain recognised my fear at starting and did something to change that. He’s a great captain, great person, and - I’m happy to say now after a year in the sport - a great friend.

“For anyone wanting to take up lacrosse, the only important thing in lacrosse is hand eye coordination. And even if you don’t have that you develop it quickly. Size and speed is not important as there are varying positions which suit different people. People should be aware that lacrosse is not the non-contact sport it claims to be. I was shocked by the physicality of it, I have been knocked on my back by other teams in games multiple times this year.

“Beyond that, just be open and willing to be social because, although we are a sports team, it’s not only about the sport. I’ve done charity events through the lacrosse team and those have been personal highlights in my time with the club so far."

Social secretary Loic Verrall only joined the lacrosse team in the third year of his degree, having previously focussed his time with the Sussex Snow ski sports society in his first two years.

The 21-year-old computer science masters student from Richmond in Surrey said: “I was aware of women’s lacrosse but until I joined the team here at Sussex, I didn’t even know men’s lacrosse existed.

“I had played rugby for a couple of years at school, but started moving on to more solo-style sports such as gym and high jump. Since coming to university, the number of active hours I have per week has at least tripled. I cycle to uni and use the gym several times a week, and I really enjoy attending lacrosse matches and training sessions every week.

“I genuinely find that the more active I am on a given day, the more productive I am when I’m studying for my degree.

“The best thing about being part of the lacrosse team has been the people I’ve met. Up until third year I had about ten ‘good’ friends, but since joining lacrosse, this number has easily tripled, with friends from both the men’s and women’s teams. I’m now coming to the end of my time at uni, and can say without doubt that my closest friends are those from lacrosse.

“My advice would be for anyone to please, please, please give this sport a go. I am so happy that I managed to have two full years of it and I only wish I’d joined in first year.

“I’d particularly recommend joining lacrosse because it’s a relatively new and upcoming sport and this means that you’re part of the first team — even if you’ve never played before.

“About half of the people in the team have never played lacrosse before, so don’t be put off if you don’t have any experience.”

For more information on the men’s lacrosse team visit here or for more information on getting active at Sussex visit Sussexsport here.