| |
Lacrosse in Australia is a club-based sport. Whilst there are a handful of University-based clubs, the large majority are community-based with approximately 45 Clubs based in the capital cities of New South Wales (Sydney), Queensland (Brisbane), South Australia (Adelaide), Tasmania (Hobart), Victoria (Melbourne) and Western Australia (Perth). There are 2 separate National bodies, however, the unification of these 2 is currently underway.
There are 4 National competitions played on a yearly basis, rotating from State to State. The levels are Seniors, U21, U17, and U15 respectively. Within domestic competition, players begin as young as 6. The grades are most commonly U11, U13, U15, U17, and Seniors (several divisions). Juniors are eligible to play seniors and it is quite common for U17 players to play in a senior grade as well as in their own age group.
|
 |
History
In 1936, women's lacrosse was introduced into Australia, and more specifically into the capital of the 2nd most southern state - Melbourne, Victoria. After nearly 70 years, formalized girls' and women's lacrosse is now played in 6 states - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.
|
|
|
In 1936, there were 2 teams, Williamstown and the YWCA. The first coaching session saw 30 girls in attendance. The inaugural President of Victoria was an English woman, Miss Nell Rawlins, who played with the YWCA whilst her Secretary was Miss Joy Newhouse, who later became Joy Parker, the first patron and Life Member of both the Women's Lacrosse Victoria - WLV (formerly the Victorian Women's Lacrosse Association) and Women's Lacrosse Australia - WLA (formerly the Australian Women's Lacrosse Council).
As a result of the Second World War, women's lacrosse went into recession. Although the War finished in 1945, for various reasons, women's lacrosse in Victoria did not resume again until 1962. At this time, three clubs were formed - Williamstown, Footscray and Malvern, with all three Clubs still in existence today. It was also in this year that an Adelaide paper called for women interested in playing lacrosse. Seeing this as an opportunity to develop an interstate competition, the first interstate match was organized with the game being held in Adelaide and won by Victoria.
In 1965, an Association was formed in Western Australia, and in 1975, the Tasmania Women's Association was formed. The most recent State to join Women's Lacrosse Australia was New South Wales in 1995.
|
|
|
|
Players' life spans are significant - and it is not unusual for women to play well into their 40's. We even have some over 50!!!
Due to our small numbers - just over 1000 girls and women are registered in Australia - many multitask. Everyone is also a volunteer - no one is paid, we call it a 'love' job. We also generally train once a week and twice if you are really dedicated.
|
|
|
A Day in the Life of ...
I would like to describe a typical Sunday for one of my clubmates as follows (who, for your information, is in the >40 bracket, however will remain anonymous!).
Sunday (Girls and women play on Sunday, whilst boys and men on Saturday)
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| 7.15am | | Arise and prepare breakfast with the children – Sharni (10), Rick (8) and Carlie (4). | | | |
| 8.25am | | Arrive at Caulfield Lacrosse Club, which has 3 grass fields playing on other side of city. |
| | Unpack the kids, give instructions to Rick to “be good, and don’t go too far away!” | | | |
| 8.35am | | Say hi to my team – I coach the Williamstown Women’s U11’s. Start to distribute uniforms to all the girls, whilst briefly saying hi to the parents. Count how many I have – terrific, I already have 7 players and there’s still 15 mins to go. I only need 6 because we play across the field. But it’s always nice to have some subs. Make sure the girls are doing a little warm up – not too much though. | | | |
| 8.55am | | Bring them in for a brief chat and some instruction giving. Focus today is staying with a player from the opposition. Some members of my team are quite young – two are just 7 so just getting them to be with another player all game is a big success. Only 2 weeks ago, one of my girls was trying to catch a butterfly in her stick. I had to laugh at this!!! | | | |
| 9.05am | | Game time. The opposition was running a bit late. By this stage I now have 12 girls and I am wondering how I am going to manage. I decide a very good strategy – I will swap 6 for 6. I have instructed the girls to get a buddy – and that when I call out swap, they take their buddies place. This works well. | | | |
| 9.50am | | The girls win by 2 or 3, I don’t really remember. We don’t focus on the scores and we don’t keep a ladder. We are here to encourage participation and fun – the rest will come as they get older. | | | |
| 11am | | Now it’s my turn to umpire the U15’s. I’m in the black and white stripes and have my whistle ready. I’ve made sure someone is minding the kids. | | | |
| 1.05pm | | State League game against the top team at 1.30, so we hurry our warm up a bit. Am playing centre today. Am getting WAY TOO OLD for this. Mind you, 3 of my team mates are also over 40. | | | |
| 2.05pm | | Second half starts and I blitz. Must have been the kids lollies I ate at half time. Game is over and ‘Willy’ has won by 4. I was given BOG (best on ground). Not sure exactly what for but am smiling anyway. | | | |
| 2.30pm | | Willy v Camberwell A grade game about to start. | | | |
| 4.00pm | | We lose, but only by a couple. I give some of the girls I coached in juniors a couple of tips. They seem to listen most of the time. | | | |
| 4.15pm | | We head into the Clubrooms to have a drink with the Caulfield girls. It’s pretty much the done thing around here. After the games, you go and have a drink (read: beer) with your opposition (and everyone else because we all play together each week). | | | |
| 6:00pm | | S’pose I better thing about taking the kids home. | | | |
| 8.45pm | | Kids in bed, my feet are up, and bed is looking good for me, too! Phone rings – one of the U11 girls telling me she can’t make training on Wednesday night. And so another week starts…. |
Shelley Maher, who belongs to the Williamstown Women's Lacrosse Club (the oldest women's club in Australia) hails from Melbourne, Victoria and works as a Senior Project Officer with the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. First introduced to lacrosse in a course at university in 1990, she has since represented Victoria as a player, coach, umpire and administrator and continues to be active in all four capacities. She is the current President of both Women's Lacrosse Victoria and Women's Lacrosse Australia, and as a result, spends quite a bit of her spare time in the sport!
To submit something for publication, please contact our editor, Judy Fong at jfong00@yahoo.com.
|
|
