Girl Power!

Sportsmanship and talent were on display at last summer’s international lacrosse championship in Peterborough

Girl power was certainly in the air as the U19 Women’s World Lacrosse Championship was hosted in Peterborough last August, when Trent University and Fleming College welcomed teams from 22 countries for ten fabulous days of lacrosse competition. The Trent setting along the Otonabee River was especially beautiful and peaceful, with rowing crews practising daily on the river in the background. The young women from all of these different cultures had a blast, meeting teams and fellow athletes just like themselves, showing off their lacrosse skills, forming friendships, making memories, and sharing songs and dances—and hairstyles— from their own countries.

From the opening ceremonies celebrating the Indigenous roots of lacrosse to the championship game at Trent U’s Justin Chiu Stadium, the excitement was plain to see in every player representing their country here in Canada.

Every player had to work extremely hard to earn a spot on their national roster, and some teams faced a lot of adversity to get here. The Kenyan team ran into difficulty when the shoes shipped to them arrived in the wrong sizes and luggage went missing. Fans and family members stepped up to buy shoes and donate clothes and toiletries to them; Team Israel rallied around the Kenyans, too, buying them cleats. A true spirit of sportsmanship was felt throughout all games.

Congratulations to all teams, coaching staffs, officials and, of course, the many local volunteers who made last year’s tournament possible. Supporters from every country proudly flew their colours and flags, and sang national songs, to encourage their respective teams throughout the competition. Some 3,000 cheering fans, most decked out in Canada’s red and white, lined the stands for the Canada vs U.S.A. gold medal game.

We were so fortunate to meet many of the competitors and were amazed at the skills and speed. The young women who participated are sure to remember this for the rest of their lives. It was so great to see many younger girls in attendance, sporting “Lacrosse Next Generation” t-shirts. We have a lacrosse school here in Peterborough and will be cheering again!