Lacrosse: the sport taking over Waikato
‘‘I couldn’t go to lacrosse training because I had netball on the same day. But the coach gave me a fiveminute explanation of the rules of lacrosse before I went on to play.
‘‘I probably broke a lot of rules but I really enjoyed it.’’
She believed more young women were picking up lacrosse sticks because of the speed, skills and variety the sport offered.
‘‘I just loved the speed of the game. Coming from netball, I played a position where I had one job to do for the team and that was it.
‘‘In lacrosse you can play everywhere, you can help slow the ball on defence, run the ball up yourself, assist a shot or be the one who takes the shot.’’
Van Woerden plays mid-field defence, which requires ‘‘a lot of stick work’’ running, and helping to move the ball upfield to attack.
‘‘It also involves slowing the ball down when we’re on defence, when there’s a fast-break.’’
Lacrosse ‘‘took over’’ her sporting career not long after her first game for Hamilton Christian School, where she now coaches the sport.
Netball, touch rugby, field hockey, inline hockey and football were among the sports she used to play.
But then she was selected for the Waikato lacrosse team and later the New Zealand team.
Other sports gave way as preparations for the Lacrosse World Cup began two years ago.
Intense training camps with the national team in Auckland followed.
The New Zealand team progressed into a quarter final at the world cup for the first time and finished 8th, its best result at the world cup.
Van Woerden said she was not sure if she would compete at the next Lacrosse World Cup but would continue to play the sport at club level for the Hamilton North Falcons.
She was also keen to pass on her world cup experience by coaching younger players at Hamilton Christian School.
‘‘Financially, going to the world cup was tough. I was only a student but I had lots of support and it was definitely worth going.’’
Van Woerden just finished a nursing degree and planned to work at Waikato Hospital.
‘‘So it’s a bit of a change in focus for me now.’’
Van Woerden agreed lacrosse needed a base in the Waikato.
‘‘I know in Auckland they’re sorting out a home ground for lacrosse. It would help to have the same here.
‘‘The club season has been at Gower Park which I enjoyed, but I think having a place everyone in the sport can gather as a community would be cool.’’
Waikato Lacrosse President Ro Edge said some options for a base were being explored.
But she said nowhere specific had been identified. Ideally, it needed artificial turf facilities, which is what the game is played on overseas.
‘‘We’re open-minded about how this can be achieved, whether in combination with another sport, a school, or councils.’’