As Australian lacrosse players prepare for Olympic return, they’re calling for more funding

by Admin
August 16, 2024

In short:

Australian lacrosse players are competing in the 2024 Women’s Under 20 World Championship in Hong Kong.

Players are also already preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, where lacrosse will return as an Olympic sport.

What’s next?

Players are calling for more funding to support the sport on the world stage.

Holly Dini works two jobs, studies full-time and is planning to play lacrosse for Australia at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

It is a busy schedule with very little downtime.

“I’m currently studying biomedical engineering and then I work at a restaurant and I’m a receptionist at another place,” Dini explained as she prepared for yet another training session.

“It’s quite hard but it’s worth it.

“There are some days when I just don’t want to get up but it’s like, ‘How bad do I want it?'”

Dini’s hard work has earned her a place in the Australian under-20 team for this month’s World Championships in Hong Kong.

Holly Dini works two jobs and studies full time alongside representing Australia for lacrosse. (Supplied: Chris North)

Cost of competing

It has come at a cost, given Lacrosse Australia simply does not have the money to fund the trip, with the cost falling to the players.

“All up, I think it’s about $13,000,” Dini said.

Lacrosse will return to the Olympics in four years as a medal sport for the first time since 1908.

“With it being in the Olympics, hopefully it brings more exposure to the sport, and we are able to get more funding from the government,” the 19-year-old said.

But the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), the federal government’s agency responsible for sports funding, only provides $50,000 for Lacrosse Australia.

Wendy Walsh hopes to see more funding and exposure to the sport in the future. (Supplied: Karen Burns, additional graphics ABC News: Stephan Hammat)

“Considering the Olympics are around the corner, we really need to amp that up,” said Wendy Walsh, who is the assistant coach for the Australian under-20 women’s team.

“Being an Olympic sport now, it might be time for [the government] to have a good look at lacrosse, look at how big it is overseas, especially in America, in Japan, in China, they have a professional league, they get paid a big amount of money to play.

“There should be some sort of funding or pathway for us to be able to tap into to fund these girls to go.

“The fact that you have to work three jobs and then go to uni and still train five days a week to wear the colours of your country, I find that a little sad really.”

According to figures released by ASC, this financial year basketball has netted $3.8m for an estimated 850,000 adults playing the sport around the country.

Hockey has nearly 180,000 participants and secured more than $2.9m from the pot.

While lacrosse is a medal contender and has a participation rate of more than 9,000, it receives less funding than artistic swimming, which has a participation figure of 1,627 and receives $75,000.

World stage success

Although lacrosse has had a 120-year absence from the world’s biggest sporting event, Australia has still managed to decorate its trophy cabinet with world championship medals of all colours.

The men’s national team has contributed three silver and seven bronze while the women have brought home two golds, four silver and four bronze.

Australia’s most recent success was in 2022, when the women won bronze in the new Olympic six-a-side format.

“At the end of the day it comes down to the athlete, they’ve got to want to do the work, they’ve got to want to do the hard,” Walsh said.

“As I always say to the girls – you got to like doing hard.”

Kelsea Lawson is fired up and ready to take on the World Championships(Supplied: Karen Burns, additional graphics ABC News Stephan Hammat)

Kelsea Lawson and her under-20 teammates are very much aware it is a golden opportunity for them.

By 2028, they should be prime movers in the senior women’s line-up.

“I think the Olympics are the pinnacle of any sport and the fact that lacrosse now has that opportunity is so exciting,” Lawson said.

“It really gives me a whole new level of motivation, to work hard, to be able to give myself the best chance to get there.”

Lawson, 18, has been able to follow in her father’s footsteps, in donning the green and gold.

Making up half of the under20s Australian team, 10 South Australians flew out to Hong Kong for the World Championships. (Supplied: Wendy Walsh)

Her career progression has been helped by the fact she is one of 10 South Australians in the Australian under-20 squad.

“We’ve got South Australians playing all over the field, we’ve got defenders, we’ve got goalies, middies, attackers — so I think it creates for a really well rounded, really gelled team,” Lawson said.

Lawson’s career will take another huge leap forward now she has secured a US college scholarship.

She will join the division one University of Rhode Island Rams for their inaugural season.

Looking ahead to LA

The ultimate goal for Lawson remains the LA Olympics and the end of the Paris Games has brought into clear focus the mission of the under-20 team.

“The opportunity to play in the Olympics doesn’t seem so far away anymore, it doesn’t seem like this distant dream,” Lawson stated.

“It’s real. It’s here and it’s possible for all of us.”

Kelsea Lawson is looking to compete at the 2028 LA Olympics. (Supplied: Chris North)

Australian under-20 assistant coach Walsh sees the potential of her side and what they could achieve in LA.

“Australian Lacrosse is very different to US Lacrosse, there is something special about it we are gritty and relentless and it’s a great way to play,” said Walsh.

“These girls brought a culture and a cohesion to this Australian team that I have never seen before and if we play the way we love to play Australian lacrosse, anything is possible, we could come home with a gold medal.”

And that would be worth every cent.