Two years after its senior national team won bronze at the 2013 FIL World Cup, Australia took a step back when it failed to earn a medal at the U19 championships.

“Not medaling was obviously a huge disappointment, but also a good wake up call for Australian Women’s Lacrosse,” said senior team head coach Trish Adams. “We understand we have work to do and this team is not afraid to do it. The level of lacrosse played at a more grass roots level in Australia doesn’t always demand the most of the girls. As athletes we have had to demand more of each other, put more pressure on each other to ensure we continue to improve. That takes the right type of people as it is an internal drive to do things the hard way, while there is an easier option.

Adams has worked to select the right people to rebuild/reload Australia. In the midst of tryouts, she pinpointed and got James Cooper to be new strength and conditioning coach.

“His enthusiasm and confidence in being able to deliver results was second to none,” Adams said. “I was looking for lacrosse specific programs to be tailored to the individual/position and knew that James was the best person for the job.”

She looked closely at the team make-up as well. The Team USA Fall Classic gave Australia a chance to see how it matched up with the top contenders.

“It certainly helped shape our final selection as we got to see how various players responded under pressure, withstood the physical demands of a tough schedule and stood up to some of the best teams in the world,” Adams said. “There were so many exciting things to build on from October and I think the team felt a real drive to improve following those games.”

Adams has Rebecca Banyard, Abbie Burgess, Courtney Hobbs, Stephanie McNamara, Sarah Mollison, and Hannah Nielsen back from the 2013 team to lead this year’s team.

“They all have experiences to draw on that will see them feel further prepared than the previous one,” Adams said, “But I think they are also extremely hungry for improvement and looking forward to sharing the journey with a lot of new teammates.”

Adams pulled up just three players from the U19 team in Ashtyn Hiron, Theadora Kwas and Rebecca Lane, and filled in other holes left by departed veterans with a range of new additions.

“With new faces comes the ability to really push the team to all step up and contribute,” Adams said. “We are encouraging all players to be dynamic threats rather than relying on a few key players to generate play. Our aim is to be a really well-rounded and disciplined team while still playing hard, gritty lacrosse. We have chosen smart, athletic lacrosse players that are committed to learning and implementing our strategies.”

The Aussies will lean on their chemistry that has been forged during state-based training sessions in their three major states. Their strong on-field connections come from playing together at the state or club level. They are hoping it translates to a World Cup medal.

“Australian Lacrosse is proud of its past, but excited about its future,” Adams said. “We have what it takes and just need to put it all together on the big stage.”