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Lacrosse Drop: Australia Lax Update

Lacrosse is booming around the world, and to not talk about the Growth of the Game outside of the US would be shameful! For those interested in Australia Lacrosse, we have a HUGE Lacrosse Drop. Tons of great stories, from both the men’s and women’s sides, and from multiple Australian states! No Territory updates yet… we’re working on that.

If YOU want LAS to do a Lacrosse Drop on YOUR region or country, just reach out to us, and we’ll make it happen!

Western Australia Finals Set… Sort of.

Wembley entered the playoffs undefeated, but Bayswater rose to the challenge, and knocked off the green and gold to advance to the finals, which their club hosts, on September 22nd. Bayswater won in overtime on a goal from Lee Robinson, assisted by Tom Graham.

Wembley then got to play in the OTHER semifinal against Wanneroo, for the other finalist spot. Finishing at the top of the regular season ladder certainly has its advantages in Australian Lacrosse… basically you get two shots at making the Grand Final. It’s a different way of doing things, but I like it.

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Glenn Morley and Bayswater await… someone.

An American Abroad

Al Escalante is an international man of mystery. He plays for the Mexican National team, plays box lacrosse in New York City, and right now, he’s in Australia, playing for the Sturt Devils in Adelaide.

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Guess which one Alfonso is…

Obviously, Al is having a great time. I had a great time. Phil had a great time. It’s a seemingly universal experience.

We’ve Got State Champions!

The Men’s and Women’s WA State League finals won’t take place until September 22nd, at Bayswater LC’s recently renovated home field, but U13s, U15s, U17s and Girls U16s champs are in the books already!

West Australian Named An All-Star at US Recruiting Camp

16 year old Ashtyn ‘Little Fish’ Hiron, of Leeming is an up and coming Western Australian Lacrosse player who was named to an American All-Star team at the 2012 Maximum Exposure Maximum Exposure Rising Sophomore Lacrosse Recruitment Camp in August 2012. Hiron was the only international player at the camp held at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, USA.

350 teenage female lacrosse players attended the camp and two teams of 15 players were named as All-Stars. Ashtyn played her first game of lacrosse at age 6. By age 9 she was selected in her first Under 15 Western Australian team and by 13 was playing for the WA Under 17 team. In July last year (2011) Hiron played for Australia in the Under 19 World Championships in Germany where Australia medaled silver.

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She has recently been selected in the 2012 Western Australian Senior Women’s team competing in the Australian National Championships in Perth this October. Although this is not Ashtyn’s first Senior National Championship – in 2010 and 2011 she played in the Under 19 Australian Squad as preparation for the World Championships.

It’s no surprise that Hiron is such a natural and gifted lacrosse player. Both her parents are high achieving lacrosse players with mom, Glenda, playing for Australia and Dad, John, playing for and coaching Australia in World Championships. John is now a coach at the Council Rock South High School in the US.

Hiron , who currently plays the Phoenix Lacrosse Club said, “The camp was great. America has such a high level of competition and so many more lacrosse opportunities. I would love more than anything to play college lacrosse.”

Now Hiron has to play the waiting game to see what scholarship opportunities are presented to her when she graduates high school in 2013.

When Ashtyn is not at school completing her studies or running around on the lacrosse field you may also find her on the netball court. Ashtyn Hiron were certainly be an athlete to watch in coming years!

EN: Thanks to Shendelle Oliver of Lacrosse WA for the release on Ashtyn! Our own Connor Wilson played a few games with John Hiron back in the day for Wembley LC in Perth, and if Ashtyn is anything like her old man, she’s got one heck of a bright future!

Wembley Women Big on WA National Championship Squad

Perth will host the Australian National Lacrosse Championships from 10-13 October at Nicholson Reserve, Yangebup and the women from the Wembley Lacrosse Club are out to dominate. All twelve players from the Wembley Women’s State League team will be competing in the tournament.

Bec Banyard, Sally Banyard, Hannah Barnsley, Aimee Bowman, Sarah Forbes, Emily Hall and Elizabeth Hinks will be playing in the Western Australian team. Wembley has the largest contingent of players from any lacrosse club in the WA team. WA broke a 27 year drought in 2011 claiming the National Championship in Adelaide and now the girls are hungry for back-to-back victory.

Goal Keeper Elizabeth Hinks said, “Im very excited for this opportunity to play at such competitive level with so many of my team mates and to have the chance to defend our National title from last year.” In early October 2012 Hinks and Banyard will head to San Francisco to represent Australia and compete in the ‘Stars and Stripes International,’ a Pre-World Cup tournament.

They will play the National Squads from USA, Canada, Japan and England. Wembley team mate, Hannah Barnsley will be playing for England. The three girls could not get better preparation for the Australian National Championships.

The Australian Lacrosse Association has also entered a Presidents team to compete at the National Championship. Wembley’s Claire Ferguson, Shendelle Oliver, Amanda Plummer and Hayley Simpson will play for the Presidents team. The Presidents team is an invitation team (nominated by the President of the Australian Lacrosse Association) that competes in the tournament for development of players and to Grow the Game. The Presidents team allows more players the opportunity to play
against the best players Australia has to offer.

Stephanie McRae, a Wembley attack player will be umpiring the tournament. McRae has already umpired at ten National Championships and one Under19 World Championship in Germany last year. Coach Dennis Banyard said, “Everyone at Wembley is very proud to have all of our players involved at the National Championships demonstrating both their wonderful ability and competitive spirit. That has made this group a force to be reckoned with.”

The Wembley women will compete in the State League Grand Final next Saturday 22 nd September at Halliday Park, Bayswater. For more information about the Wembley Lacrosse Club visit www.wembleylacrosse.com.au

EN: Thanks again to Shendelle Oliver of Lacrosse WA for the above info!