Molly Dunham will realise a childhood dream when she represents Australia at the under-19 Women’s Lacrosse World Championships in Canada starting this week.
Dunham was sports mad growing up and always had a desire to pull on the green and gold of her country.
It was only when she discovered lacrosse and her talents as a goalkeeper that her dream started to take shape.
“I went through a few sports growing up, but when I found lacrosse, I knew it was the sport for me,” she said.
“I was like, I can go far in this sport, and now I’m really honoured to be able to wear my country’s colours and represent it.”
Dunham is one of two Newport Ladies Lacrosse Club players in the Australian squad. Taylah Comeadow was named as an alternate and will be in the touring party.
Dunham has been one of the standout rising goalkeepers in Victorian lacrosse. She pulled on the Victorian colours at national championships at under-15 and under-18
levels.
That’s an incredible feat when it is considered the 19-year-old has been playing lacrosse for only six years. She is a fast and willing learner.
Goalkeeping has become a passion for Dunham.
“It’s a thrill when you save it,” she said. “You can hear everyone roar in the crowd.
“It just makes me so proud to take that save and create a play from that save.
“I don’t need to be scoring the goals to be an important player on the team.”
Dunham is looking forward to the challenge of playing against the world’s best in her age group for Australia. She will do everything in her powers to keep the scoreboard quiet for opposition teams, but can offer no guarantees of how her team will fare.
“I’d love to say that we’re going to come out with the gold medal, but it’s going to be tough because we’re playing the best of the best from our age group,” she said.
“It’s going to be good to see what everyone brings to the table … we know at the end of the day, who wins is the best.”
Dunham will not be returning to Australia after the world championships conclude on August 10. The Spotswod resident will return to Kansas City to continue her lacrosse scholarship at Rockhurst University.
Dunham is majoring in criminal justice and hopes to return to Australia and take up a role in the police force.
In the meantime, she is enjoying her time in the US, playing NCAA lacrosse.
“I’ve always wanted to play sport in the US,” Dunham said.
“To be there and to be able to play college lacrosse is a really good experience.”
Dunham is grateful to her former coaches, Sue Sofarnos and Sue McSolvin, for their impact on her career.
