What’s better than representing your country in the sport that you love, doing it alongside four people you have grown up playing the game with.
Five current or past Footscray players have been named in the Australian women’s sixes side to compete at the Lacrosse World Games next month.
Bonnie Yu, Steph Kelly, Theodora Kwas, Georgia Latch and Rebecca Lane have been named in the team.
Yu and Kelly currently play with Footscray, which Kwas, Latch and Lane are currently based in America at college.
Kelly said it made it even more special to play alongside teammates that she knows very well.
“It is so special that there are five of us and there’s 12 spots headed to China,” she said.
“We grew up playing together and now we’re playing on the world stage.
“It’s the most special feeling to play together. We’ve got such a god connection and we’ve played with one another for all those years.
“When you step out on the field it feels like you’re stepping out on Angliss Reserve, not in China or Baltimore or wherever we are.”
Kelly will represent Australia for a second time at the World Games, while the other four will represent Australia for a third time.
The group has played a large part of the success at Footscray, which Kelly said translates out onto the field for Australia.
“You know their tendencies and they do,” she said. “You look for what they do without looking.
“We play so many times together and get the opportunity to play on the national level together as well, not many others have that opportunity.
“It seems so right playing with them.”
It’s been a big couple of years for Kelly.
She recently became the first player to win back-to-back Shelley Maher trophies, which is awarded to the best women’s player in Australia.
In 2024, she scored 41 goals and had 23 assists for Footscray at state league level and claimed the Victorian best and fairest by a large margin.
Kelly said it was a shock to claim that trophy again.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said. “It’s such an honour.
“We had just had the national championships and I was with my teammates. There were other girls from other states who were up for it as well.
“It’s a really proud moment.
“I came home from college and got back to my roots. It’s a proud moment bringing it back to Footscray.”
Kelly said she was focused on continuing to get better, fitter and stronger.
She has big aims for the World Games.
“We want to come home with a gold medal,” she said. “We want to put Australia back on the top podium.
“We’ve set the bar high and we’re ready to go there.”
