Port Coquitlam’s Danita Stroup got past the latest round of cuts to Team Canada’s senior women’s field lacrosse squad during a training camp tournament last weekend in Baltimore.
According to the club, 25 players were selected following the Team USA Fall Classic and will continue to train with the team ahead of the 2017 FIL Women’s Lacrosse World Cup in Surrey next summer.
This is not Stroup’s first time performing in an international event.
In 2015 the Northwestern University player donned the red and white during the under-19 World Championship in Edinburgh, Scotland, where they won gold. She played her minor lacrosse with the Port Coquitlam Saints and was selected by Long Island University to play in the NCAA.
Close to 130 players applied for the team and the list was whittled down to 41 before last weekend’s tournament, which saw Canada go winless in a series of exhibition games. The squad fell 13-10 to Australia, 7-6 to England and 20-5 to the hosting Team USA squad.
However, head coach Scott Teeter said last weekend’s tournament was not about racking up wins.
“Our overall record does not show what we were taking out of this weekend,” he said. “My staff and I were able further evaluate of all 40 players, which provided us with some great insight as we continued through the process of selecting our final roster.”
Stroup will be in familiar company.
Nine players on the roster were part of the under-19 squad that won gold and all of the athletes chosen have represented Team Canada before.
The selection process has taken place over the last year and program director Gary Gait said the club is happy with the players they have picked.
“The entire staff has worked tirelessly to select the 25 best players that will help us compete on the world stage,” he said. “This talented and athletic group of athletes will help us compete for gold.”
sports@tricitynews.com
@gmckennaTC
