Team spirit helps guide England to bronze medal
All smiles for England's lions.
England's exhausted, gutsy and badly-bruised players proved
that on the World Championship stage anything is possible,
especially if you play as a team.
'Together Everyone Achieves More' sums up the national's
side work ethic, desire to succeed and quest for success in
the United States.
England have never won a gold medal, but two silvers and
two bronze medals before the start of the Championship gives
a fair representation that this country is good enough and
hungry enough to compete against the world's elite.
We are not as good as the United States and a gulf in class
was apparent with Australia.
But one thing is for sure - England are heading in the right
direction for a medal of a higher calibre from future World
Cups.
Bronze, though, is deserved and award which holds much promise
for the future.
Speak to any of England's players. They aim high even when
the odds are stacked against them.
And against Canada, one of the pre-tournament medal favourites,
they twice showed that under pressure they can produce the
goods.
'We've got a young squad. The experience the team gained
this year will hold us in good stead for the next World Cup
in four years time,' said Lois Richardson, the England head
coach, who had just three players with World Cup experience
in her 18-strong squad.
Defender Alex Harle and attackers Sarah Butt and Katy Bennett
the only members of team England to have experienced the World
Cup pressure cooker. The U.S. had 12 players from their 2001
roster in action this year.
'Having the likes of Sarah, Alex and Katy in the team has
definitely helped, but with every game I saw improvement from
the young players,' added Richardson.
'We started the tournament very nervously against the United
States and Australia, but that was understandable because
we're a young and inexperienced team.
'But as we played more games the players grew in confidence
and started to be more patient and coped with the pressure.'
Indeed. Against Canada in the last of their pool games, England
brimmed with confidence, opened up a 5-0 lead and never looked
back.
They also led against the U.S., but experience and better
stick-handling skills, plus clincial finishing saw England
beaten.
'We found very quickly that the U.S. and Australia were very
strong, but we expected that. It was the toughest start we
could have had to the tournament, but we progressed and improved
after we'd overcome that early bout of nerves.
'I expected us to be nervous, but that's all part of the
learning experience. The more times you play against the big
teams like Australia and the U.S., the less you fear them.
'The players have given everything and winning a bronze has
given them added confidence. We've aimed high, which is what
we must to do if we want to win the silver or gold medal.'
England's bronze-medal winning team will now take some deserved
time off, with some players travelling to Miami and also San
Fransisco for holidays.
But the whole squad have promised to meet up again in September
before the start of the domestic season.
There the older players in the team will look to make a decision
on their future, although Sarah Butt, having just played her
fifth World Cup at the age of 38, has announced she will retire
from international 'World Cup' duty.
Some of the England players believe 'Ritchie', as she is
more affectionately know to her team-mates, might still be
persuaded to halt her retirement and play in one more World
Cup.
But either way the experienced midfielder received a glowing
tribute from Richardson for her services to the national team
- on and off the pitch.
'Ritchie's the model professional,' said Richardson. 'She's
a role model to so many of the players and given so much to
lacrosse.
'Her and Alex Harle do so much work behind the scenes that
people maybe don't realise, but they both do so much on the
playing side as well.'
Defender Harle has also said she will hang up her boots after
three successful World Cups, where bronze has been won every
time.
'I'll have to ask my husband,' said Harle, cheekily suggesting
retirement might not yet be out of the question if Jason will
be prepared to miss his wife for week's on end again.
'It's a big commitment playing for England, but we've got
a young squad and that bodes well for the future.
'It would be nice if these girls come back in four years
time and build on winning bronze this year.'
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