Newmarket Redbirds alumni Olivia Bladon and Brooke Piper will reunite as they have been selected for the national U20 women’s lacrosse team for an international competition in August.
Bladon plays for the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds and Piper plays for the St. Bonaventure University Bonnies. They played with the Redbirds, Aurora High School, and the Hill Academy in Caledon.
“The reason why I am here and have gotten this far is because of the people and the support system I have on and off the field,” said Piper. “I can’t stress enough how thankful and grateful I am to have such amazing people in my life who care so much about me and push me to be the best version of myself.”
Team Canada will participate in the women’s U20 tournament from Aug. 15 to 24 in Hong Kong, China. This year marks the seventh edition of the event and it’s the first time the tournament will have been held in Asia. The best women’s programs in the world will compete at the junior level.
“We are incredibly proud of the athletes who have made the U20 roster,” said head coach Allison Daley. “This is a talented group of exceptional people who will be great ambassadors of the sport. Their dedication both on and off the field is truly inspiring. We look forward to this journey ahead.”
Bladon remembers spending her summers playing with the Redbirds. The team built the foundation for her to develop her skills and talent.
“That was where I was introduced to lacrosse and where I started playing,” she said. “Without that, I wouldn’t be here today. It was what made me fall in love with lacrosse.”
National teams participating in the tournament include China, Germany, Israel, Puerto Rico, the United States, Canada, Haudenosaunee, Korea, Chinese Taipei, Wales, Australia, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland, England, Hong Kong, China, Ireland, Jamaica and Japan.
“I think it is such an amazing opportunity and not something that I would get to do if I wasn’t on this team,” said Bladon. “I don’t think I would ever travel to Hong Kong on my own or I wouldn’t think of doing that. To be able to go over there and have that experience is amazing. I think it is great that the tournament is there because lacrosse is growing in other countries.”
Team Canada consists of 22 players. They will play in a group against Korea, Haudenosaunee, Chinese Taipei, and Wales.
“I think it is exciting to see how much lacrosse has grown and be able to play against a bunch of other countries,” said Piper. “We are going to be exposed to a lot of cultures and different skills that we would not get if we were just playing in Ontario.”
The tournament will kick off at Mong Kok Stadium. It will also be the venue for the semifinals and finals, as well as the opening and closing ceremonies. The other matches will be played at the Sham Shui Po Sports Ground, Kowloon Tsai Sports Ground, and Shek Kip Mei Park.
Piper’s current teammate at St. Bonaventure, Britney Colangelo, also made the cut. Participating athletes had to complete several rounds of tryouts as Team Canada coaches conducted their evaluation.
