The Jamaican Women’s Under-20 Lacrosse Team is facing a significant hurdle as its fundraising campaign struggles to meet its target. Head Coach Taylor Erwin has expressed concerns that the team may miss out on the 2024 World Lacrosse Women’s U20 Championship due to insufficient funds.
The team needs to raise USD $26,000 (JMD $4,061,389.80) by August 1 to participate in the championship scheduled in Hong Kong from August 15 to 24. Their fundraising campaign, aptly named ‘Every Mickle Mek A Muckle,’ aims to ensure the team can embark on the crucial 10-day trip for the tournament.
“It’s been going very slow. I wish that I could have more happy news saying that we’ve reached our goal, but we’re still USD $26,000 short, which is huge,” said Erwin. “We have to pay it by August 1 or my girls cannot take to the field which is heartbreaking to think about. We’re all holding the faith just knowing that somebody somewhere is rooting for us and has the connections in order for us to reach our goal.”
Slow progress in fundraising
Despite the slow progress in fundraising, Erwin noted that the players remain optimistic and dedicated during their training sessions. The team is in their final camp, preparing to face teams from Hong Kong, England, Japan, and Ireland in the group stage of the tournament.
“This has been a year in the making for the team to be able to compete at the World Championship. Although efforts are still ongoing for our fundraiser, the girls are still at practice every single day, working hard and putting their best foot forward regardless of the situation,” Erwin added.
Erwin extended gratitude to those who have already contributed to their fundraising efforts and encouraged others to support the team’s journey. With only two weeks left until the deadline, the urgency is palpable.
“We’re very grateful for the sponsors and the donations that have come from the campaign that we started. Truly, every little bit counts and we’re so grateful. We’re slowly chipping away at what we have left to cover,” she said.
Second appearance
This will be Jamaica’s second appearance at the women’s U20 championship, following their debut in 2019 where they finished 21st out of 22 teams. Erwin is optimistic about a better performance this time, attributing it to the team’s focus on mastering the fundamentals of lacrosse.
“This is a completely different team from just how they interact with each other,” she explained. “I think one of the things that we really did for this team was take a step in teaching the fundamentals. Stick work, conditioning, all the basics of lacrosse. We went back and made sure we perfected before we got into game play. Once we can outrun anybody and keep the ball in our stick, then we’ll do 100 times better.”
The Jamaican Women’s Under-20 Lacrosse Team remains hopeful and determined, rallying support as they strive to achieve their World Championship dreams.
