WITH ambitions of representing her country in the Lacrosse World Championships, Georgia Greenhalgh is set to be a force to be reckoned with.
The Haslingden High School student first tried the sport aged 11 and for three years was the only girl playing in the boys’ squad in Rochdale; she beat the boys at their own game.
Georgia, now 15, said: “When I played in the boys’ team the coach said I was the best player, better than all the boys who played.”
She has just become one of the youngest members of the Lancashire U18 Ladies Squad and also secured a place in the U15 team.
Georgia took up the sport in her home town of Rochdale because her older brother Jordan played in the team.
“Boys play in a team of 10 but now I am in the ladies’ team and there are 12 players,” she said.
“There is no contact in the ladies’ game but the boys’ game is more rough and tumble and I have had a couple of sprains.
“I am an all rounder and player and tend to go wherever the coach decides they need me.”
The sport’s rising star has also earned herself a place at the English Lacrosse Academy at Bolton School where she trains every couple of months.
“I want to play for England and I hope to trial for a place in the squad that will be going to the World Championships in 2016,” said Georgia.
When Georgia turned 15 she was too old to play for the boys’ team but because there was no ladies’ team she switched clubs and now plays for Timperley, Altrincham.
She has just competed in her first county tournament for the U18s team in York for the Counties Cup. Although Georgia scored several times for her team in the three matches they played, her team didn’t win.
In January, she will have her next training session with the Lancashire squad at Brooklands Lacrosse Club in Sale and the next tournament is in February.
“I decided to try lacrosse because it was different,” said Georgia. “And I wanted to stand out.”