ASHKELON, ISRAEL — Israel will field a U-15 girls team to compete in the World Cup Lacrosse Festival, which takes place during the 2017 FIL Women’s World Cup, held at University of Surrey near London, England. Hannah Deoul, who served as Israel’s head coach at the U-19 FIL Women’s World Championships in 2015, returns to the sidelines to lead the festival squad.
Israel will announce an 18-player roster, featuring both Israeli players and members of the Jewish diaspora. The team will hold a three-day training camp in New York from April 14-16, before reconvening in London for the World Cup Lacrosse Festival from July 15-22.
Deoul competed in both lacrosse and field hockey at Middlebury College, where she was a four-year starting defender and senior captain. She received First Team All-American and First Team All-NESCAC accolades in her senior year, and was a five-time All-Academic honoree. Deoul is a naturalized citizen of Israel and served as co-captain for the Israel Women’s team at the 2015 European Championships.
“It is such an honor to be coaching at this level again and to continue my involvement with Israel Lacrosse, an organization that has contributed so much to my own personal growth,” said Deoul. “I anticipate this will be a transformative experience for many of the U-15 players. They have the opportunity to not just play against local rivals or competitors, they will compete under international rules against girls from all over the world. I’m excited to be a part of that and see the girls interacting with the international lacrosse community for the first time.”
With international experience as both a player and a coach, Deoul expects a lot of success both on and off the field. In addition to competing against teams from other countries, the U-15 team will also have the opportunity to interact closely with Israel’s Women’s World Cup team through a “Big Sister/Little Sister” program.
“This relationship between the two teams provides an opportunity for younger girls to be exposed to Jewish women who have played at elite schools,” added Deoul. “The girls will bond closely with their peers as well as the women’s team. It’s really an incredible atmosphere to share with and be surrounded by successful female athletes. It’s a much deeper connection than going to camp or playing in tournaments.”
For more information or to apply for the team, please contact Jim Gottlieb at jim@lacrosse.co.il.