LAUREN Walshe won’t be short of support when she steps out onto the court at The Hydro as Team NI Netball face the 2018 gold medallists England in their first match at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.
The goalkeeper narrowly missed out on selection for Birmingham four years ago and will have the task of trying to stop the English who are ranked third in the world when the sides meet on the second day of competition in Glasgow.
Walshe, a teacher, will have her pupils cheering her on.
“The kids are very proud, I teach a wee primary 2 class, they’re all, Miss Walsh is going to be on TV, so they’re really excited, school’s obviously a great support system as well,” enthused Walshe.”
“My mum and dad are coming out, they’re going to come for basically all of the games, so, they’re really excited as well, they’re definitely going to be two of the biggest supporters, I would say.”
After the disappointment of missing out in Birmingham, Walshe is relishing going head-to-head with the best teams in the world.
“I’m really excited, can’t wait to just get started and see how it goes. Four years ago it was probably, I would say a difficult enough time but this is a new year, this is the aim four years later to try and get on the team and I’ve done it, so I’m really, really proud of myself and just really, really excited to get going.
”There are a few new faces, there’s three of us actually that’s going on the squad who are first timers, and then there’s a good few who are going to their third, a good few going to their second, So yeah, a lot of experience on the team and also a few new faces, so a good combination.
“There is no bigger challenge playing the likes of England and Australia but it’ll be especially for me, it’s going to be a first timer against teams like that.
“I’m just really excited for it, can’t wait to go up against some of the best in the world, see how they play and see if I can play against it.”
The Warriors are aiming for a top 10 finish in Glasgow with Walshe saying: “There’s three sort of teams we’re really gunning for I definitely think we’ll put up a great show and hopefully get the win.”
“Definitely 9th, 10th playoff and anything above that, really but that’s the aim, yeah and we’re definitely going with the hope of doing that.”
Walshe grew up watching the likes of Caroline O’Hanlon and now she’s going to be sharing a court with the former captain at a major competition.
“They’ve been girls I’ve looked up to since a young age, coming to Friday night netball in Lisburn.
“You would have seen them girls who obviously played Warriors and you’re like, that’s where you want to be, and now to be sharing the court with them, it’s just amazing, it’s really, really good.
“I think it’s just so surreal as well because you’ve went from being a young player, growing up, looking at them, wanting to sort of be them and then now to share the court with them, it’s just class, it’s a really, really good feeling.”
Walshe is keeping up the family tradition by being capped.
“My mum was a netballer back in her day, she played for Northern Ireland, actually, same sort of position as well, she was goalkeeper.
“She was the one that kind of nudged me towards the sport of netball and went from there, started off at a wee local club and then just built up from there, really.
“I probably started playing with becoming an international not in my mind and then got kind of poached, I would say, at like a couple of years starting off at the local club and then went to like a bigger club that played sort of Premier League and then just gradually went for underage trials, got on to a few underage squads and then just went from there.”
Working as a teacher and being an international athlete has its challenges: “It’s massively challenging but wouldn’t have it any other way, it’s a busy lifestyle.
“I’m a primary school teacher and then obviously have a lot on with training, so hard to balance, but definitely worth the balance, I think, a lot of sacrifices as well, you know, growing up, but good sacrifices in a sense, something that I would probably never change.
“Completely worth it, I’ve always been sort of sporty, I’ve always wanted to do something sporty with my life and Commonwealth Games has always been something that’s been in the sights.
“Obviously the last one didn’t go my way, but really, really excited to be on this team and really hopefully show something when we get there.”
