An Orillia goalie has been named to Canada's U20 National Field Lacrosse Team.
Orillia Lady Kings netminder Ali Rolston had no real expectations of making the team when she attended the tryouts last year.
"I tried out just to see how I compared to everyone else," the 16-year-old said. "I kept trying really hard and working at it and I made it through all the tryouts."
Rolston started playing lacrosse when she was five years old. She says playing goalie gives her a "thrill."
"I love the adrenaline I get when I make a save," she said. "There is definitely a lot more pressure being a goalie, but I always keep a next-save mentality."
The Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School student credits all the coaches she's had over the years who have helped her become one of the best goalies in the country. One of them is Colin Doyle, a former captain of the Toronto Rock who she met through playing with the Rock Stars elite-level lacrosse program in Oakville.
"He's helped me a lot," Rolston said. "I get called back there for sessions with just him and his daughter."
Rolston also credits her father for helping her train almost nightly at the West Orillia Sports Complex.
"Every free night, my dad and I are at the field," she said. "We come up with our own little training where he uses a tennis racket to shoot tennis balls at me. We look up specific things I need to work on and talk about it and work on it until I get the skill."
Doug Noganosh, a local coach who played parts of three seasons in the National Lacrosse League, has also played a big role in Rolston's development.
"When I was younger, he really got me into lacrosse," she said. "He always made the practices fun and I always really enjoyed it."
Along her journey, Rolston has had to sacrifice living a normal life as a teenager to pursue her dreams.
"Basically, my whole life is just lacrosse," she said. "I don't really do anything else."
Rolston always prioritizes getting her schoolwork out of the way early in the day so she can spend each evening training. She says the busy lifestyle is worth it for the "thrill" of achieving her goals.
When Rolston got the news that she had made Team Canada, she was in the middle of her religion class.
"I had to go out in the hallway to take the call," she said. "It was hard to keep it contained at school because I was so excited."
Making Team Canada was the ultimate life goal for Rolston, but she isn't done working.
"I'm excited to get better and be coached by the staff," she said. "I want to take as much in as possible."
Rolston says she is excited to learn from Team Canada's starting goalie, Lauren Spence, a senior at Loyola University.
The next goal for Rolston is to play NCAA lacrosse on a full scholarship. She can start receiving offers on Sept. 1.
"I just have to keep going to recruiting events and keep playing in front of coaches," she said. "I have to keep getting better every time they see me."
