Women’s U20 Lacrosse captain ready to take on the world

With their first game in the World Lacrosse Women’s Under-20 Championship set for Thursday, Jamaica Women’s Under-20 Lacrosse captain Nia Peralto is ready to take to the field and test her mettle against the world’s best.

Jamaica will face Hong Kong in their opening match ahead of group stage fixtures against England, Japan, and Ireland.

Peralto is hopeful that her team can perform at their very best as she gears up for her first international tournament for Jamaica.

“I am so excited to represent Jamaica and be at that level for the whole team,” she said. “We’ve been working so hard together, and I’m really proud of them. I’m hoping that we’ll be able to take to the field and play as best as we can and as amazing as we can as teammates.”

Jamaica, ranked 21st in the world, will enter the competition, knowing it will be an uphill task.

However, Peralto is not discouraged ahead of facing her more fancied opponents. She believes the team’s strict training regime has given them a foundation to play on level footing against higher-ranked teams in the competition.

“We have a very strict training regime nowadays. We get there and we have conditioning and then we have stick work and a tight lunch break, so we have to be putting in that work. We have to make those sacrifices because that is what is going to get us there,” she said.

“It’s an honour because we go through such strenuous training. There are a lot of great players here, and now to be able to be on a team with them and to represent our country is just great,”

Peralto, the former Immaculate Conception High player, said the tournament also represents a major opportunity for players to impress scouts on the international stage.

Having seen the impact lacrosse has had on the careers of the men’s and women’s senior teams, she is excited ahead of her debut for the U20 Hummingbirds.

“It’s great because the opportunities we can get from this are amazing,” she said. “It’s going to be really hard for us, but we’re going to be able to do it, and when we do it, it’s going to open up a whole different world of experience for the country.”

Jamaica will be making their second-ever appearance at the tournament, having finished 21st overall in 2019.