Reed goes abroad for lacrosse tour of Australia

BELLEFONTE — To put her lacrosse game over the top, Catherine Reed made a trip down under.

Reed, a senior at Bellefonte Area High School, spent 11 days over the summer among the kangaroos and koalas as one of 15 players from all over the United States selected for by Beyond Sports girls lacrosse tour of Australia.

From July 30 through Aug. 10, Reed, a defensive player, received coaching, played games and got to experience life and culture on the island continent.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Reed, 18, said. “I was very excited and felt honored to be selected.”

Reed was one of two Lady Raiders considered for the tour, along with offensive player Makena Lake. They were recommended by Bellefonte coach Doug McKee.

Reed’s mother, brother and grandmother made the trip along with her.

Reed’s mother, Shari, said it was a fun excursion for the family but a life-changing one for her daughter.

“Catherine benefited from this trip in multiple ways. She developed extremely close bonds with the other lacrosse players and coaches from across the U.S. In fact, I envision her continuing close relationships with several of the girls. Catherine had an opportunity to further develop her leadership skills on and off the field. She also gained confidence in her abilities as a player and as a leader of her peers,” Shari Reed said. “As a mother, I was able to witness Catherine mature into an independent, strong young adult. After the trip, I am confident Catherine will be in a better place to navigate the responsibilities associated with college in less than a year.”

The younger Reed and her teammates spent the week and a half predominantly in the Sydney and Melbourne areas.

Although she’d traveled to Canada and the Caribbean, this was her first time in the southern hemisphere, which, itself, took a little getting used to.

“I knew there were a bunch of crazy animals and insects, but we went in their winter season so we did not deal with any of those,” Reed said.

Established in 2010, Beyond Sports operates under the motto “connecting the world through sports.” In addition to lacrosse, the organization brings together players across international borders through tours, trips and programs in baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, softball and field hockey.

The organization also sponsors international internships, study abroad opportunities and other leadership and educational programs.

When a classmate encouraged her to try lacrosse in sixth grade, Reed hardly could have imagined the sport would take her so far, literally. She said her team spent a few hours per day during the trip practicing and then played matches with several Australian club teams.

“Most of the Australian players had the same skill level as us, with one team playing at a higher level and one team played at a lower level,” Reed said. “I picked up a lot of new rules in lacrosse that differ from U.S. lacrosse. They only play with nine field players, while we play with 11 here. They are also very aggressive, more than any team I have ever faced in the U.S.”

It wasn’t all business, though. The touring Americans got time to see the sights and meet the Australian people. They attending a women’s World Cup soccer match at Olympic Stadium in Sydney, visited an animal sanctuary and a national park, had beach trips and fraternized with the people who call Australia home.

“Everyone was so nice and inclusive,” Reed said. “The people of Melbourne have an agreement with their government that allows artists to create artwork on their buildings and roads. It was beautiful and something I have never seen before.”

Perhaps the most ironic and serendipitous part of the experience was Reed’s exposure to her teammates, as the Americans tried to bond and come together over just a few days to be able to compete with established teams.

“All of the U.S. players got along so well. It was like we had known each other before the trip,” Reed said. “I became very close with them over the short 11 days we spent together.”

After high school, Reed plans on studying childhood development and psychology in college, with the goal of becoming a kindergarten or first-grade teacher.

The Australian tour was an experience that she said broadened her vision and would benefit that plan.

“This helps you figure out who you are as a person to make you a better leader for your team and help you develop your own leadership style,” Reed said.