FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 17, 2018
New York, New York– The Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) has appointed five outstanding individuals to the Women’s Officiating Leadership Team for the FIL Women’s U19 World Championship being held in Peterborough, Canada from August 1-10th, 2019.
The appointed FIL Women’s Officiating Leadership Team will include Stephen Taylor, Women’s Officiating Chair, Jane McCarthy (England), Head Administrator, Nancy Madsen (USA), Head Assignor, Mara Wager (USA), Head Clinician, and Sachiko Goto (Japan) and Wendy Reynolds (England) the Head Mentors/Assessors.
Taylor was thrilled with the five appointed individuals and the range of experience that they bring from around the world. “I’m delighted to welcome back Nancy and Wendy after a terrific World Cup in 2017 and to add FIL Officiating committee members Mara and Sachi as well as Fiona, who served as the liaison for officials in Guildford and brings an extensive organizational skillset from her career in international banking,” said Taylor. “Combined, the team has over 125 years of lacrosse experience from three continents and twenty-two world events between them, which will benefit the officials and the competition as a whole.”
Since the first Women’s Field World Cup held in Nottingham in 1982, the demands on officials have grown with every event. With the provisional recognition of the Federation of International Lacrosse by the IOC executive earlier this week, the level of knowledge, ability and professionalism expected of officials has increased.
This summer, the leadership team, with the help of fifteen off-field officials, will provide the thirty-nine umpires with a programme of training, mentorship, and assessment designed to ensure the highest level of performance.
Taylor also mentioned to say, “With almost 100 games over the ten days of competition in Peterborough, our officials are going to be put through their paces, starting with three days of clinics and testing overseen by the off field officials and the leadership team. I am confident that these five appointees will help us achieve our collective goals and I, on behalf of the FIL, am honoured to be working alongside them.”
Joining Taylor will be Head Administer, Jane McCarthy. Manyof our Officials will remember McCarthy from the 2017 Rathbones Women’s World Cup in Guildford, UK, where she was the English Lacrosse appointed dedicated liaison for the Officials for the entire event, solving all of our day to day problems and always with a smile. McCarthy previously held the role of secretary of the South East Women’s Lacrosse Association and is currently a member of the England Lacrosse Events Advisory Group.
“I am really looking forward to being part of the 2019 FIL Women’s Lacrosse U19 World Championships and very excited to say hello again to lots of the friends and colleagues I met in 2017 at the Rathbones Women’s World Cup in Guildford,” said McCarthy. “It’s wonderful to be returning to Canada for the U19 Women’s, with very fond memories of the 2006 Men’s World Championships in London Ontario.”
Along with McCarthy will be Nancy Madsen as Head Assignor. She is a National Elite level NCAA women’s field official who umpires Divisions 1 & 3 collegiate seasons and postseasons as well as being a US Lacrosse and Capital District Volleyball Assignor. Madsen has worked extensively with the US Lacrosse National Ratings Board and the NCAA on US National Ratings and brings over 25 years of rating and assigning experience to our event.
“I am very excited to be selected as the head assignor for the 2019 FIL Women’s Lacrosse U19 World Championship in Peterborough, Canada,” said Madsen. “It is a great honor to be working with officials, athletes and coaches from all over the world in this international event. I look forward to the challenge of assigning this tournament and working with the entire leadership team.”
Head Clinician will be Mara Wager, whoretired last June after more than 30 years in education providing more time for her work as an NCAA Official umpiring lacrosse, basketball and volleyball. Wager has been an International Official since making her debut at the 2000 European Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. She has gone onto umpire at four world events, including the final at the 2017 IWGA World Games in Poland, despite breaking her wrist only 10 days earlier at the Women’s World Cup. Wager has served on the FIL Women’s Officiating Committee for the past four years and is a regular presenter at the annual US Lacrosse Convention.
“I’m looking forward to working with a great leadership team in 2019 to contribute to the success of the FIL Women’s Lacrosse U19 World Championship,” said Wager.
The teams Head Mentors/Assessors will be Sachiko Goto and Wendy Reynolds. Gotostarted her officiating career in 2000, when she was a player at University, and has been officiating on international level since 2008, when she gained her international certification. She officiated at the 2009, 2013, and 2017 Senior World Cup Events as well as the 2011 U19 Championships and was honored to umpire Gold Medal game at the 2011 and 2013 events. She has been involved in international officiating development as FIL officiating committee member since 2012 and has contributed to the development of officiating in Asian countries through leadership roles in the Asia Pacific Championships.
“I am delighted to accept the position of Head Mentor/Assessor. Participating in world events has presented me with challenges that became opportunities for learning. For officials, a world event is an irreplaceable place to connect with fellow officials, to learn and to have fun,” Goto said. “The rules in women’s lacrosse are facing big changes and I’m excited to be part of a leadership team guiding the game at such an important time. I look forward to the challenge in 2019 FIL Women’s Lacrosse U19 World championship.”
Reynolds represented England as goalkeeper for 13 years, playing in both the Edinburgh (1993) and Japan (1997) World Cups. After hanging up her goalie stick, she became an umpire and, since 2003, has participated in every World Event, both U19 and Senior, and was honoured to umpire the U19 USA v Australia Gold Medal game in 2007. In 2011, she moved to the sidelines as an assistant coach for the England team. Since 2015, having completed both London and Edinburgh marathons, a subsequent back injury has meant less time on the field but has given her more time to assist up-and-coming umpires.
“I am delighted to once again accept the position of Head Mentor/Assessor and look forward to returning to Peterborough,” Reynolds said. “The World Cup provides umpires with the opportunity to officiate the best teams in the world, to catch up with old friends and make new ones. I wish all officials a wonderful time and urge you to make the most of every opportunity.”
In 2017 she was Head Mentor/Assessor at the Senior World Cup in Guildford, where she was honoured with an International Emeritus as well as saying the Oath on behalf of the Officials.
