“Whittle scores, England win!” are words now carved into the history of English Lacrosse forever following one particularly wet July Saturday in Guildford in 2017.
Megan Whittle had just sank a free position in golden goal overtime to complete a magical England comeback to defeat perennial medallists Australia and win the World Championship bronze medal in front of an adoring home crowd.
And after experiencing that English home World Championship in 2017, Whittle is now ready to experience another hometown Championship as the 2022 edition rocks up in her childhood stomping ground in Maryland and do it again for all the women who have inspired her in reaching this point.
“I’m so excited! Having the World Championship in England felt very homely and now it’s the same going to Maryland,” Whittle beamed talking about the prospect of a World championship right down the road from where she learned to play the game.
“At first when we were figuring out where the World Championship was going to be I was hoping for somewhere super exotic, but it turns out it’s happening in my back yard!”
Growing up in the hotbed of lacrosse that is Maryland, it was impossible for Whittle to avoid the game, and from the age of five she had a lacrosse stick in her hand.
From playing with her brother, to joining travel teams, to winning four National High School Championships at McDonogh School, lacrosse quickly became established as part of the Whittle family.
“My older brother got involved in the game, and I would go down to the practices as well with my Dad and then as soon as he figured out, ‘Meg you might be pretty good this’ he got really involved he was there at my games and he was a coach to me,” Whittle said.
It is obvious that family is at the heart of everything Whittle does, and while her Dad’s involvement means so much to her, it was and still is, the women in Megan’s life that give her the biggest source of inspiration and draw out so much pride when she speaks about their influence.
“I have so many badass women in my life that I look up to and my Mom and my Nana are two of them so having them support me it really means a lot it truly does.
“My Nana, the one who made me English, she raised my Mom and a few other children here in England and having my family be there and being able to watch the games at the stadium and on ESPN, playing for England, is such an important moment for me.”
“I get emotional talking about it, but it’ll be such an awesome moment. The sport has done so many good things for me and my life.”
In addition to the strength the women in her home life bring, it is also the women on the field that really drive Whittle to succeed and have done from a young age.
“Growing up going to university games at Maryland, Jen Adams (Current Australian Assistant Coach) was a huge idol of mine,” she said.
Whittle broke Adams’ Maryland scoring record, finishing her career with 298 goals and ending up 2nd on the NCAA all-time scoring chart, a three-time All-American, and helped lead her team to a pair of National Championships in 2015 and 2017.
“But Laura Merrifield was another one that I really looked up to for a long time, when I was eight years old in the stands at College Park watching her play being so in awe of her athleticism, and I would say she’s still my biggest inspiration even today, so the fact that I’m able to compete on the same pitch as her as a fellow Terp is incredible.”
Whittle’s love for the England programme is carried throughout the whole squad and she is looking forward to being able to welcome them to her hometown and treat her to some of the Whittle family hospitality.
“I love my teammates; I love this programme and how far we’ve has gone since I’ve been a part of it.
“All of my teammates here in England have provided so much for me over the past six years so for me to be able to give back and have my family supporting them in the same way they’ve done for me is so special.
“All the times I’ve been training over here, on tours to Japan, Israel and Australia I’ve had such an awesome community of women and coaches to support me so having my family there supporting them makes my heart really full.”
Turning attentions to the competition on the field, Whittle also asserts that she feels confident she and this England team are in the best position possible to achieve more success in Towson.
“I’ve been doing everything possible to be in the best shape physically and mentally and I know that my teammates have been doing the same, that trust is there, I can’t wait to put on the England kit, get on the pitch, and play lacrosse with my best friends, there’s nothing better.”
“This time five years ago I was 21 years old and so I feel as though I’ve grown a lot as a player, as a young woman, as an athlete and I couldn’t feel more prepared for this World Championship.”
When Whittle announced herself on the international stage back in 2017, she was still just a Junior at Maryland, and as she admits, still learning the game; but now five years on and coming off a third season as Assistant Coach at Stanford she feels her game has matured even more so.
“Being a coach, especially at the collegiate level in the US, has been an eye-opening experience and it’s been really exciting for me.
“Now when I play, I’m just a player I’m not a coach and I feel that pressure is off of me but I feel as though I understand the game much better now, my lax IQ has improved significantly, and I feel like I can now add a calm presence and voice on the pitch.”
It's been a long road for all involved to get to this point, but the return to playing lacrosse back in Maryland, when it comes later this week against Australia, will be a sweet experience for Whittle that she is ready to cherish with her England team.
“Having the team experience lacrosse on my home soil, where I grew up, where I learned the game, having the teammates I love the most right by my side I wouldn’t want to experience it with anybody else.
“Having England across my chest is such an honour and privilege and I will never take it for granted.”