2026 (and Beyond) Selection Process and National Teams Identification Events

• 05/01/2026
• in General

Players who meet eligibility criteria (see High Performance) and who wish to be considered for selection for one of the relevant competing teams in 2026, must attend at least one identification event among those listed below, and on the basis of their performance, may be invited to attend an additional ID event for further evaluation or a team specific final selection event. Following any team specific final selection event the final roster and alternates will be selected.

All athletes must be fully registered members of Ireland Lacrosse (see Membership) to be eligible to participate in any of the events below, and registration will be available through the membership system (login and click ‘Events & Courses’ along the top). 

• Each event will go live in the membership system a minimum of two months prior to the start date.
• Events can be added periodically by members of the high performance committee. Please be sure to follow us on socials and bookmark this page for updates.  

Procedure:

• In general, Athletes must attend a minimum of one ID event in a given cycle, in order to be considered eligible for a National Team. Candidates must additionally meet any specific requirements outlined for a respective team, up to and including participating in a final selection event. 
• Specific to the 2026 Women’s Box Team, candidates are required to attend a minimum of two ID events to advance in the selection process.
• Athletes from a national team in the preceding year are automatically included in the ID pool and available for selection. Athlete candidates should still be evaluated at one of the ID events before being selected for a final event. 
• Athletes (meeting eligibility criteria) in the ID pool are valid for selection to any relevant national team. 
• Selection events and further progression in most cases, are by invitation only. (Contact the relevant Head Coach for more details.
• The coaching staff can shortlist specific National Teams at any point during the process.
• Player Fees & Invoicing: Selected athletes are responsible for costs associated with National Team participation (travel, tournament fees, etc.). Following selection to a specific selection or national team event, athletes will receive an official invoice and a secure payment link issued from (Stripe or Wise) via email. We do not publish these costs publicly as they are specific to each invite-only event. 

Notes

• Men’s Box Event in April is by strict invite only for the Extended 30 Man – Roster only
• Women’s Senior Field Event in May is strict invite only for the player pool

When selecting national teams all athletes should understand the key characteristics our selection panels are looking for.  

1. Fundamental Requirements
   • High baseline athleticism
   • Personal accountability 
   • Continuous Development Commitment
   • Professional approach
2. Cultural Alignment
   • Understanding of representational privilege
   • Team-first mentality
   • Program value embodiment
   • Positive influence
3. Development Focus
   • Continuous improvement mindset
   • Engagement with support services
   • Feedback receptivity
   • Performance progression