TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — The Israel Lacrosse Association has announced that Laura Fine Liebman and Peter Friedensohn will serve as assistant coaches of the Israel National Lacrosse Team which will compete in the 2013 FIL Women’s World Cup; held at the Oshawa Civic Recreation Centre near Toronto, Canada, from July 11-20, 2013.
Laura Liebman (left) and Lauren Norris show off the NCAA D3 Championship Trophy as proud alumni of the Franklin & Marshall program. Norris earned the title as head coach; the two were previously teammates at F&M.
Liebman, a two-time Jewish All-American at Franklin & Marshall College, recorded 119 goals and 65 assists as a four-year starter, before coaching at the Trinity School in New York, where she helped lead the Tigers to their league championship in 2004. The Baltimore native currently teaches third grade at P.S. 87 on the upper west side in New York City and is an adjunct professor of Education at Bank Street College.
“I’m thrilled to have Laura join our coaching staff,” said Israel head coach Lauren Paul Norris. “She has tremendous game sense and her coaching experience will help us greatly, especially on the offensive end. Laura also offers a great deal of knowledge in regards to Hebrew language, Jewish culture and traditions which will be beneficial to us as we begin our unique journey to the 2013 World Cup.”
Liebman is an alumni of Taglit-Birthright Israel and has been to the country multiple times. She hails from a family of Jewish lacrosse players; her father, Stanley Fine (Johns Hopkins, ’65) was an All-American midfielder, and her brother, Michael Fine (Colgate, ’99) was a Jewish All-American goaltender.
“I’m very excited to return to Israel to combine my love of lacrosse, Israel and Judaism,” said Liebman. “I’m very much looking forward to working with a friend and former teammate, Lauren Paul Norris, on the World stage.”
Peter Friedensohn, who served as Associate Head Coach of Israel’s entry in the EC12 Festival in Holland, will join Lauren Paul Norris’ coaching staff at the 2013 World Cup.
Friedensohn, who served as Associate Head Coach for Israel’s first-place entry in last year’s European Lacrosse Festival, was a standout college player at Dartmouth College. A 1972 graduate of Lynbrook High School, where he played under legendary coach Tony Seaman, Friedensohn’s passion for lacrosse has led him to coach at virtually every level, from youth to college. He helped launch both boys and girls lacrosse programs in his hometown of Milton, Ma., and his tenure as a coach at Cardigan Mountain Lacrosse has exposed him to some of the greatest minds in men’s lacrosse, led by former Dartmouth head coach Dud Hendrick. An acknowledged student of the game, Friedensohn has an innovative approach to women’s lacrosse because of his intimate knowledge of fundamentals and strategy of both the men’s and women’s game.
“I’m thrilled to have Peter join our coaching staff,” added Norris. “His proven leadership skills and extensive experience training goaltenders will be invaluable for us, and his positivity and excitement will be contagious and motivating for the team.”
Friedensohn has three daughters who have played collegiately at Columbia, Tufts and Johns Hopkins, and his son Blair is a freshman goalie at Dartmouth College. Peter currently resides in Boston, Ma., with his wife, Patricia.
“I am delighted to have the opportunity to continue my relationship with Israel Lacrosse, while coaching alongside women the caliber of Lauren [Norris] and Laura [Liebman],” said Friedensohn. “We will bring a fast paced intensity to the championship and promote Israel Lacrosse on the world stage. Our team will be role models for all the young women and girls who are starting to play lacrosse in the State of Israel.”
The United States edged Australia, 8-7, to capture gold at the 2009 Women’s World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic. The Americans will defend their title against Israel and 17 other nations this year in Oshawa. In addition to Israel, other new entries who are playing in the World Cup include Hong Kong, Latvia and Sweden.
Israel’s roster will be composed of Israeli players, as well as Jewish players from abroad in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL). The team will train July 1-7 in Ashkelon, Israel, before flying as a team to Toronto on July 8.
