New Zealand Lacrosse Team Scores Winning Bid with Bestselling Author
The New Zealand women’s lacrosse team is gearing up for a thrilling showdown at the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship in January. Held in Queensland, Australia, the championship promises high-stakes competition: the victor will be crowned the best women’s senior field team in the Asia-Pacific region, and the event also serves as a crucial qualifier for the 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Japan, with three coveted spots up for grabs.
A Novel Fundraising Effort
To help ensure their participation in this prestigious tournament, the team embarked on a unique fundraising initiative, partnering with none other than best-selling thriller author David Baldacci. Baldacci, a long-time friend of the Matchitt family, generously offered to immortalize the highest bidder of a fundraising auction as a character in one of his upcoming novels.
“We’re long-time family friends with the Baldaccis,” shared Lauren Matchitt, a member of the New Zealand team. “They are coming over in December for a holiday in New Zealand and my dad was talking to them about where to go and what to do. My name got brought up and he wanted to support the team, so he offered this donation which is amazing and very generous. We’re really grateful that he’s doing it.”
The lucky winner will have the thrill of seeing their name etched into the pages of a Baldacci novel, their destiny as hero or villain left entirely up to the author’s imagination. “It’s up to David about how he wants to write the character and whether you’re the villain, or the hero,” Matchitt added. “You don’t know yet, but you get a signed copy to read what you’re gonna be. It’s a cool, unique Christmas gift, especially for those who have everything … ‘Well you don’t have your name in a book, do you?!’”
A Team Effort and a Generous Gesture
The team was ecstatic about Baldacci’s contribution. “We were all so surprised!” exclaimed teammate Nikki Fordyce. “We’ve got books of his on our shelf at home, so my dad was pretty invested already, but the team’s just really excited to have support from such a unique donation.”
Baldacci, known for his gripping tales of suspense and intrigue, has penned 50 novels for adults, all of which have achieved national and international bestseller status. Several of his works have also been successfully adapted for film and television. His willingness to lend his talent to the team’s
cause demonstrates the power of community and the profound impact individuals can have on supporting the dreams and aspirations of others.
What were some of the challenges the New Zealand Women’s Lacrosse team faced in terms of funding their trip to the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship?
## Interview: New Zealand Lacrosse Team’s Unique Fundraising Strategy
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we have a very special guest, [**Name of guest representative from the New Zealand Women’s Lacrosse Team**], here to tell us about an exciting new chapter for the team. Welcome!
**Alex Reed:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** So, we’re hearing great things about your upcoming participation in the 2025 Asia-Pacific Women’s Lacrosse Championship. Tell us, what makes this tournament so important for the team?
**Alex Reed:** This is a huge opportunity for us! Not only will we be competing to be crowned the best women’s lacrosse team in the Asia-Pacific region, but it also acts as a qualifier for the 2026 World Lacrosse Women’s Championship. Securing a spot at Worlds is a dream for every lacrosse player.
**Host:** That’s incredible! Achieving that dream certainly requires resources. You recently employed a very unique fundraising strategy. Can you tell us more about it?
**Alex Reed:** Absolutely! We were incredibly fortunate to partner with bestselling author David Baldacci. He generously offered to feature the highest bidder of our auction as a character in one of his upcoming novels.
**Host:** Wow, that’s incredible! This must have generated a lot of excitement.
**Alex Reed:** It certainly did! The response was overwhelming, and it allowed us to raise crucial funds for our trip to the Championship in Queensland.
**Host:** It’s fantastic to see such creative solutions for supporting athletes. We wish you the very best of luck in the Championship!
**Alex Reed:** Thank you so much for your support. We’re going to give it our all!
**Host:** [Alex Reed’s Name], thank you so much for joining us today.
**(End of interview)**
Please note: This interview is based on the provided information and assumes details about the guest representative from the New Zealand women’s lacrosse team.
