Rachael Lynch - One on One

Rachael Lynch retires from the Hockeyroos as Australia’s most capped goalkeeper.

In an international career that began in 2006, she has competed on the world’s biggest hockey stages and shone at major tournaments.

Currently enjoying some time back in Melbourne at her family home, Rach looks back on her time representing the green and gold after calling time on her 15 year career with the Hockeyroos.

Congratulations Rach. A career spanning 15 years and 233 international appearances. How’s the decision to retire sitting with you?

RL: “It has been a luxury having this time since the end of the Tokyo Olympics to the start of this year to be able to see where I am at, spend some time working and seeing and talking to people. This has all definitely helped and allowed me to make the decision that I have.

I feel pretty content. As much as I feel I’ve still got more to give the sport, I fully respect the focus on the group for Paris 2024 and feel I can still contribute to the sport in other ways.”

How do you look back on your time with the Hockeyroos?

RL: “I have lots of really fond memories and have had so many wonderful experiences. Particular tournaments, games, milestones and international tours, they are memories that have changed my life forever. The friendships are a very special part of it but there have been some key moments that I will never forget. Hearing Rosie Malone and Sav Fitzpatrick read my poem at the Olympics after I won World Olympians Association Olympian for Life award was the most special individual moment of my career.”

Are there any that particularly stick out?

RL: “Our gold medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in 2014. It wasn’t winning the medal, it was how we did it scoring the equalizer in the dying seconds then going to shootouts. Competing at the Olympics is obviously special, but it’s more the laughs and the moments along the way that I remember. The milestones and individual awards are special but I play hockey for the girls and for the friendships and the experiences. That is what means the most to me.”

What are you most proud of over your time in the national team?

RL: “I am most proud of the impression I have made on people. There is a quote I try and live by which is, ‘people don’t remember what you achieved, they remember how you made them feel’. I have always tried to be kind to everyone and to give back to the community…to do whatever I can to help my teammates. That is what is important to me – not the number of games, not the medals I’ve won, it’s the care I have shown to the people around me and hopefully that has had a bit of an impact.”

There were some fantastic goalkeepers in the squad when you first broke into the Hockeyroos. What did you learn from them and what impact did they have on you as a player?

RL: “Rachel Dwyer (nee Imison) had a huge impact on me and my career. I have always aspired to be like her, not just in regard to goalkeeping but how she was off the pitch. Her desire to be the best at everything she did, to have a role in the health field where she could give back to the community, and having a life outside of hockey, knowing that you can have it all and pursue other passions while competing and training at the top level. I got to see that and it is much easier to be what you can see, plus the fact that she gave so much to me even though I was technically competing against her for a spot. That’s the way I wanted to be with other goalkeepers and people around me when I was competing.”

How do you look back on your milestone games?

RL: “Milestone games are special but I don’t play for individual accolades. I play for the fact that we get to do it together as a group. You don’t think about it when you start playing that you are going to play hundreds of games for Australia. Being the most capped goalkeeper ever for Australia is something I am very proud of as well and having a long career is something I was able to do because I have looked after my body, my mind and had that balance of work and life outside my sport.”

How have you managed to keep your body in the condition required to compete at international level for so long?

RL: “There are a lot of different elements but I can probably credit the Victorian Institute of Sport for that initially. They got me into the national program in really good shape and I knew how to train and what I needed to put into my body. But over the years it has just been my consistency of always training, being relentless with my approach. Having hardly any days off allows you to build a body that lasts the rigours of international hockey. I have never missed an international through injury or illness which is something I am pretty proud of.”

You gained a reputation as being clutch when it came to penalty shootouts. Without giving away secrets what was your approach to them and what did you love most about performing in such a tense part of the game?

RL: “I love pressure. I look forward to those moments and I think that gave me a bit of a mental edge. I feel really confident and have that belief in those moments which I think helped to rub off on the girls and take a bit of pressure off them. I wanted to take on the pressure so they didn’t have to think about it as much.

Goalkeeping is a position where you don’t always get to change a game, but when you get to shoot outs it’s your opportunity to show what you can do and I loved those moments. I just had a fierce desire to not let the ball go into the net.”

You played against some phenomenal players. Were there any that stood out?

RL: “I was fortunate to play against some of the superstars of our sport. Luciana Aymar, Dutch midfielder Lidewij Welten, Delfina Merino…some of the best midfield strikers in the world. I really looked forward to playing against them because it puts you to the ultimate test. But definitely the Dutch…every time we played them I knew I would have to have a really big game for us to win. Going back to my career highlights, when we beat the Netherlands in Melbourne in the 2019 Pro League was pretty special.”

You finish as a dual Olympian. The end results in Rio and Tokyo obviously didn’t go the way you and the team hoped but how would you sum up those experiences being on the world’s biggest sporting stage?

RL: “The Olympics are super special for any athlete. Rio and Tokyo were contrasting experiences, but the big thing I took out of the Tokyo Olympics was firstly to see the girls so happy and free and playing to their potential. But also coming home knowing that we created a lot of joy for people in the middle of a pandemic. I loved that kind of perspective on things. The patriotism and joy that came with the Olympics, I loved that we could play a role in that.”

What do you love most about playing hockey and what convinced you that goalkeeping was your talent?

RL: “I love that hockey is a sport for everyone – any age, any body type. It’s a very family orientated sport. But the decision to play hockey wasn’t really mine. I played a lot of sports when I was younger and got selected as a goalkeeper in a Victorian state team so that’s where it took off. I just love the inclusiveness of hockey, that anyone do it.”

Goalkeeping is a unique position. Are you hopeful your career can inspire the next generation of budding goalkeepers to represent the Hockeyroos?

RL: “I hope so. It’s partly why I started my STOMP goalkeeping academy and am doing some coaching because this sport has given me so much. It’s a good way for me to give back. I hope that I can help someone have the experiences that I was fortunate enough to have.”

Even prior to retirement you have plenty on your plate including your work as a nurse, your goalkeeping academy and ambassadorship for R U OK? Day among a host of other things. How did these other parts of your life positively impact your hockey, and secondly how much are you looking forward to devoting even more time to these pursuits?

RL: “The main thing it all gave me was a really good perspective. Sport feels like everything when you’re in it but it’s not the real world and it allowed me to have that perspective that when things weren’t going well I had other things in my life. I don’t define myself by my hockey and I think it has allowed me to be more well rounded with my view on the world.

In answer to the second part of the question, I’m super excited. I want to move into the mental health resilience side of developing elite athletes. I am keen to have an impact in that space because I think there is a bit of a gap there. I’m just excited for the future. I don’t know exactly what it will look like but I’ve got some cool things going on and am keen to immerse myself in those.”

You have always loved a challenge. What is the next big challenge for you?

RL: “I know I am going to have to do something else competitively because I love competing and that is going to be a gap in my life. I’ve always wanted to play basketball, that was my sport as a kid, but as a said I’d like to immerse myself in the mental health space and contribute. High performance sport is still a passion of mine. I still want to be involved and I think there are opportunities there to contribute and give back to sport at a high level.”

Are you keen to keep playing hockey in some capacity?

RL: “Potentially. I definitely want to keep playing for HC Melbourne in the Sultana Bran Hockey One League. I have really enjoyed spending time training with the Victorian Institute of Sport girls which I have been doing since I’ve been back in Melbourne. I’ve been able to do a little bit of coaching and mentoring rather than just being on the pitch which I have loved.

One of the good things about my situation is I don’t feel like there will be too many changes to my life. I will keep doing the things I’m already doing, the only difference will be not having international matches or being part of the Hockeyroos squad.”

Are you keen to move back to Melbourne permanently or is Perth home now?

RL: “I will stay in Perth for now. My brother and his family moved over last year and that has been a bit of a game changer for me. They have a two year old son and having him around more often has been incredible – I really enjoy spending time with my nephew. While they are there I’ll stay and I’ve got my job over in Perth as well.”

Finally, is there anyone you would like to thank or acknowledge?

RL: “I have had some really great sponsors along the way - Obo, Atlas, Stirling Ranges Beef and No Pong. My family and fiends (have played a really big role which I’m very grateful for. And my teammates. I had a look based on the number of people who have played for the Hockeyroos and I have played with over 120 girls in my career and feel so fortunate that I have had that opportunity to build friendships, share the field and do what we have done with those girls.”