La Roche’s last shot at Olys
Winnipeg product back with national women’s water polo team in bid for spot at Paris games
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 06/02/2024 (604 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Shae La Roche finally feels like herself again.
Three months ago, the veteran leader of the Canadian women’s water polo team was on crutches and unsure of whether she’d return to the pool professionally after having surgery to repair the damaged meniscus in her left knee.
The 31-year-old former Winnipegger (now living in Laval, Que.) healed more quickly than expected and, while still not at 100 per cent, is back to scoring for the first time in seven months.

Antoine Saito / Water Polo Canada
Shea La Roche is back in the pool with Team Canada after having surgery to repair the meniscus in her left knee.
La Roche has four goals in the first two contests of the World Aquatic Championships, in Doha, Qatar, including three in a 20-5 triumph over Great Britain on Tuesday.
“It was nice. It’s just been so amazing to be back at it,” La Roche said. “It’s very different getting to actually be in the pool again — my knee is good and working and getting to do what I love again. Considering it was a surprise injury, coming back from that was pretty special.
“We were kind of fortunate to have some easier games to ease into things and I personally really appreciated that just to kind of get in the groove of playing again.”
The world’s No. 7-ranked team cruised to a 24-2 victory over South Africa to open the 16-country tournament before drubbing the Brits. Canada must finish among the top-two countries that have yet to qualify for the Paris Olympics to earn a spot in the 10-team Summer Games.
No. 3-ranked Italy and No. 6-ranked Hungary are also looking to qualify this week.
Canada will wrap up group play against the Italians (2-0) on Thursday. A victory would secure a spot in the quarterfinals.
“Shae is the veteran of the team,” head coach David Paradelo said, following the win over Britain. “She’s been there for so long, it’s so important for us to have her back. She’s worked so hard to get back in the shape that she is, going through a lot through the last three years.
“It’s impressive, the resilience that she has to come back every time from some pretty difficult surgeries. But she’s back at it, working so hard, and she’s a pillar on the team.”
Five months before her knee injury, La Roche was under the knife to repair a torn labrum and bicep tendinosis in her left (non-throwing) shoulder. She recovered quickly enough to play in the World Aquatic Championships last July.
“Mentally, (the knee injury) it’s a totally different type of injury to just have your sport taken away so fast. So, I’m really grateful that I’ve had such a good medical team… I’m really cognizant of how lucky I am to have had so much support,” she said.
“To now, to just be at the point to be able to play I have to tape it but that’s totally fine, I’m just super grateful to be able to play again.”
With plans to retire after a decorated career following the Olympics, this would be La Roche’s last dance if Canada fails in its final bid.
The Canadian women could have earned a berth to Paris had it won gold at the Pan Am Games in Santiago, Chile, in October but fell just short after losing a 20-11 to the Americans in the championship game. It was the national squad’s third-consecutive silver medal at the Games and the first time La Roche missed a tournament in her career with the national program.
While she accompanied the team as a video analyst, needless to say, it was tough on her competitive psyche. She was, however, encouraged by what she saw from her teammates.
“It was harder to watch than it is to play and there’s so many conflicting emotions with that. But at the same time I was really proud of the way the team built with that tournament,” La Roche said.
“I think we came in really excited and really prepared and feeling like we can and absolutely deserve to win a spot in the Olympics.”
jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca
X: @jfreysam

Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh.
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