By Alexandra Fairfield-Smith
For wheelchair rugby player Lilliana Prucha, her game face isn’t just for show - it’s a vital part of her preparation, every bit as important as the work she puts in on the court.
It’s in the quiet moments before competition, through a simple routine, that her confidence takes shape.
“If my hair and my makeup is absolutely on point and I look amazing, I feel so much more confident,” she said.
“I can go out there and really mess people up. I can take on the big, strong men while I look like a pretty princess.”
It’s a mindset that perfectly captures the 25-year-old Bond University student, equal parts humble and fierce as she prepares to represent Australia this week at the 2026 Santos Wheelchair Rugby World Challenge in Adelaide.
Prucha will take the court for the Australian Steelers off the back of a breakthrough 12 months, having helped the team qualify for the World Championships in Brazil at the Asian Oceania Championships in Thailand late last year.
But her rise hasn’t always followed the traditional path.
"I kind of fumbled on this pathway by accident,” she said.
“I got into wheelchair rugby because I was sick of not having friends. I needed something active to do and just trying to be around more people like me and find my place in the disabled community.”
Now in her second year at Bond, Prucha is studying a Bachelor of Data Analytics with a minor in sports analytics, balancing life as an elite athlete with part-time study.
“Bond has been super supportive with me studying part time, being able to have somewhat of a balance between my sport and my studies, as well as myself and hobbies,” she said.
Her hobbies, from painting and drawing to making music and gardening, contrast with the demanding physicality of wheelchair rugby and reflect the balance she’s worked hard to build.
As she prepares for Adelaide, it’s not just physical training that has evolved since her debut with the Steelers last year; it’s her mindset.
“I’m really looking forward to this one; last year I was so nervous because it was my debut with the Steelers,” she said.
“Whereas this time I’m like, been there, done that. Let’s enjoy it a little bit more.”
She uses a simple strategy to calm her nerves on the sidelines of the court. A notebook recommended to her by her coach, Johnny Eales.
“He recommended having a book where I could write down everything that I’m thinking, everything that I’m feeling, like what’s my game plan,” she said.
It allows her to stay present under pressure.
“What if I forget what the coaches have told me to do? I can’t forget it. It’s in my book.”
“And if I’m really nervous about something in a game, I can write it down and go, okay, stop worrying about that now.”
And with her calmer mindset comes clearer goals.
“I want to do a better job of screening and defending and not getting as stuck. I think just being a lot calmer out there will really help.”
With World Championship selection looming shortly after the tournament, Prucha is keeping her focus simple.
“I don’t really think about selection. I just make sure that I show up to training and do my job,” she said.
“I let the coaches make the decision. It’s out of my control at the end of the day.”
Long term, her sights are set even higher.
“LA 2028, here we come. I’m really hoping I can get there.”