RWBB 3 - The Movie Review
The idea that coaches and sports help young people out of difficult circumstances is a strong one, a good and demonstrably true adage, but that doesn’t mean the journey upward is easy.
Nicholas In Deep with HS Ranks
Billy Nicholas has been busy. He took over Lindenwood University’s varsity women’s program in August and coached the DI team to an Illinois conference title, before making an appearance in the fall Round of 16. Once the season ended, the former New Yorker picked up the clipboard for Atlantis, coaching the girls U19 squad to the New York 7s Plate, and assisting Dana Creager during the Women’s second-place finish at Tobago 7s.
Wisconsin Names All-State Team
Fourteen forwards and 13 backs were named to the Wisconsin Girls High School's 2014 All-State team. State champion Divine Savior Holy Angels has 11 players named to the list, with four (all seniors) making repeat appearances on the all-state team. State runner-up Catholic Memorial sent six representatives to the state squad, with five of six players being juniors.
The only other school with multiple reps is Brookfield (4), while Appleton, Fond Du Lac, Kettle Morraine, Muskego, Oak Creek and Vernon were all honored by one player apiece on the team. The youngsters nominees - Emma Conrad and Megan Bird - are both sophomores and hail from Fond Du Lac and Oak Creek, respectively.
Plans Developing for Girls HSAA TeamThe recent news that Serevi is backing a more robust Girls High School All American program means …. what exactly? It means that the girls HSAA team will actually play some games. The whole deal came down because Serevi co-founders Chris and Julie Prentice traveled to China to see their daughter, Emily, play for the USA in the Youth Olympics. While there, they spoke with other parents, and concluded that the team could have benefitted from more time together. “It was an amazing experience,” said Julie Prentice about going to China.
Atlantis-APEX Team Debuts at NY 7s
The jersey will look familiar – the aquamarine base, Roman numerals and logo – but will be accented with tribal designs not normally found on Atlantis kit. That’s because the girls U19 team playing at the New York 7s will be the first Atlantis/APEX side to take the field, and the new jersey is just one way in which the two entities will be combining forces.
HS 7s Festival at Atlanta 7s
BOULDER, Colo., -- As planning for the third annual World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series continues to build momentum, USA Rugby and Serevi announced today a partnership which will add a High School Rugby Sevens Festival and coaching clinic to the schedule of Atlanta 7s events.
The high school tournament, featuring both boys and girls brackets, will allow players to sign up as teams or as individuals with the games culminating in finals to be played in between international matches inside Fifth Third Bank Stadium.
Rugby NJ Finishes Fall 7s Series
Rugby NJ recently completed its first Fall Rugby Sevens Series. The 4 Tournament series brought together HS 7’s teams from around the New Jersey/New York metro area. “It was a way for players to continue the 7’s they had played over the summer, and to build on the skills they’ll use in the Spring 15’s season. It also helped some new programs get going because its easier to start with 7’s than 15’s, so it was a success all around”, said Tom Feury, Director of Rugby for Rugby NJ, which is the Youth SBRO for New Jersey.
Jacobson, the Catholic Memorial Star to Watch
With the DI fall semifinalists named, it’s interesting to note that Catholic Memorial High School (Waukesha, Wisc.) has four alumni competing at collegiate nationals: Penn State’s Katie Mueller, Quinnipiac’s Maggie Wesolowski and Rebecca Haight, and Norwich’s Julie Else. It’s also important to note that the aforementioned are standouts (although Else is playing behind senior captain Emily Oor) on the varsity (near-varsity for PSU) squads.
So who’s next to come out of the Crusader camp? All heads turn to senior captain Lizzy Jacobson, who was named Back Player of the Game for the Wisconsin state final.
Girls HSAA Program Unveiled
BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby announced Friday its first official USA Rugby Girls High School All-American team, which will be sponsored by Serevi Rugby.
Joining six other USA Rugby age-grade All-American sides, including the Boys High School All-Americans, the GHSAAs will allow for comprehensive opportunities for young, female rugby players to be identified through the USA Rugby High Performance pathway.
Athletes will progress from the GHSAAs through to the AIG Women’s Junior All-Americans, the AIG Women’s Collegiate All-Americans, and then into USA Rugby’s Olympic Development Academy program to earn a spot with the Eagles in 15s and sevens, where they will compete in Rugby World Cups and Olympics.
DSHA Escapes Catholic Memorial in State Final
On one side of the girls’ high school Wisconsin State Championship, there is victor Divine Savior Holy Angels. The 2014 title sits atop a litany of state, regional and national accolades. The Milwaukee side entered this season with a lot of confidence – a boon that 22 seniors and a 57-player roster often affords – and there’s been some buzz that 2015 could be a special year for the Dashers. Catholic Memorial High School has as many players as DSHA has seniors. Three weeks prior to the title bout, DSHA defeated the Crusaders 45-7, so critics weren’t expecting a very competitive state championship. Those critics (us included) were pleasantly surprised to see a 70-minute, 15-10 contest evolve, however.
2015 Girls HS Championship Now Accepting Teams
The 16th Annual Girls High School Rugby National Invitational Championship (GNIC) will be held Friday-Sunday, May 15-17, 2015, at Founder’s Field in Pittsburgh, Pa. Organized by the National Girls’ Coaches Committee (NGCC) and the Pittsburgh Harlequins, the elite tournament will feature division one and division two championships, with the possibility of a third division championship.
Opening ceremonies will kick off on Friday, May 15 at 7pm, to be followed by Saturday quarterfinals and semifinals for each division. The finals for each division will be played Sunday morning and early afternoon.
Maggie Brennan, Driving DSHA
When one plays for a team like Divine Savior Holy Angels – a girls high school that has finished in the top three for more than a decade – things like playoffs, nationals and titles are on the radar before the school year even begins. The Dashers are cruising through the Wisconsin Girls High School league, now 3-0 after a 50-0 win over Appleton, but nothing is being taken for granted. Even the team’s best, most senior players appreciate every step that builds to the national tournament.
No one is more emblematic of the drive and talent that propels DSHA than Maggie Brennan. The 17-year-old center is a three-time All-State selection and former High School Championship All-Tournament team member, and one coach John Klein’s star pupils.
The Fall is Alive with Girls HS 7s
Slowly but surely, girls high schools are taking 7s more seriously. Fall leagues are popping up around the country, which is a good thing, because unless you live in Wisconsin or Colorado, there isn’t much 15s being played during this time of year. But that’s only one impetus – making rugby year-round for high schoolers – and a host of motivations are driving state youth organizations to set up fall 7s leagues.
The Iowa league had meager beginnings: 2.5 teams in its first year, 3 in its second, and now in its third year six teams and 84 players are involved. For Iowa, this fall 7s league is everything.
Rugby Festival Power by Serevi in NYC
Why are more than a thousand school kids from New York picking up a rugby ball for the first time in their lives next week? The HSBC Rugby Festivals powered by Serevi are making its first North American stop in New York on Monday September 29th and Tuesday the 30th to introduce local youth to one of America’s fastest growing sports. As rugby sevens is set to debut as an Olympic sport in 2016, one of the greatest ever players Waisale Serevi along with “The Fastest Man in Rugby” – current USA Rugby speedster Carlin Isles, current USA Rugby Head Coach Mike Tolkin, former USA Rugby player Phaidra Knight, and former USA Rugby captain and coach Matt Hawkins will provide hands-on demonstrations and coaching to middle and high school students in Queens and Harlem.
4 Still Undefeated in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Girls Rugby (WGR) finished its second league weekend, and four of the 10 teams are still undefeated.
Between Divine Savior Holy Angels’ two teams – varsity’s in the North-South Conference, and JV’s in the Classic Five – the Dashers are 4-0 in league. The elite side beat Brookfield (1-1) 55-0 and was highlighted by senior prop Taylor Bragg-Brock’s 70-meter try. WGR wrote: Any time a front row player breaks repeated tackle attempts, outruns players, and scores a long try, its memorable.
