GHSAA Camps Set Stage for 2016

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – The USA Rugby Girls High School All-Americans powered by ATAVUS will hold an East Winter Camp Feb 12-15 at the National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. following up on last month's West Winter Camp at the Casa Grande Sports Academy in Arizona.

"The overall purpose of the GHSAA Winter Camps is identifying and assessing players within the HSAA pool and then further developing select or high-performing players through additional training and international competition against Canadian teams," HSAA Coach Farrah Douglas told USA Rugby's Chad Wise.

Emilie Bydwell, Anna Kunkel, Ricardo Ramirez, and physiotherapist Ashley Cowan were also part of the staff. Most of the athletes that attended the Casa Grande assembly are new to the pathway, but not all.

"As we continue to build the program, having experienced players – like Lily Durbin and Emily Prentice – around is extremely important," Douglas told USA Rugby. "These players are team leaders and bring up the competition level of the group. And, as a role model for their peers, they provide the newer players with a real-time perspective on expectations and what being a part of the pathway means."

Following the East Winter Camp in Florida, Douglas and the GHSAA coaching staff will be able to finalize athlete availability for upcoming tours pre-Stars and Stripes, which includes an appearance at the Vancouver Rugby Festival alongside the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series' sixth leg.

Players at the West Camp