The Need Your Help
But there are other challenges aside from the games.
For example, the USA team is slated to attend a Jersey Ceremony at the US Embassy in Dakar, but there is no money in the budget for that trip.
The team is going to need some key snacks, nutrition, and most certainly proper hydration and electrolytes and that's costing more than expected.
If you would like to help them, there is a fundraiser set up by KJ Feury to help the team.
To donate, go here and make sure you check the box for U18.
Who Is Playing?
This is a heavily western team, with players from Washington, Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. But there are also players from Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Sisters and Luisa Moala are from Northside in Utah. Luisa is a co-captain, while Eseta, who plays prop and hooker in 7s, is one of two 15-year-olds on this squad. Flyhaldf and scrumhalf Ella Mornihan, who has exploded onto the scene, is from the Puget Sound area and she is the other 15-year-old.
Also from utah are hooker/center Sophia Johnson (Majestics) and scrumhalf Lavinia Lomu United. Lomu has been playing for about eight years, since she was 9 years old. Johnson has been playing less than a year.
Prop/flyhalf Abbey McGettigan is the other captain and she comes out of Downingtown in Pennsylvania. while prop wing (a powerful runner with speed) Sofie Ferri out of Hudson in Ohio is an offensive threat.
Idaho brings 16-year-old Mallory Crawford out of Eagle HS and 17-year-old wing Rebekah Jenks out of Rocky Mountain. Summit HS (Colorado) wing Avery Russer is another prop/wing combo.
The two players with the most rugby experience are forward Chloe Gandy, who has played 10 years at the Chuckanut Rugby Club in Ferndale, Wash., and Hunivaololo Folau, who plays for Westlake Drua in Utah and it a flyhalf/scrumhalf. Both have played for 10 years, since they were six years old.
Once again, here's the link to help bridge some gaps in their funding>>
