Wednesday, November 27, 2013

WGR Spring Events: April 5th WGR Pre-Season Festival

WGR will be launching several new efforts in the Spring of 2014.  One of these is the first annual Spring Pre-season Girls Rugby Festival.  It will be on open 15's tournament for any girls high school team (not u-19 or all-star) that wishes to play some matches.   Several out of state teams have been invited including some from Minnesota and Illinois.

There will not be an entry fee, although teams will be asked to cover their share of the cost of the events.  Field and ref costs will be divided equally among the teams.   The venue will have at least two fields holding matches, perhaps more.  Potential locations include either of our top notch locations, the Brookfield Soccer Complex or Naga-Waukee..

The tournament will be a one-day event on April 5th and the initial list of interested teams includes nine sides:

DSHA, DSHA(jv), Oak Creek, Oak Creek(jv), Catholic Memorial, Brookfield, Kettle Moraine, Plainfield, IL, and Armstrong, MN
Interested teams should contact WGR before the New Year: wisconsingirlsrugby@gmail.com

There will be another, smaller event the same weekend with matches of 10's to aid the development of some of the smaller or newer programs.

The First Annual Round Robin 10’s:

·          Fond du Lac

·          Muskego

·          Appleton

Monday, November 25, 2013

WGR's Dog Sled Racing Coach ...



Kettle Moraine's coach Liz has been raising huskies since before she played high school rugby for the KM Knightmare's a few years ago.  She's been able to chase both dreams along the way, coming back to coach her old high school team after a good experience with her collegiate women's team.  Now, she's off to Alaska to work on the famous Iditarod Dog Sled races.  Not just a coach, she is one of those great coaches in our league who teaches her kids a lot about life and that's never been as clear as it is when you look at the blog she's created to recount her adventures up to Alaska this winter ....

So, check out her story in her own words at:  Embracing the Unexpected

A few inspiring excerpts:
"I am a recent college graduate just looking for work in my field of study, biology.  I spend most of my time volunteering or working with children. I coach a high school girls full contact rugby team who took 3rd in state this past season with it being my first season coaching! SO PROUD! I also coach inner city flag rugby for youth 6-13 year old.  Winters I coach downhill ski racing for high school and youth and if I'm lucky I get some racing in as well. Beyond coaching I am a CNA at a nursing home caring for the elderly in their last few stages of life.  Hard work but all very rewarding."

"So basically this job opportunity is a once in a life time experience working for the most famous female sled dog racer in the world and she picked me out of all the people who applied to come work for her.  Not only that but she is allowing me to bring two of my dogs with for this experience! This is more than I could have ever dreamed of!"

"Dreams do come true you just have to keep believing in them! Always be ready to embrace the unexpected, you never know when your chance will come"

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

WGR Classic Matches prt i


WGR Classic Matches

There have been a slew of memorable, classic matches in WGR over the last decade and a half.  So, we surveyed a few of the current and old-time conference coaches for their nominations.  Some were nominated because of the phenomenal play involved, some for the drama of a final playoff upset or a remarkable back and forth rivalry match.  All were great matches.  We just couldn’t bring ourselves to rank them so we share them here chronologically.  We also rejected matches that didn’t take place in Wisconsin.  There are too many GREAT games from Nationals, Midwest, or on tour to include here.  We may feature those in a separate article at a later time. 
     Have any other nominations?  Do you have some names, details, picturesm or stories to add?  Send them to WGR at wisconsingirlsrugby@gmail.com .  Please excuse the dates below;  there  may be some errors in memory from our older coaches.

WGR 1997-2013 CLASSIC MATCHES
Summer 1997  DSHA v Wayzata  @Veteran’s Park, Milwaukee Wisconsin
    The first-ever girls high school match in the state saw Wayzata, MN drive down from Minneapolis in a chartered coach bus to play the Dashers in their white and red striped long-sleeve cotton jerseys.  The Dashers looked like the Canadian flag, or perhaps the red-cross team.  Playing 10’s due to low numbers, the score was something like 30-5 in favor of Minnesota’s original powerhouse.  But the scoreline didn’t matter, history had been made.

Fall 1998  DSHA v Krusaders  Dretzka Park
     With excitement for the sport growing, a group of girls from Catholic Memorial High School came together under coach Linda Niemela.  Although the team only lasted a season or two, it included, just to name a few, the likes of Kate Sarner future Scylla player, future MU players Erin Wells and Karen Kleczka, and future UWM rugger Bobbi Heritsch.  The team had to call themselves the Krusaders with a K since the school would not sanction them in their first season.
     The match that makes the list was actually the second-match between the sides; it was memorable because the Krusaders upset the more ‘established’ team in a close contest.  A rivalry was born.
Fall 1999  DSHA v Marquette University B-side   King Field
     The first few years DSHA was the only girls team in the state and they struggled to find matches, playing frequently in Indiana, Minnesota, and more frequently against local college sides.  DSHA lost a lot of matches 80-0 and 100-0 in those first few years.  It’s amazing they stuck with it.
     This match was significant because it was the first time DSHA won a game against a college side.  Several more followed after this breakthrough.  The exact year may not be exactly right.  Fullback Colleen Brennan sprinted to two long tries on an old “double d” pattern.
Fall 2001  DSHA v Highland  i and ii (The debut and the rematch)
     The first Highland or Northshore team, consisting mostly of girls from Homestead high school under coach Rick Ferrara were a force to be reckoned with almost immediately.  Featuring a core of talented athletes including Samantha (#8) and Kimiko Ross (thp) and Angela Mathews (#13), they defeated DSHA at one point that fall and completed in nationals in the spring of 2002, finishing 3rd.  This fall conference match was when they shocked DSHA amidst Mathew’s debut.  A big rampaging center with incredible speed to boot, she was dominant against high school competition, requiring a host of tacklers.  She was the Jonah Lomu of her era in WGR and every team had to game plan for her.  DSHA came back in the rematch later that fall and was able to win the conference title when Highland tied KM.
Fall 2002  DSHA v Highland iii  Veteran’s Park Milwaukee. 
     The third of the three great matches between the two rivals.  It was the final conference match of the season.  Highland still had a really talented team and this game came down to the wire.    The last ten minutes of the match were spent down on DSHA’s tryline.  A long defensive stand repelled Highland again and again, until a turnover led to a 90-meter scamper and mad dash for a dramatic match-winning try on the final play of the game from young sensation Natalie Mills, one of the great ‘finishers’ of the WGR early years.    It also signified the beginning of the end of Highland’s championship claims.  They never defeated DSHA again.
Fall 2002  Kettle Moraine v DSHA  Season Opener, Naga-Waukee Park
    Kettle Moraine shocked DSHA in the conference opener winning 46-5.  The Dashers have never since lost by anything close to as wide a margin as that day.  The culmination of the day was a scrum push-over try.  Not technically legal in high school rugby, the ref let the KM scrum drive the extra three meters into the tryzone for their #8 Brittany Hanson to fall down on the ball for a symbolic try of dominance.  The Knightmares had recruited a stable-full of good young athletes including future full eagle Kati McKormick in her freshman debut, and future USA 19 Nicole Heil in the centers.  KM went on to defeat DSHA in the second match in their conference series, to become the only other team besides DSHA to be crowned State Champion.
Fall 2003  Kettle Moraine v DSHA Oct 12th Minooka Park
    The second of the two matches between the sides was also the last time DSHA would lose a match in Wisconsin for a remarkable 7 consecutive years.  While it’s a little unfair that DSHA gets mentioned whenever they lose, such is the burden of their unprecedented excellence, success, and the challenge of expectations.  They’ve had a lot of great wins in that span.  
    It was a close match.  KM dominated possession and rucks early, racking up a 17-0 halftime lead.  Their third try came on a break from the DSHA #15.  KM’s wing, Justine Ellenson, cracked down and got in the passing lane and when #15 passed, she intercepted.  Running for the corner, she still had to beat a covering weakside wing, but a powerful stiff arm helped her shrug off the tackle and dot down for the most dramatic score of the match. 
     DSHA came back with two tries in the second half, including a twenty meter scamper by flanker Alyssa Hext after she scooped up a turnover.  DSHA senior #8 JoJo Hoffman was a tackling and passing machine.  She later went on to help lead Ohio State to nationals in her collegiate career, played for the USA u19's on multiple occasions, and even worked at USA Rugby for a time. 
     Player of the match, though, had to be KM's outside center Alex Glorioso who seemed to sidestep, spin, and run through three to four tacklers on every run.  She carried KM in this classic match, as KM won 17-15.  DSHA would win the state title on aggregate points for the tie-breaker.
 

 

Thursday, November 14, 2013

2014 Girls High School Rugby National Championship Tournament Announced


Berkshire United High School Rugby To Host Girls High School National Tournament
The Berkshire United High School Rugby Club will host the 15th annual Girls’ High School National Invitational Championship on Saturday-Sunday, May 17-18, 2014, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts and the beautiful Berkshires.

The 24-team NIT is organized by the National Girls’ Coaches Committee (NGCC). The tournament will feature 3 divisions. The first girls’ NIT was held in 2000, and has expanded from 6 to 24 teams since then.

Quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be held Saturday May 17, with division finals played the morning and afternoon of Sunday, May 18. All matches will be played at Taconic High School in Pittsfield. Berkshire United appreciates the support of Mayor Bianchi and the City of Pittsfield who has previously partnered with Berkshire United to host the 2012 Mass. State High School Championship and the 2013 NERFU Men’s Division 4 Championship.

High school girls’ teams wishing to compete in the 2014 NIT must return an application no later than Tuesday, January 7, 2014. Applications are available at www.rugbymag.com in the ‘Tournament’ section.

If you would like to know more, you can log on to
www.RugbyChampionships.org, www.facebook.com/NationalHighSchoolRugbyChampionships,

or reach Berkshire United President/Head Coach David Colli at  collirugby@gmail.com. You can also contact John Klein, NGCC Committee Chair, at chinnychinchin_2000@yahoo.com.

We hope to see you in the Berkshires in May 2014!

National Girls’ Coaches Committee contacts

John Klein, Committee Chair, Divine Savior (Wisc).:
chinnychinchin_2000@yahoo.com

Sefesi Green, Sacramento Amazons (Calif.):
sefesig@gmail.com

Rex Norris, Kent (Wash.):
rex.norris@kent.k12.wa.us

Marin Pinnell, Fallbrook (Calif.):
fallbrookgirlsrugby@gmail.com

Brad Rockwood, West Carroll (Md.):
rockhead01@verizon.net

Anthony Sasso, Kingston (NY)
anthonysasso711@yahoo.com

John Waliszewski, Catholic Memorial (Wisc.):
jwaliszewski@catholicmemorial.net

Jackie FInlan, Rugby Magazine/Media Liaison:
jfinlan@rugbymag.com

 
Tournament Coordinator/ Host Team
David Colli - Berkshire United Girls - (MA)
collirugby@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Spring Girls Rugby Events

With conferences around the country scheduling and planning for their spring seasons, it's worth mentioning that several events in 2014 will be supportive of girls rugby.

Check these out if you're looking for a venue with some girls high school rugby matches:

April 5th:  Possible All-Wisconsin Pre-Season Tournament
April 12th-13th  St Louis Ruggerfest
April 26th-27th  Midwest Championships  Elkhart, Indiana
May 3rd  Crusader Cup HS Girls 7's Tournament
May 17th-18th  Girls National Championship Tournament (Venue to be announced in a few days!!!!)

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

ACRA Women's Collegiate National Tournament

ACRA has released their seeding and brackets for their collegiate women's Division 1 and Division 2 National title tournaments.

Their are two Midwest seeds to be announced for the division one tournament.  In Division 2 an entire host of Midwest teams will be competing, including:

Winona St, Univ-Ill. Chicago, Grand Valley St, UW-Stevens Point, and UW-Lacrosse all represent the Midwest in the field of 32.  Lots of WGR alumni out there!  Best of luck in your playoffs.

Monday, November 4, 2013

Player Safety in Rugby



There's been a lot of talk in Wisconsin about dangerous tackling in the NFL after the Green Bay Packer's Jermichael Finley suffered a bruised spinal cord in a recent game.  He had to spend the night in the ICU after being carted off the field from a dangerous "shoulder charge' type tackle.
 
The sports talk world is abuzz with discussions of how to protect players in a full contact sport like football.   Wisconsin's local ESPN radio affiliate with Steve "Homer" True on AM540  recently turned to rugby to answer the dilemma of how football should adapt to protect players.  Rugby has been very proactive in this regard and in fact has had more stringent tackle safety laws in place for decades.
 
Here's the link to the radio station discussion:

International Rugby Board Law 10 states:
“Dangerous charging. A player must not charge or knock down an opponent carrying the ball without trying to grasp that player.”

http://www.irb.com/mm/Document/LawsRegs/0/Law10EN_7702.pdf

Here is a perfect video example of this Rule in action – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NctcFYO0yQ&t=1m10s

This rule just makes sense.  If a tackler must wrap up in the tackle, it changes the focus of the tackle from the big hit or 'spearing' to grasping the ballcarrier.  While some boys high school players struggle at first with rugby tackling, we've found that our girls league players actually learn to tackle better, rugby style, since they learn the proper technique first.

The IRB also prohibits "dangerous tackles" in other ways, including what is commonly referred to as a "high tackle" but which may also include 'tackles' like the 'whip tackle' where a would-be tackler grabs a ballcarrier with one hand and whips or flings them to the ground.  This is clearly not 'wrapping up' and dangerous and not allowed.

In a related note, there are some studies out there that indicate there are less injuries in rugby than football.  The tackle rule is surely one reason for this.  The other reason is that studies show the more hard equipment a player wears, the greater the impact created.  Thus, although players may think helmets and other equipment protect themselves better, it actually may do the opposite, leading to increased impact force.  Some football players also play with a reckless abandon and false sense of safety with a helmet on and they sometimes lead with the head as a result.  This should become more and more a thing of the past in football.

Friday, November 1, 2013

All-Conference Meeting Nov 18th

The Wisconsin Girls Rugby all-conference coaches and administrators meeting will take place Nov 18th, 2014 at 7pm.

Any coaches interested in developing new programs should attend this meeting.  Coaches may add items to the agenda by contacting board members prior to the meeting.  This will also be the time for programs to complete their spring schedules.

Spring Dates that we already know:
-April 20th  Easter
-April  26th-27th  Midwest Championships  Elkhart, Indiana
-May 3rd  The Crusader Cup  HS Girls 7's
-May 17th-18th  National Championship Tournament

Agenda and info is available by contacting WGR: wisconsingirlsrugby@gmail.com

State Tournament Pictures are up ....

Some of the picture folders are up from the State Tournament:
http://ricks-pics.smugmug.com/2013-Wisconsin-Girls-Rugby-Sta