Girls Coach Needed

A plea from Fond Du Lac, as they look for some help with a great group of young athletes:

"FDL Rugby inc. is looking for a high school girls coach. The FDL Sirens have 35 plus players but no coach. FDLRI will pay for any travel, dues and anything else the coach needs. FDLRI has all the equipment and facilities that a coach needs with great parent support. They start practice Thursday but the coach wont need to start until next week. The team also has a recruiting table at the schools student sign up days this Wednesday and Thursday which should increase the players on the team by at least 10. Any questions please contact Dale Klitzke. If a coach can't be found then they will have to cancel the season."

Brad S Casetta Sr.
President-Wisconsin Rugby Referee Society

Please go to the Fond Du Lac Rugby website for contact information and scheduling info.

Editorial:

The staff here at Wisconsin Girls Rugby can't refrain from commenting on this one. Over the last decade, we've seen many requests for coaching help in the girls league go without ever being answered. It's frustrating and disappointing. We've had teams fail to begin, even though a group of girls sign up and want to play. Worse is when existing teams fold not because of lack of interest from players.

During these same years, probably a dozen boys high school teams in the area have been created and coaches have stepped up to answer the call ... every single time.

This disparity comes across as unfair, really, to a group of young athletes hungry to learn and play. So, why doesn't the rugby community step up better? Why the difference?

We have coaches in WGR who have coached both boys and girls. There certainly is a difference. Coaching young adults, in general, can be incredibly trying of one's patience. But it's also incredibly rewarding and inspiring. That's why coaches coach.

One of the nice things about coaching girls is that they don't have to unlearn a football tackle. Girls generally don't spear tackle or hurl their head at a tucked ball ball like a football player taught to tackle with their "helmet to the ball" to create a fumble. That certainly makes the game safer and more like the flowing, skilled rugby games that can be seen at high levels of the game.

Girls don't try to carry a rugby ball like a football player would either, tucking it under one arm where it can't be passed or controlled.

In my time coaching boys, I remember doing some attacking and defense drills, marveling at the intensity level. I'd taken over an experienced team with 11 returning starters. Practice was undoubtedly more physically intense than one of the girls practices that year. I thought the boys were really getting it.

Come game time it was a different story. Right from kickoff, the boys quickly reverted back to football technique and did whatever they wanted. The mental and technical aspects of the game weren't applied well. That was consistently true throughout my time coaching high school boys.

Girls teams on the other hand consistently applied the lessons of practice far better come game time. Even with far less experienced players, they were more successful and skilled in much less time. They listened and soaked up all aspects of the game incredibly well.

Surely, this is anecdotal, but i know many others in WGR and at the collegiate level who would agree.

part ii of our office's commentary coming in a day or two

Fond Du Lac Coaching Position

Fond du Lac Rugby Inc. is accepting applications for head coach of its girls team. The "Fond du Lac Sirens" have 25 solid players and are growing every season, with 2 girls at the U20 camp this last weekend. Fond du Lac high school is the 2nd largest school in the state and is supportive of the rugby club.

The Sirens have a strong club that includes:
-The aid of a manager and 2 asst. coaches; although the head coach may bring their own staff.
-Use of all equipment, scrum sled, field and anything else FDLR Inc has.
-Practices set to begin Aug. 19th at 5 pm with practices on Tues/Thurs. through Oct.
-The new coach can set the practice times and days. Indoor facility access as well.
-Parents are active in the club, taking care of the after match social and other logistics.
-The position includes travel expenses, CIPP, and coaching clinic attendance.

-Anyone who would like more information please contact:
Brad S Casetta Sr.
Vice President
Fond du Lac Rugby Inc.
bcasetta@powerweb.com

Help Wanted In Kenosha

Are you looking for a way to help out our growing sport? Do you want to start coaching in one of the most competitive (and fun) rugby conferences in the country? Well, now is your chance to get in the game. John Klien, from DSHA, has put out a help wanted add for a coach in the Kenosha area on behalf of a a physical education teacher who wants to start a rugby club, but needs some help coaching and learning the game herself.

This is a great opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a club. Moreover, you will have the advantage of working with a teacher who is already at the school. This is a huge recruiting/organizational advantage. If anyone is interested, please post a comment here, and I will do what I can to put you in touch with the right people.

Coaching Changes/Rugby Alumnae

Since this blog posted the help-wanted add for Northshore, I guess we should report that that Northshore found a new head coach for the coming season, Kathrine Brennan. She will be replacing Katie Ehr, who served as the head coach this past season and who was previously the coach of Whitefish Bay. Both Kathrine and Katie played together at DSHA in the dark years, when there were no other high school teams in Wisconsin. As proof, here is the very first picture from this site from the very first "Nationals" tournament -- both Kathrine and Katie are in there somewhere.

I know the league is glad to see that some of its first players are coming back to help-out and provide opportunities for other players. Fortunately, Katie Ehr won't be leaving the rugby scene for long as, rumor has it, she is getting her credentials as a sir and will be helping out with a whistle come spring. Good luck (and thank you) to both Katie and Kathrine as they take on new roles in the Girls Rugby community.

I think that other alumnae from other clubs are also in the mix for sir certification and coaching positions. We'll try to update when we learn of alumnae from other teams who are coming back to contribute.

Coach Needed

This email was passed along to the Girls Coaching Community, but I thought
it would be a good idea to give it the widest circulation possible:

I am the manager for the North Shore Highlanders girls rugby team in Mequon. I am in urgent need of a coach. We have a pretty talented team, with a lot of underclassmen for players. This means that next year we can have a powerhouse of
a team. Only problem is I an in need of coaching. Our coach right now can't continue, new job responsibilities make it impossible for her to coach.

We currently have 17-20 players on the team roster. We are a combination of
players from Mequon, Cedarburg, Whitefish Bay. We practice Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays at Kletche Park in Glendale. We only have two games left in our season, then we start our playoffs. The playoff run through the month of October, with the Final on October 28th.

For the past two years we have travelled to Fullerton California in March to participate in an international tournament (they have teams from Canada). Last
year we took home the tournament trophy. I have been with this team for 6 years. I do all the planning, paying, and purchasing, etc etc. I really don't want to see this team fall apart, but without coaching there isn't anything I can do.

Please let me know if you are interested in helping with the team. You can call me at home after 7:00 pm - #262-242-5120.
Thank you
Paula Luft
NorthShore Highlanders -
Manager

The Northshore Highlanders are one of our oldest clubs with a long and storied past. Aside from the accomplishments listed above, they placed 3rd at Nationals in a year when DSHA finished 5th. Let's not let that club go without a coach. Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested