Women's World Cup Kicks Off

While not exactly "WGR" material, the Women's Rugby World Cup does kick off Thursday in England. With a bunch of matches broadcast on the official website, let's roll out some support for our amateur women's players as they take on the world.

Official Website and match broadcast

Update: USA 51 Kazakhstan 0

Eagle Flight Camp @Marquette University

Pictured: Coach Jeff Noe instructs campers: #7 Talia Carrasquillo (KM), #23 Julia Hilbert (DSHA), and # 41 Megan Aprahamian (Vernon).

Last week, eighteen Wisconsin high school rugby players attended the u20 Eagle Flight camp at Marquette University's Valley Fields in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin (the home field of the MU women). Mixed in with scores of players who traveled from around the country to attend, the event offered girls a chance to experience other levels of rugby. Braving the heat and humidity of Wisconsin in August, the girls trained for three days and scrimmaged.

Wisconsin's own Jeff Noe helped organize and run the event. One of the true gentlemen of rugby, Noe somehow manages to continue playing for his Division I team, The Milwaukee Harlequins; coach the Kettle Moraine girls; act as conference coordinator for Wisconsin Girls Rugby, AND manage the USA's u20 Women's Rugby Team. He's coached hundreds of girls with great success, and probably doesn't get enough recognition for all the good he quielty does. Where would WGR and all those players be without his selfless class and dedication? Thanks Jeff.

Camp Attendees Included:

Brittany Aprahamian, Vernon
Megan Aprahamian, Vernon
Margaret Armstrong, CMHS

Lauren Becker, KM

Alyssa Blavat, DSHA

Holland Bohlman, CMHS

Talia Carrasquillo, KM

Mari Franzen, DSHA

Julia HIlbert, DSHA

Briana Klein, Brookfield

Erin McCullough, DSHA

Emma Metz, CMHS

Elie Miller, DSHA
Kristy Ruplinger, Fond du Lac
Katie Toshner, Fond du Lac

Emily Van Bibber, DSHA
Kaisee Wiesmueller, Brookfield
Katie Yanke, Vernon

Fall 2010 Division I Schedule

Wisconsin Girls Rugby released its 2010 Division I Schedule today. After unveiling its new competition, experts are predicting a fiercly competitive Fall season.

DSHA are a unanimous AP selection as pre-season favorites. After all, they haven't lost a match in the state since 2003 and return some devasting speed all around the pitch, especially in leading scorer Ellie Miller. Plus, they feature a returning 9-10 combination with loads of talent and experience. With a great coaching staff and depth, they will be tough to beat.

That should not mislead observers into thinking the state is short on talent though. The DI competition should be very competitive. For starters, all the Division I teams could field two sides this fall. Plus, there's no avoiding a top team anymore, as each team plays each other once in conference. Expect an absolute battle.

Brookfield, who finished 4th in the country last season, returns a lot of athletes, including USA's Brianna Klein and perennial All-Tournament selection Rachel Santulli at scrumhalf. They should continue to grow from last year's experiences. Now, how will the team respond to the departure of Head Coach Dan Chanen? He guided them to improvement each season he was at the helm.

Vernon, fed by a pool of young players coming up through their B-side and youth program, consistently fields strong, competitive teams. They also had a good spring season. Will a new generation of leaders step up to replace the graduation of key players?

Kettle Moraine may be the "horse" to bet on, as the Knight-mares return 14 senior starters. Many have been starting since their days as underclassmen. They have a powerful pack that's already fought together through two conference seasons. They are hungry for success. One wonders though if they have enough balance and speed in the backs?

Catholic Memorial will also have been hit hard by graduation. They seem to always have some speed, but the other power teams will certainly be asking questions of their 15. Do they have enough depth to compete with the Bruisers, Harlequins, and Knightmares?

Oak Creek is coming off a good spring season. They've done well to introduce rugby to the southside of Milwaukee, and without their success, one wonders if Cudahy would've gotten off the ground. Now, can they build off their progress in the spring? Built around a core of girls forced to start as freshman three years ago, they may just have grown up as a team. Their numbers were noticeably up last spring. With regular All-Tournament team selection Keyline Vega, a dangerous and speedy runner, they may pull off a surprise or two.

Division I: DSHA, Brookfield, Vernon, Catholic Memorial, Kettle Moraine, Oak Creek

DSHA:
09/12 Sunday Brookfield TBD
09/19 Sunday Vernon TBD
09/26 Sunday Kettle Moraine TBD
10/02 Saturday Catholic Memorial Minooka 10:00 am
10/10 Sunday Oak Creek Dretzka 1:00 pm

Brookfield:
09/04 Sat Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday DSHA TBD
09/19 Sunday Oak Creek Minooka 1:00 pm
09/24 Friday Catholic Memorial Minooka 4:30 pm
10/03 Sunday Vernon TBD
10/10 Sunday Kettle Moraine TBD

Catholic Memorial:
09/04 Sat Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/11 Saturday Oak Creek General Mitchell 3:30 pm
09/17 Friday Kettle Moraine Naga-waukee 4:30 pm
09/24 Friday Brookfield Minooka 4:30 pm
10/02 Saturday DSHA Minooka 10:00 am
10/09 Saturday Vernon Minooka 09:30 am

Kettle Moraine:
09/04 Sat Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Vernon Naga-waukee 1:00 pm
09/17 Friday Catholic Memorial Naga-waukee 4:30 pm
09/26 Sunday DSHA TBD
10/03 Sunday Oak Creek General Mitchell 1:00 pm
10/10 Sunday Brookfield TBD

Vernon:
09/04 Sat Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Kettle Moraine Naga-waukee 1:00 pm
09/19 Sunday DSHA TBD
09/26 Sunday Oak Creek General Mitchell 1:30 pm
10/03 Sunday Brookfield TBD
10/09 Saturday Catholic Memorial Minooka 09:30 am


Oak Creek:
09/04 Sat Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/11 Saturday Catholic Memorial General Mitchell 3:30 pm
09/19 Sunday Brookfield Minooka? 1:00 pm
09/26 Sunday Vernon General Mitchell 1:30 pm
10/03 Sunday Kettle Moraine General Mitchell 1:00 pm
10/10 Sunday DSHA Dretzka 1:00 pm

PLAYOFFS:
Quarterifinals 10/16- 10/17
Semfinals 10/23-10/24
DI and DII State Championship
10/31 Naga-Waukee Park, Delafield, Wisconsin

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

Division 2 High School Girls Rugby

Wisconsin Girls Rugby released its Division II schedule today.

Featuring three teams entering conference competition for the first time, it is hoped that the competition fosters even more of Wisconsin's impressive growth in girls rugby. The competition involves an annual promotion and relegation battle, with Fall playoff brackets. The top two regular season finishers compete in the Division I playoffs, affording them the opportunity to challenge for a midwest regional seed. The remaining teams playoff for the Division II Championship.

Noteably, Cudahy (est. 2010) and Menomonee Falls (est 2009) both played a season of non-conference matches to jumpstart their development, while Wauwatosa (est. 2010) bravely enters conference play in its inaugural season. Returning powers Muskego, Fond Du Lac, and Northshore will be keen to advance deep into the playoffs. How it turns out should be exciting to watch.

Wisconsin Division II Fall 2010
Northshore, Muskego, Fond Du Lac, Menomonee Falls, Cudahy, Wauwatosa

Cudahy:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Wauwatosa General Mitchell 1:00 pm
09/19 Sunday Menomonee Falls @ Falls? 1:00 pm
09/26 Sunday NSH General Mitchell Noon
10/03 Sunday Muskego Bluhm 10:00 am
10/10 Sunday Fond du Lac @ FDL 1:00 pm

Fond du Lac:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Menomonee Falls TBD TBD
09/19 Sunday Muskego Bluhm Park Noon
09/26 Sunday Wauwatosa TBD TBD
10/03 Sunday NSH TBD Noon
10/10 Sunday Cudahy @ FDL 1:00 pm

Menomonee Falls:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Fond du Lac TBD TBD
09/19 Sunday Cudahy @ Falls 1:00 pm
09/23 Thursday Muskego Bluhm Park 5:00 pm
10/03 Sunday Wauwatosa @ Falls 1:00 pm
10/10 Sunday NSH @ NSH 1:00 pm

Muskego:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday NSH @ NSH Noon
09/19 Sunday Fond du Lac Bluhm Park Noon
09/23 Thursday Menomonee Falls Bluhm Park 5:00 pm
10/03 Sunday Cudahy Bluhm Park 10:00 am
10/10 Sunday Wauwatosa @ Wauwatosa 1:00 pm

North Shore Highlanders:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Muskego @ NSH Noon
09/19 Sunday Wauwatosa @ Wauwatosa 1:00 pm
09/26 Sunday Cudahy General Mitchell Noon
10/03 Sunday Fond du Lac TBD Noon
10/10 Sunday Menomonee Falls @ NSH Noon

Wauwatosa:
09/05 Sunday Highland Games Waukesha Expo
09/12 Sunday Cudahy General Mitchell 1:00 pm
09/19 Sunday NSH @ Wauwatosa 1:00 pm
09/26 Sunday Fond du Lac TBD TBD
10/03 Sunday Menomonee Falls @ Falls 1:00 pm
10/10 Sunday Muskego @ Wauwatosa 1:00 pm


DI and DII Championships:
Oct 31st, 9am-4pm, Naga-waukee Park, Delafield

USA Camp in Milwaukee

There is one week left for players to register!

One of WI’s own, Brittany Houston, will be helping at the camp and will speak to her experiences in trying out and finally making the national squad. Danielle Miller, current forwards coach, will talk about her path from a college player, through the select sides and ultimately onto the 2006 World Cup team. It should be fun and interesting with the work on skills, in addition to the stories of how others found success through various levels in rugby. It will be a smaller camp, so the opportunity for a player to have one on one time with the staff will be readily available.

U20 WNT FLIGHT CAMP DETAILS:
Who: Female athletes age 13-19
What: The USA Rugby U20 WNT player development open camp.
Why: This is an open camp designed to give young players of all skill levels an opportunity to
receive coaching from the USA U20 Women’s National Team Coaching Staff.
When: July 29-Aug 1, 2010 (Athletes should arrive by 4 PM July 29 and may depart after 1 PM on the 1st.)
Where: Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI
Contact: Jeff Noe: Jeff.Noe@constellation.com

On Player Pathways ...

With all the World Cup Soccer in the news lately, plus word of rugby’s inclusion in future Olympic games, representing one’s country seems to be a dream often contemplated and seldom achieved. But, how does one actually get there?

Rugby, much like USA Soccer’s Olympic Development Program (ODP), has a system of select teams to offer young players development opportunities. While their merits are often debated, these pathways lead upwards from State age-level select teams, to a regional level, and finally the US National team. The rugby calendar is filled with camps around the country for all these levels. Using age groupings also results in a mixing of high school and young college players.

At the u19 level, a great athlete could conceivably go from the Wisconsin u19 Girls selects to the Midwest Regional u19 Team, and then the USA u20 Women’s Team, commonly referred to as the “Eagles” in rugby circles.

It doesn’t always work out that way. Some outstanding athletes burst onto the scene quickly and jump right to the Eagles. Before these pathways were solidified, some WGR players jumped right to the u19 (now u20) Eagles. DSHA’s Joanna Hoffman earned four caps beginning in 2004 and Kettle Moraine’s Kati McCormick earned six caps beginning in 2005. They went on to great careers at Ohio St and UW-Milwaukee. McCormick made it all the way to the USA Women’s National Team; the first and only WGR alumni to earn such an honor, although hopefully not the last.

These pathways offer players diverse coaching, unique camaraderie with similarly driven young women, and the experience of travelling to unique places.

The editorial offices of WGR would like to encourage those of you who’ve participated in these programs to add a comment or two about your experiences. Dream on!

J.