DSHA Player Gets Capped for South Africa Tour

Here is a press release from USA Rugby about our U20 Women's' National Team. Congratulations to Maggie Reidy of our own Divine Savior Holy Angels, who earned a place as a starting second row for the Eagle's tour of South Africa this past weekend. Below is the press release from USA Ruby, announcing the full lineout for the match and here is a link to Women's Rugby Review's coverage of the the Eagles 37-7 defeat to South Africa.

Thanks to Tom Schmitt for passing along the following press release:

June 20, 2008
USA Under-20 Women’s National Team Select for Lineup
for South Africa Debut
NELSPRUIT, South Africa – The USA Under-20
Women’s National Team announced today the team set to play the South Africa U-20 WNT on Saturday, June 21. The game will be played at the Nelspruit Rugby School at 3 p.m. local time.

“The quality of the players on this team is much higher than previous years and this made selections difficult,” said U-20 WNT Head Coach Bryn Chivers. “The South African side is new this year and while they have played a couple of games in the last month, we know little about them with the exception of the handful of players from their Senior 15s and Sevens squads.”

“We know they will be big in the tight five with and fast in the back three,” added Chivers.

Under-20 Women’s National Team Backs Coach Tasha Bishop thinks the squad will be up for the challenge and this will make for a very enjoyable game of rugby with interesting speed matchups across the backline.

Forwards coach Sue Oldenburg sees at the size of the South African forwards as a potential obstacle in the set, but is confident that the U.S. pack will offer their own challenge with their speed in the open field play.

The U-20 Women are scheduled to play two additional games in Nelspruit, capital of the South African province of Mpumalanga. The team meets another test against the South Africa Under-20 Women on June 28, and also has a match versus the Mpumalanga Senior Women on June 25.

The USA Under-20 Women selected to face South Africa are:

1 Rachel Sommer, West Linn, OR

2 Brittany Woodard, Hyde School, DC

3 Jay Marie Hill, Stanford

4 Anneke Brand, Texas Tech

5 Maggie Reidy, Divine Savior Holy Angels, WI

6 CandaceBarley, Maryville, TN

7 Katie Johnson, Hopkins, MN

8 Alex Hartley, Brown

9 BriAnna Barto, Summit, CO

10 Lisa Henneman (C), Seattle Women

11 Tyra McGrady, Indiana

12 Marie Timm, USMA

13 Catherine Turnerdrown, Riverton,UT

14 Seymi Salami, State College, PA

15 Sadie Anderson, Fort Collins, CO

16 Joanna Kitlinski, Grand Valley State

17 Tayo Mafe, Michigan State

18 Mallory Ives, Colorado State

19 Jozy Gesner, Summit, CO

20 Catherine Parkhill, Armstrong, MN

21 Kayla Morisoli, San Jose State

22 Blaine Martin, Brown

Wisconsin U19 to Play Exhibition at the Churchill Cup

The Wisconsin Women's U19 Selectside will be playing an exhibition match against the Indiana Women's U19 selectside at this weekend's Churchill Cup, an international competition featuring USA Eagles, Argentina, Canada, Ireland, England, and Scotland. The match time is set from 2:10 to 2:45 p.m. at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, IL. If you are interested in going down to support our Wisconsin selectiside, contact the U19 select coach, Scott Prunkle at u19selectcoach[at]gmail.com for more information.

Good luck and congratulations to our starting 15:

1 - Julia Thorne (DSHA / UW-Milwaukee)
2 - McKenna Smith (Catholic Memorial) / Shannon Capelle (Kettle Moraine)
3 - Cori Jensen (Madison Militia / UW-Milwaukee)
4 - Casey Hamill-Barth (Catholic Memorial) / Morgan Schneider (Muskego)
5 - Cari Berdan (Brookfield Bruisers) / Brittany Bell (Muskego)
6 - Addie Haupert (Muskego) [2009 Captain] / Samantha Capelle (Kettle Moraine)
7 - Elizabeth Perry (Brookfield Bruisers / Winona State University) [2008 Captain]
8 - Amanda Pohle (Catholic Memorial) / Reddiyn Wihongi (Milwaukee Scylla)
9 - Brittany Houston (Vernon / UW-Milwaukee) [2008 Captain] / Emma Pesci (Catholic Memorial) [2009 Captain]
10 - Melissa Ponsegrau (Vernon / University of Wisconsin)
11 - Valerie Seidl (Brookfield Bruisers) [2009 Captain] / Leslie Fickau (Vernon)
12 - Megan Ward (DSHA / Marquette University) [2008 Captain]
13 - Alisa Leoni (Lincoln Way / Marquette University) / Emma Pesci
14 - Samantha Bruni (Vernon)
15 - Andi Broge (Catholic Memorial / University of Dayton)

It is really great to see so many of our High School Girls players and alumni representing Wisconsin!

IRISH STAR TO BRING RUGBY EXPERTISE TO MIDWEST

From other sources, here is a press release I received about a rugby camp for players/coaches ages 17 and up. The camp is lead by a professional player from Ireland and will be hosted right here in Milwaukee, with other dates in Madison and Illinois. Here's the information from the press release:

An international sports star is set to give Midwest students a shot at the big time this summer. Rugby player Justin Fitzpatrick, who has played top class rugby for Ireland and Ulster, will take part in a series of coaching camps in the Chicago and Milwaukee region over the coming weeks, with a professional rugby career potentially up for grabs for those who excel.

Fitzpatrick, who boasts 50 European caps for Ulster and 26 for Ireland, hopes to raise the profile of rugby in the Midwest region, working alongside the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee coach Scot Prunkle at a time when interest in the sport is at an all-time high in North America.

Commenting on his Midwest initiative, Fitzpatrick said, “The Northwest is home to more rugby players than any other region of the United States. There are vast opportunities for the development of the game in the Midwest, and North America as a whole. I will have a team of top class coaches, including Scot Prunkle from the University of Wisconsin, and Jamie Turkington of Ulster and the IRFU working with me, and I am certain that we can uncover some untapped local talent,” Fitzpatrick will host three camps in the Midwest this month, in which he will pass on his extensive professional knowledge to local rugby enthusiasts. The first coaching session will kick off at the University of Milwaukee campus on June 19 and 20. The second session is on June 23 and 24 at Abundant Life High School in Madison, Wisconsin and the final session will be held at the South Side Irish rugby club in Oak Forest, Illinois on June 25 and 26.

Fitzpatrick hopes that the camps will forge a strong sporting link between the Midwest and Ulster, with the potential of player and coach exchanges a realistic prospect in the near future.

The camps will also act as a scouting session for Ulster rugby, so that the best players on show could potentially tie up with the Irish professional outfit.

“There is an historic link between the people of the Midwest and Ireland. There is huge potential here for the growth of the sport in America and for potential sponsors to be part of a new relationship with international rugby” commented Fitzpatrick.

UW coach Scot Prunkle is excited to have an international rugby player in the region for the summer. “This venture will go a long way to reward the thousands of keen rugby players we have in the Midwest,” said Prunkle.

“Justin’s coaching initiative will foster the skills and stamina to ensure rugby continues to flourish in the area once the camps have been completed. We have a great opportunity here to establish firm and long-term friendships with Ulster rugby thanks to Justin’s visit” Prunkle said.

The trip has been endorsed by Ulster rugby CEO Mike Reid, as well as Ulster supporters’ group The Front Row Union.

For more information on the rugby camp schedule and format please visit: http://www.justinfitzpatrickrugby.com/
.

More Youth Tag Rugby

Here is the word about another Tag Youth Program, this one geared toward middle schoolers sponsored by the Milwaukee Public Schools Recreation Department.

Program Description:

Rugby, from which American football is derived, is the second largest participation sport in the world behind soccer. Youth rugby is growing rapidly making up over 25% of registered participation nationally with 525 teams (high school and junior rugby clubs). Join this camp to experience a non-contact version that can be played safely. This is a team invasion game, resembling an all inclusive and continuous team game of tag with a ball. All players get to run, catch, pass and score regardless of their position, size, gender, or ability level. Skills developed are balance, coordination, agility, visual awareness, decision making and core fitness.

Program Details:

Participants: Children Ages 11 -15
Dates: Mon - Fri., July 14 - 18
Time: 9:30 - 11:30 am
Cost: $22 Residents/ $44 Non-Residents
Location: Hamilton High School

To register online follow this link to the MPS Recreation Department registration form.

Thanks to Jr. for getting this program going!

Tag Rugby (youth grades 1-6)

The tag rugby program, sponsored by the City of Waukesha Park and Recreation Department, starts tonight. The program is offered for children in grades 1-6.

WHERE: Mindiola Park, City of Waukesha (off of Sunset Drive)
TIME: 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
DATES: Fridays, June 13 to July 24 (no camp the week of July 4)

Volunteers and new players are welcome. New registrants can sing up directly through the City of Waukesh Park and Recreation Department Website.

Our Newest Arrivals and the official pools

Last night, the Wisconsin Girls Rugby conference had its pre-season meeting for the Fall 2008 conference season. We are pleased to welcome two new teams this year: Menomonee Falls RFC, sponsored by the Meonomonee Falls Park and Recreation Department and Pius RFC, which is affiliated with Pius XI High School. This brings the total number of clubs to 11, with most clubs fielding both a A and B side.

The Fall pools for the first five week of the conferences are as follows, based on standings from 2007 Fall season:

Pool A:

1. DSHA
2. Muskego
3. Brookfield
4. Oak Creek
5. Meonomonee Falls

Pool B:
1. Vernon
2. Catholic Memorial
3. Kettle Moraine
4. Northshore
5. DSHA-B

Fond du Lac and Pius XI will be playing B-side schedules and will not be participating in the regular pool play in the Fall 2008 season.

The conference has retained the 2007 play-off format with teams competing in 5-week pool play, including 1 non-conference match. Opening weekend is September 6, 2008. Following the five weeks of pool play, the top 8 teams are seated for the play-offs which culminate in all final matches being played on Sunday, October26, 2008.

Hopefully there will be more news to come as the season gets closer.

Congratulations!!

DSHA, Wisconsin's first team, brought home the first USA Rugby officially sanctioned national title this past weekend. It was all the more rewarding because you could watch it live on the USA Rugby website. This was a huge plus. Also... congratulations are in order to Lakewood, OH, who gave DSHA a very competitive game, finishing second. Always nice to see more success coming out of the Midwest!

While its a bit belated, we're proud of our Wisconsin teams that competed in the Midwest Chapionship. DSHA taking a first place and Vernon taking 5th in the Cup division. In the festival Division, Catholic Memorial and DSHA B are listed as 2 of the top teams in the festival division. Overall, the Wisconsin sides participating in the tournament racked up an impressive 11-1 record.

Coming up this week, the Wisconsin has its Fall Pre-Season conference meeting. By the end of the week, we should be posting details on the fall conference structure.