Evan Daum, Canada West Communications
Highlights:
- The Canada West Women's Rugby 7s Series opens this Saturday at the University of Alberta's Foote Field in Edmonton
- 2018 marks year two of a three-year pilot project between Canada West, B2ten, and Rugby Canada to provide CW female student-athletes with rugby 7s competition
- The addition of rugby 7s provides women's rugby athletes with a longer competitive season and more time to develop the skills unique to the 7s game
EDMONTON – Ask anyone their thoughts about the 2017 Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series and the reviews are all pretty much the same.
A rousing success.
Last year marked the conference's entrance into rugby sevens, as Canada West's partnership with B2ten and Rugby Canada allowed women's rugby athletes to play sevens in January and February, following the 15s season in the fall.
The addition of sevens during the winter semester has played a significant role in elevating the sport to new heights at the university level in Western Canada.
"The big part of it was the fact that it made it a more legitimate sport in some ways overall, because it extends the season to not quite the basketball and volleyball seasons, but at least now we're going through two semesters," said Alberta Pandas head coach Matt Parrish on the impact of adding sevens.
"It's actually really good for the athletes. They get a bit of a break over Christmas time, which physically and mentally allows them to heal. I've got nothing but good things to say about this."
Rugby sevens' momentum seems poised to continue in 2018, as the second year of the conference's three-year pilot project begins this Saturday and Sunday under the dome at the University of Alberta's Foote Field.
For student-athletes like Alberta's Alexa Martin, who's in her third season with the Pandas, getting the opportunity to compete in meaningful games during the winter semester has been a welcome addition to the schedule.
"Before (last year) our season very much ended after 15s season. We still trained, but it was all indoors. We couldn't do contact, we only did sevens once a week – it was very minimal – and any tournaments we were in had a very recreational feel," explained Martin.
"Having this tournament, the dome, and with sevens being in the Olympics now, it's all created this momentum that has the potential to move sevens up onto the same playing field as 15s rugby. As an athlete, that's incredibly exciting and very exciting that it's been able to happen over the course of just a couple years."
Being able to compete for a greater portion of the academic year has been a significant development for Martin and her teammates, as they've embraced the added competition sevens has provided.
"Rugby 15s, especially in Alberta, is a pretty short season and when we had other student-athletes ask us about our season, we only had four games and then it was over," said Martin.
"Other teams were going both semesters and having this opportunity to go year-round definitely allows you to have being a student-athlete be more of your identity, because you're competing the whole time. You're not just a part-time athlete."
The added competition hasn't just changed rugby's perception among fellow student-athletes, it has also enhanced Martin's on-field skills, as she's been able to put her training to use right away in games against quality university opponents.
"Sevens is inherently a game about space and utilizing space," explained Martin.
"I definitely think that for me personally, sevens last year was a big step up from sevens in previous years. It allowed me to fall in love with the sport all over again and in an even deeper way."
Now, as the second season of the CW Women's Rugby Sevens Series opens, Martin is looking forward to continuing her development as an athlete even more than usual.
"I definitely had goals to play nationally for Canada, and I still do," said Martin, who missed the 2017 Canada West 15s schedule in the fall due to a broken ankle.
"That (injury) brought me down a little bit, but being able to have this season and the capability of coming back into it has allowed me to rekindle that (goal). I think that I'm going to be pushing hard this weekend and in the other tournaments trying to find my feet again and hopefully I'm still going to be pushing to play on a national level."
This weekend's tournament will feature the host Pandas, along with the defending CW rugby sevens champion Calgary Dinos, UBC Thunderbirds, Victoria Vikes, Lethbridge Pronghorns, and Fraser Valley Cascades. All six competed in last year's CW Women's Rugby Sevens Series, and will also be part of both remaining Series events slated for next month (Feb. 10-11 at UFV / Feb. 24-25 at VIC).
A complete schedule of this weekend's games can be found here, with the event being streamed free of charge by clicking here.
MEET THE TEAMS
Alberta Pandas
Head coach: Matt Parrish
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 3rd (14 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: 5th (1 pt.)
Alberta featured a young squad during the 2017 Canada West 15s schedule in the fall, and that group looks to continue their development during the 7s season. 2018 marks the second year the CW Rugby 7s Series will open in Edmonton, after last year's successful launch under the Foote Field dome. The Pandas went 4-2 at last year's Series opener in the Alberta capital and 8-4 overall.
UBC Thunderbirds
Head coach: Maria Gallo
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 4th (6 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: 4th (7 pts.)
Like the Pandas, UBC also fields a young squad this season, as the T-Birds enter the 7s campaign looking to improve on their 5-7 overall record during last year's two Series events. The Thunderbirds were set to host the second Series event last season in early February, but were forced to cancel the event due to heavy snowfall.
Calgary Dinos
Head coach: Simon Chi
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 1st (18 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: 1st (20 pts.)
The Dinos have emerged as the conference's top rugby program over the last several seasons, with a deep and inexperienced team led by the likes of national 15s player DaLeaka Menin. Calgary went 9-3 last season in 7s competition, edging out Victoria for the inaugural conference banner.
Fraser Valley Cascades
Head coach: Jen Ross
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 6th (2 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: Did not compete in 15s
After making their Canada West rugby debut last season as part of the CW Rugby 7s Series, UFV is looking to make strides this season. The Cascades feature athletes all in their first or second years, so experience will be in short supply for the Abbotsford based team that is still searching for their first win at the CW level. UFV will compete on home turf in rugby for the first time at the Canada West level Feb. 10-11 when they host the second Series event of 2018.
Lethbridge Pronghorns
Head coach: Neil Langevin
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 5th (6 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: 3rd (10 pts.)
It's been an emotional year for the Pronghorns rugby program, who dealt with the sudden passing of head coach Ric Suggitt in June 2017. Neil Langevin and associate coach Ashley Steacy are now leading the 'Horns, who hosted U SPORTS nationals in 15s this past fall. Outstanding centre Brittany Orr is the lone fifth-year on the squad, which is made up predominantly of second-year athletes.
Victoria Vikes
Head coach: Brittany Waters
2017 CW Rugby 7s Series finish: 2nd (16 pts.)
2017 CW 15s finish: 2nd (15 pts.)
Whether in 15s or 7s action, it's been Victoria and Calgary battling for top spot in Canada West rugby over the last several years. More of the same is expected during this 7s season, as the Vikes are a strong team led by a core group of fourth-years in Jess Neilson, Julia Folk, Madeleine Graham, and Gurpeet Dhaliwal.
About the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series:
2018 marks the second season of the Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series, which has been made possible thanks to Canada West's partnership with B2ten and Rugby Canada.
Through their joint support, which will include scholarship opportunities for players at all six competing institutions, B2ten and Rugby Canada are committed to helping Canadian female athletes pursue their athletic careers, including an opportunity to progress to the national team.
The Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series champion will be crowned February 25 at the University of Victoria, as determined by cumulative series points.
2017 Canada West Women's Rugby Sevens Series tournament dates: University of Alberta (Jan. 20-21), University of the Fraser Valley (Feb. 10 and 11) and University of Victoria (Feb. 24 and 25).