#17 A Happy Yet Indecisive Rugger
My rugby heart is just so so happy this week between watching the 7s olympics, coaching my local high school girls rugby club, and deciding on where to play for the next season. I can’t wait to tune into USA vs Australia tonight at 9:30EST YEAH BABY!! And seeing all the press women’s rugby 7s is getting because of Ilona Maher like YES, YES YES YES. Also, Kristi Kirshe freaking ROCKED the game vs. China like talk about impact, my goodness. She literally came onto the field and it was a change of energy for the team. I absolutely love watching her run.
This week I also started coaching strength and conditioning with the High School Doylestown Girls team which is the team I played for from 12 years old to 18. The same coach, the one who inspired the name of Go Forward, Stacy, is still there making the girls run the same hill that I used to run 7 years ago. Stacy was running late as she has 3 growing kids at home who participate in SO many things ranging from America Ninja Warrior to blueberry picking to karate to dance, literally anything you can imagine these kids have done. I really don’t know how Stacy continues to do it all but any time I get to spend with her I am thankful for.
Talking to the girls it was easy to see how much of an impact Stacy is having on their lives. They told me it’s almost sad how great of a coach Stacy is because she set the bar too high for coaches in their future; they know they won’t ever find another Stacy. She tells you like it is, she’s honest yet supportive and you know she cares about you as a person more than a player. Her tone and delivery are IMPECCABLE. She makes you laugh when you mess up yet gives you the tools to grow and fix it.
I had the girls go around and introduce themselves with their favorite thing about rugby, about half of them mentioned the community and people you meet through the sport. I can’t even put into words the incredible people, especially women, I’ve met through rugby; Women who are unapologetically themselves, who stand up for what they believe in, they’re innovative, they’re resilient, they’re just freaking gorgeous humans inside and out.
Seeing the girls’ faces light up when I told them I had just come back from Spain and I’m looking to play next season back in Spain or in Hong Kong made my heart smile. I got excited thinking about the future of all the girls in that circle and the world of women’s rugby opportunities expanding day by day because of women like Alycia Washington and Kristine Sommer at the XV Foundation and like Illona Maher increasing the love of the game and it’s players.
I think of my favorite coaches and the majority are women; Stacy, Tiffany Faaee, Hannah Stolba, Katie Dowty, just to name a few :) I think part of the reason these coaches felt special to me is that I could see a bit of myself in them. I see an example of a strong, confident woman who’s energy I hope to emulate and pass down to younger generations.
Basically I am feeling super grateful with a happy rugger heart. And now I have to decide if my next rugby adventure will be Hong Kong or Spain. I’m feeling pretty torn (like seriously I’m going back and forth and even made a lengthy pros and cons list and meditated on it lol) but I really just love that Hong Kong would be a totally different and new experience, get me out of my comfort zone, and I’m sure the blog content would just pile up… (do it for the blog??? It’s called Ruckin Around the WORLD for a reason people!!) I don’t know, stay tuned about that one.
Anyways, don’t forget to watch and support women’s rugby 7s tonight!! :)