Located in the county of Yamhill, the Valley Panthers have built themselves into a consistent player in the girls side of Rugby Oregon. Lead by second year head coach Christine Bader the panthers finished only 3rd in the high school state championship. With a emphasis on building comradery amongst her players who hail from various schools in the area, Christine is excited for what the future holds and not only where her program falls into growing the game but also where female rugby will be in the coming years.
C- I joined as assistant coach for the spring seasons in 2022 and 2023, and became head coach following the spring 2023 season.
LLR- Why coach rugby? What sets the sport apart from others?
C- I’ve played and coached other sports, but rugby’s “third half” in which teams share a post-game meal at all levels creates an insanely collaborative culture. Stepping in as the Panthers head coach this year, I’ve benefited so much from the generosity of other coaches, in and outside of Rugby Oregon. We’re competitive in that we want our teams to perform their best, but first and foremost we all want to grow the game together.
LLR- When were the Panthers founded?
C- In 2003-04—we’re celebrating our 20th anniversary this year! The club was founded by a McMinnville High School chemistry teacher, DeVon Cutrell.
LLR- How many players does the club have?
C- We had 30 players on our roster this spring.
LLR- How did the 2024 season go for the team?
C- We went 2-3 in league play, finishing 3rd overall in the state.
LLR- In your opinion have you seen a growth of girls rugby in Oregon or can there be more done to help grow it more?
C- Apparently there were 18 girls teams in Oregon before the pandemic! So yes, there’s a lot that we need to do to rebuild. Rugby Oregon does registration and scheduling; but there’s so much more to do in terms of proactively recruiting and supporting coaches and players, fundraising, liaising with schools, developing curricula for girls’ health and leadership development, and strengthening pathways before and after high school rugby.
LLR- Between the Premier Rugby 7s and now the recently announced Women's Elite Rugby, are these competitions that your players are excited for and an opportunity for you to help bolster the numbers for players coming out?
C- Of course: the more rugby, the better! I’d point to a few other competitions that are more immediate to my players: the rapid growth of women’s collegiate rugby, so my players have a sense of what their next step could be; the Olympics, since it brings the sport to a mainstream viewing audience; and Girls Rugby Inc., which runs flag rugby for girls in grades 2-8, and is on a mission to grow the game in the U.S. leading up to the Women’s World Cup in 2033!
LLR- 2033 will be here soon: Do you think Oregon should host a few matches for the World Cup, or should games be played at other locations?
C- It would be amazing to have World Cup matches here! Portland in particular is a hotbed of women’s and girls rugby, with the Portland Pigs and ORSU womxn’s clubs, and the biggest girls’ team in our league, the East County Grackles; and women’s sports more generally, with The Sports Bra bar that only shows only women’s sports earning national media coverage, and the very popular Portland Thorns soccer team. Outside of Portland, the Oregon Sharks is a top-notch elite squad; and on the women’s collegiate front, the University of Oregon’s Dirty Ducks and Western Oregon University’s Wolves just went to 7s Nationals! So yes, World Cup planners, Oregon is ready to welcome you with open arms!!!
LLR- Valley Panthers is a multi-school program, how is the relationship between players coming from different schools?
C- We’ve spent a lot of time fostering 1:1 relationships to break down any barriers between schools—we had six different high schools represented this season!—and it’s been surprisingly seamless. We’re all Panthers!
LLR- Do you have words of encouragement for young girls currently playing in middle school, elementary, on continuing playing rugby as they move up in grades?
C- Unfortunately there are few elementary and middle school opportunities for girls to play rugby in Oregon right now. But Girls Rugby Inc. is working to fill that gap!
LLR- What's the best way for everyone to follow the team and get updates?
C- Instagram @Valley.panthersrugby, or Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/valleypanthersgirlsrugby.
We also have a basic website at https://valleypanthers.carrd.co/, though it’s not updated as often as our social media accounts. But our contact information is there—feel free to reach out any time!
I would like to thank Christine very much for her responses and I would also like to acknowledge the previous female leaders and players of their respective clubs that I have interviewed. The way each of them talks so passionately and cares deeply for their teams, players and teammates and the development of not just the athletes themselves but also taking the time to care for each one of them as a individual person. It gives me hope as a father with some of my young girls already involved with Girls Rugby inc. that the path women's rugby is heading down right now here in America , the game is due for a explosion from the bottom up. If people like these women I've spoken with in the last 4-6 months continue to be involved and continue to keep doing what they are doing, I for one feel confident and comfortable leaving my kids in the hands of individuals to help mold them into great athletes and also great humans, and that the USA Eagles women's will be a force on the pitch come 2033.
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