Bells keep Ringing

Retouching base with a former Q&A player, Mateo from San Jose, CA, It was great to hear from Mateo and as always very gracious for him taking the time to answer these questions. My hope is that you all, like my self, get a opportunity to learn a bit more about this young player and be sure to add him to your list of young up and comer to keep an eye on. 

LLR- Since our last conversation, how did last season end?

M- Last year was a rough season for our rugby program. The boys fought hard all the way through the season, and we improved tremendously throughout the season, but we ended up letting games slip through our hands. 

 

 

LLR- What preparations have you taken to prepare for this coming season?

M- The way I improved myself most was going to Argentina for 2 months to play rugby for a club team. I learned a lot about rugby culture in Argentina and how it is vastly different than the culture in California. I addition to the culture I learned about a whole new style of play, and I developed new skills myself. As a team we have been preparing by keeping each other accountable for training sessions and by helping the newer guys understand the game and how we prepare for it.

 

LLR- How has recruitment gone thus far in getting more players to come out for the team?

M- This last year we lost a large majority of our team that were seniors who all graduated and so now we are left with fewer numbers than I would like. The recruiting this year has gone well and we have a lot of newer players. I’m excited to see how they develop as rugby players this season and perhaps in the future if they decide to keep playing.

 

LLR- Are there any special matches scheduled for this season that we should all keep an eye on?

M- I think again like every year our favorite teams to play are Bishop O’Dowd and San Joaquin Memorial because they are usually evenly matched and everyone enjoys the competition. We play Bishop O’Dowd February 3^rd and San Joaquin Memorial February 10^th both at home.

 

LLR- Are there any schools you are narrowing down your choices to that you want to get a degree from and also play for?

M- As of right now my top 2 schools which I have heard back from are Colorado State, and Montana State. I plan to play rugby at whichever school I end up choosing while studying Environmental Engineering. I am still waiting to hear back from a few schools to release acceptances like CU Boulder and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

 

LLR- What would you like to major in when moving on to college?

M- I am planning on majoring in Environmental Engineering at whichever college I end up attending.

 

LLR- Are there future plans to apply for the MLR draft or are your sights set for something else?

M- I don’t think the MLR is in my future but I 100% plan on continuing to play rugby after college for a club team.

 

LLR- Current favorite rugby player?

M- I would say right now my two favorite players are Marcos Moneta and Antoine Dupont.

 

LLR- Favorite rugby team?

M- My favorite team is the Pumas because I am Argentinian, so I root for my own country.

 

LLR- Super Bowl, who do you have winning?

M- I have my bet on the Niners beating the Chiefs.

 

LLR- Favorite subject in school?

M- Favorite subject right now is probably my Engineering Design and Development class.

 

LLR- If you had an opportunity to speak with a coaching staff member from a national team, what would you say to them to take the chance on you?

M- If I had one chance to speak with a coach of a national team I would say “Just watch”. Now this might seem a little cocky but there’s no other way to prove myself other than to just demonstrate what I can do. Actions speak louder than words. No amount of “sweet talking” should vouch for someone’s abilities. Now in no way am I qualified to tell a coach of a national team to “Just watch” but that is what I would say if I had such ability.

 

LLR- Words of motivation for your teammates?

M- What I say to my teammates after every practice is that they keep improving every single practice. We have got to keep working hard and nothing is going to be given to us. Not only working hard for ourselves but fighting for our entire team. When you step on that field play with pride because you are representing Bellarmine. Leave everything on the field so when the final whistle blows you have no regrets.

*Bellarmine lost 2/3 40-19 to Bishop O'Dowd 

Fallow Bellarmine Rugby Club on instagram- @bcprugby 

Grace the Busy Beaver part Dos.

I thank you all for reading the first part of this Q&A, there was so much to share I had to split it in two. Grace is very honest and open about her experience thus far playing collegiate rugby and her opinions on development of the women's game. On February 10th western Washington will visit corvallis to take on the Beavers. I'm very much looking forward to seeing Grace and Sydney,  previous Q&A, battle each other on the pitch and an opportunity to show my young ones a battle of titans and future USA Eagles. 

  LLR- How was your experience playing with the pacific coast grizzlies, what lessons did you take away from that experience?  

G- Playing with the Grizzlies was an absolute honor. I felt super out of my depth and was shocked to be selected. I’ve always been pretty small for a forward, but getting to play with and against some of the best players in the country really increased my confidence and hugely increased my on field rugby IQ. I learned how to trust myself, effective communication with new teammates, and by the end honestly just how to play my game and that I have some unique strengths that can make me an asset. Particularly in incurring a lot of penalties by often being high tackled.  

LLR- What are you currently majoring in while attending OSU?  

G- I’m currently about halfway through my PhD in Environmental Science with a focus on Climate Change, studying medicinal plants and healthcare systems. 

LLR- What are your plans for after college, is rugby still going to be a part of that future?  

G- I don’t know if anyone doing their PhD has any clue what they are going to do when they are done. I have tons of great options, from working with the National Parks Service to working privately in GIS or even teaching college students. The goal is for rugby to be in my future as long as possible, I’d love to move somewhere with a WPL team and start playing more professionally. Honestly, I'd like to get to the highest level of play that I can. 

LLR- How was playing with the Oregon Sharks?  

G- Playing with the Sharks is fun, in Iowa 7s was kind of our bread and butter so it’s a game I’m pretty familiar with. It’s certainly intimidating to play with some of the most promising players in the nation in 7s, but aspects of it really taught me what kind of player and captain I want to be with my own team as well.

 

LLR- With the 2033 world cup, what's one location you think should host a set of matches?  

G- Obviously, I’m partial to the US, because I’d love to have it on home turf, but I also think we should try to spread it out from the west. Japan recently hosted for the men, and I think it would be great to have the women play there, too.  

 LLR- Let me ask a hypothetical question, and I like answering these myself personally. Magic wand scenario, there is a creation of a woman's MLR competition. Where would you like to see some teams placed and by when would you like to see something like this start?  

G- I mean, having the Women’s Premier League, I feel, is pretty similar. So honestly, magic wand scenario, we start funding the talented women’s teams that already exist and also increase the teams throughout the US. It shocks me that there are no WPL teams in the south, I’d love to see something in LA, NOLA, something in the Carolinas, Texas, etc. We have a lot of opportunities to expand women’s rugby in the US.

LLR- Do you think a competition like the PR7s has been helpful in raising the level of play for the women's side of rugby?  

G- Oh definitely! PR7s has also given so many talented players the ability to be seen as the high level players they are. I feel blessed to have played with so many people who play PR7s and I hope they continue to get more opportunities at high level play because of it. The marketing of PR7s has done a lot for rugby players.

LLR- You're a recruiter going into a high school classroom and your job is to pitch why those kids should join a university and play rugby, what are you telling them?  

G- That rugby has been my biggest source of stress relief and confidence. That there are very few other opportunities to be allowed to use your body in contact, to be aggressive, and to take up space. Sports in general, but I think rugby uniquely teaches women+ players to take up space with your body and voice. It grows athleticism, community, and confidence like few other sports I’ve played. Plus, how often do you get to tackle people and be cheered at for doing it?

LLR- Favorite eating place in Corvallis, Oregon, also favorite eating place in Iowa City ?  

G- Favorite in Corvallis has to be Evergreen Indian Restaurant, that’s my go to when I have something to celebrate or when I’ve finished grading a lot of exams. Iowa City has to be either Trumpet Blossom or Crêpes de Luxe, both huge players for the veggie people in IC. 

Besure to fallow grace through her Instagram-> @gracegalles

Grace the busy Beaver - part UNO

  

 When something like this does come together I am very excited and very proud to be able to share with you a small insight into another player/club that most may not have an opportunity to hear about since most of the larger publishing sites tend to focus on the bigger named schools. None the less I am very excited to shine the light on an amazing rugby player whos' played collegiate rugby in two different regions of our country and has contributed so much to both program's. Grace Galles is a very passionate person about her role with Oregon State University's rugby club and also where she would like to see her personally and professionally. A jack of all trades in the back line Grace can be another name you all will hear come 2033. personally I look forward to seeing her in person play while also showing my own young girls a positive role model to aspire to here in Corvallis.

This is part 1 of 2, part two will be published in the coming days.

LLR- Where are you from originally? 

G- I grew up on a farm, but the closest town was Washta, IA.

LLR- How are you liking living in the Pacific northwest?  

G- I love living in the PNW! It’s admittedly very different from living in the Midwest and takes some adjustment, but it is incredibly beautiful (and much more temperate).

 

LLR- How was your playing experience when you played for Iowa?  

G- My experience with Iowa was pretty split. My teammates were and continue to be inspirations and fantastic leaders in rugby at the collegiate, international, and coaching levels. At the same time, the experience with my coach at the time sort of soured my experience and made my growth as a young rugby player pretty difficult.

LLR- How is your experience with OSU and are there some differences between the two clubs?  

G- OSU has been fantastic. It’s pretty similar in that when I have played for both, we have been developing teams. I personally love building up teams and encouraging a new generation of players. The biggest difference has been the unmitigated support I’ve gotten at Oregon State, and the confidence my coaches have in me to continue to compete at a higher level.

LLR- Your role with OSU is social media, is there any frustration with that role or opposite?  

G- Social media has been super fun! I actually design most of our posts in between sets at the gym, so it isn’t too time consuming, and I’ve have gotten a lot of kind words from teammates on how our social media has been looking. It’s a fun position, and I love seeing our fan base grow.

LLR- How has the current season been going for the Lady Beavers?  

G- The current season has been really promising thus far. We have ~50 active players, which has been such a big change from barely fielding a 15s side the past few years. This means we have a ton of new players, but they are all so incredibly driven and talented. We’ve had a few rough matches but each started out with so much intensity and promise that I’m looking forward to what the winter season has to bring. Oh, and our developing side is undefeated, so the future is looking pretty bright

 LLR- What's been one of your highlights while playing with OSU?  

G- In terms of overall, it has probably been getting to learn so many new positions. A year ago, because of a teammate being sick, I got moved to scrumhalf for the first time and have been there ever since. I’ve recently played 8, and while I’m not sure that’s my calling, it has definitely been fun to play around. In terms of individual moments, playing 7s this last spring and absolutely dominating gave our team so much confidence and really shocked quite a few other teams and refs. 

LLR- There is a push to get women’s rugby to varsity status with the NCAA, in your opinion since playing with two collegiate club teams, should both IOWA and OSU move to make each club Varsity or are they just fine being at club status?  

G- Honestly, this is a tough question. Varsity sports get more funding, more attention, and there is a lack of contact sports for women at the collegiate level that definitely needs to be addressed. For that, I think varsity status would do a lot of good for clubs like OSU and Iowa. But that also implies that we have enough younger players to be recruited and competitive at a varsity level. I’m all for varsity status, I know that is a huge goal for both teams. But I also think we need to build at younger ages first to start seeing that kind of growth in the US

LLR- How can people follow yourself and the Beavers?  

G- I’m @gracegalles on I think every social I have ever had, and the OSU team is @osuwomxnrugby on Instagram and we livestream on @OregonStateWomxnsRugby on YouTube!  

Bright Future- Sydney the enforcer

 The 2033 women's rugby world cup is not that far and the current female athletes that are in high school and college will be the core of the USA lineup come that first kickoff. There is an explosion, albeit small right now, for women's and girls rugby in the USA. the emphasis on providing high quality matches and reporting on youth teams is seeing a rise for female players and their respected clubs. Sydney Copeland is one of those players who are taking advantage and thriving thanks to new programs being established and bridges being made between the various levels of rugby. She is a star on the rise and could very well be in the history books come 2033. A NorCal native Sydney has found her stride while attending and playing for Western Washington University, bringing pride to not just Bellingham but all the north west. With the PR7s and the much talked about potential investment into the WPL, players like Sydney and others could very well be better prepared for the future and  I hope you all enjoy learning about Sydney as much as I have.

LLR- Where abouts from the Bay Area are you from?

SC- I am from Martinez in the east bay area

LLR- When did you first start playing rugby and for what club?

SC- My senior year at Carondelet high school, they created a womens rugby team and I joined about halfway through the season in 2019.

LLR- You currently play for Western Washington university, how has your experience playing at the collegiate level been thus far?

SC- I have had a great experience with WWU, I have developed a lot of my core skills from being on this team and from the coaches that I have had. When I first came to western, my coach had taught me how to play scrumhalf and how to kick, and to see the progress I have made in those skills with where I am at on the team now is really cool. We also won our league last year and made it to regionals in California which was a great experience and a nice opportunity for our team to continue to progress to higher levels.

LLR- At such a young career you are experiencing some amazing opportunities, PNW selects, Pacific coast grizzlies. What are some key points that you feel those programs have helped you improve your overall playing experience?

SC- For both of these teams, being able to come together, having never played together as a team or even with most of the people there, and understand everyone's skills and the team dynamic is a great learning experience. Just being able to adapt to a new dynamic and figure out how to let everyone's skills shine and flow smoothly together is a great feeling and growth opportunity, and we got to see it work in Iowa with the PacCoast grizzlies with us winning tier 1.

     Also, just being able to play rugby at a higher level than our current collegiate level, with some of the best players in our region has been a huge factor in helping me improve as a player and teammate.

 Even with the PNW selects and our recent loss against UBC, it was a great learning experience. I feel like a game like that can help put into perspective what our weaknesses were as a team and individually, and how we can improve on those. If we are out here winning every single game we wouldn't get the opportunity to see those little things they were able to capitalize on and be able to grow from it.

LLR- Another amazing thing to point out is your time down in chula vista, can you explain what the reasoning was for the training and the impact it has had on you as a whole? 

SC- This year in 2023 I just started getting into 7s. My first camp at chula vista in June was a huge learning experience for me as a player and for my game in 7s especially. The first camp I attended was more of a learning-based camp to understand the strategies and skills for 7s and how to read the players and the field when on offense and defense. The next two camps in August and October were more performance based camps where we were able to take what we have learned and put it into practice with the scrimmages we did at the end. Overall, I have learned so so much just from these camps, especially being able to train and play with extremely talented athletes from all over the nation. I feel like I have grown with rugby and within my values, seeing how skilled and dedicated everyone is, is extremely motivating and pushes me to continue to work hard to be able to compete at this high of a level.

LLR- Focusing on WWU and the 2023/2024 season how has the team performed thus far reaching the halfway point.

SC- WWU has performed so well! We are currently 2-0 so far this season with big wins against U of O and UW. (our first game against OSU got rescheduled). We are looking forward to continuing to dominate in our league and hopefully we will be able to to compete at regionals again this Spring.

LLR- In your own opinion is there enough being done to get potentially young female players to pick up the ball?

SC- I have seen a lot of growth with girls and womens rugby but I always believe we can be doing more to spread the love of the game, especially to the next generation. Girls rugby is doing an amazing job of growing the name of rugby and empowering young girls all across the nation. I would love to see more funds and spotlight on them and their program.

LLR- Where would you like to see the women's game go here in North America come 2033 ?

SC- I would love to see womens rugby just as big as mens rugby in North America and the United S⁸tates specifically. I would also hope that by 2033, womens professional rugby players are getting paid enough to where they do not need another job.

LLR- Speaking of the USA Women's Rugby World Cup , is there any specific location you personally would like to see at least one round played at in 2033?

SC- I would love to see them play in San Francisco or at least somewhere in the bay area.

LLR- After WWU what's the next step in your rugby and personal journey ?

SC- After I graduate WWU I will have a bachelors in kinesiology exercise science, and will find a job in that field. With rugby, I am wanting to pursue it as far as I can and hopefully even playing professionally one day, thats the dream.

LLR- If you had an opportunity to go back to your middle school and high school, what would you say to those young girls in encouraging them to take up rugby and , for the older ones, going to WWU?

SC- I would tell them that they are capable of amazing things and to always, no matter what, through the ups and downs of life, always continue to believe in yourself. You are strong, powerful, and dangerous.

LLR- Final words of encouragement to those who are reading this?

SC- Keep putting in the work. Even if its not fruitful today or tomorrow, the hard work will pay off. Set your standards high and prove to yourself what you are capable of.

*If you would like to fallow Sydney on her journey along with the Western Washington Woman's rugby club and the PNW Womens Selects please give each profile below a fallow below!

Sydney- @sydneycopeland

WWU club team instagram- @wwuwomensrugby

PNW u23 regional instagram- @pnwws_rugby