New- look Axewomen
Th ree Oaks senior AAA girls’ roster features lots of new faces playing key roles entering David Voye Memorial tournament
Although there has been a large turnover with the Th ree Oaks Axewomen’s senior AAA rugby team roster, head coach Tim Hockin refuses to call it a rebuilding year.
“I never want to say it’s a rebuilding year, but I try to fi nd balance,” said Hockin in a recent interview with the Journal Pioneer.
Th e Th ree Oaks Axewomen and Axemen will host the 22nd annual David Voye Memorial senior AAA rugby tournament at the Summerside high school from Th ursday to Saturday. Th is year’s event has attracted a record 28 teams – 16 girls and 12 boys. Th e previous high of entries was 24.
“Th ere’s a big sense of pride playing in the Voye, especially the ( team’s opening) 3 p. m. game on Friday ( against North Nova),” said Axewomen senior fullback Hope DesRoche of Summerside. “You will have most of the school come out, a lot of people you normally would not see at a game.
“It’s really nice because you feel that big sense of community, which is a big part of rugby.” Hockin described the 2018 edition of the Axewomen, who defeated Montague to win the P. E. I. School Athletic Association Senior AAA Girls Rugby League championship in June 2017, as a young team.
“We graduated 15, 16 Grade 12s last year, so we only have six or seven Grade 12s,” said the veteran head coach. “Th ere are a lot of new Grade 11 girls fi lling some key roles.
“Th ey are athletic girls, and they just have a lot of learning to do as far as the rugby knowledge is concerned.” DesRoche, who also plays for the provincial under- 18 and under- 20 teams, said one key for the Axewomen will be to focus on their defence.
“I think off ence is where we will thrive being so athletic, but getting down hard on defence and not letting the opposition fi nd the gaps will be a big make or break for us,” said DesRoche.
Divisions
Th e girls’ teams are split into two divisions, and Hockin says it may be the strongest fi eld in the tournament’s history.
“Th ere will not be one easy game,” emphasized Hockin. The Axewomen, who have been hit hard by injuries early in the season, are in Tier 1 with North Nova ( New Glasgow, N. S.); Stouffville, Ont.; Avon
View( Windsor, N. S .); Sutton, Ont.; Montague; Westisle and Horton( Wolf vi lle,N.S .).
“We are in a tough division this year,” reasoned
Hock in.
“Th ere are
16 girls’ teams, two from Ontario, two provincial
Nova Scotia championship teams from last year, Horton ( Division 2) and Avon View ( Division 1).
“All of those teams are in our pool. It doesn’t matter who we play, it’s going to be a strong team. We are looking to get experience, we are looking to win a couple of games and just compete and keep getting better. Obviously, our ultimate goal is to win the province.” DesRoche, who will be wearing the Axewomen’s green and gold colours in the Voye tournament for the third straight year, said one thing the players enjoy about playing in tournaments like this one is to face different competition they normally do not get the opportunity to play.
“It gains us experience, because usually the teams we play are tougher ones,” added DesRoche, 18. “It will be good to get us used to playing hard defence and things like that.”
Diff erence
DesRoche acknowledged
there “definitely is” a difference playing against off - Island teams compared to P. E. I. competition.
“The teams in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are usually built on size and drilling the ball hard, where teams from here we are usually about all the same size, but it’s speed and athleticism that we are built
on,” continued DesRoche. Team and camaraderie are two important parts of a successful team, noted DesRoche, who was asked what attracted her to the sport of rugby?
“Th e big thing for me is the adrenaline you get from it,” answered DesRoche.
“It’s not like playing soccer or
anything else. You always feel that sense you have to do this. “You have such a set position that if you do not fulfi l what you need to do then you are going to let down your team and that’s not something you want to do.”