Inspiring new players
Olympian sets example for young rugby players on the field she played on just a few years ago as local girls rugby continues to grow
Olympic rugby player Hannah Darling has girls dreaming.
The former Peterborough Pagan stopped by her former rugby pitch at Nicholls Oval Friday night to celebrate her bronze medal win at the Rio Olympics in women’s rugby sevens.
Pagan Madeline Wannamaker, 9, thought it was pretty cool to meet an Olympian.
What made it even better was that Wannamaker plays on the same field that Darling once did.
And knowing that Darling made it from Warsaw to Rio means that anything is possible.
“I want to try to make it into the Olympic, too,” Wannamaker said.
Fellow Pagan Evelyn Lorenzen also thought what Darling accomplished was inspirational.
“It’s pretty amazing what she did,” Lorenzen said.
The 12-year-old made sure to watch the Canadian women’s rugby sevens, particularly Darling, while they played in Brazil.
“I was pretty proud to be a Pagan when that happened,” Lorenzen said.
Darling, 20, played for the Pagans for three years.
The Warsaw native remembers the days when she was a young player looking up to others, hoping to be like them one day.
“Now I get to be that person,” Darling said, adding how great it feels.
And she plans to be the best role model she can be, letting them know that the sky is the limit, no matter where you’re from.