King’s-Edgehill has healthy showing for first game of the season
Coach says about 50 girls looking to play rugby this year
There was no shortage of enthusiasm at King’s-Edgehill School’s pitch Thursday afternoon as the first high school rugby games of the season got underway.
On April 7, the KES Highlanders took on the Park View Education Centre Panthers, starting with a sevens skirmish, followed by a regular girls’ game and then a boys’ bout.
Coach Rory Campbell, who has been guiding the girls’ team for a number of years, said it was a positive first outing for his team, who won 52-10.
“We’re lucky. I have a huge group of kids,” Campbell said following the match.
“I have close to 50 kids on my team, which is incredible. It’s quite a mix. I have kids that are going to university on scholarship, national identified players, to kids who have never played a team sport before.”
Campbell said he has a healthy roster of senior players this year, which should make for a strong team.
“Our returning girls played well, and our new girls learned and had fun. I think it was a really positive day,” he said.
The worldwide pandemic caused the previous two seasons to be cancelled or shortened considerably. Prior to that, government concerns over health and safety involving the contact sport resulted in changes and also interrupted the season.
Still, the interest in playing rugby remains steady.
Campbell said he’s optimistic they will be able to put in a full season of rugby this year.
Grade 12 student Gala Holm, of Halifax, has committed to play rugby for the University of Western Ontario in London this fall. She was excited to be back on the pitch with the Highlanders and is also hopeful they will have a full season.
“It meant a lot to finally get back on the pitch and start, what I hope to be, a full high school rugby season.
Everyone evolved with our team has made the best out of the ups and downs of the last three seasons and they all deserve a great and full season, especially all the other seniors,” Holm said in a text interview.
Holm, who typically plays scrum half, has been playing with KES since Grade 9.
She said the highlight from the first game of the season for her was seeing all the girls new to the sport play their first game.
“I know there were so many nerves before the game, but everyone really stepped up and made the game a perfect start to the season,” she said.
“My hope for this season is to be a leader on the team and help the new girls find a passion for rugby like I did, and hopefully there’s a provincial banner in our future.”
If past success in indicative of future goals, this year’s girls’ team will be playing some competitive games this spring.
For upcoming game info, visit: https://valleyrugbyunion.ca/.