Exchange enhances knowledge

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore High School Spartans girls rugby team went 6-0 on their rugby exchange down to Smith Falls, Ont., from April 23-28.
Despite not having the whole team on the trip, coach Jerry Flaws liked how the team was able to adapt to new positions.
“I liked the fact that we didn’t have our complete starting line-up and we had to move people around and yet we were still able to get the job done,” said Flaws.
“We did a clinic with the Queens University team and they basically broke down some skills and (we) had a blast seeing what higher end rugby players look like.
“I think they were most surprised at how similar the rugby was out east as it was out here. The skill set seemed to be the same, the communication they’re running are similar to what we’re running out here, so the game didn’t change all that much.”
In every match, the girls steadily improved on the defensive side of the ball and Flaws is hoping they will take that into the rest of the season.
“They really progressed on defense, getting off the line a lot quicker and limited what the other team could do,” said Flaws.
There were some things that the coach could take out of the clinics that could be brought back to teach the girls.
“I definitely learned some new drills, some stuff that can be easily done here. As a coach it was neat to see how the other coaches down east approach defenses,” said Flaws.
For Spartan Sarah Bruinsma, the trip was a memory she will never forget as she liked skills they were able to learn from the experience from Queens players.
“Honestly, learning from Queens, I think the best part was tackling because a lot of the girls were more timid,” said Bruinsma. “But breaking it down step-by-step, we don’t have a lot of time to do that, (and) doing that at Queens definitely helped.”
Meanwhile, the Smith Falls Redhawks came here a week later and did some practices with the high school team and team builders, as well as participating in the Vulcan tournament on May 1 and 2.
The team does not travel often but were really thrilled to have come to Strathmore to get a taste of the western culture.
“They came down and played us because they have different tactics and strategies than us. Them running at us and doing different plays is cool because then we can learn from them,” said Kassie Warwick, the Redhawks prop. “I’m excited to come down here because it’ll be fun to play other teams that we wouldn’t have had the chance to play before.”
The Redhawks are a team that emphasizes teamwork and with an experienced rugby coach it has always been done effectively.
“I think we’re a good team, we work together really well because we’ve been playing together,” said Warwick. “Our coach is strong and coaches a team in Eastern Ontario, he knows a lot about rugby and when we get new players, he teaches them really well.”
She was looking forward to a different culture when they made the trip out west on the exchange.
“I think it’s a cool exchange because we come on this trip and experience a whole new place and we also get to play rugby,” said Warwick.
The Redhawks coach was really looking forward to taking his group out west.
“I think in terms of the way the girls are getting along, it’s a lot bigger than rugby in what’s happening. I know from our end a lot of girls from Smith Falls are seeing a part of the country they wouldn’t have had if it weren’t for the program,” said head coach Jacob Swarbrick. “It’s been exciting, rugby has been a good excuse to have fun and get the girls together.”
He also added that the Spartans essentially started up the Redhawks season with this exchange.
“I think it was the availability of the field and Strathmore is definitely further in their season than us and they were running a lot harder than we were and it was great for our girls to see where they need to get to,” said Swarbrick. “They tuned us up and helped us start our season.”