Spartans open rugby season
By Mario Prusina Times Editor
Miriam Ostermann Photo
The lady Spartans opened their regular season at the SHS field with a 20-5 win over the Oilfields High School, while the boys hammered their Black Diamond counterparts 24-0.
“We did well, we were definitely the stronger team, so we got everyone (playing),” said head coach Jerry Flaws, head coach of the girls’ team. “The forwards controlled the ball really well, (but) not much opportunity to pass with the wind and the wet. Especially at the end of the game, the girls were so cold, they couldn’t catch a ball – and that was for both teams. Both teams struggled to maintain the ball.”
Flaws expressed that he would like to work on the passing and creating space for the backs going forward. However, he did like that his team is very hardworking and willing to be physically engaged in the game.
“They are willing to make contact,” said the coach. “In the past, we’ve had some girls that don’t want to tackle, don’t want to get involved and this group really seems to like the physicality of the game.
“They truly like contact, so we’re not going to blow away (the opposition) with speed and dazzle this year. It’s going to be physical play that is the key to our success.”
Meanwhile, the boys’ team got off to a great start, led by their starting and more veteran players. As the Spartans took control of the game, it enabled them to instill a lot of new players into the contest.
Unlike the girls’ team, the boys never had an exhibition game prior to the season, so it was a first chance for head coach Brad Steele to see his squad play in a real game.
“You never know what you’ve got until your first game and all the boys did well – everybody stepped up and did their job,” said Steele. “They are fearless and they came eager to play. They didn’t shy away from contact … that’s something important at the beginning of the year, they have to get used to the contact of the game. For new players, the level of contact is sometimes a bit of a shock. To be thrown into a rugby game for the first time … is an intense experience.”
According to Steele, the team needs to work on ball control, as weather in the first game made it difficult to judge that aspect of the game.
“It made passing and holding onto the ball difficult because of the wet and the cold,” said the coach. “Maintaining possession of the ball is always important.”
The lady Spartans played their first road game versus Holy Trinity Academy in Okotoks on April 15, before returning home on April 17 to play their last game before the spring break.
The boys also played at home on April 17 in their final game before the break (results not available for press time).