Press Release
Larkspur, Calif, May 11th, 2015 – The Marin Highlanders have established the first girl’s rugby team in Marin County, fielding a fledgling side of high schoolers to compete in one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.
The girl’s team will be learning the Sevens code this summer alongside the member of the Marin Highlanders’ boys high school players and youth players. Sevens -- a faster, more wide-open version of the traditional Fifteens game -- debuts as an Olympic sport next summer in Brazil.
Among the first eight girls comprising the squad is Jenna Herz, 16, a sophomore at Redwood High School. Her older brother, Alex, is a senior standout and vice-captain of the boy’s Highlanders who began playing rugby in 7th grade.
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“I really like the community aspect of the game,” said Jenna Herz. "I am looking forward to playing with my friends and building a girls program. I think people have a preconceived notion of what girl’s rugby looks like, we want to try and eliminate that stereotype and let the game speak for itself."
Women's rugby is seeing a tremendous growth at both the high school and college levels, with a surge in the number of Women's rugby programs gaining varsity status just in the last two years. Schools like Dartmouth, Brown and Harvard have all funded varsity women's programs, giving girls coming out of high school more opportunities to play sports at the college level.
The girl’s team will be coached by an experienced Highlanders coaching staff, including Lauren O’Connor, a former representative-side player for West Virginia and Berkeley’s Old Blues, as well as local Realtor and Olympic Club player John Vantress, and Gordon Wright, who played for Redwood High School’s last national championship rugby team and represented the Pacific Coast in Sevens twice.
“Ever since we established a youth rugby club in Marin in 2005, we have made it a stated goal to develop a girl’s side,” said Wright. “It’s taken a long time, but the growth of the game and the dedication of this first group of athletes should allow the sport to take hold here in the county.”
The Sevens season is just beginning in Marin, with practices starting now and running through the end of July – with tournaments scheduled throughout June and July. The practices are oriented towards introductory players, and are open to Marin youths aged 8-18. For practice times and locations, visit www.MarinHighlandersRugby.org