The 2012 season was arguably the most successful season in Queen’s Women’s rugby history. After a disappointing OUA bronze medal finish in 2011, the team was bound and determined to return to the CIS National Championships as the OUA champions. Losing very few players to graduation from the 2011 team, along with the addition of some outstanding rookies, this lofty goal was well within reach. The dominant forward pack from 2011 remained completely intact for the 2012 season, anchored in the front row by co-captain Claragh Pegg at tight-head prop. Easily the most skilled scrummager in the country, Claragh continued to dominate throughout the 2012 season. Our second co-captain Taylor White was a leader on the back of our scrum at open-side flanker. The forward pack was dominant throughout the season in both set and loose play, a point of pride for our still young Gaels team.

Women’s Rugby March

2013

Highlights

OUA Silver

CIS 5th Place

Bronwyn Corrigan,

Taylor White,

Claragh Pegg,

Susan Heald, and

Nadia Popov were

recognized as OUA

all-stars

Nadia Popov was

named OUA rookie

Taylor White was

named as an All-

Canadian

Taylor White and

Claragh Pegg were

recognized CIS

tournament all-

stars

Marin MacLeod

won the CIS

Student-Athlete

Community Service

Award

Perfectly complementing our forward pack was a group of outstanding backs who had worked hard through the off-season to improve their fitness, speed, passing and decision making. Led by co-captain Susan Heald at scrum half, the group was in good hands. The loss of some key graduating athletes was made up for with the influx of a stellar group of rookies, notably Nadia Popov and Caitie Ryan, who both filled starting roles throughout the season.

With no doubt about the amount of raw talent and skill that this Gaels team was made of, it became a question of how to get from a lacklustre OUA bronze performance to the CIS calibre team we were capable of being. 2012 saw a huge change in our offensive strategies and tactics, with the ultimate goal of being a more dynamic and explosive team. With little time during training camp to put a new system into place, the Gaels worked hard to get our new system up and running smoothly. The result was a kicked-up version of Queen’s Women’s Rugby, and the points on the scoreboard speak for themselves. Scoring a total of 294 points for and only 54 points against (second best in the OUA), this season easily stands as the highest scoring total in Gaels history. Bronwyn Corrigan exploded offensively in her third season with the Gaels, ranking second in the OUA in scoring with 55 points (7 tries and 10 conversions). In many weeks throughout the season we received a coaches poll ranking of 3rd in the country, the highest ranking ever for a Queen’s Women’s Rugby team.

The season opened with an exhibition trip to Alberta, where we took on perennial powerhouse Lethbridge and up-and-coming Calgary. In what many across the country might consider an upset, this dynamic new Queen’s team beat Lethbridge handily by a score of 38-14. A second win against Calgary capped off a great exhibition trip and set us up well for the season ahead. A perfect 6-0 season came from wins over Brock, Western, York, Toronto, McMaster, and Trent. A quarter final match up with Trent at Nixon field saw the Gaels come away victorious by a score of 62-15. The semi-finals pitted us against a tough team from

Waterloo who was eager for revenge after a semi-final loss to Queen’s in 2010. The Gaels came out strong in the first half, posting a 31-5 score at half time. In what might be described as the first real lull

in the season, the second half saw Queen’s come out flat and allow Waterloo 22 points on the board. The Gaels managed to hold on for a 36-27 win, earning us a guaranteed berth in the CIS championships. While the CIS championships were something to look forward to, the girls were not satisfied until we had the OUA gold around our necks. A date with the Guelph Gryphons was set, and what a date it was. In the most exciting and fiercely contested match in recent Gaels history, these two teams fought it out in a defensive battle for 80 minutes. The only try of the game was scored in the first five minutes by Guelph. Queen’s threatened to score several times, but could only manage to put two penalty kicks on the board. A late penalty kick by Guelph ended the game with a score of 10-6. The heartbroken Gaels had come so close and knew that the win was within reach. We would have to settle for silver and look to avenge the loss the following weekend at nationals.

The CIS championship was held at St FX in Antigonish, NS. Placed in a pool with host St FX and Quebec champion Concordia, we knew that we would have our work cut out for us. Playing St FX on their home turf in front of a huge crowd, we managed to give them a scare when our forwards walked all over their scrums for most of the game. Unfortunately, the experience of the St FX players came through and they still managed to put many points on the board. In a small victory, we scored a try late in the game on a St FX team

who had yet to be scored against in the 2012 season. The loss forced our game against Concordia to be played 24 hours later, and a mentally, emotionally, and physically tired Queen’s team couldn’t quite find the steam to capture a win against the Stingers. A day of rest on Saturday before the 5th place game on Sunday allowed a rested and refreshed Queen’s team to come out and dominate the AUS finalist Acadia Axewomen, winning the game 36-22. The week was a huge learning experience for our young Gaels team, who will look to improve upon this performance in 2013. Many of our outstanding athletes were recognized for their play throughout the season and at the championships. Bronwyn Corrigan, Taylor White, Claragh Pegg, Susan Heald, and Nadia Popov were recognized as OUA all-stars. Nadia Popov was named OUA rookie of the year after a 52 point season (4th in the OUA). Taylor White was named as an All-Canadian for her performance at flanker throughout the

season. At the CIS championships, Taylor White and Claragh Pegg were recognized as tournament all-stars. Lastly, graduating player Marin MacLeod won the CIS Student-Athlete Community Service Award for her amazing contributions to the team and to the community. January 1st, 2013 marked the beginning of the 2013 season for Queen’s Women’s Rugby. In a typical week, you can find these hardworking athletes in the weight room working with Rodney on strength, agility and speed. You will find them in the gym at 6:30 am, perfecting their passing skills. You will find them at a mental skills training session, or in the combatives room, tackling each other over and over again. There is no end to the hard work, determination, and heart that is put towards our ultimate goal of being the National Champions. GO GAELS GO!

Captain’s Spotlight – Susan Heald on Claragh Pegg and Taylor White

As sad as I am to say good-bye to a program that has shaped the person I am today, it brings me great joy to recall all the memories I am left with. From rookie night to banquet night, from losing games to winning games, I will always remember the teammates I shared those experiences with. I am also humbled by my teammates, especially my co-captains who still remain; individuals who are extremely motivated to push Queen’s women’s rugby to the top of the ranks. It was a

pleasure co-captaining with Claragh Pegg and Taylor White this past season, and it excites me to envision what they will lead the team to achieve next year. Claragh and Taylor had extraordinary seasons. They both led by example each game, playing their best and recording impressive statistics across the board.

More specifically, Claragh dominated in the scrums, punishing her opposite prop with every engage. The power that Claragh can generate is off the charts! Claragh is currently short listed with the Senior National Women’s 15’s Team due to her successes on the field as a Gael. She aspires to earn a spot on the World Cup roster in 2014. The next camp that she has been invited to attend is in April so she is working extremely hard to prepare herself. We are wishing her all the best as she represents the Gaels!

Taylor is a flanker, priding herself with her hard-hitting dump tackles, making the crowd roar each time. I remember watching Taylor run through tackling drills as a rookie, and thinking to myself, thank the Lord she’s on my team!I would not like to get tackled by her in a game! In fact, Taylor was the defending champion of the BFT (Big Effing Tackles) Club this year. Indeed, she is a very skilled player but in a wide range of capacities.

Athletes Recognized

at National Level

A number of our women’s rugby team have been recognized at the National Level.

Long listed for the National Senior Women's Team is Claragh Pegg (team captain). Claragh will be attending the NSWT Tight Five camp in April 2013 with an eye towards being selected to play for the Sr team at the Sr Nations Cup this August.

Long listed for the Canada U20 Women's Team (top 35 in Canada at U20 age group) is Lauren McEwen, Jordyn Rowntree, Nadia Popov, Miranda Seifert and several recruits! The U20s will be selecting a team of 25 players after a May training camp and then travelling to South Africa for a tournament called Nations Cup in July 2013.

To cap off such remarkable seasons, both Claragh and Taylor earned OUA All-Star and CIS Tournament All-star recognition. In addition, Taylor earned CIS All-Canadian honours. Due to their “never surrender” attitude, I thoroughly enjoyed representing Queen’s with them.

However, what I enjoyed most about captaining with Claragh and Taylor was the learning component because of their varying approaches. They were both obvious choices for the captaincy role, even though they lead in different ways. In my first year as a captain, I wondered what the best leadership approach was, and what the most important characteristics were to have as a captain. Was it intimidation, motivation, or companionship; all qualities that different leaders exhibit. However, I have learned that there is no perfect recipe for a captain, rather use the

ingredients you have and be yourself. Claragh and Taylor are both very good captains, yet they contributed different strengths to the mix, which allowed us to work as a strong unit. The three of us certainly had different leadership tendencies. Claragh and I would love to bounce new ideas off each other, some good, some bad (and some horrible), and usually end up stressing out about which route to take while talking in circles. For example, we would struggle deciding whether to put an emphasis on offence during our pre-game pep talk or an emphasis on defence and BFT’s. As soon as Taylor was confronted with our dilemmas, she would make the answer seem obvious, as though she had a gift of knowing what was best. Then of course Claragh and I would act like we were thinking the same thing all along! I would describe Taylor as a no-nonsense type of leader. Her strength is leading by example because she plays every game like it’s her last, putting her body on the line for her teammates each and every phase. Her work ethic is admirable on and off the field. She is also very intelligent which helps her make decisions and deal with interpersonal situations in a straightforward way. Claragh is very innovative and creative. She would be described as more of the motivational captain. She is known for her pre-game speeches, which sometimes drew tears. Her motivation to succeed and reach new heights was an inspiration to the whole team, which encouraged everyone to push beyond their personal limits in practices and games. As each of us contributed our individual leadership strengths, we were able to captain effectively as a unit. Again I look forward to hearing about the team’s continued success as the newly appointed captain, Nadia Popov, joins the force. Good luck to the captains and of course the Gaels, who will always have a special place in my heart!

Coaching Spotlight – Getting to know Sean Dunleavy 101 By Jocelyn Poirier (former QWR captain) and Natalie Poirier (current QWR fullback, 3rd year)

The Basics Coaching experiences: Queen’s University Women’s Rugby Assistant Coach, 2000-present Rugby Ontario U17 Women assistant and head coach, 2007-2010 Kingston Panthers RFC head coach Sr and Jr Women, 2011-present Napanee HS girls program head coach Tamworth Elementary School, coach and teacher Kingston Panthers RFC newly appointed Coaching Development Officer Strengths/Specialties: Back play, 1v1, mental skills, decision making Education/Training: Queen's University Faculty of Education graduate In the process of completing his Level 3 NCCP certification

First impressions My first year on the team, we had a fun afternoon of activities, followed by dinner and a bonfire at Sean’s house. For those of you who haven’t been to Sean’s house, it’s in the middle of NOwhere. No judgment, but when J-Ro’s car broke down on our way back to Kingston, there was no help coming. We walked back to Sean’s and waited there while the situation was sorted out. Having known Sean for only a few days of training camp at that point, I sat quietly and uncomfortably on the couch waiting for our ride home to be arranged. That was over 6 years ago now and I have since gotten to know Sean much better. In addition to being my Queen’s coach, he has been my senior club coach, my fellow coach at the junior and minor levels, my fellow board member with the Kingston Panthers Executive, and most importantly, my friend. Knowing him in these different contexts, I’ve had the privilege of seeing more of Sean’s (not so serious) other sides. Fun Facts

- Sean’s son, Ahodan, could kick a field goal before he could walk. - When Sean says ‘last one’ he actually means ‘last 5 or so until it’s perfect.’ - Sean can quote the entire Anchorman movie and almost anything Will Ferrell has ever said. - Sean is known to use his kindergarten teacher voice and patience to deal with those crazy backs. - Sean’s son shows up at his U6 practices with a practice plan to share with his coaches. - When planning a practice with Sean, expect that he will take more time than you give him. - Sean is a strong advocate for women’s rugby, and isn’t afraid to kick the men off the field. - Sean can still outrun/outfake/outstep almost all of us.

Trainer Profile – Sarah Vosburgh, Kinesiology ‘14 By Mel Judges (current QWR centre, 3rd year) and Kayla Roote (current QWR eight, 3rd Year) Sarah Vosburgh is a highly motivated, committed student who excels in all forms of school. She is extremely organized and timely, and always has all her work completed to her best ability 3 weeks before anyone else in her entire program (including ourselves). But that’s the boring side, Sarah is the student athletic trainer for the Queen’s Women’s rugby team and she does a fantastic job at taping our ankles and icing our knees. She always puts others before herself, and is constantly making sure every girl on the team is in top shape. She is extremely thorough and detail-oriented when performing therapy on every athlete. Aside from being an outstanding student and unreal student trainer, Vos is quite the character. She can light up a room with her glowing personality alone. We were asked to choose a funniest moment with Sarah, but that was way too much of a challenge. One of the highlights of Sarah Vosburgh was taping one of our athletes at a party in the fall. She is constantly cracking jokes and making everyone around her laugh at the most ridiculous things. Sarah is also one of the friendliest and compassionate individuals at Queen’s University. This fall, we had multiple season-ending injuries occur for various athletes on the rugby team, and Sarah paid visits to each of these athletes on a daily basis bringing them baked goods and other gifts to lighten the spirits of these athletes. Sarah is going to be graduating in the spring of next year (2014) and we know that she is going to be extremely successful in choosing her life path. It has been our pleasure to be both friends and classmates of Sarah as she is a great inspiration to us all. Thanks so much for being awesome, Vos! We love you.

Check out our webpage for schedules and events Follow the Gaels at www.gogaelsgo.com and provide support at www.givetoqueens.ca/w-rugby

For additional information on the Queen’s Women’s Rugby Team contact:

Beth Barz, Head Coach qwrugby@queensu.ca