Rebels during debut at LVI •
The North American Invitational (NAI) 7s is essentially holding a select side tournament in its Girls U18 Elite division. That term, “select side,” can be intimidating, especially for a first-season team like the Rocky Mountain Rebels. Coach Darryl Lane, however, has the utmost confidence in his team’s abilities, and half of his battle this weekend will be a mental one with players.
The Rocky Mountain Rebels debuted at the 2016 Las Vegas Invitational in March, but the team didn’t enter the Open division undetected. Life University coach Ros Chou had pinpointed the all-star team, having seen many of its members perform for their respective clubs during the Colorado State 7s Championship. Chou ended up signing Westside Swarm captain Jade Garcia based on that fall performance. That experience encouraged Lane, who serves as Swarm’s regular-season coach, and his wife to start corresponding with more college coaches.
So by the time the Rebels squared up against Atlantis during the LVI, Life University, Central Washington, Dartmouth and other scouts were there watching on the sidelines.
“That has been one of the most pleasing things for my wife and I,” Lane said of college opportunities. “And I tell the girls all the time, just because we never had anything in the past doesn’t mean you’re not as good as all those other athletes. We just want to get them exposure.”
The Rebels are technically an all-star team, pulling players from teams like Northside Dragons, Summit and Chaparral, but the majority hail from Swarm. Chemistry, for a first-season team, is important.
“When we played against Atlantis at Vegas, they were up for it and it was the best game I’ve seen them play,” Lane recalled the win. “But when you hear about select sides pulling from all these different clubs, the girls tend to think it’s going to be real tough competition. But the more you play together, the better you’re going to be. Teams like Atavus and Atlantis are picking girls from around the country, and they don’t play together as much. We’re practicing three times a week and have good camaraderie, and that works better for a team usually. We proved it in Vegas.”
Lane will lean on captains Ivy Richards, Carson Hann and Selena Tuilaepa to lead the way. Senior Hann is an all-city soccer player who added rugby to her repertoire two years ago. The Denver School of the Arts student plays for Swarm and scored 192 points last 7s season (opponents combined for a total of 97 points-against) and is the team’s best dropkicker and conversion kicker. She’s been named to the Rugby Colorado All-State team the previous two years.
Senior Tuilaepa has attended the Girls High School All-American West camp before. She plays her regular season ball with Chaparral and has represented Colorado at the all-star 15s level. She was invited to play on the Atavus team at NAI 7s.
Also influential is senior Karlie Hadden, a senior at Columbine High School. With a 4.3 GPA, Hadden has already been scouted for lacrosse, but she prefers rugby, according to Lane. Fast and gritty, she’s a three-year veteran of the Colorado All-State team and scored 90 points last season.
Lane’s daughter, Maddi, might have the best on-field knowledge, which has been developing since age seven. She’s been on the all-state team every year and has also represented Colorado at the 15s all-star level. She, like Hann, injects a level of fearlessness onto the pitch.
“If I can get in their heads, then I expect great things,” Lane said of the overall goal at NAI 7s. “I believe in them and what they can do – they don’t, not yet. That’s where I’m having the breakdown.”
Realistically, Lane wants to win 2-3 games. There will be no easing into the NAI 7s on Friday, which begins with a 9:40 a.m. match against Canadian Upright Rugby Rogues, which won the Magnificent 7s and are regulars at the LVI. Three games will be contested Friday, three guaranteed Saturday, and then the finalists will play a seventh match for the title Saturday.
“I tell the girls that if they’re serious about the sport and seeing what the next level is like, then they need to pursue this direction,” Lane concluded. “The majority are excited about that and want to do this. Sometimes we think we might be under water on this, but the amount of time we’ve had together – once they get a little confidence, the girls will do well. We’re excited and nervous.”
Click here for the NAI 7s’ Girls U18 Elite Division schedule.
Rocky Mountain Rebels • NAI 7s
1. Gloria Wynn
2. Nina Faamausili
3. Abby Bausch
4. Lucy Kaleina Paula
5. Kassidy Pothier
6. Aja Walker
7. Emma Shipton
8. Selena Tuilaepa
9. Tessa Hann
10. Carson Hann
11. Ivy Richards
12. Maddi Lane
13. Brook Elges
14. Maddie Hadden
15. Karlie Hadden
#RockyMountainRebels NAI7s