CODP vet Malery Billingly /// Photo: KJ Feury •
The Community Olympic Development Program (CODP) did not ease into the elite girls’ high school 7s sphere. The United States Olympics Committee-sanctioned team debuted at the NAI 7s in Utah, and emerged from that densely talented field with a third-place finish. But as the CODP readies for its follow-up outing at the New York 7s, Director Ryszard Chadwick indicated that hardware is not a component of the further-reaching goals the program is pursuing.
“This is a high performance 7s side where we work with players year-round,” said Chadwick, who also serves as CODP head coach. “We’re not too concerned about winning or losing. This is about preparing the players for the next step – whether that’s the High School All-Americans, college, or onto the next level.”
The CODP held a series of open practices around Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, and identified 17 players with next-level potential. Skill development and game understanding then became the foci of the subsequent training sessions. Last week, the New York 7s roster was selected, and Morris and Play Rugby Academy accounted for all 12 players.
“They have a great rivalry but are the best of friends off the field, which is really nice,” Chadwick said of the two teams that recently contested the New Jersey fall 7s championship against each other. “They’re competing, always, but in a way that elevates each other’s games.”
At the core of the team are captain Mia Lancellotti and Allie Mennella from Morris, and Malery Billingly and Susan Agedoke from Play Rugby Academy.
“We built the team around those four players. They’re the ones to watch,” Chadwick said. “They have a lot of experience at a lot of different levels, and they each offer something different in playing abilities and leadership.”
The roster features several NAI 7s returners, Atlantis alumnae and Girls High School All-Americans. There’s also a Northeast Academy connection, seeing as Chadwick is the national development academy’s Director of High Performance. Two CODP players who didn’t make the New York 7s team will join the Northeast Academy’s Boston U19 team on Randall’s Island.
The coaching staff is equally impressive. The boys’ and girls’ teams employ 11 coaches including Chadwick: Evi Ashenbrucker, Nate Augspurger, James English, KJ Feury, Tom Feury, Harry Higgins, Joe Kelly, Seamus Kelly, Phaidra Knight and Jurrian Zoeteweij.
After the New York 7s, the next big fixture for the CODP girls will be the Las Vegas Invitational, where another extremely talented elite 7s division awaits.
#NY7s brackets are expected next week. Check http://newyorkrugbysevens.com for more info.
CODP – 2016 NEW YORK 7s
Susan Adegoke – Play Rugby
Malery Billingly – Play Rugby
Calaysha Byrd – Play Rugby
Alba Coreny – Morris
Grace de Poortere – Morris
Kye Harris – Play Rugby
Tyhira Houston – Play Rugby
Kelsey Joyce – Morris
Mia Lancellotti (c) – Morris
Allie Mennella – Morris
Jess Nagie – Morris
Kelsey Svaasand – Morris
#CODP