Photo courtesy Arizona Bobcats Girls Rugby •
Arizona is the latest state to engage its female rugby athletes aging out of the co-ed middle school ranks. This spring, the Grand Canyon State has organized an U16 7s circuit that will culminate in a state championship. Additionally, the Arizona all-star program, the Bobcats, has formalized the girls’ team and will compete at several events this year.
Stacy Huntington has been named Rugby Arizona’s Girls Representative. Hailing from West Valley, the coach has firsthand experience with co-ed youth teams and the girls who age out and have nowhere to play.
“Arizona is way behind,” Huntington said in regard to the development of girls’ high school rugby. “There have been some girls’ teams off and on, just not consistently.”
Huntington indicated that 45 U16 girls are registered and populate five 7s teams – three from the Phoenix area, one from Tucson and a fifth from northern Arizona. Beginning in March, four of five teams will convene on Saturday for a 7s tournament, earning standings points at each event. Additionally, at the end of each 7s tournament, teams will combine to play a single 15s match.
At the state 7s championship, the top-four teams will be seeded into the final, and a champion will be named on April 29 in Tucson.
While the 7s series will hopefully introduce rugby to a new segment of the population, the Bobcats all-star program will further engage those who have already embraced the sport. Huntington, who has been involved with the boys’ Bobcats for seven years, will help select the girls’ Bobcats team heading to the Las Vegas Invitational. If all goes well, then Arizona will send a team to the Celtic 7s in Albuquerque, Rocky Mountain Challenge, North American Invitational 7s, and potentially more events.
“We kind of know who’s been playing the longest and has the most experience, but it’s an open tryout,” Huntington said in advance of selections, which occur Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 at the Westside Sports Complex in Phoenix. The team will then train twice more and contest a scrimmage before heading to Las Vegas. Learn more.
Last year in Las Vegas, the Bobcats shared a trainer with the University of Arizona women’s team, and this year, Huntington is hoping to replicate that connection with the girls. The coach indicated that colleges are pushing for more girls’ high school programs, so they can feed Arizona, Arizona State and the new Grand Canyon University – among others – with experienced players.
Stay tuned as we track the league this season, and in the meantime, visit Rugby Arizona, check out the girls’ Arizona Bobcats, or contact Stacy Huntington for more information.