The ARPTC residents in Austin /// Photo: ARPTC
The Red River region began its 7s qualifying series with the Bloodfest 7s, and American Rugby Pro Training Center (ARPTC) took home top honors in the women’s bracket. There are three more qualifiers in the series, and the teams that accrue the most standings points from at least three events will advance to nationals. Red River receives two berths to the club 7s national championship.
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Although it’s nothing new seeing ARPTC atop the standings, the Little Rock, Ark.-based program is different this year.
“ARPTC decided to switch gears and work towards developing college-age athletes,” explained ARPTC women’s coach Laura Cabrera. “The majority of our full-time residents are in college and off for summer break, or have just graduated from college and are here improving their skills before seeking work or grad school. This way we feel we can continue to develop players each summer. They can then return to their schools/clubs with improved skills and strength and hopefully better assist their clubs.”
Abby Vestal (Kansas City) and Sophie Pyrz (Penn State) are the returners and they’re joined by 11 more full-time residents and three part-time residents. The players hail from all parts of the country, and three residents – Sierra Brown of University of Essex (England), Madison Gold of B.C., Canada, and Sophie Fella of Shanghai, China – inject some international perspective into the group. The entire squad traveled to Austin (three players sat) and will do so again this weekend in Norman, Okla.
Cabrera (left) with three-year veteran Vestal /// Photo: ARPTC
ARPTC went 4-0 on the day, defeating the DARC Dames, Hawks Rugby Academy, Dallas Reds and Austin Valkyries 151-19.
“We won Bloodfest, but not without a fight,” Cabrera explained. “The competition out there was great. Many Texas teams are stepping up their game.
“The Austin Valkyries always give us a great match and we look forward to playing them each qualifier,” the coach reflected on the 17-7 final. “The Hawks from Norman brought in some new assistant coaches and a few new dynamic runners that shocked us in the first half. They tested our defense, but in the end we were able to stop them.”
There are three more Red River qualifiers, and ARPTC is also attending Cape Fear 7s on July 1-2, which has a really nice Elite Women’s division that includes Scion, D.C. Furies, NOVA, 1823, Stars, Atlanta Harlequins and Lady Toes.
ARPTC 2017 ROSTER
– Full-time Residents
Sierra Brown: Univ of Essex, England
Annalise Evans: St. Louis, MO
Madison Gold: British Columbia, Canada
Okasana Goretaya: Brown University, R.I.
Stephanie Kunz: Memphis, TN
Olivia Ortiz: Davenport University, MI
Neariah Persinger: Tulsa, OK
Sophie Pyrz: Penn State, PA
Allie Schrenker: Chattanooga, TN
Hallie Taufoou: Utah State, UT
Hannah Tennant: Davenport University, MI
Abby Vestal: Kansas City, MO
Elona Williams: UC Irvine, CA
– Part-time Residents
Eliza Ewing: Princeton University, N.J.
Sophie Fella: Shanghai, China
Jessah Hahn: Memphis, TN