Boston vs. Detroit / Photos: Kristi Kirshe
Boston held its first outdoor practice yesterday but already has a spring game under its belt. Last weekend, the New England team traveled to New Jersey for a Gold Cup win over Detroit and is preparing for Round 3 in Texas. It’s been a diverse year so far, competition wise, and Boston has managed it all while searching for a head coach.
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Captain Stacey Markovic and vice captains Deanna Nash and Italia Ieraci comprise the leadership group, and Tufts coach Michael Bozza has been assisting the otherwise player-led team.
“It’s never easy playing and coaching at the same time … but going into the fall, the team just wanted to dig in and learn and improve, and I see that in the spring, too,” Markovic said. “Players have been getting to the gym in the off-season and working hard indoors, even when we’re running around in a tiny gym. People are putting in the effort, and they’re really respectful.”
Boston spent the fall adopting a new system while competing in New England Tier A, a hybrid league of two Division I teams and the top-four Division II teams. Tier B is DII only, and the Tier A DII teams join Tier B during the post-season. Markovic explained that the 2018-19 season will see New England remerge with Empire for a DI-only league.
“Having the Gold Cup was really, really good for us,” Markovic reflected on the November leg of the cross-geographic union tournament. “Being able to compare ourselves with Raleigh and NOVA, who are consistently playing at a high level, gave us feelers on what we needed to work on for the spring.”
Deanna Nash for the Northeast Academy (FYI: Tackle was made.) / Photo: Jackie Finlan
Boston took competitive losses in both of those fall games – 14-5 to NOVA, 10-0 to Raleigh – and emerged with a better understanding of how to use its full roster strategically across back-to-back games. Boston has good numbers, and the current team ranges from nationals veterans to rookies who have never touched a rugby ball. Current players and recent alumni coach several colleges, and Boston University and Northeastern in particular provide an influx of fresh legs challenging the standard. Additionally, Deanna Nash and Paige Stathopoulos remained active all winter with the Northeast Academy, and they returned with some new ideas and fitness goals.
Boston was set to kick off its spring season at home, but weather forced its Gold Cup match against Midwest champion Detroit to relocate to New Jersey, and Chicago was unable to travel. Flyhalf Nash scored two tries against the Cobras, while scrumhalf Markovic added two conversions and a penalty in the 17-0 win.
“Getting outside was a fitness check,” Markovic said of takeaways. “We’ve been in a gym for two months, so we’re also fine-tuning the specifics of our communication and timing. The way we play, everyone has to do everything, so we’re all working on that balance while getting people moving.”
This weekend, Boston will play a round robin with WPL Beantown and DII Charles River, and the games will serve as a showcase for the Massachusetts girls’ high school players participating in the day’s jamboree clinic. The senior club players will then volunteer their services to the clinic. The games will also be a good warm-up for the April 7-8 Gold Cup games against Austin and Houston Athletic in Texas.
“There are costs, always, but the two games make it worth it,” Markovic said of the trip. I don’t know if we’ve played [the Texas teams] in 10 years, so it’s great to see competition from people we don’t see very often. We’re looking forward to that new challenge into something fresh, and we also want to put our stamp on it and show what Boston rugby is all about.”
Boston will host New York at the new Union Point Sports Complex on April 21, and then ready for Empire #1 Monmouth in the Atlantic North semifinals on April 28. Albany and Village Lions will play on the other side of the bracket. The Atlantic North championship occurs May 5, and nationals commences May 19.
“We have definitely been taking notes on Monmouth, but we’re focusing on what we could do to exploit the talent of our players,” Markovic said of the fellow Gold Cup competitor. “In the fall we saw them play Raleigh and NOVA … but it was good to see them [last weekend] on their home turf when they would have most of their roster.”
Monmouth defeated Detroit 19-0 on Sunday.
Boston has many attributes of a successful club – focused leadership, player buy-in, diverse competition – but the right full-time head coach would make a difference. The team is still actively looking for the right person to take the team to the next level.
“We’re a club with a lot of history; we’ve been around for more than 40 years. … Sometimes when you have a lot of traditions, staying open minded and trying new things is hard, but this team is motivated and willing to adjust,” Markovic said. “We’re trying to push our limits and play high-level rugby, and we want to work with someone who challenges us.”
Click here to download the coaching position description, or e-mail coaching@bwrfc.com for more information.
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