Photos: CPT Nathaniel Garcia, U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program
The Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (CVEATC) is buzzing. The USA has returned from France, ending the Women’s Sevens Series with a strong fifth-place performance. This weekend, seven invitational and National Development Academy (NDA) teams (roster collection) will be on site for a 7s round robin, a showcase for USA 7s head coach Richie Walker to evaluate potential additions to the program. This activity precedes a busy month in preparation for the Rugby World Cup 7s, occurring 500 miles north of the CVEATC.
But Armed Forces head coach Kaitlyn Kelly is hoping this fixture, and the opportunities it represents, is another catalyst for military rugby and its service members.
Kelly (West Point ’12) joined the efforts to grow the women’s side of Armed Forces rugby in 2014, when she connected with Andrew Locke (West Point ’07), who up until this year served as the USA Women’s 7s assistant coach. After two knee surgeries, Kelly transitioned from active player to coach, and in September 2017 assisted Locke at the Dartmouth version of this weekend’s NDA tournament. No longer active duty, Kelly moved to Washington, D.C., in October, and with the aid of Armed Forces’ Koma Gandy Fischbein and Lisa Rosen, aligned with Scion Rugby Academy. There, Kelly mentored under Joanne Liu and Toshi Palamo.
“They took me under their wing,” Kelly said of the Scion founder and coach, respectively. “I learned their system and all the logistics behind running a rugby academy. … I’ve never experienced that level of professionalism in rugby before.”
Kelly served as Scion’s team manager in Las Vegas and was also part of the coaching process, soaking up a ton of knowledge along the way.
“You think you know something about a game you’ve been playing for 10 years, and then you talk to them for a half hour and your perspective in one area of the game has totally changed,” Kelly said.
Aligning with Scion also meant a direct line of communication with one of the top 7s entities in the country, and it was one more vein for Armed Forces players to potentially experience next-level rugby.
Another vein would be the women’s Armed Forces 7s Championship, and there was a big push to stage the inaugural event for the Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines. Kelly praised the Army’s support of the initiative, however, not all of the branches allocated the resources for a women’s tournament. That said, Kelly is optimistic that the championship can happen in Las Vegas in 2019.
But it’s also about building interest within the ranks, and that’s an ever-present objective. During last summer’s extended assembly, for example, the camp began with a USA Rugby Level 200 Coaching Course, and all attendees were certified. The hope was that those players return to their bases and consider starting a team.
This year’s team didn’t have the time for a selection camp and is arriving in Southern California today. Members have represented the Armed Forces previously or came highly recommended, and all but two spots went to Army players. Four are members of the U.S. Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) – Ashlee Byrge, Joanne Fa’avesi, Kasey McCravey, Dani McDonald – and currently training in Chula Vista.
“It’s awesome to see the integration between the Army and rugby and the Olympics. I can’t wait to see what the WCAP girls bring, especially [Fa’avesi],” Kelly referenced the Eagle’s proclivity for physical play. “It’s an incredible opportunity for the girls to get exposed to what is being taught at the [CVEATC]. [The other players] might never have the chance to play at that level, but they’re getting that exposure through the Armed Forces team.”
Kelly is leaning toward Ashley Sorensen, who is a four-year veteran of the team, as captain. The West Point grad has been down an incredible path (read more) and currently serves as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal officer – aka, a diffuser of bombs. She also set the women’s Guinness World Record for a timed mile in a bomb suit, which weighs more than 75 lbs. (watch). Cerrin Eldridge, too, will be important in expediting the cohesion process and driving on-field performance. Eldridge captained the Armed Forces team at Dartmouth, was subsequently invited to Chula Vista, and then featured on the Homegrown Series.
That’s what you get on a team like the Armed Forces 7s – a ton of variety and a wealth of intrigue in terms of background. For example, Lauran Glover is a known entity in the Women’s Premier League, and the D.C. Furies player was also the first female officer to command the US Army Drill Team (read more).
“I expect big things [this weekend]. We have a simple game plan – matching numbers, covering the short side on defense, getting the ball to where we need it to be,” Kelly said. “The Armed Forces is about throwing a bunch of people together and saying, ‘Hey, this is your mission. This is what you need to do and this is what you have to succeed.’ We’re used to those situations. And everyone is so coachable because that’s what we do. It’s easy for us to take direction and lessons, and everyone’s on the same page.”
The team will also have a little extra motivation to perform. On the sleeve of each jersey is the name of a female soldier killed in combat. Some are connected to players themselves; others simply have inspiring stories.
“We have a motto: For those who can’t,” said Kelly, who researched the servicewomen’s lives. “Reading their stories, they symbolize something we internalize in terms of strength and perseverance and courageousness.”
ARMED FORCES 7s
1) Lauran Glover – Army
2) Cerrin Eldridge – Army
3) Erica Myers – Army
4) Ashley Sorensen – Army
5) Carmen Tomko – Army
6) Kelsie Whitney – Army
7) Emily Rainey – Air Force
8) Ashlee Byrge – WCAP
9) Joanne Fa’avesi – WCAP
10) Kasey McCravey – WCAP
11) Danielle McDonald – WCAP
12) Sheila Bertrand – Coast Guard
13) Kayla Williams – Army
#ArmedForces