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Record Taking Ops As They Come

  • 31 Jul 2018
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Record (standing, far right) at Futures 7s / Photo: Anne-Marie Lemal-Brown

The summer is busy, and sometimes chaotic, but for those who have some flexibility in their schedules (and wallets), this time of year is ripe with opportunity. Last week, for example, saw a new fixture, the Futures Sevens, take place in Saranac Lake, N.Y., and it featured three coaches who bounced from coast to coast this summer.

[RELATED: Ryszard Chadwick & NY 7sJosie Ziluca as Atlantis Lead]

Endicott College (Mass.) head coach Emily Record spent summer 2017 with American Rugby Pro Training Center (ARPTC) interning as a coach, and intended to replicate the experience in 2018. Before the relocation, Record assisted Bryn Chivers and NSCRO All-Stars at the Philly CRC 7s, where the team finished an impressive fourth behind three DI Elite programs. The coach then circled back to Boston to host a L200 coaching course, and then began the drive south to Arkansas … only to hop on a plane to California.

Record (standing, far left) with NSCRO All-Stars at CRC 7s / Photo courtesy NSCRO

The National Development Academy 7s had relocated to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center (CVEATC), and USA Women’s HP Manager Emilie Bydwell was leading the Women’s Collegiate All-American (WCAA) 7s camp in preparation for that tournament. Record was invited to join as an assistant coach.

“I really like Emilie’s coaching style and how she interacted with players. She was always super encouraging,” Record said. “The tournament was definitely a learning experience. We got better every game but so did everyone else. We made little mistakes that ended up costing us.”

CCIG ended up “winning” the tournament and pointed to the WCAAs and Atavus as its toughest opponents. WCAA Dream Team member Ilona Maher was then named to the Rugby World Cup 7s squad and put in a breakout performance.

“It’s fun to be at the [CVEATC] and be in that full-time environment, where you can eat, breathe, sleep rugby,” Record said. “It’s a good way for the players to see what it looks like – if that’s what they’re interested in, playing for the national team. Sometimes, it can get glorified, that being [at the CVEATC] is always awesome, but it’s also a lot of hard work and it’s important people know that going in. Not every day is a great rugby day.”

Record (background) during NDA 7s / Photo: Max Haynes (see more)

Record then returned to Little Rock to settle in with the cadre of assistant coaches at the ARPTC. The staff takes turns hosting training sessions – Record does a lot of skills work – and on game day, Record and Hannah Fields coach one team, and Laura Cabrera and Julie McCoy coach the other. Trips to Texas, Oklahoma and North Carolina meant there was no break from the road, but the effort resulted in both ARPTC teams qualifying for club 7s nationals.

Record was then pinged for the Futures Sevens assembly in Saranac Lake, N.Y., alongside Ryszard Chadwick and Josie Ziluca – two more coaches (Ziluca is an active player, too) who are equally booked across the country. Martha Daines, the new Girls High School All-American (GHSAA) Director, oversaw the camp.

“It was my first time working with this age group and I really liked it,” Record said. “Martha, she observes everything, and you don’t realize she’s there until afterward when you’re talking about how things went. She’ll make the smallest suggestion and you’re like, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?! That makes so much sense.’ It’s nice to get feedback and have so much freedom when coaching.”

Endicott at NSCRO 7s nationals / Photo courtesy Endicott women’s rugby

Record indicated that the Futures Sevens had more of a camp feel compared to WCAA 7s, as the focus was on individuals and upping their recognition skills on attack and defense. With the All-Americans, since they were competing in a tournament against other teams, there was more game strategy and game picture focus.

“On Saturday the scores were lopsided – Red was dominating – and it was interesting to watch the Blue and White teams adjust,” Record said. “They recognized that they deserved to be there and let go of their nerves, and then all of Sunday’s games came down to the wire.

“It was fun, and it’s exciting to see what the top high school players are doing and looking like, and what that means for the U20 and collegiate national teams,” Record concluded.

Record will be back in New York soon enough, this time in Manhattan for the club 7s national championship with ARPTC. After approximately a week break, the coach will return to Endicott College and funnel all of that summer experience into the NSCRO 15s season.

“I’m just taking things as they come,” Record reflected on the summer. “It’s tiring but also really fun, and what I love doing.”

#EmilyRecord ARPTC #FuturesSevens #WCAA7s

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