Summer camp attendees
The Midwest High School Thunderbirds are readying for another trip south, and head coach Garrett Fisher is bringing a larger roster to Florida from Feb. 14-17. Different opposition awaits as well this year, and coach Fisher pointed to USA Rugby South coach Chris Martin for making it happen.
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“With the tremendous success of our camp in July, we decided to include 35 players to attend this Florida trip to develop the ample young talent in the Midwest,” Fisher explained. “With this idea, we forced ourselves to find and convince quality competition to play.”
On Friday, Feb. 15, the Baby Birds will play Palm Beach County Youth Rugby Association Hurricanes, an all-star team, at the Tampa Bay Krewe women’s home pitch. And then on the weekend, the Midwest will play USA Rugby South U19s twice, with Eckerd College hosting on Saturday and Tampa Bay Krewe on Sunday.
“We would like to give special thanks to Mike Geibel of Eckerd College, Mary ‘Poca’ Miller of Tampa Bay Krewe, and Burt Wantlin of Wellington Wizards for being progressive thinkers and eager to create special events such as this for the growth of girls high school rugby,” Fisher ended.
As for the team itself, the 35 players hail from eight states. Alle English, Gina Pollice, Libby Moser, and Delany Moyer will serve as captains.
MIDWEST HS THUNDERBIRDS
Becca Anselmen – Iowa
Aubrey Boing – Ohio
Molly Cancian – Ohio
Haley Crow – Wisconsin
Ava Denner – Iowa
Taylor Driver – Indiana
Alle English Ohio
Abby Farmer – Illinois
Anna Hensel – Indiana
Grace Hoch – Ohio
Kayla Hoch – New York
Alex Hyde – Michigan
Lauren Knoblauch – Ohio
Gwen Knutson – Wisconsin
Hannah Koorndyk – Michigan
Cici Loew – Michigan
Jada Morris – Iowa
Libby Moser – Indiana
Delany Moyer Indiana
Angelina Pieters – Wisconsin
Kate Pofok – Ohio
Gina Pollice – Michigan
Emily Rahja – Ohio
Zoe Ramirez – Ohio
Reece Regan – Ohio
Hanna Sarber – Michigan
Abby Terpstra – Minnesota
Erin Terwilliger New York
Makenna Tuman – Pennsylvania
Jayla Twitty – Ohio
Anna Walters – Ohio
Erin Ward – Ohio
Maggie Wetter – Ohio
Meg Wright – Wisconsin
Allexus Zielinski – Ohio
Coaches:
Garrett Fisher, Head Coach
John English, Attack Coach
Kinsey Branyt- Lees, Forwards Coach
Hannah Roodhouse, Forwards Coach
Stephanie “Parma” Bowers, Backs Coach