Eagle Impact Rugby Academy (EIRA) is a USA Pathways National Development Program (NDP). The Salty Thompson-led organization takes annual tours oversees, and last summer, U16 and U18 sides traveled to Spain and then Ireland for two separate tours. Every December, EIRA holds a massive winter 15s camp in Casa Grande, Ariz., and it’s a major selection venue for the impending summer’s tours.
Kelsie McDowell was in charge of the girls’ camp, which ran from Dec. 27-31 at the Grand Sports World in Casa Grande. She worked with a stellar coaching staff in Karameli Faaee, Mose Timoteo, Courtney Smith-Hernandez and Jason Scrogham.
“I was a very lucky head coach,” McDowell enthused. “They were nothing short of phenomenal.”

(l-r) Timoteo, Faaee, McDowell, Scrogham, Smith-Hernandez
The coaches oversaw a group of 80 players, a record high for the girls’ camp. Twenty-five states sent players to the EIRA winter camp. Colorado sent 12 rugby players, while Wisconsin was close behind with 10. Texas (7), California (6) and Michigan (5) were also well represented. A new element in Big Red Rugby out of Nebraska sent five players to Arizona, and four players from Connecticut crossed the country for some warm-weather 15s. Idaho and Iowa sent three players apiece, while Indiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia and Washington sent two each. Host state Arizona, Hawaii, Kansas, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and South Carolina all had one player in Casa Grande. Additionally, Sophie-Anne Mochrie injected the international element, representing Chester, England.
Camp culminated with intrasquad scrimmages, and the competition level was notably higher and tighter in range than years previous. No team won by more than two tries.
“There were some really amazing new players out of Utah,” McDowell called out EIRA newcomers Hadley Edwards (Herriman) and Selafina Uluave (Provo). “And then there are the players we have been able to see grow through the years, like the Phillips sisters, Carys and Alys, who just make you grin ear to ear. Then you can top it all off with amazing leadership from our captains — Cecelia Rose, Jordynn Shannonhouse and Rachel Kissinger. It really makes you appreciate what a special group of young women we had at camp. The culture was one of the best I’ve ever seen. The future is so bright, and this summer’s tours will be something to see!”
The EIRA girls’ teams will be traveling to Italy and Ireland for two separate two-week tours this summer. For more information on EIRA, visit https://www.eirarugby.org.
EIRA WINTER CAMP ROSTER
Kylie Agnew — Lakewood & Mana Performance, CA
Bentley Allen — Denver East HS, CO
Ava Armstrong — Denver East HS, CO
Kylie Baba — Aspetuck & Simsbury HS, CT
Jacquelyn Baker — Big Red Rugby, NE
Brin Bayer — Fox Cities, WI
Elliot Bitondo — Pleasanton, CA
Ava Bittner — Big Red Rugby, NE
Penny Bodde — Woodlands, TX
Kairine Brown — Denver East HS, CO
Niall Cahalane — Wrentham Barbarians, MA
Carleigh Craig — Green Bay, WI
Ritva Doan — Vienna, VA
Hadley Edwards — Herriman, UT
Logan Ellison — Summit HS, CO
Madison Englin — Waverly-Shell Rock HS, IA
Bella Fay — Fox Cities, WI
Lucille Feltus — Big Red Rugby, NE
Laida Govier — West Carroll, MD
Olivia Graham — Grandville HS, MI
Addy Gregory — Woodlands, TX
Liv Groth — Southington HS, CT
Josie Hanks — Oceanside, SC
Brooke Harnisch — Lumberjackies, CO
Gia Hernandez — Try Time & MacDowell, CA
Sadie Hershberger — Amoskeag, NH
Marjorie Hoffman-Long — Cumberland Valley, PA
Amelie Hunziker — Monarch HS, CO
Alexandra Ihm — Liberty, WA
Samantha Insley — Scottsdale, AZ
Isabella Jankowski — Green Bay, WI
Rebekah Jenks — Mountain View HS, ID
Isabel Jenks — Mountain View HS, ID
Addison Josetti — N/A, WI
Kayden Kerns — Rockford HS, MI
London Key — Charlotte ardinals, NC
Rachel Kissinger — Celina, TX
Elizabeth Kratt — Woodlands, TX
Emerson Kraus — Saints Rugby, KS
Peyton Langworthy — Orchard Park HS, NY
Finley Larson — Iowa Hawkettes, IA
Caliah Leege — Big Red Rugby, NE
Shaynah Lewis — Green Bay, WI
Giselle Long — Westside Revenge, IN
Mackenzie Marks — Morris, NJ
Carolina Martinez — Rockford HS, MI
Addison McEntee — Brighton, CO
Claire Meislahn — Southeast Polk, IA
Sophie-Anne Mochrie — Chester, England
Myah Natorp — Walnut Hills HS, OH
Nadia Osborn — Rock Rugby Academy, TX
Alys Phillips — Woodlands, TX
Carys Phillips — Woodlands, TX
VeVe Rice — San Diego Mustangs, CA
Matilda Ritz — Liberty, WA
Elizabeth Robison — Westside Revenge, IN
Cecelia Rose — Green Bay, WI
Trinity Ruatti — Pulaski, WI
Hailey Russer — Summit HS, CO
Madeleine Savoie — Divine Savior Holy Angel, WI
Kaliyah Schimpf — Monarch HS, CO
Brianna Searle — Denver East HS, CO
Jordynn Shannonhouse — Regis Jesuit HS, CO
Sofia Singh — Pleasanton, CA
Reese Smith — Aspetuck Valley, CT
Beulah Sol — Charlotte Tigers, NC
Anna Sprague — Mystic River, MA
Madeline Stapp — Big Red Rugby, NE
Hannah Tagaga — Pleasanton, CA
Mackenzie Thornton — Meridian HS, ID
Selafina Uluave — Provo, UT
Hiilei Vuta — Puna, HI
Campbell Way — Knightmare, PA
Kylie Weiner — Aspetuck Valley, CT
Ellis Whitcher — Monarch HS, CO
Jocelyn Widrig — Green Bay, WI
Easton Wright — Rockford HS, MI
Ashton Wright — Rockford HS, MI
Kaiya Wrigley — Vienna HS, VA
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