Scion Rugby Academy and NOVA draw the most attention when talking Mid-Atlantic 7s. The former is the reigning women’s club 7s national champion and currently has five of last year’s players on the USA Women’s National Team heading to the Women’s Rugby World Cup. NOVA set the standard for a structured, serious 7s program, long before USA Rugby assumed the national championship in 2011. But Philadelphia, the Mid-Atlantic’s third-place team, is not without its praises, and will be making its sixth appearance at nationals on Aug. 12-13 in Minneapolis.
Kate Hallinan is the 7s player-coach for Philadelphia and is finishing up her ninth summer season with the club. Although the dual role, which also includes serving as field captain, had its taxing moments, Hallinan was pleasantly surprised by how the season played out.
“Despite the stress of not being able to find a coach this 7s season, overall morale going into nationals is at an all-time high,” explained Hallinan. “This is the first 7s season where we have been getting 25-30 women out to practice, the first season we have had to make cuts for qualifiers and nationals. Player-coaching would not be possible if it weren’t for the positive attitude and team culture we as a club have worked hard to cultivate.”
That environment is cultured by veterans like Taylor Wuerker, who has also served as captain this season and leads from flyhalf; Whitney Hileman, who is in her eighth 7s season with Philly and sets the standard for forward play; Penn State alumna Kellie Vetter, a work horse and big hitter; and former Beantown player Stacia Thompson, who leads in physicality.
Some of the new blood is simply new to Philly, not necessarily 7s. Desiree Markovich is a nice add and brings a wealth of experience from Pittsburgh, Twin Cities and Minnesota Valkyries. Julia Schwartz last played for Stade Francais and brings a taste of champagne rugby to the pitch. Other young players have crossed over from field hockey, rowing and track and are hungrily learning the game and finding ways to contribute.
The result has been a steady improvement throughout the summer. The Mid-Atlantic held a four-stop 7s series, and each tournament finish allotted standings points that would eventually name the region’s three representatives to nationals. While each tournament has produced identical finishes, the game results themselves have narrowed.
“We have been at the heels of NOVA for that second place spot all summer,” Hallinan explained. “After being rolled over in our first qualifier, we lost to them by a last-minute try the next two tournaments.”
At the Schuylkill 7s Saturday, Philadelphia began with an auspicious 17-17 tie against NOVA. It was a five-team bracket, and the remaining round-robin games produced a win against the D.C. Furies, shutout loss to Scion, and a disappointing loss to NOVA 2, which NOVA 1 tied. That loss knocked Philly out of the final, but some recompense was earned after a 10-5 win over NOVA 2 for third place.
Philadelphia will compete in Pool B at the national championship and face Atlantic North champion New York, Midwest champion Chicago Lions and Red River runner-up Austin. Below, player-coach Hallinan has drafted short bios for the 12-player team (plus one traveling alternate) heading to Minneapolis:
• Naomi Batzer, Columbia University, Prop: This is Naomi’s second summer playing with PWRFC. The Philadelphia native’s hard running lines and dominance in contact have been a real asset to the club this summer.
• Brittanie Booker, PWRFC, Prop/Center: A former field hockey standout, Brittanie’s dedication to learning the game during her first 7s season has been amazing to watch. She is dynamic with ball in hand and difficult to tackle. With three more weeks to fine-tune her body positioning in contact, she will be a real threat.
• Remy Bremner, PWRFC (prev: Pittsburgh University), Hooker/Center: Since coming to PWRFC from Pittsburgh, Remy has been a major asset to PWRFC in both 15s and 7s, particularly when it comes to her try-saving hits on defense and game knowledge. A rugby player since high school, this is Remy’s second 7s season with PWRFC.
• Katie Cardone, PWRFC (prev: St. Joe’s University, Northeast Irish), Scrumhalf: “Midge” is one of our lead scorers this 7s season. Her field vision and decision-making has been crucial to the success of our offense. This is her first 7s season with Philly.
• Katie Chockley, PWRFC (prev: Yale University), Wing: This former member of the Yale track team is another lead try-scorer with her speed on the wing. Her patience, hard work and leadership on defense have been the key to more than one win this season. This is her third season with Philly.
• Kate Hallinan, PWRFC (prev: Drexel University), Prop/Center: This is my 9th season playing 7s for PWRFC and my 2nd season serving as captain. We are looking forward to traveling to nationals with a well balanced mix of youth and experience.
• Whitney Hileman, PWRFC, Prop/Hooker: This former UNC rower has played for Philly 7s for eight seasons and is one of our core players. Her leadership on and off the field has contributed to the success of the club and the development of our forward-type players. Look for hard hits, hard runs and dominance at the point of contact.
• Desiree Markovich, Pittsburgh, Hooker: This is by no means Dez’s first season of 7s but it is the experienced and dynamic player’s first season with Philly. Her willingness to attack on offense and her level-headed leadership on the pitch have really contributed to the overall team play this season, and we’re happy to have her.
• Julia Schwartz, PWRFC (prev: Stade-Francais), Wing: Coming off an ankle injury, this is Julia’s first 7s season with Philly and her first 7s season in the USA. Look for speed, crisp cuts and a little bit of French flare from this winger.
• Stacia Thompson, PWRFC (prev: Beantown), Center/ Wing/Scrumhalf: This is the scrappy and versatile player’s third 7s season with Philly. She is unrelenting on defense and hard to tackle on offense. Her drive on the pitch and physical leadership pushes the squad to keep up and give 100%.
• Kellie Vetter, PWRFC (prev: Penn State University), Prop/Hooker: Another team work horse, Kellie make her presence known on the field on defense, making some of the hardest hits. Her work rate has contributed to a lot of turnover ball and possession this season. This is Kellie’s fourth season with Philly.
• Taylor Wuerker, PWRFC (prev: Swarthmore College) Flyhalf: Taylor is a triple threat at our firsthand position by being dynamic with ball in hand, having a great pass and an equally as accurate boot. She is often the glue that holds us together in the middle of the field, directing traffic and being our vocal leader on the field. Taylor also has served as alternative captain this year and been a major part of helping practices and tournament days run smoothly without a coach. This is Taylor’s fifth 7s season with Philly.
Traveling Alternate
Heather King, PWRFC (prev: St. Joe’s University) Wing: Another scrappy and smart player, Heather should not be discounted should she get playing time at nationals. Her work rate and footwork make her a machine on the field and with one more season under her belt she will be a real force for Philly 7s.
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