Franz in Eckerd College kit / Photo: Nathan Kovacs
Eckerd College wing Stephie Franz (’20) is now in the Jamaica national team pipeline and currently representing the country at the Rugby Americas North 10s tournament in Mexico City. The rising junior picked up the game in Florida and featured on the South 7s team that won the NSCRO All-Star Championship earlier this year.
Eckerd coach Mike Geibel also served as the NSCRO South 7s coach, and thus has had a front-row seat for Franz’s quick progression in the sport.
“Stephie is incredibly fast. She adds an element of speed to our back three in 15s that is really hard for teams to handle. In 7s, she provides pace that means she can take the corner with very little space,” Geibel highlighted Franz’s attributes.
He noted the long tries she scored during the NSCRO all-star tournament, including breakaways in the final, but also praised her ability to pick up the 7s system quickly. She had flown into town the morning of the tournament, traveling from her study abroad at the UN, and flourished on the pitch.
Franz scoring against Prairie States 7s / Photo: Nathan Kovacs
“Beyond just being fast, Stephie brings a ridiculous work ethic to the team that rubs off on the rest of the team,” Geibel added. “She is constantly in the gym, working out, running extra sprints and has a willingness to learn. She’s still fairly new to rugby, only having played for two years, but I think it’s her work ethic and drive to become better that has set her apart from other young players.”
Geibel explained that Franz is still learning the nuances of the game, getting more comfortable in contact, and elevating her ball-handling skills. The coach helped facilitate her introduction into the Jamaican system, and after a series of camps and tryouts, Franz was named to the RAN 10s team currently competing in Mexico City. Jamaica went 2-0 on day one, defeating Mexico 17-14 and Bahamas 29-15, and will face 2-0 USA Rugby South in the final pool play round. Since both teams are 2-0, and the other two teams are 0-2, USA Rugby South and Jamaica will also face each other in the final.
“She’s very competitive and wants to give as much as she can for the team to win,” Geibel concluded. “She seems to have fit right in with the Jamaican team after only being with them for a few weeks. They have a good group of young players, including her, who are excited about the growth and development of the team and the sport. She has a long career ahead of her still.”
It was a late-evolving addition, but Franz will also be heading to the Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games in Colombia this August. The timing meant that she missed out on the group flight and must purchase a much more expensive flight to South America. She’s currently raising funds to afford the trip: read more.