Photo: Nathalie Norris
The Washington Loggers are one of eight USA Rugby National Development Programs (NDPs), and Lauren Barber and Carly MacKinnon continue to oversee their girls’ high school ecosystem. The coaches anticipate good things to come – better coordination with the boys’ team, increased visibility with college coaches – but they’re not trying to change the girls’ team into an elite-only entity. The teams are in different stages of their development and have different concerns, and Barber and MacKinnon are focused on fostering a non-threatening environment that encourages participation and development.
RELATED: More NDP ProfilesThe Loggers girls’ and boys’ teams bear the same name and wear the same kit, but they’ve been separate. You won’t find them traveling to all the same tournaments together, staying in the same hotels, or eating at the same restaurants. MacKinnon and Barber weren’t really involved in the NDP application process – rather, Executive Director Dave Miller informed the coaches that the transition was in the works. And they aren’t entirely sure how the academy-like programming will materialize, since contact rugby has been prohibited since March 2020. But that’s not to say they aren’t invested in this stage of the Loggers, so long as they have input into how it affects the girls.“Dave and some of the other decision-makers are motivated by getting that [NDP] stamp because I think these guys have been at it for a long time and they’ve built a really good program. They’ve developed solid players over the years and they’re proud,” MacKinnon looked at the boys’ side. “They’re excited by the opportunity to be recognized as a legitimate program and are motivated by doing it the right way…They’re looking at things more holistically, which is refreshing.”
During a December 2020 meeting with coaches and staff, Miller explained that the NDP would be an opt-in opportunity, and that other programming would exist for those who didn’t want to go that route.“I know the boys do a lot of fitness testing, but as you can imagine, we don’t do that yet with the girls,” MacKinnon contrasted the teams. “We’re still trying to make sure they are confident and comfortable enough to show up to our tryouts, because an elite program can be intimidating, honestly even though many of them are more than ready to come play and train alongside the girls who are already Loggers. So [the NDP opt-in] was good news on our end, because we were a little worried that some of that stuff might continue to scare away new players potentially to the program.”From where does the intimidation rise? The boys have tryouts and cuts, and MacKinnon suspects that some of the politics that have tinged their selections seeped into the girls’ subconscious. Realistically, though, the girls don’t have the numbers to make cuts.“It’s more of a confidence thing,” Barber offered. “A lot of these girls have only been playing for a year or so, and they feel they need to know a lot more about rugby than the coaches require. A lot are great, natural athletes and we’re able to help them with the rugby side of things, but there is this level of, ‘I’m not ready for that.’ Or, ‘I don’t know the coaches or any of the other girls,’ and it’s a little scary sometimes. But once they’re in, they’re in for the long haul, which is pretty cool.”When MacKinnon and Barber suspect that a player is ready for the next stage in development, then they’ll suggest enrolling in the NDP track for the Loggers.“Most of the girls are good about coming to us when they’re ready for the next step or are invited to an opportunity. We work really hard to develop trusting relationships with our players and their families. But because even if we think they’re ready, that’s still something that they have to decide they want to commit to,” MacKinnon said.Covid-19 has delayed the rollout of many NDP initiatives, but the coaches can anticipate the advantages of this USA Rugby-approved status.
Photo: Nathalie Norris
“It’s an opportunity to work more closely with USA Rugby,” Barber said. “We work with [USA U18 Head Coach and Talent I.D.] Martha [Daines] a lot already. We have a couple of girls who have been in the pathway programs organically, but I think this allows us to work with what USA Rugby wants from us, so we can hopefully prepare and produce more of those players.” “Also, I believe part of the NDP is coach development structures, so it’s making sure Carly and I, and our assistant coaches, get more development in order to streamline that process from club high school rugby, to select regional-type rugby, into the USA Rugby pathway.” And then there’s the college piece. The Loggers focus on high school-age players, although Barber indicated there’s been efforts to grow into the middle school space. If graduates don’t attend college, then Barber and MacKinnon offer information about the Pacific Northwest’s club scene. Otherwise, the coaches are a main contact for college recruiters.“I would assume the NDP would increase the number of coaches that would reach out to us or our players,” Barber said. “It seems like that will become a go-to pool of players that coaches will be interested in, on both the boys’ and girls’ sides, so I can definitely see the NDPs being more attractive to colleges in the future.” Meanwhile, the coaches have focused their energies on the immediate needs of their players during the pandemic. They’ve held a virtual series in 2020, including one session that featured international athletes Kristine Sommer, Jennine Detiveaux and Erica Legaspi (Philippines). They communicate regularly, send workouts, point them toward free rugby games online – especially the Allianz Premier 15s in England – and have even done some one-on-one skills and film-review sessions, all while adhering to safety protocols.“Honestly anything to keep them actively engaged in rugby right now is, I think, every coach’s main goal,” Barber said. “It’s a really big challenge being virtual. Everyone has their own lives and their own challenges, so making sure there’s still a bright spot of rugby, like we normally have, is a big priority for me.” Barber is currently serving as vice chair on Rugby WA’s interim board, which is working toward playing options in the spring. The organization is tracking the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association and aligning with high schools’ decisions on sports.“Because some of the coaches’ concerns – and I totally agree with this – is: What if we say we’re going to play rugby in April but the schools say: We’re still not doing sports,” MacKinnon posed. “Do we really want to go against what the schools are saying? Because that’s conflicting information from a reliable source, so to speak.” There’s hope for some sort of high school club rugby, whether that’s touch or 7s or some other hybrid competition. April-May-June would be ideal, but tournaments draw large numbers to one venue. More time and better progress against the virus are needed before those decisions can be made.
Photo: Carly MacKinnon
“We’ve talked about inner-squad scrimmages – not a Loggers event, but ‘Powered By’ – and Loggers coaches are there,” MacKinnon said of other options. “We have three sets of jerseys from over the years – green, blue, black. Getting the girls together with their friends and getting a venue like [the Seattle Seawolves’] Starfire, or someplace really special where the girls haven’t been able to play yet, and then running round-robin play for everyone to play against one another would be a great way to pick up where we left off.”“We’re in one of those states – and I’m thankful for it by all means – that’s pretty locked down,” MacKinnon shifted. “So we’re trying to be respectful of other sports and school entities in our consideration for rugby opportunities this year.”Which brings everything full circle. With fewer on-field and game-day responsibilities due to Covid-19, there’s been more time for conversations and relationship building within the Loggers organization. Those bonds will obviously aid the NDP, but more importantly, foster collaboration from the bottom up.“There’s been a level set over the course of things being online, and the rugby being removed has allowed us as a program to have some more candid conversations,” said MacKinnon, who has addressed specific team needs and some logistical misfires in the past. “In the future, we’re going to try to work more ‘Club Days’ for the program,” MacKinnon said. “When we’re done playing at the GNC or at Vancouver, and we’ve done our breakdown, if the boys are playing, it’s, ‘Can we go watch the boys? Can I go watch my brother, or my cousin?’ And I know the boys feel the same way about the girls. And so I think it is really important to provide more opportunities where we do things together. That’s the goal going forward from everyone across the program.”