ORSU Focusing on Week-to-Week Growth

ORSU had arguably the toughest start to the Women’s Premier League (WPL) season – back-to-back away games against Berkeley and then Life West. Both games resulted in losses but the Jesters are banking their lessons and focusing on a season of growth.

“We’ve got quite an influx of new faces, young faces, which is pretty exciting for us,” ORSU head coach Anthony Kolanko said after Saturday’s game in San Francisco. “Obviously that takes a bit of work. At the minute the attitude and energy is fantastic. Even in the last two weeks – last weekend to this weekend – we’ve seen growth, we’ve seen improvement. It’s great, even on days like today where you see the scoreline, people working to the death and seeing the smiles on their faces still even at the end. … Even that huddle at the end, just to have everyone know where we’re doing well, but that we just need to do more of it.”

ORSU saw a handful of veterans move on at the end of last season, but core players like Te Awhina Ho Chee, San Juanita Fetuuaho, Adrienne Acosta, among others, remain and drive that game analysis and positivity. The vacancies at the top have also seen players in the middle group step into leadership positions.

“Emma Richie at 12 was vice captain for us last year, and I think that was really a season of growth for her individually, and it’s fantastic to see her in amongst the [veteran] group this year. She’s naturally taken on more of a leadership role,” Kolanko said. “She’s vice captain again but she’s picking up responsibilities in terms of helping those younger people to grow and making sure they’re comfortable.

“Zoe Wilson’s come back from New Zealand, having had a year out there, and playing in the second row,” the coach continued. “She’s another person, only in her mid 20s, who’s slotted in and been a fantastic leader. She says the right things at the right time.”

Anna Symonds is certainly central to the veteran group but the former center’s voice is being held elsewhere on the pitch this season.

“It’s been great to see Anna move into the back row, especially while Rachel Johnson isn’t around,” Kolanko referenced the Eagle flanker who is spending time at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in SoCal. “We had a lot of chats over the summer. She wanted to explore that side of things, having done so a long time ago, and she’s been great the last two weeks.”

Courtney Hendrickson has also been a good pick-up for ORSU and is also a back convert. The Cal grad was an outside back for Berkeley – which was present on Treasure Island and gleefully cheered for their former teammate in All Blues shorts – and funnels that finishing speed into work rate around the park.

Several teenagers have worked into the WPL squad and Kolanko lauded their development over the last 18 months. Perhaps the most notable, Mexico international Adriana Mendoza has returned to the fullback position and does an exceptional job playing off of Fetuuaho and Richie at 10-12. Mendoza is a good source for a line break, as is scrumhalf Erika Farias (not a teenager), who is always off the hip for an offload and confident in the open field.

So that’s where ORSU is right now – leaning on experienced heads to drive the tenets of solid rugby while also letting the energy and passion of the younger class to flow through the squad.

“Having a bit of patience and being calm to execute the game that we want to play,” Kolanko said of goals going forward. “We show in spurts that when we do that we can control the game but it’s just doing that for an extended period of time. That comes with a bit more experience as a group. … The teenagers out there today have only been with us for the last year or so, and they’ve come on leaps and bounds. They’re growing every week so it’s exciting times for us.”

Saturday’s opponent, Life West, is in a different phase and has many players who have played several years together. The connectivity that evolves out of that familiarity showed itself on Treasure Island, and the Gladiatrix are building a strong case for title contender. During the final 10 minutes of Saturday’s game, Life West was leading ORSU 50-0. Sara Parson’s had scored a try, and Richie restarted play with a lovely arcing dropkick 10 meters. The on-rushing defense forced a turnover and then pressure saw back-to-back penalties aid the Jesters’ attack campaign. After a few more phases inside the 22, the ball worked wide to 19-year-old wing Riley Yoder, who scored the try in her second WPL game.

“Yes, we had people move on but that gives us opportunity for some of those people who are on the fringe to see if they can step up if they want it,” Kolanko said. “So far it’s looking really positive. So we just move from week to week and that’s all we can do.”

ORSU will host San Diego in round three of the WPL West. Stay tuned.

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