Players have 2016 Olympic aspirations
People train and dream their entire lives to be an Olympic contender.
For Eastern women’s rugby players Lauren Doyle and Narissa Ramirez that dream can come true in 2016.
Three years ago, neither of the women had ever played a game of rugby before. Now they are trying out to be Olympic contenders.
The two tried out at a rugby camp in UC Santa Barbara in California. The camp lasted three days.
Doyle is a sophomore center who was shocked to hear the news that she would be trying out for the U.S Olympic Women’s Rugby team.
She said she could not believe she was asked to tryout after only one season of playing the sport.
Junior scrum-half, Ramirez, said she got a lot of experience out of it, but is just focused on the season at hand right now.
Women’s rugby will debut as an Olympic sport in 2016. The game will be played with only seven players compared to the college version of 15.
This was different for the women, but Ramirez said it is better for her style of play.
“I lot of the drills there, even though it’s seven (players) you can bring it into 15 (players),” Ramirez said. “If you’re not strong, fast and fit you’re not going to be able keep up. I like to think I’m a good runner so I think I did well in that aspect.”
Eastern coach Frank Graziano said he believed both players would do well at the camp and said that is why he had both athletes invited.
He said they are probably long shots to make the 15 or 20 players who will take the field when the U.S plays in November, but both said they would like to try again.
“I know what their talent is compared to what other peoples talents are at that level,” Graziano said. “They did very well for themselves.
Doyle said she enjoyed her time at the camp but prefers the 15-player game. She said it was a lot of running and just a different game.
“I ended up playing five straight half’s,” Doyle said. “Plus I never played it so I was a little confused because I’m used to having a position and knowing where to go. With this anyone can play anything.”
All together the women believed they did well and they both received an e-mail, inviting them to play on a team in New York.
“I didn’t go because obviously it interferes with this (Eastern rugby),” Doyle said. “I need to get this understood before I even try to go onto the next level. But I can definitely tryout in later years.”
Bob Shaughnessy can be reached at 581-7944
Players have 2016 Olympic aspirations
Junior scrum-half Narissa Ramirez and Lauren Doyle a sophmore center tried-out for the U.S. National rugby squad and received an e-mail asking them to play for a team in New York. (Katie Overby
