Summit Girls Rugby showed up ready to win on Saturday, Oct. 18. with the opportunity to secure their second state championship tournament title, in just their fourth season as a team. By practicing three times a week, hosting regular team dinners and actively sharing expertise to enhance each player’s skills, the team was ready to compete.
In the days leading up to the tournament, Summit Junior Tessa Hoffmann expressed her love for the team and sport.
“All the girls are really incredible. Our coaches are really incredible,” said Hoffmann. “We’re all really close and it’s very supportive.”
With two 14 minute games against other highly competitive teams from McMinnville and Clark County, confidence needed to be at an all time high going into state.
“ We haven’t lost a game this season,” said Hoffmann.
Even when they stepped up to the pitch and saw the competition was more skilled than anticipated, they gave it all they had. The girls put in their best effort and successfully won their second state tournament title, making for a satisfying win to finish off their undefeated season with a final score of 22-5 against Chinook, Clark County.
Girls rugby is an increasingly popular sport in Central Oregon, constantly welcoming new members. This year, the team has gained a plethora of new players on both their A and B teams. Steve Lopez, the head coach, illustrated how both the team’s dynamics and focus have contributed to their success.
“We have outstanding athletes who buy into the ‘team concept’. The players create and maintain a supportive culture which is key,” Lopez said. “Players help each other both on and off the field. The team [as a whole] understands that every player is a key component and that everyone [has to] contribute.”
Additionally, new players on the team all agree that the team culture is what sets Summit Rugby apart from other teams and sports in the area. One junior Hazel Southam described how she was able to adapt to the team and the sport dynamic.
“If it weren’t for the coaches pulling me aside if I was struggling, or just being super willing to help I definitely would not have learned as much,” Southam said. “There were also a ton of new players this year so that helped a lot with not feeling behind or alone” she added on, mentioning how Rugby is a confusing sport with different rules, the main one being players can only pass the ball backwards.
The team follows a win-as-a-team mindset each season, sharing ups and downs and strengths and weaknesses. Throughout it all, they never fail to congratulate, respect and show up for each other.
