Alexis Creek’s Emma Feldinger will represent Canada’s Women’s Under-18 15-a-side team this August in a two-game series against the U.S.
The Grade 11 Lake City Secondary School student and member of the Falcons rugby team will travel with the 24-player team for games Aug. 1 and Aug. 5 at Gee-Gees Field in Ottawa.
“It’s all overwhelming right now,” Feldinger told the Tribune of being selected to play for Team Canada.
This past summer, Feldinger began the selection process and was chosen from a group of 60 as a member of Team BC. She then took part in two camps in Vancouver, one in October and another in March, before making Team Canada.
“Right now I’m training every day (in preparation),” Feldinger said. “At least four days a week.”
Players on the team are required to stay involved with their provincial programs by sending in workout reports.
Feldinger said seven of the players on Team Canada are from B.C.
In March Feldinger and Team B.C. won the BC Rugby Elite Sevens, defeating Ontario in the final, 12-5 at BC Place in front of 30,000 people during the HSBC Men’s Vancouver International Sevens tournament.
Feldinger added she’d like to thank her mom and dad for all their support in helping her achieve her dream.
“My mom drove me to every single tryout and dad works hard to support us,” Feldinger said. “Also West Fraser and the Alexis Creek Rod and Gun Club gave money (to help pay for the trips).”
Feldinger also gave a shout out to the Williams Lake Rustlers Rugby Football Club for all their support over the past few years.
After the two-game series with the U.S. Feldinger said the selection process will begin again.
She noted she’s proud to follow in the footsteps of Williams Lake’s own Olympic bronze medalist Kayla Moleschi and Alexis Creek’s Jake Ilnicki, who plays for the Canadian men’s 15-a-side team.
“It’s just really cool,” she said. “Jake’s from Alexis Creek. So many people from around here are having success.”
Canada’s U18 Women’s head coach Dan Valley, meanwhile, made the selection announcement at the beginning of May and said he wanted to select a very skilled, physically-gifted group for the series with the U.S.
“We have 85 days until we assemble as a group in Ottawa,” Valley said. “Our challenge over the next 85 days is to continue to play, train and compete in our home provinces, making sure that we remain committed to the idea of making incremental gains every day.”
Broadcast and kickoff details will be released closer to the series.