Lake City Secondary School girls rugby coach Morley Wilson couldn’t be more pleased with the way things have gone to start the high school seven-a-side season.
While the Williams Lake high school reconfiguration to a one school, two campus, model presented challenges in some places, athletically it’s only brought benefits, Wilson said.
“It’s a good thing,” Wilson said, adding so far 40 girls will suit up for the yet-to-be named Lake City secondary squad.
“We have 40 girls who are playing from grades 8 to 12, and there are still a few girls missing. There’s no animosity like before between the two schools — it’s just everyone’s here. We’ve got some senior leadership from Columneetza and some senior leadership from Williams Lake [secondary].”
That leadership will come from Team B.C. players Sheridan Davis (Grade 12) and Natasha Johnson (Grade 11), along with Grade 12 Anne Butters, who were busy Monday afternoon helping coach the team’s new players through a practice and scrimmage session.
“We have probably close to 20 new girls — so many brand new Grade 8s,” Wilson said. “It’s awesome.”
So far Lake City Secondary School administration hasn’t decided on a school mascot name, but Wilson said they’re in the final stages of the decision-making process.
“It’ll be very soon,” he said. “We’ve had our first meet and it’s been broken down to four now — the Mavericks, the Mustangs, the Falcons and the Wild. So we’ll decide that and then we’ll decide school colours.”
Back to help manage this year’s large roster of players is longtime Williams Lake high school rugby coach and Lake City Secondary School counsellor Mike Levitt, who plans to retire at the end of the school year.
“I can’t manage 40 girls on my own,” Wilson joked. “He wanted to come back and coach in his last year so it’s good.”
Lake City secondary will travel to Prince George this Friday for some exhibition games, before hosting Prince George and Quesnel in Williams Lake on Oct. 4.
“100 Mile’s still building, Quesnel has a program starting up again and Prince George has teams so they’re not going to be out of their element,” Wilson said. “We’ll also do a home and home with 100 Mile and probably the same with Quesnel.”
High school girls rugby zones will be hosted in either Williams Lake or Prince George this year starting Oct. 25. Provincials will be hosted in April of 2014 in the Lower Mainland.