Member Association News: CAN Announces Women's Rugby Squad
February 1st, 2008
As the two-time defending World University 7-on-7 rugby champs, Canada will have a bulls-eye on its forehead at this year’s championships in Cordoba, Spain from July 16-19. Yet, Canadian coach Suzanne Chaulk, who steered Canada to gold in Beijing, China in 2004 and in Rome, Italy in 2006, wouldn’t have it any other way. “We love a challenge and Canadian Interuniversity Sport has selected a team that is fully capable of bringing home more hardware,” Chaulk says. The CIS unveiled the squad and coaching staff that will be asked to carry the Canadian banner in Cordoba. Chaulk, head coach of the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees, will be reunited with the University of Alberta rugby coach, Matt Parrish, a veteran of the Beijing campaign. The squad was chosen at a very competitive training camp held in Ottawa the first week of January. It features most of the finest young rugby players in the CIS and is a reflection of high quality of rugby now being played within Canada’s universities. The Canadians will tune-up for defence of their world university titles by venturing to San Diego, California from February 8-9 to participate in the prestigious U.S. Invitational Women’s International Sevens Tournament, which is held in conjunction with the IRB International Men’s event. Although it’ll be a first taste of international-level competition for most of the team, against far more seasoned competition, it will serve as excellent preparation for the summer, Chaulk says. “It’s a stiff test for such a young team,” Chaulk says. “But the event will provide our athletes the opportunity to play against some of the world’s top senior National Teams. As well, it offers a unique perspective on our program’s past and present because we will be competing against our own Canadian Senior Women’s 7s team, which is now home to many graduates of our program; those athletes who won gold in Beijing and Rome. Ideal models for what we envision for these young women in the future.”
Suzanne Chaulk Head Coach Team Canada
Team Canada Staff
Suzanne Chaulk is returning as the program’s head coach after leading the 2004 and 2006 Canadian teams to gold in Beijing, China and Rome, Italy. Living in Ottawa, where she works as a strategic learning policy advisor with the Canada Revenue Agency, Suzanne has been coaching the Gee-Gees since the program’s inception in 1991. At the representative level, Suzanne has coached both regional and provincial-level teams and has worked as an apprentice coach with the National Women’s program. Suzanne spent a year studying at the National Coaching Institute in Victoria, B.C. where she received her Diploma in High Performance Coaching while completing her NCCP Level 4 certification. In addition to her role with the Gee-Gees, Suzanne continues to coach both club and high school programs in the Ottawa area. Matt Parrish is joining the CIS 7s program for the second time. Matt was the assistant coach with the 2004 gold medal team in Beijing. Matt began his rugby career in England where he held a variety of coaching positions and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sports Development and Coaching from the University of Northumbria. In Canada, Matt joined the coaching staff of the University of Alberta Pandas in 1999 and helped lead the team to an unprecedented five consecutive national championship titles from 1999-2003. In 2005, Matt took over the position of head coach at the University of Alberta. Matt has held the position of Technical Director of Rugby Alberta, and served as head selector for the national senior women’s rugby program in preparation for the 2006 World Cup. Carrie Smith returns for a third championship run with the program having worked as the team’s therapist for the 2004 and 2006 campaigns. Carrie brings a multi-disciplinary approach to her therapy and a wealth of experience working with high performance athletes, having worked at the ‘98 Winter Olympics in Nagano, the ’99 Pan-Am Games in Winnipeg, and with the Canadian Women’s National Hockey Team, the Canadian Ski Patrol and various other high performance programs over the years. Carrie is a full-time physiotherapist and a co-owner of two physiotherapy clinics in eastern Ontario.
Team Canada
Travelling Squad Shannon Court, University of Lethbridge Tiffany Dautremont, University of Lethbridge Annika Eriksson, University of Alberta Michelle Joslin, University of Guelph Ghislaine Landry, St. Francis Xavier University Andrea Letal, University of Lethbridge Ashley MacDonald, University of Prince Edward Island Amanda Matchett, Concordia College Brittany Orr , University of Lethbridge Dana Stoughton, University of Saskatchewan Casandra Wendzich, University of Lakehead Jessie Wall Edmonton, University of Alberta Non-Travelling Reserve Courtnay Malcolm, St. Francis Xavier University
