Salmon Arm Secondary girls rugby players are looking to stretch a milestone into a provincial victory.
History was made this year with both the J.L. Jackson Secondary Jays and the Salmon Arm Secondary Jewels girls’ rugby teams qualifying for the provincial championships, with the Jewels having earned second place and the Jays third in the Thompson-Okanagan region.
The championships take place in Abbotsford, May 29-31.
In a media release, the Salmon Arm Yeti Rugby Club explained how in the past, there weren’t enough girl rugby players at either school to form a team eligible for provincials.
“Over the last few years, both schools have grown, and we’ve equipped these players to achieve top rankings in the region,” reads the media release. “Uniquely, J.L. Jackson Secondary is a Grade 9/10 school, while Salmon Arm Secondary is for Grades 11/12. With no junior league in girls’ rugby, J.L. Jackson had to compete in the senior league against Salmon Arm Secondary and the rest of the teams in the Thompson-Okanagan.
“Both teams have worked incredibly hard to reach this milestone, and we are proud of their accomplishments, dedication, and commitment to growing the sport in the Shuswap region.”
The club is also grateful for the support of players’ parents, as many of players have to travel long distances from communities throughout the Shuswap to compete in Salmon Arm and all throughout the Thompson-Okanagan.
To help the players, and parents, with the cost of attending the provincials, a fundraiser has been set up on GoFundMe, under the name “Rugby Girls go to Provincial Play offs.” Money raised will go towards accommodations for both teams ($3,000), food costs ($1,500), travel expenses, team entry fees ($1,000), provincial t-shirts ($700) and two teachers on call (four days, $1,800).
The goal is to raise $8,000, with any funds leftover to be reinvested into girls’ rugby in Salmon Arm at both schools.
Read more: Yeti Rugby Women’s Team debuts in Salmon Arm home opener
Read more: Salmon Arm girls rugby team wins zone but blocked from advancing to provincials
