Sisterly Love

A week ago my sisters and I were able to go to a Garth Brooks concert together.  We had great seats (thanks to Geneva hooking it up) and experienced an amazing show.   I always love getting a chance to spend time with my sisters especially now that we are older and are really able to appreciate each other.  In the previous years I have been very focused on training and competing and because of this often times missed little get togethers like this.  I find myself truly appreciating the time I have been able to share with my sisters throughout the past year.  I did not realize how nice it would be to be home and included in on events I use to miss out on.  I am looking forward to the next adventure we share together!

Help Lady Cavaliers get to Nationals!

The Cavaliers have qualified to play in the High School Rugby National Championships in May, but are in need of financial support to make their trip a reality.  The girls are reigning Divisions 2 National Champions and are looking to move up to Division 1 this season.  Click on the link below to hear their story and to support the team!  Thank you!

https://app.snap-raise.com/fundraisers/2686/participant/64885

Recently the Pleasanton Cavaliers played a well fought match against the Sacramento Amazons.  The Amazons are a well-established rugby club known for being aggressive and shifty.  Many of these young players have grown up playing rugby for a most of their lives and know the sport like the back of their hand.  The Amazons definitely live up to their name and are always a tough team to take on.  The Cavaliers prepared themselves mentally and physically for the match and were able to execute an established game plan.   The victory was a milestone for the Cavaliers Rugby Club and a testament to the staff and the growth of girl’s rugby in the tri valley and the bay area.

Prior to the match the girls were told to write down the name of a person that had impacted them.  They each put the names in their sock as a reminder that they were playing for someone other than themselves and their teammates.   The girls played with heart and refused to back down to opponents much larger in size.   After the game I was approached by one of the players and was told by her she wrote my name down.   I was incredibly moved by her gesture and proud that I had positively affected her rugby experience.   I am proud to be a part of the Cavaliers coaching staff and I am looking forward to continuing to helping the girls improve and grow.  Congrats Lady Cavs!!  

http://www.goffrugbyreport.com/news/cavs-stand-zons

 

Las Vegas Sevens Tournament!

Recently I came across an email from a former coach that I thought I would share.  Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years!  

I have been following you on the web (from a distance!) and just want you to know how proud I am of you.  Knowing you as a hurdler at UCD, you worked your butt off and I know that has been what you have been doing ever since you became a bobsledder.  You are an inspiration for taking chances, going all in, never giving up, and getting the best out of yourself.  Don’t let this hurdle (no pun intended) get in your way.  Just smash through it rather than jumping over it.  Whatever you decide to do moving forward, I know you will give it your all and be successful.

 

I can’t even imagine the experiences you have had these past 7+ years and I am excited for what the future holds for you.  I know that there are a lot of people that are proud of you and you have inspired many.  To me, you epitomize what an athlete should be – tough, dedicated, fearless, and determined. 

The Difference a Year Makes..

Almost exactly a year ago I was called into an room in Igls, Austria and told by the selection committee that I would not be representing our country in the 2014 Sochi Olympics.  As disappointed as I was with the selection and the process I knew that I wanted to continue with sports in some capacity.  I wanted to have control over how and when my athletic career ended.  At the time I knew that I would not continue to bobsled, but that I still had the desire to compete a little longer.  I didn’t know what that meant or in what way I wanted to compete, but I knew that I had worked very hard to build up my body and I thought I could still athletically contribute to some sport.

A few weeks after the Olympic Team was selected I stumbled upon the sport of rugby in while visiting friends in Budapest, Hungary.  I was blown away by the kindness of the women I met and practiced with in Budapest and knew that where ever I landed I wanted to surround myself with people like them.  I moved to the bay area in the spring of 2014 and immediately found a team in Berkeley to play with.  It has been incredibly humbling and at times very frustrating to learn a new sport, but my teammates have been patient and understanding every step of the way.  Rugby is a complex sport that takes years to understand and master.  The women in the sport are some of the most fit athletes I have ever seen.  It is a sport that has many working parts requiring speed, strength, fitness, and most importantly brains. 

My goal in rugby has always been to meet new people and have fun!  I emotionally struggled through the last couple years of bobsled and ultimately the fun was sucked out of the sport for me.  Rugby has been refreshing and has given me new perspective in my life.  My mindset has shifted and instead of putting extreme pressure on myself I have limited my expectations and am enjoying the experience. 

Ironically a year after the 2014 Olympic Bobsled was selected I found myself back at the Olympic Training Center, but this time for rugby.   The last time I was at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista was in 2010, a few weeks before departing for the Olympic Games in Vancouver.  I also trained in Chula Vista after my first bobsled season in 2007.  It is a place that holds some really great memories for me and I enjoyed reliving those experiences and walking down memory lane this past week.  Although I do not know what the future holds for me in any capacity I am finally starting to understand that the journey is truly the most important part of every experience.  I feel that rugby has given me a second chance to enjoy athletics again and has given me an opportunity to create my own ending. 

And the Season Begins

 

The Lady Cavaliers started off the season with a victory!  It was great to see the girls in action and incredible to see the Cavaliers have enough players now to field two teams.  Great job Ladies!