USA Rugby Women's Sevens Program Kicks Off LA 2028 Quest With High-Performance Camp
By Priscilla Jepchumba
The USA Rugby Women’s Sevens Program is starting to construct the pipeline for future success in LA 2028. They started off with a high-performance camp to select talent for future residency programs for the National Team in preparation for the World Series Events and the Olympic Games.
The five-day camp took place from September 2-7 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, and these 25 athletes got this chance to prove themselves for the full-time residency to join the USA Women’s Sevens program. Organized by Irene Gardner, the head coach of the Women’s Sevens pathway, and Kelly Griffin, the assistant coach, the camp will comprise training sessions and full-contact development.
Seven of the selected players were found in the Club 7s Nationals, and many have come through the USA Rugby ranks. Other players who joined the camp include XVs Eagles Taina Tukuafu, Cassidy Bargell, and Tessa Hann. Tukuafu and Hann traveled to Chula Vista after a two-week tour in Japan with the USA Women’s Eagles, during which Hann played her first international match.
Irene Gardner, the Women’s Sevens Pathways Head Coach, said that the athletes had shown readiness for a professional rugby environment and are commendable in their commitment to becoming the next generation of ‘Highwomen.’
“These athletes have demonstrated a readiness to challenge themselves in a professional rugby environment. They have worked hard to get to this stage in their journey, whether as a part of the USA Rugby Pathway, women's club rugby, or collegiate rugby. Their perseverance to be the next generation of Highwomen is inspirational, and their commitment has earned them an invitation to camp this week,” said Gardner.
Emilie Bydwell, the Head Coach of the USA Women’s Sevens team, commented on the selected players: "We are really excited to have 25 players on site this week for the High-Performance Camp.”
“It is an absolute priority to make sure that we are assessing the talent that is coming through the pathway as we work toward ‘getting the right people in the room’ over the course of the next 12-18 months,” she said.
Bydwell expressed gratitude for Martha Daines, Irene Gardner, and Kelly Griffin's dedication to developing the next-generation group and the system that identifies and supports them. Looking forward to the upcoming week, Bydwell aims to empower these players to play to their strengths, push their limits, and showcase their capabilities.
JUDY ROTICH