Recent Chatelech Secondary School graduate Jessica Nelson was selected to represent Western Canada in a match against a western U.S. team in a friendly scrimmage.
“They basically pulled together a squad from the best players in Western Canada, had them train together and then play the USA West team as part of the U18 Can-AM West Series,” said Ron Nelson, Jessica’s father.
Canada won the Aug. 11 scrimmage 36-22. The players were participating in an invitation-only Rugby Canada training camp, allowing coaches to assess players as they work to build a team in October.
Jessica Nelson, who was captain of the Chatelech team and who plays lock position, was recruited to UBC’s rugby team after graduating in June. She’s been playing since 2016 after coach Mike Clucas founded the Chatelech team.
Her rugby journey was also helped along by stops in the city.
Nelson played for Capilano RFC for several years and was invited by coach Mimi Appelbe to play for the Vancouver Rugby Union team at Provincial Rugby Championships (PRC), which take place each July. “I truly think it was while at her first PRC that Jess really got the bug,” said Ron Nelson.
Last year she was scouted by Rugby BC to play for the U17 Women’s B.C. Team at the Western Canada Championships in Winnipeg, after having spent two seasons training in an academy hosted by the organization.
This year Rugby BC invited her to represent B.C.’s U18 team at the Western Canada Championships tournament in Regina, where they won bronze, and it was there that she was picked by Rugby Canada to join the U18 Women’s Western Canada camp, held from Aug. 7 to 12 in Mills Bay, B.C.
Ron Nelson attributed much of his daughter’s success to the formation of the Chatelech girls rugby team. “Prior to four years ago there was no Chat Girls Rugby, and even a few years ago they rarely won a game. This year they did very well in the high school championships, ninth in the province, and beat many teams that used to dominate them,” he said.
Six players from the Sunshine Coast played in this year’s provincial rugby championships. Zoe Younghusband played for a U16 B.C. team, which won a Western Canada tournament.
And while Nelson’s cohort has graduated, “the whole tide behind her is carrying on,” said Ron.
