By Woodard, Dale on July 14, 2017.

Dale Woodard

Lethbridge Herald

sports@lethbridgeherald.com

Evidently, word of the Raymond Comets rugby program has reached south of the border.

Now, senior varsity members of the girls team that captured the Alberta Schools Athletic Association provincial championship in early-June are headed there for a 7s rugby tournament in Gridley, California.

Starting today, 10 members Albertas best rugby team will pit themselves against some top-ranked U.S. talent from three different states and it all started with a conversation between southern Alberta referee official Paul Howe and the tournament organizers.

He went down there to do training and referee in a tournament, said Comets head coach Dan Bikman of Howe. He got talking with (the organizer) and he said Theres a really strong program out of southern Alberta and if youre looking to put something together, contact them. He called me and I said it sounds awesome. So I told my senior varsity players and said If theres a group of you that wants to go, well go. If you dont want to go, no pressure. Summer is tough to organize the kids because they have family stuff and play different sports, but I got a good group of 10, which is a good sample of our program. We have good speed, good power and good skill.

As it turns out, that area is kind of a hotbed for rugby. He wanted to put together a kind of best-of-the-best tournament and invited us to go. He has four teams that rank in the top-10 in the U.S. Itll be a competitive experience, thats for sure.

Getting their first glimpse of American opponents, the 10 Comets making the trip are understandably looking forward to it.

Theyre super excited, said Bikman. Theyre excited about the travel experience and theyre excited about the competitive experience. To play at the highest level, at least in western North America, will be a huge privilege for them. These are clubs out of Sacramento, Utah, Colorado and all through the California area. Weve never played an American team. Weve played B.C. and Saskatchewan. This is the first time weve ever been south to play.

I hope we dont have our hands too full, but I think we can compete down there. Itll be awesome for the kids to see a different area where rugby is strong. Rugby is strong in Alberta and specifically in southern Alberta and for them to see another hotbed and a place where theres lots enthusiasm for rugby, I think thats going to be awesome.

Today is the pooling portion of the tournament with the championship round starting Saturday, said Bikman.

Its kind of a round-robin and then a playoff.

The trip has turned into a family affair.

We have a couple of families caravaning and taking kids down, said Bikman. Ive got 10 players going and I think six of them will have their parents with them.

Staying in the small town of just over 6,500, accommodations will be similar to what the Comets offer during their annual Christmas tournament.

Its a small town, it only has one hotel, said Bikman. Its actually similar to how we do the Sugar Bowl in Raymond where the kids come and stay with host families.

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Comets going to California - Lethbridge Herald