BC Rugby is delighted to launch Girls Can Rugby, an initiative aimed at inspiring more girls to play Rugby in a positive and enjoyable environment at local Clubs.

Coinciding with International Women’s Day on March 8th, BC Rugby Member Clubs from Campbell River to Fort St John will host a Girls Can Rugby Day on Sunday March 6^th 2022 between 10:00am-12:00pm.

Girls Can Rugby Day is a free tryout for girls aged 5-14 to visit a Rugby Club within their local area and experience what their community, and the sport of Rugby, has to offer. No previous experience is required. Rugby is a safe, fun and inclusive sport for people of all body types and budgets.

In the year of the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Girls Can Rugby aims to attract and retain more girls under the age of 14 to play Rugby at their local Clubs in BC. This age range is traditionally dominated by male players and we aim to readdress this balance and encourage more girls-only programming offered by Clubs going forward.

Girls Can Rugby Day events will take place at the following Clubs on March 6: 

• Axemen Rugby Club (Squamish/Whistler)
• Bayside Sharks RFC (Surrey)
• Britannia Lions (Delta)
• Campbell River Rugby Club (Campbell River)
• Capilano RFC (West Vancouver)
• Cowichan Rugby Football Club (Duncan)
• James Bay Athletic Association (Victoria)
• Kelowna Crows Athletic Society (Kelowna)
• Langley Rugby Club (Langley)
• Meraloma Rugby Club (Vancouver)
• Peace Rugby (Fort St John)
• Prince George Youth Rugby Association (Prince George)
• Scribes RFC (Vancouver)
• United Rugby Club (Coquitlam)
• Vancouver Thunderbirds (Vancouver)
• Westshore Rugby Club (Victoria)
• Williams Lake Rugby Club (Williams Lake)

 A Girls Can Rugby Day event will also take place at Elk Valley RFC (Fernie) on April 23 at 10:00am-12:00pm, due to snow in the area.

“The empowerment of girls at our Club and within our community is important, as this is a challenging time for girls of that age. They are easily drawn away from sport at a time when they are most vulnerable and would benefit from the camaraderie and support of a team sport and the community of a Rugby Club,” said Langley Rugby Club’s Leah Corvec.

“Team sports in general are the best way to making new friends, they also help improve your social skills, such as communication. Unlike several other sports, Rugby is a sport without boundaries, there isn’t a correct size, a minimum speed or weight, there’s a place for everyone to be involved and to have fun,” said Axemen Rugby Club’s James Butterworth.

BC Rugby gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport in launching the Girls Can Rugby initiative. 
 
For more information on Girls Can Rugby and the Clubs running a Girls Can Rugby Day please visit the Girls Can Rugby page on the BC Rugby website here.

More information about BC Rugby 

The British Columbia Rugby Union, commonly known as BC Rugby, is the governing body for Rugby in British Columbia and is a Provincial Union of Rugby Canada, the national governing body. Representing over 4,000 individuals registered through around 60 Member Clubs and Associations across the Province, BC Rugby leads and manages the sport with the aim to grow participation and develop excellence in all games of Rugby and in all facets of the sport.
 
Web: www.bcrugby.com
Social: @bcrugbyunion
 
–30–
 
For more information, please contact:
 
BC Rugby
Rob Bartlett
Director of Marketing and Partnerships
Tel: 604-737-3065 ext 1003
rbartlett@bcrugby.com