US National 7s Team Announces World Cup Practice Squad

from Womeneagles.com

National 7s head coach Julie McCoy has announced the practice squad leading up to the 2009 Seven’s World Cup. Following the National All-Star Sevens Championships, the final selections for the squad of 20 players plus 11 reserves will now continue on the road to the 2009 World Cup.

McCoy said, “these players have been selected to represent the US in the next World Cup. This elite squad will now practice and play together through the World Cup. We won’t be looking any further for additional athletes. All Non traveling reserves will be expected to participate in the training and skills programs outside the camps, readying themselves for duty in the event players in the Practice Squad are dropped.”

“The squad includes 3 developmental players, who are just out of the collegiate program or the developmental program. These players are included as we look forward to the next World Cup cycle.”

All 20 players have already pledged their full commitment to attending every training camp scheduled to be held over the months leading into the Sevens RWC in Dubai next March.

“So far, the process has been very encouraging, as we’ve been fortunate to get 20 athletes to commit to taking a month away from personal obligations such as work and school to dedicate themselves fully to training. I’m very pleased at the number of athletes who have stepped up to the challenge and fully committed to winning the World Cup. Everyone is focused on the task at hand and I’m confident we can make enough progress needed to return from Dubai with the Cup,” McCoy added.

McCoy has also named a handful of non-training reserves to this pool. These are players who were on the cusp of being in the top 20, and have committed to training along the same lines as the practice squad.

“The non-training reserves will train along with the 20 person pool at the same time,” McCoy explained. “If we should have needs such as filling in for an athlete who should sustain a significant injury that would require 3-6 months off of training, or if a player initially chosen to the practice squad lacks progress in her fitness testing, we may bring up a player from the non-traveling reserves selections.”

McCoy also is working with the USA Board of Directors and the City of Little Rock to ensure that players will not have to pay out-of-pocket for their upcoming travel and board expenses. Additionally, a stipend will assist players with other expenses.

“Giving the USA Women’s Sevens Team the chance to compete and even win the Sevens World Cup is a top priority for USA Rugby and the Board of Directors and we’re thankful for their provision of full (financial) support of these plans,” Coach McCoy said.”

Also released was a provisional schedule for the squad which, given that the team qualifies, culminates in the final squad’s participation in the Seven’s World Cup in Dubai, U.A.E in March 2009.

Congratulations to the following players selected for the Women’s National Team Sevens Player Pool:

1. Tyshawn Henry, New York RFC
2. Phaidra Knight, New York RFC
3. Lindsey Stephenson, At Large
4. Amy Daniels, Beantown RFC
5. Pam Kosanke, Chicago Northshore RFC
6. Kelly White, Belmont Shore RFC
7. Alison Price, New York RFC
8. Jen Sinkler, Keystone RFC
9. Melissa McKibben, Kansas City RFC
10. Teena Mastrangelo, Chicago Northshore RFC
11. Ines Rodriguez, Keystone RFC
12. Donna Thomas, Little Rock RFC
13. Christy Ringgenberg, Minnesota Valkyries RFC
14. Kirsten Ahrendt, Keystone RFC
15. Ellie Karvoski, Little Rock RFC
16. Yancy Graf, Beantown RFC
17. Ida Bernstein, Keystone RFC
18. Jennifer Starkey, NOVA RFC
19. Jess Watkins, Stanford University
20. Jenna Flateman, New York RFC

Non-Traveling Reserves:

1. Lauren Hoeck, NOVA RFC
2. Tess Kohanski, Syracuse University
3. Kit Wagner, Beantown RFC
4. Claire Gregorich, Glendale RFC
5. Sadie Anderson, Penn State University
6. Lauren Rosso, Penn State University
7. Daniela Mogro, New York RFC
8. Alison Worman, Penn State University
9. Beth Black, NOVA RFC
10. Haldre Rogers, Seattle RFC
11. JoAnne Ward, Albany RFC, injured reserve

US Women’s National Seven’s Team Staff:

Head Coach: Julia McCoy, MD
Assistant Coach: Christopher Ryan
Assistant Coach: Andrew Fautley
General Manager: Tristan Lewis
Team Manager: Sadeana Green
Team Physios: Lisa Bartoli, MD
Team Physio: Michael Moses

Provisional WNT Sevens Calendar:

Sept. 4-7: US 7s Practice Camp, Bronxville NY
Sept. 26-28: US 7s Footwork/Skills Camp, Little Rock, AR
Fitness testing held to determine squad for the Qualifier. (12 players plus 2 travelling reserves)
Oct. 18-22: US WC Qualifying Assembly, Miami, FL
Oct. 23-27: US WC Qualifier, Nassau, Bahamas
Nov. 22-Dec. 1: Dubai Sevens, Dubai, U.A.E
Jan. 16-18: Little Rock Camp – Full squad testing/skills camp
Jan. 30-Feb. 9: Little Rock Residency Program, full squad
Feb. 9-16: USA 7s, San Diego, CA
2 full squads to compete
Feb 16-23: Little Rock Residency training
WC Squad of 12 plus 2 travelling reserves selected during this week
March 1-9: World Cup 2009, Dubai, U.A.E

For more USA WNT 7s Team action, check out their Tournament Results from the Amsterdam Tournament here.