WPL Spotlight: Coach Jan Rutkowski and Player Kelly Seary from Beantown

This is the second of several spotlights that is being done by YSC so that we can all gain a bit more insight into each teams respective coaching staff and key players. Read below for more info on Beantown!

YSC: What team do you coach and how long have you been coaching?
Beantown: Beantown RFC. I’ve been the head coach since 2004. I previously assisted the team from 1999-2003.

YSC: What year was your club established and who established it?
Beantown: 1976 – by KO Onufry, Madeline Mackles and a bunch of other women who were friends, family and fans of a local men’s team. They decided they would rather play than watch. The story goes that this bunch of women formed 2 teams so they’d have someone to play against. This was born Beantown and Boston.

YSC: Is there a specific style of play that your trying to instill in your team? As a coach do you have a specific area of expertise (ie: forwards, backs, kicking, scrumhalves etc.)?
Beantown: We are focusing on getting the basic right. We want to achieve balance in our attack, not be predictable and continue to evolve our game.

YSC: What are you doing as a coach to involve your local community in the newly formed WPL?
Beantown: I have not done anything – I have been focused on coaching the team.

YSC: What are your expectations for the WPL?
Beantown: I am not really sure. For me personally, I am thinking of this as being a “professional” league. Recognizing, of course, that it’s not – but it is the highest level of women’s club play, so I will treat it as such. We will see, just like everybody else.

YSC: What specific preparations, training camps etc, will your team be participating in to prepare for their upcoming WPL games?
Beantown: We have done nothing different than we have in past Nationals seasons. We’ve practiced through the month of August – treating it somewhat like a training camp. We are as ready as we can be at this point, though we will surely improve as the season goes on.

YSC: Throughout the season, how will you continue to keep your team on the top of their game?
Beantown: We will carefully monitor our performance and make adjustments as needed. We intend to use our off weekends wisely, working on those areas in need of improvement.

YSC: Where do you see the WPL in 5 years? 10?
Beantown: I always hated this question in a job interview. I’ve never been able to answer it in that context, and can’t in this one either.

YSC: If you could send a message to all of your alumni and fans, what would it say?
Beantown: Come out and watch. We hope that come November, we will be the champions of the WPL! Then you can say you supported us along the way.

Player Interview: Kelly Seary

Name: Kelly Seary
Nickname: Serious or just Seary
Height/Weight: 5’5″, 125lbs
Birthplace: Lachute, Quebec
Current Team: Beantown RFC
How long have you played for your current team? Since the fall of 2001.
Past teams? Radcliffe Rugby throughout college; Laurentian Regional High School
Primary Position: Flyhalf
Secondary Position: Wing, fullback
Occupation: Manager at Harvard Medical School
Superstition/Pre-game Ritual? I always call heads on a coin toss.
When I retire from rugby I will… Try to find another athletic pursuit, and will likely stay involved with rugby either as a coach or ref.
If I had a private jet I would… Sell it and use the money towards something more meaningful.
Who do you predict will be in the final for the 2016 Women’s 7s Olympics Games? USA vs New Zealand