Glendale women welcome new coaches, primed for fall season

from Glendale Rugby:

Lynch

The search for a new coaching staff has ended for the Raptors Women’s Premier League team – just in time for group practice to begin for the competitive fall season. Veteran rugger and coach Steve Lynch has signed on to lead the ladies in their pursuit of the 2013 WPL championship. He will be joined on the sidelines by Glendale veteran Robin Roberts (women’s B-side coach) and Josh Sutcliffe (assistant coach).

“I’m honored to have been selected to coach at Glendale,” Lynch said. “I know there were a significant number of very qualified candidates and I’m fortunate to have this opportunity.”

Lynch has been involved in rugby since 1989 and has built an impressive resume which includes the founding of rugby clubs in Florida (Key West), Cuba and Italy, as well as leading the United States Navy’s select 15s and 7s teams. He has also served as a guest coach for the USA Under-20 women’s national team and as a technical coach for the Malta women’s national team.

He has high expectations for the Raptors’ WPL side this year and is looking forward to helping the team develop their own system of play.

“As a coach, I believe it’s my job to prepare my team as best as I can by helping them develop their skills and abilities. Additionally, I feel that team chemistry is one of the most important key factors in a successful program, and I love this team’s chemistry,” Lynch said.

He continued, “The Glendale women’s program has some of the most talented players in the world. We had nine players at Eagles camp this past summer, and honestly, I think we had a few players who were overlooked for that opportunity.”

robin-roberts
Roberts

Robin Roberts
New for this season is the addition of a women’s B side, which will be led by Roberts and supported by other members of the coaching staff. The new tier will serve to help developing players build their skills and understanding of the game – prepping them for competition at the next level of play.

Roberts has more than two decades of rugby experience, most recently as a player on the women’s side, and as an assistant coach for the girl’s high school program.

“As a player, my mindset was always on how I could best help the team and I’ve carried that mentality over into my coaching,” Roberts said. “I want to help players not only develop the tools needed for the game, but also to help them recognize what their individual strengths are, and how those fit into the overall team dynamic.”

B-side matches are currently slated against other B sides affiliated with WPL teams from around the country.

josh-sutcliffe
Sutcliffe JD Black

Josh Sutcliffe
Sutcliffe began his career in Wanganui, New Zealand, before he was 10 years old. He played for Australian universities and even spent some time on the Philippines national team. His coaching career began in 2003 and he has held positions at Stanford University (2005-08) as well at UNC Greensboro (2009-11).

As a coach for Glendale, his goal is to create a player-centered environment where the team learns the techniques, tactics and strategies that will allow them to make effective decisions during a match.

WPL back in action
This past spring Raptors fans watched the men compete in the inaugural Elite Cup tournament and also supported them through their regulation competitive season, where they made it to the playoffs but were stopped short of reaching the final four.

While the men’s teams will be competing in regular league play this fall, the focus is largely on the women as they begin their quest for the 2013 WPL national championship. The Raptors’ WPL side finished second to the Berkeley All Blues in 2012 and, with Lynch at the helm, hope to finish one better this season.

For 2013 the Raptors are in the Blue Conference along with Boston-based Beantown, the New York Rugby Club and the DC Furies. Each team plays the other members of the conference twice during the season. One match is at home and the other is away.

“We have a great season ahead of us and I’m looking forward to helping the team meet its goals, and earning a spot on the WPL roster,” Glendale forward Rebekah Knappe said. “Practices so far have been intense and fun, and all of the new faces will promote internal competition for all positions on the field.”

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