USA Rugby Women’s National Team WCCA, WJAA & GHSAA Coaches Appointed

The three female age-grade national teams have found new coaches for 2015 and beyond. Sue Whitwell is the newly-appointed head coach of the AIG Women’s Collegiate All-Americans, Farrah Douglas was hired as of coach the Girls High School All-Americans powered by Serevi, and Wil Snape will oversee the AIG Women’s Junior All-Americans on an interim basis.

“As we have reorganized the pathway, the time was right for some reorganization of leadership,” Women’s National Team Pathway Manager Tam Breckenridge said. “The new appointments are all strong coaches who have worked within the pathway during the last cycle. We believe that they have the skills and commitment to build a pathway that can help the U.S. compete in the 2017 and 2021 World Cups and 2020 Olympics.”

Whitwell assisted predecessor Martha Daines over the past three years with the WCAAs. She has been a scrum coach with the Eagles and is currently the assistant coach to the Harvard Women’s Program.

Douglas was an assistant with the Eagles during the last World Cup cycle, primarily focused on the scrum. She was a starter for the Eagles at prop at the 2010 World Cup and is currently the head junior varsity coach at Gonzaga High School.

Snape replaces Danielle Miller, who has stepped down for personal reasons, on an interim basis for the summer. He worked with the WJAAs for the last two years, and was an assistant coach at the 2013 U20 Nations Cup. Snape is currently the head coach of New York Rugby Club.

“We were disappointed that Danielle had to step away after doing so much good work,” Breckenridge said, “but Wil is a great replacement to finish the cycle for the Junior All-Americans.”

All three coaches will be at the National All-Star Competition in June looking at players and working with coaches in the new Emerging Coach Program.

“Sue, Wil, and Farrah are all great additions to the leadership of the Women’s National Team Pathway,” Women’s Eagles Head Coach Pete Steinberg said. “The development of a robust pathway for players and coaches is critical for the future success of the USA 15s and sevens teams. These coaches are strong developers of players and they have all been in the pathway and have experience that they can bring to their new role.”

The WJAAs and GHSAAs plan to play competitions at the end of the summer against Canadian sides. The WCAAs will focus on player identification and development, along with the launch of a Women’s Collegiate All-Americans Sevens team.