Canada Tour Player Profiles: Matt Coore

Pregame at Stampede 7s

The preparations for our first Stars Rugby 7s international tour were extraordinarily complicated when it came to our first men's program. Our interest levels were high but the realities of players committed to club qualifier travel/tournaments, Elite City 7s early in June, Cape Fear 7s the same weekend as our tour, and with Serevi Rugbytown 7s, Club Nationals, and World Club 7s all taking place in August, our actual commitments were low. Even one week before the trip we had changes to our rosters and lost 2 players as well as several alternates, and were suddenly faced with only 8 men's players making the trip up north for a high level tournament.

While we did travel lightly to Canada, our men embraced the "scrappy underdog" mentality, especially representing the USA with our first two pool play games on the 4th of July, going 3-1-1 at the tournament with an average of 4 tries scored per game. We advanced easily from pool play, came from behind in the semifinal to defeat a British Military Police side 19-14, and made the Men's Premier Final. The finals pitted the Stars against a  Fijian side rumored to have national team players on its roster. 10 minute halves proved a bit too much for us to handle without the depth the other teams enjoyed, but this is a problem that easily solved in recruiting for our future tours!

One of our men that was on board from day one is Florida Atlantic University Men's Rugby player Matt Coore. He was a huge impact player for our program that should be a part of our rosters for a long time coming.

On the Pitch for FAU

Matt came highly recommended by FAU Women's Coach Eyal Hakim as a player that clearly stood out in his program and one that has the potential to be playing far above the Florida Collegiate D2 level. Matt lived up to expectations on our tour; while he was the youngest and rawest player on the squad, he adapted quickly to a new style of play, adjusted to the speed and experience levels of his teammates, and became our big power crasher/power hitter rather than the speedy finisher he's used to back in Florida. Matt progressed as through each training, each game, and each day of the tour.

In terms of player development, there is nothing more we could have asked for. Had their been a "Most Improved Player" award for the trip, he'd have the title. Matt's future is bright with many more tours and much more rugby to come. His potential has just barely been tapped and his aspirations to reach higher levels in this game should soon be realized.

Here's his story in his words:

More Action for FAU Men's Rugby

"It all started at Florida Atlantic University. The sport of Rugby was just one of the many sports I wanted to play after seeing my high school friends play in their first year of college at University of North Florida. This past two years playing for FAU is one that will always go down as one of the greatest memories I have had yet on the pitch. During the Fall 2013 season we advanced to the Florida Cup Championship facing the reigning USA Rugby National Champions UCF. We lost the match but came away as second in the state!


I started for the 15s team my freshman year of fall and spring. My performance that rookie season led to a nomination for the Florida South Select Side 15s by former FAU coach Richard Jackson and Head coach of the Boca Bucs: Frank Tito.

I started playing 7s the Summer of 2013 and I have had a mutual love for both 15s and 7s. Currently  I am playing with FAU for the summer sevens season. I give my all to bring our side to victory with countless number of hours in the gym. 

Conditioning with Daru Fitness & Performance

When it comes time to get on the pitch, fatigue becomes nothing but an obstacle to overcome. I do all my training at Daru Fitness & Performance which has gave me a mental edge.  I have been given the chance to play in my first international tournament by the Stars Rugby 7s team and I cannot wait to show how Rugby in Florida is done!

** Matt's tour update: The tour for Stampedes Sevens brought some tough matches. Both our womens' and men side put in some nice work. Making it up to 2nd in the tournament; facing back-to-back Fijian sides that had some great skill. Met a cool group of ruggers from Stars sides! Pretty cool stories were shared. I learned different techniques and views of the 7s game.  I hope for more tours to come with this program. Next stop, Australia**

A Spring Season Update from Christina Swift

In late January I had the chance to surprise some of our Stars 7s players from FAU and FIU and fly to Boca Raton for their Friday Night Lights clash. Getting to see the girls in action with their home clubs playing 15s was an awesome experience and Swift definitely shined as a center making some devastating runs and even stronger tackles in a close match. Here's her update as she starts prepping for the Women's Collegiate All American East Camp (Eyal sent in a U-20 nomination and USA Rugby elevated her to WCAA consideration).

"Boy oh boy where do I start?

This spring season is definitely one I won’t forget! Our FAU Women’s team did rather well - we could have done better but next year were definitely going further than we ever have, I can feel it! On top of playing for FAU I got to play with the amazing and talented Ft. Miami Womens team in the Ruggerfest that was an awesome tournament and we ended up getting second place in!!!

In other news I have been training very hard lately and had my coach Eyal send in a nomination for U20 tryouts this year. A month later I get the invite to the Women's Collegiate All American East Camp tryouts!!! I am beyond excited for this opportunity and where it could lead me!

Every day I think about rugby and what more I can do to go further and knowing that I get to play in my first INTERNATIONAL Tournament with the Stars makes it even better.

This summer has so many opportunities for my rugby career and I couldn’t be happier to be apart of the Stars program. I have never been to Canada and I can’t wait to play!

I have learned nothing is just going to appear I front of you, you have to work towards your goals every day to make them achievable. One of my favorites “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” I live by that because I am determined I finally found a sport that I can give my all and absolutely love every second about it!" 

To help support Swift in her rugby goals, including the Stars tour to Calgary, the WCAA camp and her invite today to the Serevi High Performance Residency Camp, please visit her GoFundMe page!

About Last Weekend: A Photo Essay

Stars Rugby 7s Coach Eyal Hakim is not only skilled when it comes to the game of rugby, he also harbors a passion with sports photography and captures game amazing images. Below are some of the action shots from the FAU v FIU Friday night match as well as the 2nd half of Saturday's Fort Miami v Jacksonville clash.

He is still culling through over 2,000 images from the USA 7s in Las Vegas. Check our facebook page in the coming weeks for full photo albums!

 FAU's closing in on the tackle against FIU's wing

Stars player Kristin waiting to put the ball in on an FAU scrum

 Just a bit of a height mis-match

 Stars player Codi brings the intensity

 Stars player Swift on one of many breaks through the centers

 Stars Kristen on a pick and go

 Stars Gracie (in blue) powers through contact

 An FAU lineout

Open field play by FAU

 Q from Fort Miami breaking the line

 Fort Miami (blue) steals a lineout

 My Beaver 7s teammate Devin taking one of 10 conversion kicks

 Scrumhalf action

 Sandy on a fullback crash while Jacksonville's fullback goes airborne

 Kiwi activates her stiff-arm

 My fellow prop and Gypsies teammate Michelle on a crash

 Brie pop kicks for Maya to chase

 Kiwi on another crash

A great shot of the 9-10 connection

Post-match Beavers 7s shot

Stars in Action this Weekend

While Chicago looks to below freezing temperatures and 6" more of snow this week, plenty of our other Stars will be in action around the US and around the World. Best of luck to Cheyenne as she enters Team Australia camp upon her return home!

Domestically our South Buffalo Sinners Cara, Rhiannon, & Mercedez have Winterfest 7s  on tap. Here's hoping Vegas served as a good 'warm up' for their winter club action.

To the South Coach Eyal leads FAU Owls Codi, Swift and Kristin against their biggest rivals FIU which includes Stars Kim and Gracie. Should be a thrilling matchup under Friday Night Lights in Florida. Seems a special "Dirty Little Hamster" MVP Award should be created for this match-up!

Tiara will also see 15s game action in Texas with a D1 matrix match with her Dallas Harlequins Women against the Denton Women's Sirens.

Finally, Amanda and her Lindenwood University side take on Midnight 7s in Kansas City - one of many different Midnight 7s tournaments that take place around the country. Atlanta hosts one in late May/early June, and New York and Las Vegas later in the year. The Kansas City tournament is uniquely positioned as the only indoor tournament that breaks up the monotony of Midwest winters which affects/hinders our rugby seasons. They feature a college bracket on Friday and men's bracket Saturday.

Best of luck to all the Stars in action - and to everyone else, keep up the off-season training! Only 50 more weeks until Vegas 2015.

Surf's Up/Scrum Down: Codi

Codi is another player from FAU Women's Rugby and is best described as a trip and a half and a total goofball by her coach (in a totally endearing way). As another of our younger players on the squad, her opportunities are endless and the chance to play with more senior players should serve as an inspiration for years to come. It's clear she has the enthusiasm for the game:

What's up what's up! The names Codi Monroy! 

I am a freshman at Lynn University and majoring in business and sports management. Growing up I always been a little athlete. From competitively surfing to kick boxing,I always had a love of sports! It wasn't till a couple months ago my best friend Christina invited me to her rugby practice. I fell in love when I made my first tackle. I still have a lot to learn but I am determined to excel in every way possible. 




Having the opportunity to play for the Stars is such a honor! I am stoked to go to Vegas and play my heart out! I can't wait to play with the experienced players and really see what I am made of and of course make new memories and friends along the way!!! Whoop whoop here I come baby!!!

Swift in Name and Swift of Foot

Christina Swift is another of the FAU contingent and looks to make an instant impact on our team. Though relatively new to rugby she's a fast, fit, fierce and furious player and we're looking forward to see what she'll do when surrounded by like-minded and like-skilled players. The chance to play for Stars 7s could well be her platform to an Eagle camp - Pete Steinberg & Danielle Miller we're looking in your direction!

 Here's her info:

My name is Christina Swift; I am currently a junior at Florida Atlantic University pursuing a double major in Business Management and Marketing. I have been playing rugby for a year and a half now at FAU. I have played many sports throughout my life, but Rugby is something different to me. I am determined and motivated to someday soon be a USA Eagle.


Being invited to play in the Las Vegas 7’s invitational tournament is still mind-boggling to me. I am super competitive and when I have something to motivate me to work towards I push myself to new limits.



 
I train at a Crossfit gym (the Training Pit East Boca) and recently have been doing sprint training with my coach Eyal Hakim, then going to Crossfit and working on my strength. I am not one of the bigger girls but I am definitely intimidating on the pitch once I start playing! Rugby is an incredible sport because you are constantly learning something new. You never know everything and everyone who plays rugby is super respectable. My team at FAU is apart of me and I couldn’t be prouder of how far we have come in the past year and a half.

I am counting down the days to Vegas; I am so excited to get the opportunity to play with players who have such an extensive rugby background. This tournament is going to be a huge learning experience for me!!! I can’t wait to meet all the players and see where the Stars Rugby Program leads to. This team has tons of potential and great opportunities to do big things; I’m strapping in and ready to open my eyes for a rugby adventure.

Coach's Corner: Meet Eyal

Over the course of the Stars founding chats, John Tinsley introduced me to Eyal Hakim out of Florida where he coaches Florida Atlantic University Women and plays for the Boca Raton Men's club. As it turns out Eyal and I share much of the same rugby network so it's fairly inevitable that we'd meet at some point; almost every interaction has involved a "do you know Joe Rugby in California? Or Jane in New York" to mutual discovery of "yes"; the "nos" become quick new contacts and friends in typical rugby fashion.

It was a match made in rugby heaven as we share much of the same philosophies when it comes to principles of play, game strategy (although Eyal has a crazy focus on re-starts - I hear about it daily), team building, and tradition. It's evident that he cares greatly about his own players and about the growth of women's rugby in Florida; the efforts he puts in as a volunteer coach, administrator, fundraiser are mind-bogglingly impressive. Bottom line: Eyal is one of the rugby good guys.

Additionally, having an experienced 7s specialist as a coach is a blessing for the team - plus it allows me to focus on playing, a hand in organizing logistics, and gives another set of eyes when it comes to selections. Plus I was even able to get him some playing time between our games in Vegas with the Sexy Manatees touring side from Calgary (friends from my travels the last 2 years to play at Stampede 7s and the brother team to another of my touring sides, the Sexy Mermaids). Eyal shares my same enthusiasm for growing this team into something sustainable and we've played off each other's energy and visions such that a business plan is in the works to incorporate the Stars into something large and long-lasting.

Here's Eyal's story:

After a career playing football in Texas, I began my rugby career as a lowly wing/fullback trying to learn the game with a bunch of amazing players. I have had the benefit over the course of 20 years in the game to play with some of the best in the country - from playing with Texas A&M University to club level with New York Athletic Club and Boca Raton Rugby.  I've also had the chance to play with the South Men's All-Stars and West Developmental sides.



Being around these players helped motivate me to play better and accomplish more on a larger stage. The pursuit of high level rugby led to athletic travels around the world with Boroughmuir Rugby in Edinburgh, Scotland and being capped for Israel's National Team. After returning to the States, I am trying to give back to the rugby community that I so very love.

I began coaching the FAU Women’s Team roughly 2 years ago and have seen growing success from these young women, but with that success also comes a want for more. The team  has quickly grown and we have our sights set on the D2 National Championship tournament this spring. 

In initial conversations with Liz I brought forth the idea of having players that are from lower caliber rugby areas playing with high level players to see what happens. This has turned into what Liz and I are hoping will be a full program to start allowing women’s players from areas without a lot of high level rugby to have the chance to see how they fit into the spectrum of the rugby world. Vegas means a huge deal to me because I will be able to see how the girls I have coached step up to the challenge of a high level of rugby.

A Little More Background AND Introducing Jamie VanDerKrake

As the Stars 7s team has formed over the past 4 weeks one of our operating principles is that we want to give players from smaller universities - the players that aren't at a Penn State, Stanford or Norwich, those not playing in USA Rugby nationals each year - a chance to develop alongside more experienced women's club/international players. It still remains the case with rugby in the USA that most collegiate women happen to find a program at the university they choose to attend for academic reasons (or for other sports initially; crossover athletes make up a good chunk of rugby rosters).

The distinction between Division 1, Division 2 and Division 3 colleges can often seem random - depending on geography, coaching, school funding, alumnae interaction and more. The strength of programs varies greatly and can dramatically swing year to year pending graduation (rugby has a very different recruiting pathway again depending on the university and the organization of a club's board), coaching, fundraising - you get the general idea. There are more varsity rugby programs than ever before with universities such as Quinnipiac, Davenport (Michigan), American International College, Eastern Illinois University, Life University (Georgia), and the special cases of the Ivy League colleges and military academies, but these opportunities are still few as compared to rugby in Canada which is supported by their collegiate athletic governing bodies (the Canadian NCAA if you will).

Thus one of the Stars main missions is to give these athletes from smaller schools, from the unheralded programs that may struggle for coaches, for numbers, for funding, a chance to both learn and to be seen - the opportunities that those of us at more established programs have had. If we can bridge these gaps, give players from "rugby deserts" a change to experience higher levels of the game and to inspire them to continue their rugby careers and pursue additional playing opportunities, then those of us "old girls" have done our job. Rugby is about giving back and as the Stars family grows we'd love to one day establish a scholarship fund to assist our U-23s in attending elite camps to further develop their game. As a part of each tour we'll be pairing up "Shooting Stars" buddies where the younger players have a "big sister" type mentor for the trip. Plus exchanging a jersey and giving pre-game gifts is just plain fun!

So with that in mind, here's the first of our lovely ruggers from Florida - Jamie VanDerKrake! Florida lacks the wealth of rugby opportunities you may find in the Midwest or Northeast. Geography plays a large role in the limitations on the clubs down south, as does the access to coaches/senior clubs other regions enjoy. The Stars are proud to have 6 players from Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University on our teams - and women from Fort Miami that had to pass on this tour but will be traveling on future tours - and we can't wait to see what happens!




In Jamie's words:

I'm a Sophomore criminal justice/criminology major at Florida Atlantic University. I've always played sports and I couldn't picture my life without athletics. Although, I've only been playing rugby for a year, the love I have for it feels like it goes far beyond that. 








 
I joined my FAU Team a year ago, one of the best decisions I've made. I had no idea what rugby was until I stepped out on the pitch, sometimes I feel like I still don't know! There's always something new, that damn scrum cadence always changing, which makes me love it that much more. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, your past, you become part of the rugby family when you step proudly out on the pitch.  










This tournament helps me prove my dedication to myself and rugby. I want to progress and continue to grow better as a player. I see this amazing opportunity as a chance to do so.