The only way for the Prince George Vixens to improve and eventually compete with the top women's rugby teams from the Lower Mainland is to get the girls interested in the sport at a young age, says Marina Crick.
So when she isn't scrumming with the Vixens, she spends her time coaching a young, but enthusiastic, group of girls at Duchess Park secondary school.
"We need to build on our youth and development team," said Crick, 25. "A lot of the girls that know how to play have learned through high school and have all of that extra knowledge and background so you don't have to teach them all the basics."
Crick said this year the DPSS Condors have 12 girls, mostly Grade 8s, who are interested in rugby, which is up from the three that were out at practices in 2012. The only other high school that has a girls rugby program is PGSS.
After playing a variety of sports during her youth, Crick said she tried rugby for the first time at 19 and was instantly hooked.
"You get to smash other people on the field," she said.
-Lamb, Citizen staff
