Marist Albion: Senior Girls Rugby
Marist Albion is pleased to continue to offer playing opportunities for young women of high school age in our Senior Girls Rugby team, affectionately known as the MAMS. The MAMS play in the CRFU Metro competition, training on a Thursday afternoon, with games played on Saturday mornings around the city from early May through till August.
For the 2024 season, NZ Rugby & CRFU have changed the player age eligibility for the Senior Girls from Under 17 to essentially an Under 18 grade, but it is now referenced in school years (Y10 – Y13). Please note however, as this is a club competition, you do not have to be attending high school to be a part of this team, provided you are age eligible. To be eligible you should be Under 18 as of the 1st of April 2024, OR, attending high school in Years 10 , 11, 12 or 13. If you are Year 9 and have experience playing rugby, we can apply for a dispensation for you to play in the grade. If you are Year 9 and completely new to rugby, please still get in touch, as Marist Albion also has other girls only teams which we can offer you a place in to help you grow your skills and confidence playing rugby.
The MAMS have been a successful team in the past, of late being unbeaten in 2022, and runners-up in the Div 1 section in 2023. The team philosophy is all about participation, having fun, making new friends, learning and building on individual players’ skill set, getting fit, strong and confident, keeping safe, and of course all the other benefits that come from playing for a team in the fresh Canterbury air during winter! Most of all we are here to foster a life-long love of the game, and we welcome you to come and be a part of our MAMS and wider Marist Albion family.
Our Club is affiliated with 27 other Marist Clubs throughout New Zealand, and also have sister clubs offering cricket, netball and squash. Our amateur rugby club operates for the benefit of players in our community who share similar values and interests, regardless of where they live, or what school they attend. We particularly recognise the need to respect the special character of the Catholic and Christian interests of our club, but our doors are always open to any player (you don’t have to prove any religious affiliation to join us) and we are proud of the family environment we provide for participants, their family and our social members.
We welcome all new players, and returning players to register for the 2024 season, by clicking on the link HERE. Fees for the season are set at $90 per player, and we are hopeful that through funding we will be able to provide black playing shorts and training t-shirts free for each player in the team. Jerseys are provided (and laundered) each week. Playing socks and other club merchandise can be purchased from Impakt via the link here: https://maristalbion.impakt.co.nz/
Once registered, we ask for payment to be made before the season commences into the following bank account: Marist Albion Rugby Club, 06-0817-0265302-03 and refer to our grade (U18 or Senior Girls) along with your name within the particulars. We never want money to be a barrier to sport, so please reach out if you need assistance.
Pre-season trainings are already underway, currently combined with our newly reinstated Women’s team. Come along to South Hagley Park, Deans Avenue near the corner with Moorhouse Ave (opposite the old Hospital car parking site – look for the changing sheds/central footpath) every Tuesday and Thursday night at 6.00 pm. Don’t forget to bring your boots, mouth guard and a water bottle.
In April, as we approach the beginning of the season (which commences 4 May 2024) the Senior Girls team trainings will move to Thursdays only at 5.00 pm at South Hagly Park. As many of our girls are also involved with School Girl rugby teams (which train and then play on a Wednesday), the team only trains once a week to ensure player wellbeing is maintained.
Furthermore, Marist Albion has entered a team into the Christchurch Matches Festival which is being played during the April 2024 school holiday break. The two-day competition includes girls teams travelling from Australia, with games played in the afternoon of Friday 19th April and Sunday 21st April at North Hagley Park. Player age eligibility is U16 as of 1st January 2024 – essentially Y11, Y10 and Y9 players (possibly some Y12 if born in 2008). This will be a great opportunity for pre-season games, and allows for new players to come and check out what it is like to play in the green, white and black!
We look forward to welcoming many new and familiar faces to the club for the upcoming season. If you have any queries or wish to discuss any aspect of playing Senior Girls rugby for Marist Albion, please do not hesitate to contact Tracy Clough by phone 021 113 1575, or email mrandmrsc@xtra.co.nz.
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