Stacie Becker will be rucking and mauling for the U20 national team next week in Tampa, Fla.
“It’s a great honour to represent my country again,” said Becker, a powerful prop with the St. Albert Blues, the 2009 Alberta Rugby Union second division champions. “It will also help give me more experience as a rugby player.”
The travelling roster of 22 players have two-a-day training sessions on tap for four days, plus a test match against the U20 United States squad.
“I’m pretty excited but I’m kind of nervous to go, just because everybody there is going to be so good, as well as the level of competition. I’ve been off for two to three months since I last played,” said Becker, who last graced the pitch in the Canada West playoffs for the second-place University of Alberta Pandas.
In July, the former high school standout with the Surgeon Spirits made her international debut for Canada at the four-team U20 Nations Cup in England. She saw action at both prop positions but most of time was deployed at loosehead for the Canadian bronze medalists.
The aspiring veterinarian was a late addition to the U20 tryout roster in May and turned heads with a rough and tumble performance to secure a spot at the Nations Cup.
“After last year I know what to expect now and I can adapt as such,” said Becker, 19, who helped coach the Spirits to a tier I (4A schools) provincial bronze medal in 2009.
She also competed at her third Rugby Canada National Championships Festival in three years with Team Alberta as the provincial side finished fifth overall in the U19 division in 2009.
With the mighty Blues, she anchored a physically imposing pack as the St. Albert ladies swept the triple crown of rugby. In addition to provincial honours, the Blues captured the Edmonton Rugby Union pennant with 10 wins in 11 games and were victorious in the league final. They ended a season to remember with 13 wins overall. The provincial title was also the third in the history of the women’s program at the St. Albert Rugby and Football Club after consecutive championships in 2004 and 2005.
“Playing for St. Albert really gave me the experience to take my game to the next level and to do well,” said Becker, a bronze medalist with U19 Alberta in 2008.
The calendar of development and training for the U20 Canadians also includes the Champagne Classic competition in San Diego in March and the Nations Cup in July.
“Hopefully I can keep progressing in the sport like I have been doing,” said Becker, one of six U20 players headed to Florida who play their university or club rugby in Alberta.
