Women & Girls in Rugby | Rugby Americas North

RAN Women & Girls in Rugby

Women in Rugby News

“Mature, united and ready to go” – Emilie Bydwell on the Women’s Sevens Eagles Olympics mission

by Bryan Kelly | Jul 20, 2021

Ten years ago, Emilie Bydwell “took a punt” and packed in a secure job to travel from one coast of the United States to the other to fulfil her ambition of making a living out of rugby. At that stage in 2011, the Canadian, who’d taken up rugby as a 14-year-old...

Olympics star Lauren Doyle helps to put USA rugby on the map

by Bryan Kelly | Jul 20, 2021

As you approach Boody, Illinois, there is nothing remarkable about the place but it could soon be 'home' to an Olympic champion. On the one road in and the one road out, as you pass on through to Decatur to the north or St Louis to the south, a huge water tower, with...

Scientific approach helping Amelia Luciano rise through match official ranks

by Bryan Kelly | Jul 6, 2021

Amelia Luciano admits that she is almost constantly on the go, her time split between her two major passions: pharmacology and rugby. By day, Luciano can be found at the University of Massachusetts Medical School’s Guertin Lab, where she works as a postdoctoral...

RAN Women in Leadership Directive (WiLD)

In March 2018 Rugby Americas North awarded three World Rugby Leadership Development scholarships to women in the RAN region. The scholarships are a part of World Rugby’s Leadership Development program which was launched in 2018 to develop and support the next generation of female leaders. World Rugby provided funds for two recipients in 2018, with Rugby Americas North taking the added step to fund one additional scholarship. Araba ‘Roo’ Chintoh (CAN), Jillion Potter (USA) and Maria Thomas (TTO) received funding for their proposals in the inaugural year.

2018-19 RAN World Rugby Leadership Development Scholarship Recipients

2018-19 RAN WiLD Leadership Group

This past August the recipients were joined by Martha Daines (USA), Tamara Dixon (JAM), Liz Ferguson (CAN), Cristina Flores (MEX), and Meg Howat (CAN) ahead of the Rugby Americas North EGM. During a productive 1-day workshop the group saw a need for additional structure and recognized the desire to create a broader impact. The Women in Leadership Directive (WiLD) was born and the following scops was set forth:

MISSION:

To be an inclusive resource to support and advocate for girls and women in rugby
To work to raise the standard of resources, education, governance, and competitions for girls and women in rugby
To achieve the vision of women in RAN making an impact in all aspects of the global game of rugby

VISION:

Women in RAN making an impact in all aspects of the global game.

GOALS:

Women fill key leadership roles in GOVERNANCE, ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL and COMMERCIAL positions in RAN
Women are TECHNICAL EXPERTS of the women’s game.
A sustainable community for MENTORSHIP, SUPPORT, NETWORKING and ADVOCACY in the game for women and girls.

YEAR 1 TARGETS:

SHARE initiatives, GATHER information, TARGET potential leaders at RAN 7s, Canadian and USA University Championships.
Caribbean & Mexico PARTNERSHIP EXCHANGE with USA & Canadian Universities.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT for developing leaders rugby-focused LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE
Develop VIDEO ANALYSIS SKILLS through a WORKSHOP with an elite analyst.

YEAR 1 LONGITUDINAL TARGETS:

Build and sustain Communities of Conversation (Webinar, FaceBook/WhatsApp, or Google Communities group).
Ensure that members have suitable harassment policies and procedures.
Address unconscious bias and build inclusive board cultures with RAN members through education and guidance.
Invite leading women in specific areas to be involved in Communities of Conversation and as mentors.

SHORT TERM GOALS

Establish partnership network between USA and Canada University teams and targeted Caribbean countries, with funding for a couple of exchanges.
Meet with Canadian University Championship teams to share and gather information about mentoring opportunities and pathways in the game.
Develop video analysis skills through a workshop with an elite analyst.
Build and sustain Communities of Conversation (Webinar, FaceBook/WhatsApp, or Google Communities group).
Invite leading women in specific areas to be involved in the Communities of Conversation and as mentors.
Arrange leadership interviews with governance or executive level person in suitable organizations. Share reflections of the experience.
Ensure that members have suitable harassment policies and procedures.
Address unconscious bias and build inclusive board cultures with RAN members through education and guidance.

WiLD is comprised of women representing all of the regions of RAN and dedicated to organic and reciprocal examples of positive and accurate representation.