Fall is almost here, and with it comes the beginning of the Southwest Selects 2023 season!
Last season, both the women’s and men’s select squads went home with victories. The SWRU Men’s Selects ended the season with a 29 to 24 win against the Old Aztecs. The SWRU women’s selects battled it out against the D1 Tempe Women’s Rugby Club and went home with a win and a final score 21 to 19. Both head coaches have high hopes heading into Fall competition.
Head Coach Brad Sandig, for the men’s selects, started playing rugby at age 10 in South Africa. When he turned 20, he moved to the USA and played for Scottsdale and the Arizona Select Side. As a L2 World Rugby certified coach with 8 years of head coaching experience, Coach Sandig is looking forward to bringing learnings from the last season into this year’s strategy.
Coach Sandig explained, “We are looking to build on the success we have had in the past two years and are excited to provide more players with pathway opportunities.” As he looks towards the future of rugby in the Southwest, he said, “I have grown as a coach and learned a lot about the players that represent their clubs within the SWRU over the last two years, and I hope to use that to expand our program and give opportunities to more players.”
Playing for the selects is more than extra time on the pitch. Coach Sandig shares, “Aside from the pathways to higher level rugby, it’s the comradery and friendships that players build. Particularly when players from opposing teams come together and create bonds that transcend rugby.” Rugby is so much more than a competition. Opposing teams' step onto a field and put everything into their game for 80 minutes then walk off to grab a beer together.
Building on the importance of the rugby community and calling out how players and teams can learn from one another, Coach Sandig dug into the topic, “Rugby is about being fierce competitors, but also sharing knowledge and insights about the game. So, we strive to create a great learning environment where players and coaches can learn from each other and experience different ways to achieve the common goal of competing against other high-performance teams.”
The Men’s selects squad will be comprised of 33 rugby players from the Southwest. The tryout game/camp is scheduled for 10/14 in Phoenix, and specific tryout information will be shared with players who apply. If you are interested in playing for the men’s squad but missed the August 31 application deadline, please register here or reach out directly to Coach Sandig at bsandig@hotmail.com.
Anyone interested in getting a first glimpse at the athletes should mark November 18th for a warmup match where the coach will get a first look at his team.
With 13 years of coaching experience across youth, men's and women's teams, Dave Bracken holds an L2 World Rugby Certification. In the last season, he led the Albuquerque Atomic Sisters through huge wins to finish in the final four. He will bring with him a coaching staff with a combination of experiences playing at higher levels as forwards and backs.
The coaching staff will be selecting a squad of 27 to compete. Coach Bracken emphasizes his interest in selecting athletes with determination, a growth mindset, and a strong work ethic. During a women’s tryout camp from October 26-29, the team will be focused on decision making, expanding skills in passing, movement, and defense.
Looking towards the season, Coach Bracken expressed how the selects are in a good position to continue the momentum from last year's efforts to achieve a higher level of rugby. “We had a good start in 2022 in establishing a willingness to compete and uniting the clubs in SWRU to a single purpose to represent at a national stage. We are looking forward to highlighting the talent SWRU Women possess and exhibit to the rest of the US we are enough.”
He spoke about what players will get out of the selects season, “The benefits of playing in the selects program allows an expansion of ideas and skills across a community that is dedicated to elevating heart, mind, and soul of our athletes. The takeaway is a rejuvenation of rugby whether in jumping into coaching, high performance playing, or sports management. The personal connections made last a lifetime.”
The Selects Squad will be reaching new heights this season, with motivated coaching staff and players ready to hit the pitch. They need the union's support! Both teams are seeking sponsors to offset player costs and support accessible, higher level rugby. If your company is interested, reach out directly to the coaches. Coach Brad Sandig (men’s selects), bsandig@hotmail.com, and Coach Dave Bracken (women’s selects), david.m.bracken@hp.com. If you are a fan, stay tuned for match times bu following the SWRU social media so you can come out and cheer on our teams.