Lakewood Girls Rugby Team Looks to Compete in National Tourney

The Lakewood High School girls’ rugby team is used to facing challenges.

Just months after helping to introduce a bill in the Ohio Statehouse that , the girls are set to compete in a national rugby tournament. 

The squad was selected as only one of eight teams across the nation to compete in the 2012 Girls High School National Rugby Tournament at Stanford University in May.

But the team needs some financial help getting there.

“Right now it is fundraising, fundraising and fundraising,” said coach Andre Bruwer said, adding that it will cost about $3,000 per student to make the trip.

Bruwer said his team was the only one in the state — for both boys and girls — that applied for consideration in the tournament.

“Last year our girls flew to Salt Lake City in Utah and lost only one game by one point,” he said. “A very disappointing loss indeed. So this year, the squad has big plans to make amends.” 

The season opener for all teams in the Northern Ohio Conference — including — is April 1. All games will be played at .

Admission is free.

“This year, the girls are working extra hard to silence their critics by showing not only can they travel to California and compete nationally, they can come back and win the state tournament,” Bruwer said.

For more information, or to see how you can contribute, email Bruwer.