Talking to the #Rednation Part II – Mandy Marchak, Rugby Canada Women's 7's and 15's

Women’s rugby is very much on the rise in North America. Providing a real sporting challenge for young women, it gives them the opportunity to not only develop the skills necessary to compete at a national and international level, it also provides the sense of family and camaraderie rugby is famous for.

Winnipeg native Mandy Marchak is one such player who has developed through the ranks of club rugby to serve as a key member of both In the sevens and 15’s team. Along the way Marchak has developed a loyal fan following, and serves a a positive role model for young women looking to pursue the sport.

Mandy is currently recovering from shoulder surgery, but managed to find the time to answer a few questions for me about herself and her career.

As I tend to do I started asking Mandy what drew her to rugby, “I got into rugby because I grew up going to the rugby fields to watch my dad when I was younger. I don’t even know if I ever wanted to play when I was that small! But as I got older, and the program came into my high school, my parents kind of said, it’s time! And at the moment I knew I couldn’t pass up that opportunity. What attracted me to the sport that it was a game for anyone. All different shapes and sizes. It was a game of speed, strength, tactics and vision.”

Women’s rugby has grown exponentially in recent years, which has provided a number of opportunities for players that previously may not have been there. I asked Mandy what she attributed that growth to, “The number one reason I think that there has been a quick growth would be that this is now an Olympic sport coming up in 2016 Rio. But I also think that the growth we have had over the past few years has had to do with the amount of exposure that we have gotten on our own series and it being viewed via live stream/ tv for the world to see. There has been times when we have gotten to play along side the men on that stage and it has been a huge opportunity for the women to have been viewed in those stadiums playing quality games.  These 3 have been huge for us because the more exposure we have gotten, the more the world has seen us play and seriously rate us as world class, and has gotten more and more people talking therefore interested in getting involved and playing the sport. Young girls aspire to be like the girls they see playing on TV.”

Given a number of Canadian players seem to play in both the Sevens and 15’s teams, I was curious as to if there was any preferences to game play, “I like both to be honest because they both offer completely different game plans.” Mandy says “The transition is difficult and to be able to play both and be great at both is challenging and something that feels good to work for.”

On that subject I asked about the difference between preparing and training for a Sevens series as compared to playing a 15’s test, “The differences? Everything! I am not good at the scientific side of it all, but I do know the energy systems are totally different! Ill go with some of the obvious things. 15s training usually runs up to 2 – 2 1/2 hours, and 7s can be an hour done and dusted! The warm ups are longer in 15s, just like the tours! A Sevens tournament can be played over two days, a maximum of 10 games that we have had the pleasure of playing. Sevens prep is interesting because you have to know your opponent from game to game, so in between games the hour you have down time, you are doing your recovery warm down, and video on your next game. Before you know it you are warming up again and then repeating the routine. 15s you have days between game, and you have a game style and game plan. Both you play to your strengths but I think 15s in more structured, Sevens you use tactics and can change your pattern on the fly depending if the team has picked up on your flow. I know there are more, but these are some that come to mind.”

Looking to the future I asked Mandy what Rugby Canada was doing to attract women, and in particular young women, to the sport of rugby, and grow the sport further, “I believe they have a plan in place now, much more then they had before. I don’t know the in and outs of it, but I know we have high performance directors in each province testing and providing skill sessions for some of the young athletes with the potential to move up the ladder. They report to the coaches and then decisions are made. We have staff that float around the country testing girls and providing camps through the year.