Carissa Norsten Named World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Rookie of the Year: From First Rugby Game to Sevens Star in Five Years, A Look at the Pathway
Carissa Norsten was named World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series Rookie of the Year, let that sink in a bit. The Men’s Sevens Series Rookie of the Year was Antoine Dupont, a seasoned XVs professional rugby player who some claim is the best rugby player in the world at the moment. How did a young woman from rural Saskatchewan who first touched a rugby ball 5 years ago at age 15 get to share the same honour as a professional rugby player who has played since age 4, professionally since 18, in a country where rugby is a national pastime? The answer may provide a clue as to how Canada is going to compete internationally and develop rugby talent.
What an impact this year
Congratulations Carissa Norsten on being the Women’s #HSBCSVNS rookie of the year 2024!#HSBCSVNSAWARDS pic.twitter.com/RCPbfyZDq2
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) June 2, 2024
Carissa grew up on a farm north of Saskatoon in a small community called Waldheim. Rugby is as far from a popular activity there as ice hockey would be to a young Dupont growing up in the south-west of France. Carissa was a top level athlete, she played hockey as you would expect in rural Saskatchewan, but also won the Provincial 100m title when in Grade 10. So the first part of the formula is athletic talent, that’s a given, Canada is full of talented athletes.
The second part of the formula is identifying the talent, that’s where Robin MacDowell entered the story. Robin who runs academies in Saskatchewan and on Vancouver Island was coach of the Saskatchewan U18 girls team in 2019. Carissa came along as a 15 year old to play with her older sister, Christina, a talented athlete and rugby player as well. Carissa had never played a rugby game before, they were playing Manitoba, and Carissa scored 3 tries in that game. Robin’s eyes just about popped out of his head and he was on the phone to the women’s 7s coach, John Tait at the time, minutes after the final whistle, “I’ve found someone you need to take a look at”. Identifying the talent is just a part of the process, you need the contacts to put the person on the radar with the right people.
The next part may be the most difficult, convincing the player and parents that rugby is their future. By the fall of 2019 Carissa had moved out to Vancouver Island to be under the tutelage of Robin, he found her a school, found her lodging with a rugby family, and got her training with provincial and national level players. There’s not many people in Canada who could convince a young player (and their parents) to relocate and study rugby full time instead of following a hockey pathway, but Robin can. It’s a similar story to Krissy Scurfield, who Robin helped identify and nurture on the high performance rugby pathway. When Robin coached the Rugby Canada Development Academy team at the Vancouver 7s Invitational in 2020 both Carissa and Krissy were on the team and both had to leave right after to play in hockey tournaments. So that’s the third step, nurture the talent, this may be the most important and key step and one that takes a lot of dedication and a love for the game. Robin is a gem and does this better than anyone I know. It was his work with Carissa and Krissy during the pandemic that convinced him to start his full time academy at Cowichan High School, that provides schooling, high performance rugby and lodging with local families.
So that’s the five year plan from discovering rugby to being recognized by World Rugby as an exceptional player at age 20, it worked for Carissa Norsten and Krissy Scurfield, it could work for others.
Saskatchewan U18 girls team (2019), Christina Norsten, coach Robin MacDowell, Carissa Norsten
Rugby Canada Development Academy 2020 at Vancouver 7s Invitational including Fancy Bermudez, Carissa Nortsten, Krissy Scurfield (not shown coach Robin MacDowell)