Howlers Prepare for Gran Jaguar Tournament in Guatemala: Howlers Rosters and Tournament Schedule
The Howlers are preparing to head to Guatemala for the Gran Jaguar 7s tournament taking place October 18th and 19th in San Miguel Dueñas on the outskirts of Antigua, Guatemala. The team will be travelling down on the 12th for a week long preparation. National teams from Guatemala, Honduras, Belize, El Salvador will be participating, as well as development sides from Mexico (Linaje Azteca) and Guatemala (GT Juveniles). Besides the Howlers, 2 other social teams will be playing, the Chupacabras, a Houston, Texas based side and the Mayas a mix of Mexican and Guatemalan players.
The Howlers are taking 25 players, 4 coaches, support staff and supporters, in all a travelling party of over 50 to support the men’s and women’s teams. The Howlers players and coaches represent 4 countries (Canada, USA, Barbados, Colombia), 6 provinces (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, Manitoba, Yukon) and 16 clubs (see list below).
The Howlers have had some notable players tour with them in the past, current Rugby 7s Olympic Silver medal winners Shalaya Valenzuela and Piper Logan toured with the Howlers to Nicaragua in 2019. Also on that 2019 tour was men’s national 7s player Thomas Isherwood. The number of national team (and world) players who have toured with the Howlers is well into double digits and includes names like Maria Samson, Mozac Samson, Robin MacDowell, Shane Thompson, Clay Panga, Derek Daypuck, Karen Paquin, Elissa Alarie, Winston Stanley, Pat Kay, Gordon McRorie, Nanyak Dala, Mandy Marchak, Emily Belchos, Kevin (Lunk) Wirachowski, Mark Wyatt, Ryan Smith, James Buchanan, Waisale Serevi, Lucas Hammond, George Barton, Theo Sauder, Dustin Dobravsky, Mike Fuailefau… and others.
The Howlers women’s team has 5 players from Alberta, 3 from BC, 2 from Saskatchewan, 1 from the Yukon, 1 from Manitoba and one from Colombia. The 9 clubs represented are Regina Ravens, Saskatoon Kirin, Langley RFC, Abbotsford RFC, Calgary Irish, Foothills Lions, Castaway Wanderers, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame and Duendes RFC.
Gracie Anderson – Dawson City YT, Regina Ravens
Kaycia Flaman – Langley BC, Langley RFC
Kira Katan – Mission BC, Langley RFC, Abbotsford RFC
Katryna Mattern – Wilcox SK, Regina Ravens
Brogan Mior – Okotoks AB, Foothills Lions
Angie Olukunmi – Calgary AB, Calgary Irish
Danica Pedric – Victoria BC, Castaway Wanderers
Carli Patenaude – Vanscoy SK, Saskatoon Kirin
Katie Salverda – Calgary AB, Calgary Irish
Nikol Durango Ayala – Colombia, Duendes RFC
Trinity Todd – Calgary AB, Foothills Lions
Cassandra Steel – Blackie AB, Foothills Lions
Spring Mosset – Waskada MB, Athol Murray College of Notre Dame
The men’s team have 4 players from BC, 3 from Barbados, 2 from Saskatchewan, 2 from Ontario and 1 from Alberta. The 8 clubs represented are Westshore, Castaway Wanderers, Regina Rogues, Waterloo County RFC, St. Albert RFC, Saskatoon Gophers, Cowichan Piggies, Salish Sea Warriors.
Owen Barlow – Victoria BC, Salish Sea Warriors
Denver Fatt – Delta BC, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Finley Easton – Regina SK, Regina Rogues
Matthew Fish – Waterloo ON, Waterloo County RFC
Simeon John – Barbados, Westshore RFC
Simon John – Barbados, Westshore RFC
Jacob King – St. Albert AB, St. Albert RFC
Logan MacDonald – Chilliwack BC, St. Albert RFC
Jordan Ng – Oakville ON, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Nathan Sgrazzutti – Saskatoon SK, Saskatoon Gophers
Luke Prest – Duncan BC, Cowichan Piggies
Jaden Howell – Barbados, Westshore RFC
The coaches are from Saskatchewan, BC, USA and Barbados. Julie Foster has been capped 44 times for Canada and played in 3 World Cups, 1998, 2002, 2006. Koma Gandy Fischbein is a Harvard grad who has been described as a “decorated U.S. Navy veteran and rugby pioneer”, she is the head coach of the All Navy Men’s Rugby team — the first woman to head a men’s team in the history of the Armed Forces. Joe Whipple is the head coach of the Barbados men’s XVs and 7s teams, he was previously the Technical Director and Head Coach of the Guyana Rugby Union, in the 80s he played for Velox in the BC leagues. Aiden Jones was added to the coaching staff after he was ruled out of playing due to concussion protocol, he was a member of the Canada U18 7s team at the Youth Commonwealth Games and has represented BC at the U16 and U18 level.
Koma Gandy Fischbein – Bryn Mawr PA USA, Village Lions RFC, All Navy
Julie Foster – Regina SK, Regina Rage RFC
Joe Whipple – Bridgetown Barbados, Barbados RFU
Aiden Jones – Mill Bay BC, Salish Sea Warriors
Schedule
The men’s teams will play 3 round robins over two days. Howlers are in an opening pool with Honduras and Belize. After the first round robin the teams will be re-ranked and play teams in the other pools on a 1A, 2B, 3C /1B, 2C, 3A /1C, 2A, 3B basis. The teams will then be re-ranked to play a final round robin to determine Gold, Silver, Bronze and final placements.
The women’s teams will play each other team twice over two days, for a total of 6 games per team, with the final winner being decided on overall standings.
Howlers 2019 Tour to Nicaragua included future Olympic Silver medalists Shalaya Valenzuela and Piper Logan and national men’s 7s player Thomas Isherwood.