Churchill gearing up for provincial runs this season

By Lethbridge Herald on April 9, 2025.

By Alexandra Noad

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter- Lethbridge Herald 

The Winston Churchill rugby teams are both looking forward to having successful seasons.

The girls team will be hosting provincials at the end of the season and while they are guaranteed a spot as host, they are hoping to go into the tournament on a win.

Shannon Court, coach for the Griffins, says it will be a battle to claim provincials, but if they can pull it off it will help them in the provincial tournament.

“It’s always good to go out on a win and then that’ll rank us higher.”

She adds that last year the first game didn’t go as expected and are hoping to compete for the first couple of spots.

With 48 players on their roster, 20 of them are playing their first year of rugby  and Court sees a lot of potential.

Court and her coaching staff look for their players to work on things that are mentioned in places such as halftime. 

“If we have three key things to work on, are you able to take that feedback and instantly put it in practice?” said Court.

Two players, Shanel Mann and Alli McDonald, took a trip to Ireland this past summer to get some more exposure of the game and Mann is also trying out for a seven’s team for the Canada Summer games.

Other strong leaders will be Cassie Trechka on forward pack and Court says Jayda Hosgood has really stepped up in their first game.

“We’re really looking forward to leadership from those players,” said Court.

The boy’s rugby team is coming off a three-peat as provincial champions and will battle for a four-peat this season.

Jonathan Dick, head coach for the Bulldogs says to win another championship means giving full effort every single game.

“The hard work aspect does have to be there at all times, they can’t just rest on the fact they’ve won the last couple of years and think it’ll just happen again,” said Dick.

 Those championships are won by the teams at the time putting in the hard work and that commitment.”

Isaac Morrison, Zach White and Seth Harding all have two provincial titles under their belts and will all be in significant leadership roles for the team.

Dick expects to see some “hardworking, quality rugby” from the team as he holds them up to a high standard.