10 for 10: No. 8 - The Rise of Rugby

When the Dinos Women’s Rugby program started up in 2009, not many would have predicted that it would eventually become one of the best women’s rugby programs in Canada, and a top destination for players from Western Canada looking to play at the next level. Fast forward 10 years, and that is exactly what the Dinos have become.   

While the success the Dinos is thanks in part of the effort of numerous individuals, most of it would not have even been possible without the program’s first-ever head coach, Jenny Vincent.  She was a part of the team in the 1990s when it was just a competitive club, and worked relentlessly to help the team meet the standards necessary to become a full varsity program. Vincent sadly passed away after the 2009 season from a brief battle with an aggressive cancer. She was 41. In honour of everything she did for the program and to honour her memory, the Jenny Vincent Coaching Endowment for Women’s Rugby was started by her family. The endowment continues to support coaches of the Dinos women’s program to this day. 

The program was taken over by head coach Simon Chi in April 2010, and after an 0-4 season to begin his coaching career with the Dinos, the program saw steady improvement each and every year. He led the program to a first-place finish in 2014, and that was just the beginning. The Dinos would go on to finish first in Canada West for five straight years from 2014-19, as well as winning three consecutive Canada West Championships in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Chi also helped the Dinos win the Canada West women’s rugby sevens series title in 2017. 

And they've done it with a flair for dramatic finishes over the course of the program's history - like the 2017 championship at McMahon Stadium.

 

While the trophies are impressive, perhaps what is more impressive is the culture that has been developed by Chi, his assistant coaches, and a number of dedicated alumni. Three of those alumni, Leah Conforti, Ellen McGregor, and Breanne Morgan, are part of Calgary’s current coaching staff, and prime examples of the close-knit culture that has been established between team and alumni.   

With so many alumni willing to give their time and effort to continue to develop the program, it makes it an easy decision for many potential recruits.  “I saw the team, I saw how they were like a family, and I wanted to be part of that,” explained current player Angie Olukunmi. From non-existent to a powerhouse in 10 years, Vincent would be proud of what this program has become, with the future incredibly bright for this Dinos women’s rugby family.