The Red Deer Titans Rugby Club senior men’s and women’s seasons are right around the corner.
Following the club’s 50th anniversary season last summer, the Titans hope to build off the decades of success moving forward.
This season the senior women’s team saw a significant increase in the number of players to the point where they now have two teams.
Titans senior women’s representative Camryn Holland said head coach Kenton Poelzer, who took the year off last season, recruited a lot of players in preparation for the upcoming campaign.
“All the credit goes to him for the recruiting he does in the offseason,” she said. “We started the recruitment process in January and it’s still going.”
Four years ago the Titans attempted to have two women’s teams however the number of players wasn’t there to be able to do so. This season with the two teams set to take the field it will be an unprecedented milestone for the club.
“These will be two completely different teams with completely separate rosters. Just so there’s more focus on what is needed for the players in each category,” Holland said.
The first team is the premier team which is designed for more experienced players and they play games on weekends in Red Deer, Calgary, and Edmonton.
The second squad will be meant to be a developmental team to give people a chance to play who have little to no experience or who are looking to just have fun.
“We don’t have expectations because we’re looking more into the vibe where everyone is welcome. There is a spot for everybody on these teams. There are no cuts, no tryouts, we’re just looking for this year to be a positive experience for everyone,” Holland said.
“When the focus isn’t about winning and it’s just about who we are as people and the culture we’re looking to grow, the winning comes naturally.”
Meanwhile, on the men’s side, the senior team continues to rebuild their squad since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last season the Titans began the rebuild by competing in the Calgary Rugby Union’s Tier II with a goal to work their way back up to the premier level within three years.
Titans senior men’s representative Aaron Sewards said this year they have a bigger, younger squad but won’t return to the competitive league until next season.
“That’s our goal and there’s been a high turnout so far. We’ve been practicing out in Lacombe and we’ve been having 20-25 guys show up already,” he said.
Sewards added a lot of the players have been guys who have returned to Red Deer after leaving for university after high school and want to play again. There are also a few who have never played before and want to give it a shot.
“It’s very exciting right now,” he said. “I used to coach the Hunting Hills boys and a lot of them have returned to Red Deer… I’ve had five returning players who’ve moved back and now they’re playing Titans again,” Sewards explained.
“We’re really trying to create that social aspect of the club and so we’re having more events and more activities. We want to bring that environment. We think that helps retain players.”
The home opener for all three senior women’s and men’s teams will be on May 13 at Red Deer Titans Field.