The Strikers enjoyed a dominant run for nearly two decades and were among the top AA boys teams in the province. They also produced some outstanding talent including current Canadian Sevens star Nathan Hirayama.
With McMath Secondary now being another French Immersion option in the city, the balance of power has since shifted to the Steveston school with the Strikers currently playing at the tier two level.
The girls program, that was launched in 2003, continues to thrive with a current roster of 28 players and another trip to this month’s provincial championships well within reach.
McRoberts rolled to a dominant win over the Vancouver Wolves on Tuesday and will host McMath today at South Arm Park.
The team is guided by Richmond Rugby Club’s Graham Haigh who stepped in for Rolly Schmidt back in 2014.
“I had coached at Steveston High and Cambie back in the day. I went away to school and when I came back there was nobody to run the program with Rolly retiring,” recalled Haigh. “It has been a really pleasant experience.
“I would just say they care. Not that the boys don’t but it’s just a different kind of care and I think they are happy to have someone here coaching. In turn, they put in a lot of hard work and are invested.”
Haigh sees a number of his players well beyond the high school season. They play on the club team and also participate in the summer rep program. The commitment has resulted in some exceptional talent which was on display against the Wolves, including captains Keelin Laing and Kyra Bates, while the team’s #10 — Rayya Kumar — is a star in the making who is only in Grade 9.
“I always encourage them to play other sports and most of them do. But it is nice to know rugby is at the forefront for some of these girls,” Haigh continued. “I wish we could run and junior and senior but there would be nobody to really play against (in junior). That’s the goal and we want to see strong programs everywhere.
“It’s a bit of a cliché but girls want to hit people too. They want to be part of the fun and the team atmosphere.”
