Queen's Women's Rugby players Bridget Peros, Sarah Penman, Thea White, and Jaden Walker played together in high school at Oakville Trafalgar High School under Head Coach Dan Valley before coming to Queen's. The high school and university teammates sat down ahead of the U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship to talk about their friendship on and off the pitch
 
What was it like playing together in high school?
 
Bridget Peros: Everyone took it pretty seriously and there was a pretty strong interest among everyone to win OFSAA, which was our provincials in high school. It set us up really well to come to Queen's because a lot of the things we did then, we continue to do now. And also at our high school specifically, people that were in Grade 9 and 10 and were better performers, got pulled up to OFSAA, so Jayden and Sarah were younger, but Thea and I had the experience to play with them later because they were the stars of their year. It was really cool just to be around such great rugby players when we were all in high school.
 
Sarah Penman: I remember Dan (Valley) hosted a meeting with the seniors and the junior team and he was very clear about the expectations that we would have throughout our four years in high school and what he wanted and what he saw as success for the team. That created a really great sense of community within the senior and junior teams. I knew going up to play with the seniors, that's what they expected. And (the seniors) knew, us coming up, we weren't taking it lightly at all, and we were there for a reason.
 
Thea White: I was in a unique situation because I moved to Oakville Trafalgar High School in Grade 11 so I had played rugby at another high school in Grade 9 and 10 and I had to catch on to these things and come in and be running with the wolves with everybody else. It wasn't really an adjustment, I would say, because we all came from pretty intense sports backgrounds, but it was nice to have high school rugby as a high performing outlet. We all expected it to be very high performing, which it was. I knew that coming into it. Oakville Trafalgar had a reputation among the rugby community, especially in Oakville. It was exciting for me to go in and know that I was going to be performing with such high-performing team.
 
Jaden Walker: I didn't play rugby until Grade 10 and I was really nervous going into it because I had never really played and I didn't really know anyone in any of the years. But (Dan) Valley, just like he's done here, he really knows how to make a community and make everyone love each other and work together so well. And I think that's what made us perform so well at not only Oakville Trafalgar but Queen's too. When we play, it's like we're doing it for each other and every time we go into a game, it's not really so much about you playing because you want to win or because you're wanting to do it for yourself, but you don't want to let your teammates down and you want to perform for them.
 
Can you talk about the community and how quickly it took to mesh as teammates and friends on and off the pitch?
 
Bridget Peros: We did a lot of work off the field to really bond. I remember us having movie nights, or some of the less pleasurable ones, like 5 km runs before practices in pre-season that everyone hated but it kind of brought everyone closer together. Just the amount of time we spent together, we all became friends, almost out of necessity, but also because everyone was so hardworking and so driven that we all got along.
 
Sarah Penman: (Dan Valley) made it very clear from the beginning that it would be a commitment, so I think likeminded people were driven to join the team because they knew it would be a huge commitment and they were competitive people. The other thing that Dan does really well is we are all very competitive people, but he does a great job of creating an environment where it's not competing individually, it's competing individually to make that person beside you better. I think there was always an understanding on our team that you have a role to play to make your teammates better and while you're doing that, you're going to be getting noticed for the work you're putting in.
 
Thea White: We really emphasized the culture on the team and I think the big thing with that, especially with younger players coming up, there wasn't really so much a sense of seniority, it wasn't like the older people get to do this, this, and this, and the younger people have to be quiet and keep to themselves. It was very integrated and I think that was a big driver in the success of our team. Everyone was so well meshed together.
 
Jaden Walker: In most other sports, it's very clear what cliques are and the different years are pretty split up but at Oakville Trafalgar and at Queen's, both times when I came in and I know that a lot of other people in my year felt the same thing, you came in and you didn't feel like you were less because you were younger or because you were new. There's a real sense of togetherness, among both teams. I didn't know anyone and I was scared to be playing with older girls, but everyone was just so welcoming and made me feel so comfortable on the team. And that comes from (Dan) Valley because he does the same thing. He genuinely cares about you as a person and not just as a player. So when he acts the way he does towards us, it makes us act that way toward our teammates.
 
Any special moments stick out that you remincese about together now?
 
Bridget Peros: I have one from my Grade 11 year. We got rain delayed in our final game at OFSAA and everyone was super nervous. They put us back in the team room because we couldn't play yet. And we had the most massive dance party break out. I think the other team was probably sitting in the team room all nervous and we were just dancing before the biggest game of our season.
 
Jaden Walker: At OFSAA we would always look forward to a Q and A with the coaches, where all the questions and the answers stayed with us. We would have so much fun asking all the coaches all these questions and we were joking around all the time. It was really good because it was always the night before finals, and everyone was really nervous and that little thing that we did made everyone feel more comfortable and made it seem more like it was fun and everyone was just having a good time as opposed to a really serious thing.
 
Thea White: The dance party was a really big one for me too. I think that calmed everybody's nerves. We won OFSAA in my Grade 12 year, so that was probably one of the most memorable ones for me, beating the team that we lost to the previous year. We lost to them the previous year when I was in Grade 11, and then to beat them in our Grade 12 year with a team that was so cohesive, after an amazing dance party, everything about it was so amazing and just fell into place.
 
Sarah Penman: I would have just been playing with Jaden in my Grade 12 year and Dan wouldn't have been coaching us at this point either, but I think the culture really did stick around. We lost in the semifinals at OFSAA and we were all really down, but then we kind of gathered, me, Jaden, and a couple other captains got together, brought the team together and said 'ok what's going on, this should be fun.' And then we went out and had the best game we had all season in the bronze medal game. It was one of the games that stuck out to me the most and I had the most fun in that game. After such a devastating loss in the semis, to come back and do that, was really great.
 
Editor's Note: Dan Valley was not part of the dance party.
 
Is there more of a connection on the field at Queen's after having played together in high school?
 
Bridget Peros: We're all very strong players and I think it helps. You know where they're going to be before they even go there because you've been playing with them for so many years. I think in that aspect, it helps. I've been playing with them now for 6-7 years so I know just how reliable they are. When you throw them the ball or look for them to make the tackle, you know it's going to get made, 100 per cent. It makes you even more sure because you know the people on your left and right are going to be doing their job.
 
Thea White: I think there's also a really strong chemistry between people who have played together for so long like Bridget touched on. You just know where they're going to be and there is an adjustment process with that with other people on the field. But having this group translate that chemistry from high shcool to university, gave us an edge against other teams, especially early in the season because it does take teams a long time to build that chemistry and our season isn't very long. Having that to lean on early in the season especially is really important.
 
Jaden Walker: Also, for me at least, going in I was way closer with Thea, Bridget, and Sarah and that was always comforting. But even later on, obviously you're going to have people that are closer than others, but (Dan) Valley always makes sure that he does everything in his power to make sure that everyone gets as comfortable with everyone else as they can. He really does a great job of making sure everyone can have that closeness and comfort that doesn't come from playing together in high school like us.
 
Sarah Penman: I agree with Jaden on that too, but I do think that coming in as a first-year, it was really good to know people and it really takes the pressure off so that I can perform how I know I can. Having played with you guys for so long, I know how you play, I know exactly what you're capable of doing and I know you're going to do that. It's that sense of dependability. I know you will be here to make that play and you can always rely on that.
 
Was it always the plan for you to continue playing at the university level and go to Queen's?
 
Bridget Peros: I feel like Thea and I knew we would end up here together. We talked about it a lot in high school and obviously both got recruited. And I came up and visited here when I was in Grade 12 and she was in first year and just saw how much fun it was. So I kind of knew that I was going to end up here with Thea.
 
Thea White: I think because we were also really close in high school and Oakville Trafalgar is a huge feeder school into Queen's regardless of whether it be rugby or not. Sean Dunleavy, who's an assistant coach, does a really amazing job recruiting, so he had come to OT when I was in Grade 11 and was adamant about us coming up for a tour and meeting some players. I had gone up with my parents and, already in Grade 11, I had fallen in love with the school and the program. I was sold on that aspect, and I think that trickles down in years as well, when we come to Queen's and they see that we're performing really well, it's exciting for people who are in high school and who know us to join that journey.
 
Sarah Penman: I wanted to come into commerce, but I know Jaden was planning to go to vet school at Guelph, so neither of us were really sure. If I didn't get into commerce, would I be coming here? But I think Dan (Valley) planted the seed pretty early in both Jaden and my head. Early Grade 11 I remember talking to him. All of Grade 12 Jaden and I were talking. We were pretty sure we were going to go, it was just whether we got in or not.
 
Jaden Walker: For me, like Sarah said, I was pretty sure I wanted to go to Guelph just because I am very much a homebody and I didn't want to be too far from home and my parents. I told (Dan) Valley that. He just said, 'Ok I get it, but just come for a visit, I think it will change your mind.' The second I stepped on the campus, I knew I was in trouble because it was so beautiful and I saw these familiar faces of years and years older than me that went to Oakville Trafalgar that I knew. It was so beautiful and I knew that I was sold in the first 10 minutes of the tour there. I didn't want to be, but I knew that I was going to go. And then Valley sold it, how Valley usually does. He just convinced me to come here.
 
How special will it be to play the U SPORTS Women's Rugby Championship together?
 
Bridget Peros: In 2019 we ended up coming second so I feel like that's a huge motivator for us. Everyone's really determined to go and prove themselves. I think someone mentioned earlier, but just how much we play for the person beside us. When it comes to nationals, you're playing three games in five days, it is a grind! Having people you care about around you is super important because at a certain point you can't do it for yourself anymore. And then we also have the best supporters of friends and family this year. The turnouts at our games this year have been insane. That makes it even more special, just looking to the crowd and it being filled with people you love.
 
Thea White: To touch on that supporter aspect of it too, we have people at our games that we've seen at our games since, for me Grade 11 but for other people Grade 9. Family and friends that have been on this journey for eight years for some of us that are still in the stands and still diehard supporters of our rugby careers. That's really exciting. I think that's a really motivating aspect of it as well. And then to have my last nationals be on Queen's turf, that is so cool. Under the lights at Nixon Field, there's no better way to have our rugby careers at university come to a close.
 
Jaden Walker: I think that this nationals, more than any, after COVID and being out of it for a year, and it's the last year for 17 of our players that we're all really close with, most of us in my year and the year's below really want to perform well for our graduating players. Because we can tell they've been working so hard and some of them stayed around for a fifth year because of COVID. We all want to, more than anything, win it for them. It's so much of our team that we're going to be missing (moving forward) and we just want to end on a strong note for them.
 
Sarah Penman: I agree with Jaden. Your first year, you're not really in it yet, you're still overwhelmed. But now that we've been in the program for three years, it's hard to describe how much we want to win for the people around us, especially for the graduating class. It's so overwhelming the emotions I feel towards the fact we will have nationals on Nixon Field. It's super exciting. I can't wait to see what happens.