“With you.”
This phrase has become the mantra for the Arizona women’s rugby team, led by head coach Tatum Quimby, a former UA rugby athlete. For Quimby, this phrase is more than just an on-the-pitch reminder that teammates are there to support each other during tackles.
“It is a reminder off the field that because you spend so much time with these other women [that] they are really like your family in college,” said Quimby.
The Wildcats are on the tailend of their preseason play and will start preparing for regular season play in January. Quimby is eager to embrace the more competitive mindset that comes with this transition.
“I think we have a lot of solid individual athletes right now,” Quimby said. “I think we are still building connections on the pitch that will come with time. I think once we get there, we will have a really solid team this year.”
Walking through the halls of her high school, Quimby remembered seeing a sign posted about a local women’s rugby team that was recruiting. That is the moment when she first started thinking about rugby. She revisited this thought in her sophomore year at the UA when she was searching for a competitive outlet.
“I instantly fell in love with the sport and played for four years,” Quimby said.
After her collegiate career, Quimby played for Old Pueblo Lightning, Tucson’s women’s rugby club. Three years ago, an old teammate approached her about coaching the team. She jumped at the opportunity and started her coaching debut in January 2022. Her background as a student athlete who knew nothing about rugby before joining the team has helped her in her coaching.
“When I’m planning practices, I think about how I can explain this whole new sport in a way that I would have understood […]. I used to be in the position of juggling school with work with rugby, but I also understand how rewarding it is to have the team’s family environment,” Quimby said.
Quimby said the team’s solid culture as being one of their biggest strengths. She is constantly encouraging players to build these connections with each other, with positive talk always emphasized.
“We are really about encouraging each other on the pitch and not about beating each other up,” said Quimby.
The women’s rugby team welcomes players of all experience levels. They encourage any full-time students interested in learning and growing their rugby IQ. Because of this, rookies fill out a large part of the roster.
Molly Ann Chisholm, junior and backs captain, is looking forward to continuing to help these newcomers reach their full potential. Chisholm mentioned Quimby as a huge help in helping out the rookies.
“She works with the rookies one on one […]. She is really good at upkeep and keeping everyone on the same page,” Chisholm said.
Aspen Wrzesinske, president of Arizona women’s rugby, shared her excitement about the rookies this year.
“We have a lot of development in our rookies very early on […]. They are just grasping the game really quickly and it shows on the field,” Wrzesinske said.
“Saturdays are for rugby” is a common phrase in the rugby community that holds a lot of importance for Wrzesinske. She remembers getting out of bed and being excited to cheer her dad on at his games.
The team completed preseason play on Nov. 2 with a weekend full of celebration. The event kicked off with the Wildcats alumni game, which occurs once every five years against OP Lightning at Mansfield Park.
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