You need strength in numbers to have a pack mentality.
Fortunately for the Foothills Lions the numbers game is on the upswing with registration spiking for the Division II men’s side on the eve of the Calgary Rugby Union regular season.
“We started the pre-season with decent numbers, 12 to 15 guys, every time for pre-season training and for our regular season training we’ve had close to 25 guys,” said club coach Rogan McPhie. “A lot of the U18s from the Lions have moved up as well as we’ve got some new faces coming around.
“Hopefully this is the preset that allows our men’s Lions program to grow.”
Adding to the growth are a number of recent high school provincial medallists in Holy Trinity Academy Knights Kaden Mior, Braeden Bespalko and Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Spartan Stephen Powell along with Foothills Falcon Tanner Mullen, to name a few.
“It’s going to add a bit more competition in the club against each other and hopefully we’re more competitive in the second division,” McPhie added. “We’re looking forward to initiating a few of the U18s into what it’s like to play men’s rugby, what’s it like to be an adult in a rugby club.
“To have a fun season and hopefully try and make playoffs.”
The Lions finished with a 6-6 record last season, earning a sixth-place finish in the CRU standings and just missing out on the post-season.
McPhie will have a different role in his second season coaching the Lions. The Australian has recovered from a serious ankle injury and will be adding to the forward ranks as a player-coach out of the prop position for Foothills.
“I’m actually having to rely on other coaches to assist me at times so I can focus on helping with the training, but also training myself,” McPhie said.
Also returning to the Lions den are key veterans in club captain Nathan Marquardt as well as vice-captains Jordan Smith and Dan Larson.
“Our pre-season has been about getting guys to throw a rugby ball around,” McPhie said. “This last week has basically been contact, actually hitting guys.
“When you come off eight months of not hitting people you need something to hit again to get that adrenaline boost.”
Once again, the Lions will be combining with the Cochrane Barbarians to field a Division III side.
Foothills raises the curtain on its Division II regular season on May 7 when it hosts the Calgary Rams at 1:45 p.m. at the St. John Paul II Collegiate field in Okotoks.
For more information on the team go to foothillslionsrfc.org
