U14 Boys Youth Elite Sevens

Victoria, BC: For the first time in the history of the British Columbia Rugby Union, an Under-14 Boys Youth Elite Sevens competition will be held featuring regional teams from across the province. Six squads will compete in the inaugural tournament held in conjunction with the Victoria International Sevens, scheduled for July 15-16 at the University of Victoria.

The Under-14 tournament will feature two teams from Southern Vancouver Island, as well as regional sides from Vancouver North, Vancouver East, Vancouver Central and Delta.

Tournament Information
Dates: July 15-16, 2011
Division: Under-14 Boys
Location: Wallace Field, University of Victoria
Tournament Contact: Shane Thompson (sthompson@bcrugby.com)
Media Contact: Andrew Smith (asmith@bcrugby.com)

Tournament Details
The recent inclusion of rugby sevens into the 2016 Olympics and the growth of the IRB Sevens World Series has created quite a buzz around the abbreviated version of the game.

Age grade players have turned out in droves to try their hand at seven-a-side rugby this year, and for the first time ever, the Under-14 players will have an opportunity to test themselves in a competitive environment.

"Sevens rugby is expanding quickly in British Columbia," said BC Elite Youth Sevens head coach Shane Thompson. "Right now, on a national scale, we are leading the way in terms of youth development. Our Under-16 provincial team will be competing at the Western Canada Summer Games, our Under-18s will be competing at the Youth Commonwealth Games, and now our Under-14s will have the opportunity to participate in a regional competition. It's important to engage these younger athletes and we are taking those steps with our program."

The U14 competition kicks off on Friday, with the final round of games held during the Victoria International Sevens event on Saturday. The future Olympians will have the opportunity to show their skills in front of a large crowd before taking their seats in the stands, where they can witness first hand the pace and spectacle of international rugby sevens.

"Having the younger guys there on Saturday will really show them what lies ahead and what can be achieved if they stick with the game," Thompson added.

The Under-14 competition kicks Friday morning at 11:30am with a South Island derby. All games will be held at UVic's Wallace Field.

Schedule - Games at Wallace Field, University of Victoria

Friday, July 15th
11:30 South Island-1 vs South Island-2
11:50 Vancouver North vs Vancouver Central
12:10 Vancouver East vs Delta
12:45 Vancouver Central vs South Island-1
1:05 South Island-2 vs Delta
1:25 Vancouver North vs Vancouver East
2:00 South Island-1 vs Delta
2:20 Vancouver Central vs Vancouver East
2:40 South Island-2 vs Vancouver North
3:15 Vancouver East vs South Island-1
3:35 Delta vs Vancouver north
3:55 Vancouver Central vs South Island-2

Saturday, July 16th
10:40 Delta vs Vancouver Central
12:20 Vancouver East vs South Island-2
2:00 South Island-1 vs Vancouver North

The BC Rugby Boys U14 Youth Elite Sevens is supported in part by a grant provided by Hosting BC and the Province of British Columbia. “The Hosting BC program is helping B.C. sport event organizers stay at the top of their game by boosting support for local events,” said Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Ida Chong. “B.C. sport events provide significant economic benefits to communities, build volunteer capacity, and give athletes a chance to compete at home. These investments will build on our unique hosting experience from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.”