Playing rugby on your home turf feels like a boost of energy, like nothing can bring you down. There is no waking up at the crack of dawn to catch a freezing ferry and compete on little sleep. No rushing to grab food and supplies before stores close. Instead, we could wake up, take our time getting ready and head out the door rested and ready to play, with fewer travel costs to worry about.
Nothing beats sleeping in your own bed and competing in the same air you grew up with. Feeling familiar ground beneath your cleats and getting the chance to show visiting teams what island athletes are made of.
This weekend, both our boys and girls rugby sevens teams finished in first place, earning the Northwest Zone banners. Both teams represented Haida Gwaii with pride and resilience throughout the tournament.
Rugby culture on the islands continues to grow every year, and we hope this is just one of many more championships we can win and host on home turf.
A big thank you goes out to all the community members who came to support us this weekend. Your cheering and encouragement gave us motivation and confidence throughout the tournament.