Why I Love Playing on the Women’s Law Rugby Team – the Panda Bearristers

Brittany Crow (2L)

Men are not the only ones who can get down and dirty. One quote I hate with a passion is “Guys sweat and girls glow”. If you’ve ever come out to a Panda Bearristers’ game, you will have seen women sweat, bleed, and get filthy.

This past season the Panda Bearristers played two games: one against the University of Calgary and one on Alumni weekend. Despite our best efforts and home turf advantage, the Calgary girls defeated us. Cleats and more practice rucking & mauling will improve our chances of a victory next year. A loss on the field was overcome by domination at the pub-crawl. Congrats on some solid drinking and dancing ladies! An alumni-students game was impossible despite a record number of alumni. Instead, rookies challenged the vets on Alumni Weekend. Before half-time, players were shuffled around – the rookies were annihilating the vets. Hard-hits, incredible ball-handling skills, and mad dekes were observed at both games.

One reason why I love playing on the Panda Bearristers is that it allows women to exchange high-heels and lip-gloss for cleats and mouth guards. Rugby can really change your perceptions of people. For example, Guinevere Loi and Megan Dawson look like cute and cuddly law students walking around the law building. Out on the rugby pitch, these tiny human beings, cause serious destruction! They plow through the opposition like knives through butter. Arms and ribs crack when the Panda Bearristers take the field.

Another reason why I love being a Panda Bearrister is that I get to see my teammates’ angelic faces turn into those of ferocious monkeys. Sure, the mouth guards are responsible for some of the distortion, but grit and drive are the major causes. We want that rugby ball and are prepared to sacrifice our lady-like appearances in order to get it!

The team is also a great outlet for stress. If LRW assignments, 100% finals, or law school drama is causing your blood pressure to rise, join the Panda Bearristers. At practice, you can run around, deliver hard hits, and make dirty jokes. On Thursday evenings, you can vent and discover the meaning of life over beers at Avenue. On game days, you can kick some other girls’ butts.

I also love playing on the rugby team because it has a position for everyone. No matter what your athletic background or body type, there’s a place for you on the team. For example, we accept players that have to ask, “What is rugby?”

Since I’m a cheese-ball, I must conclude with some sentimental remarks: I love playing on the rugby team because the players and coaches are such fun, warm, and crazy people. It’s great to get down and dirty on the rugby pitch, messy at Avenue, and nerdy in the law building with all team-members. Can’t wait for next season: let’s have fun and kick some ass!