The week of September 7-10th, while the National Team is competing in Paraguay, USAWR will be hosting a development camp at Lakeshore Foundation to identify future talent for Tokyo 2020 and beyond. Over 30 athletes were reviewed through submissions from the United States Quad Rugby Association (USQRA), the current athlete pool from the 2017 Selection Camp as well as individual athlete submissions. Invitations were then sent out to 16 athletes on July 30th with eight alternate/replacement athletes named should one of the 16 be unable to attend.
While this development camp is not a team tryout, it is an important opportunity to identify future talent and keep the pipeline of potential team athletes full. This development camp is being hosted at no cost to the athletes and staff through a special grant from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC). Former USAWR coaching staff member Dave Ceruti will be leading the camp and will be focusing heavily on offensive, defensive, and key strategies with emphasis on roles of players. While there will be varied skill and knowledge levels coming into the camp, the expectation is that all can take something new from this opportunity and translate it back to their home club teams, ultimately endeavoring to enhance overall league play.
Over the next four years, the USAWR program will look to continue hosting development camps annually and eventually would like to send a roster of developmental athletes to an international competition. Positive steps are being taken in that direction.
Thanks to our HPMO Lakeshore Foundation and the USOC for their support to enhance the athlete pipeline. A final list of athletes attending the camp will be posted online August 14th and the list of those invited and the replacement athletes can be found below.
2017 Development Camp Invitees
Kevin Hamilton
Steven Walker
Tyler Cummings
Tom Knaus
Mason Symons
Kyle Peterson
Jake Zunich
James Sa
Ben Waker
Jake Ross
Eric Bell
Kathryn Mahoney
Matt Milstead
Emily Blauw
Mike Monthervil
JB Seiner
Alternate/Replacement athletes – Brandon “Shane” Crider, Joe Martel Jr., Daniel Pitaluga, Joe Snyder, Luis Cazares, Joel Rodriguez, Ben Tomlinson, and Paul Hopkins