ERIN – A young woman from Erin with Olympic aspirations has been recognized by the RBC Training Ground competition in the sport of rugby.
Kyla Warren, 22, has always been involved in sports one way or another, whether it was soccer, karate or dance.
Her passion for athleticism flourished in high school as she continued to try different sports.
“It wasn’t until my Grade 10 or 11 year that I decided to play rugby for the first time because I’d never played it before,” Warren told the Advertiser.
Her high school coach encouraged her and helped her “foster a love for rugby” which she carries with her to this day.
She continued her rugby career in her post- secondary education at the University of Guelph, where she plays for the Guelph Gryphons women’s team.
“My coach, coach Colette McAuley [for the Guelph Gryphons] is a great coach. She taught me almost everything I know,” said Warren
“She really showed me that I could take rugby to a higher level.”
Warren during a University of Guelph Gryphons game. Submitted image
Competitive experiences
In March of 2022 Warren got invited to play in a rugby sevens tournament and show off her skills.
Later that year she got an email inviting her to train with the Maple Leaf program, which is a Canadian development academy for up-and-coming female rugby players between the ages of 18 and 22.
The program is located at the Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, BC.
“I lived out there for eight months, trained every day, lifted (weights) every day and I actually got to meet some of Canada’s rugby sevens players,” Warren said.
Her experience at the training centre was “beautiful” and a place where she made “long-lasting friendships.”
“I learned so much as a rugby player and grew so much, it was just a wonderful experience,” she added.
When Warren returned to her studies in Guelph, she continued her training until another invite came through the mail.
It was in March of 2023 when Warren experienced another chance to share her skills.
In Chula Vista, California, she played at the Elite Athletic Olympic Training Center.
“I got to see Olympic athletes, I got to see their beautiful training grounds and their housing; I sat at their cafeteria and ate their food,” she said.
There she played against the U.S. rugby development team, along with other esteemed Canadian athletes.
Olympic potential
After all her hard work and dedication to the sport, she decided to sign up for a qualifying event in front of Olympic talent scouts.
Warren performed speed, strength, power and endurance tests with 2,500 other athletes, aged 14 to 25, from a wide range of sports to show their raw physical abilities.
“I just showed up there and tried my very best,” she said.
The scouts attended the events to find the sport for which each participant is most suited for and to provide funding to boost the athletes’ existing sport.
“I felt comfortable doing those tests … it was something I wasn’t a stranger to,” Warren said.
Officials named the top 100 athletes who have “great Olympic potential” and who would go on to compete in the RBC Training Ground national final on Nov. 2 in Halifax, NS.
And after all her training, Warren made the top 100.
“When I got that email … during the end of my class and I was going to rugby practice … I was happy going to practice that’s for sure,” she stated.
Thirty athletes from the final will earn funding, a spot on Team Canada with one of 12 partnered national sport organizations and an accelerated path to the Olympics.
The RBC Training Ground is a nation-wide talent identification and athlete-funding program which finds and supports the next generation of Canadian Olympians, stated officials.
Since its inception in 2016, the program has tested 16,000 athletes at free local events across Canada.
Twenty-one RBC Training Ground alumni have competed at three Olympic Games and together they’ve brought home a collective 14 medals.
To prepare for the finals Warren said, “most of it is following my rugby training. I usually lift (weights)twice a week, I basically do cardio every day during practice for two hours so I’m just following my rugby training schedule.”
She’s also been applying the fitness and strength information she gained through the RBC Training Ground event.
“There’s nothing really extra I’m particularly doing as of right now, but I feel as the date becomes closer I might end up doing an extra conditioning session,” she added.
Warren is currently in her final year at U of G and continues to play as a winger for the Gryphons.
“I’m feeling really excited, a little bit nervous because I really want to do well,” she said referring to the finals.
During the RBC finals athletes will again be tested on their speed, power, strength and endurance with sport-specific, high-performance benchmarks under the supervision of program sport partners, stated RBC officials.
Participants’ competitive sport history will also play a role in who is selected for funding.
The finalists, who will have transportation, hotel and food covered by RBC, will be joined at the final by RBC Training Ground alumni and several Olympic medalists.
The 30 athletes are to be announced in the weeks following the final.
“I’m super excited that I’ve gotten this far to begin with and I’m excited to show the assessors and Rugby Canada … how far I’ve come,” she noted.
Warren’s goal is to be at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles competing with Canada’s rugby sevens team.
“I’m just really excited not only for myself but to put Erin on the map because … it’s important to highlight small towns because great athletes still come out of those towns,” she said.
A new season of RBC Training Ground will launch in early 2025. Those interested can visit RBCTrainingGround.ca for the schedule and details.
