Many teenage girls spend their afternoons going shopping, getting some frozen yogurt, or watching a movie together. The members of the North Penn Valkyries are not like most girls, however: they prefer to bond over tackles and tournaments in the rough-and-tumble game of rugby.

Last weekend, the team of girls ranging from grades 6-12 traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to play in a preseason tournament called Nash Bash.

“This tournament was basically to see how we stood with some of the best teams in the country,” said Sylina Flowers, a senior and fourth year player for the Valkyries. “With such a new team, it was mainly a learning experience, and it was to test out a new system of play we were working on.”

Nash Bash included teams from all over the country and of all different skill levels. It was a one of a kind experience in which teams could expose themselves to different levels of competition. The Valkyries also took this opportunity for some team bonding before the start of the regular season on March 22nd.

Devyn Lyons, a junior in her second year on the team, appreciated the chance for the Valkyries to be able to play teams from different areas. “We’re so used to playing the same teams over and over again,” she said.

The team fought resolutely through the end of the weekend, winning two games on Saturday. Unfortunately, they suffered a tough loss on Sunday to the #10 ranked rugby team in the nation.

Even though the weekend ended in defeat, it was a successful tournament for the Valkyries.

“It was nice to have a pre-season tournament, because all of our new players were able to get a taste of what the sport is like and get a feel of what it’s like to be on the field,” said Yvonne Pham, a senior and third year player for the Valkyries.

Zoe Rex, a senior who has been playing rugby for three years, sees the challenging experience of playing rugby as an opportunity for self-improvement.

“It builds character and habits of hard work and determination,” she said.

The team’s many practices since January have been focused on turning the team into a cohesive unit. Having three practices per week, the Valkyries have already learned to work well with each other, developing a close-knit family.

“My free time is spent with my team,” said Ava Samkavitz, a junior and second year player. Outside of their weekly practices, the Valkyries make sure they find time to spend with each other.

Rachel Campbell joined the Valkyries last season as a sophomore and has continuously seen how rugby is unlike any other sport because of its team dynamic.

With the Nash Bash successfully completed, the season is already looking up for the North Penn Valkyries.

“30+ girls who knew nothing about each other are working so well together to create a connection that will just continue to positively grow,” commented Flowers. “We can already see that we have a lot of potential.”