Sarah Coldwell, rugby
Senior Sarah Coldwell committed to play rugby at the University of New England in December 2022 after an empowering Algonquin career.
When did you first start playing rugby?
“I started playing my junior year.”
What is your favorite thing about rugby?
“My favorite thing about rugby is the fact that it is a really empowering sport. It makes me feel really strong and powerful when we are out on the field.”
What position do you play and what do you most enjoy about playing that position?
“I love doing scrums, they are really fun; it is where we all have to work together and push against the other team to get the ball on our side. It is super intense and I love that.”
Why did you want to play rugby at the collegiate level?
“I love the sport and I am really passionate about it; I want to continue on for as long as I can. I play with the Boston Women’s Rugby Football Club, which really emphasized that this was something I wanted to do for a long time. The natural next step for me would be to continue playing in college. The US Women’s national team gave a presentation while I was looking for clinics to play in, and they gave a presentation about what college would look like and what they would offer at the collegiate level. It seemed really interesting and I loved the idea, and I pivoted my college search to be about rugby and psychology.”
What about this college enticed you to play for them?
“I went up and I spent the weekend with the team. I stayed in one of their dorms and I had all my meals with them and I went to a game. I was able to be immersed in the experience and what the team was going to be like. I fell in love with the campus and the team. They were so welcoming and the coach is really sweet and she prioritizes safety, which was really important to me.”
What are you most looking forward to in these next four years of your life?
“I am most looking forward to meeting a lot of new people, expanding my circle and finding more people who are really passionate about the things I am also passionate about.”
Do you have hopes to play Rugby beyond the collegiate level?
“I would love to! That would be amazing if it is possible for me, whether that’s going back and playing for Boston Women’s [Rugby Football Club] but I want to continue on for as long as I can.”
Do you have any ideas of majors or other focusses you’d like to pursue at the University of New England?
“I’m passionate about pursuing psychology because I’ve dealt with a lot of mental health issues in my life and I really like the idea of helping other people. I’ve stayed in the hospital a couple of times and it was a really rough time. I want to make that experience better for other people. I have a lot of experience and background so I want to help people feel understood.”
Do you have anything that you think is important to include about your relationship with rugby or your commitment?
“I would say that it has helped my relationship with food, exercise and my body, it shows you how strong you can be. Nutrition is so key to the sport; I have struggled with eating disorders in the past and [rugby] forces you to have a deep mind-body connection, which is really important.”