Moon rugby player Forkey to compete at Paris World Games

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, June 28, 2018 | 7:54 PM

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Moon girls rugby player Holly Forkey will represent the Tigers on a large international stage at the Paris World Games July 7-13.

Forkey, 17, a departing senior fullback, was one of 11 players selected for a U18 sevens team consisting of players from North America and England.

In their second year, the games will bring together athletes from 70 nations in five Olympic sports and one other sport. Besides rugby sevens, athletes will compete in badminton, basketball, football (soccer), handball and futsal, a soccer derivative.

Rugby sevens will be played July 7-8.

Celtic Barbarians coach Cameron Wilton said Forkey was referred to him by Moon coach Rocky Nurss.

Wilton said team members will meet for the first time in Paris and have three days to get organized.

Forkey is excited and nervous. She said she never imagined playing at such a high level.

“I didn't even know what rugby was,” she said.

She expects the butterflies to go away after she gets on the field and makes her first tackle.

To get in shape, she is practicing with the West Pittsburgh Foxes Rugby Club, running a couple of miles a day and cutting back on sweets and carbs.

She looks forward to exploring Paris and becoming cultured.

Forkey, who is 5-foot-4, scored a team-high 14 tries for a Tigers squad that went 9-3 this season. She plans to study industrial engineering and join the rugby club at West Virginia.

Nurss said Forkey has a desire to learn.

“She's a fast athlete and a solid tackler,” Nurss said. “She always sees the game well.”

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: Moon