On a hot summer afternoon at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto, the Canadian women’s rugby team was sent to Rio in style. Toronto Mayor John Tory addressed the crowd of more than 1,000 and wished the team good luck. Olympic chef de mission, Curt Hartnett, introduced the team as family members, youth rugby players, men’s national team players and many other fans cheered and took pictures of the first Canadian rugby team to compete in the Olympics.
Perhaps the biggest fan there that day was Michael “Pinball” Clemons. The former Argos player and coach, who, after living in Canada for more than a quarter-century opted to become a citizen last year, fell in love with the team during the 2015 Pan Am Games. He and his daughters Rachel, Raven, and Rylie attended all the Canadian team’s games and Clemons was thoroughly impressed. “What I saw was the most dominant team I had ever seen in any sport in my entire life. They gave up one score against the USA. I think the USA may have been favoured. They demolished them. It’s like nothing I had ever seen before.”
The Canadian women were unstoppable, beating the U.S. 55–7 in the gold-medal game, going 7-0 in the tournament. They outscored the field 285–19, running up 47 tries while giving up three.
For years we’ve talked about how the women’s national soccer program has captivated and inspired young girls across the nation. Clemons believes the women’s rugby team could have an even bigger impact because of their dominance. “This level of excellence is otherworldly,” he said. “Anyone who takes the time to watch will be inspired. Absolutely we talk about the legacy of women’s sport and women providing that pathway, and these girls can do that. Girls who have aspirations athletically or not can look up at them and say yes, I can be like them.”
Clemons gave the team a pep talk before they departed Canada. “He gives you goosebumps,” Jen Kish, the team captain, said. Teammate Ashley Steacy agreed. “It was great. He was preaching to us to have each others’ backs and support each other and just to have fun with the whole process.” Clemons explained his advice this way: “If I’m wrong, you’re wrong. If you’re right, I’m right. So just having each others’ backs on the field and supporting each other off the field, as a team was my advice. If they are able to do that they will leave us all very proud at the end.
“Football comes from rugby, that’s our father, that’s where we come from. To see the speed that they play sevens with, it’s incredible. If I was young enough, I’d play it.”
Pinball can’t play but he’ll be bouncing around his living room cheering every ruck and scrum along the way.
