Quitting is easy.

I first met Coach Boyd when I was about 15 and playing for OIRC during the summer season. I have honestly never met anyone with the same intensity as her. She won't stand for anything less than excellence in practice and  certainly not during a game. 

When I was 17 she invited me to go Ireland to play rugby with Ashbury College. Not only was the team on a three year OFSAA championship winning streak, but I was going to travel and play in Ireland!!

We played some games, went to some pubs, and saw everything that Ireland had to offer. 

There was one moment that felt like it was a scene from a movie. It was right before a game, the weather was awful and rainy, and Boyd was off in the distance leaning on an old wooden fence with her back to us. She screamed for us to go over to her and as we got closer we realized she looked as though she had been crying. 

"Look where you're standing" 

We looked past the rain and fog, there was a drop right after the fence. We were playing rugby on a cliff. Now I can't remember the speech she told well enough to quote her, but not one girl was left with dry eyes afterwards.

When I found out she would be coaching the Algonquin team, I was excited and terrified. Excited because I knew we wouldn't lose a game, but I will always be a little terrified of her intensity. Practices started 2 weeks ago, and it's been unbelievably amazing so far! Intense and hard, but still so much fun. I can't believe how much I missed hearing her yell FRANCO at me (she prefers calling people by their last name).

Today was an especially hard practice of tackling and fitness. Push ups, burpees, and tons of core work.

"I'm about to get cheesy" she said as we were doing core work. 

I knew right then that it was going to be another moment that felt like a movie scene.

"There's a quote the marines use 'Pain is weakness leaving the body' and it's true. You wont get stronger if it doesn't hurt. 

You can always give up.

You can quit.

Quitting is easy, quitting is always an option.

Humber, Seneca, and every other college is sitting on their asses watching TV right now, but look at where you are right now.

When you feel pain, when you hurt, you become a better rugby player, a better sister, friend, daughter, or anything. You become a better, stronger person.

November twelfth at 3pm. That's when the season is over, because the championship game is at 1pm. I know I'll be there, because we're sure as hell not going to lose a game, but you wont be there if you quit. 

On November twelfth at 3pm, when you drink your 'juice' or go for a victory lap around the field, it will be because you didn't give up. You didn't quit."