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Syracuse's Tess Kohanski Named Youth Girls Player of the Year - Jan 15, 2007
Union Honors Member of U19 Eagles Squad

Union Youth Girls Player of the Year: Tess Kohanski

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by Alex Goff
Reprinted with permission from GoffonRugby.com and ERugbyNews.com

December 29, 2006 ñ Such a meteoric rise is hard to predict. Tess Kohanski isn't particularly tall - about 5-3 - and she is mobile for a forward, but the good ones always are. She plays for a good college team, but Syracuse isn't in the Top 20 this year and probably won't be by the end of spring.

But Kohanski went from attending a U19 player development camp to the U19 Eagles, to the U23s, and then all the way to the senior 7s developmental squad in one year.

"What she's been able to do in such a short period of time is amazing," said USA U19 head coach Bryn Chivers.

Pushed to go to the U19 camp by her coaches at Syracuse, the young prop/hooker said she "didn't know what to expect. But it was an incredible experience and it was realy eye-opening to see all these players playing with such skill."

Her work for the USA team during their assembly in June in Colorado got the notice of USA U23 coach Barb Fugate, who invited her to train with the U23s, much in the same way Jillion Potter went quickly from U19s to U23s.

"I learned so much from Barb and Martha [Daines]," Kohanski said. "I'm excited aobut the opportunities with the U23s. It's all happened pretty fast and playing for an elite team like that is great."

What sets Kosanski apart from most in her position is her pace. She gets around the field exceptionally well and combined with her physicality makes her one of the best young front row forwards in the country. She has been playing No. 8 for Syracuse, despite the fact she's probably too short to be en elite No. 8, because the Orangemen want the ball in her hands. She is that dangerous a player.

Now a sophomore at Syracuse Kohanski has to face up to the decision as to whether she wants to embrace this sport she appears to be very good at playing. Too late, she already is hooked.

"I really fell in love with the sport," she said. "Not just with the USA team, but at Syracuse and everywhere else, the people I have met have been so great. I don't want it to be the only thing in my life, but it is definitely a significant part of my life."

And then this summer Kohanski got the call for the 7s developmental squad. It was a bit of a flier for coach Julie McCoy, who had seen tape of Kohanski and wanted to see what she could do, but it was flattering for the young hooker nonetheless. An injury forced her to pull out, however, but she will be attending McCoy's next footwork camp.

"I had some bad timing with injuries, but I am excited about the footwork camp and we'll se where it takes me."

Or, for that matter, where she takes us.

Competing with Kohanski for the U19 player of the year were the likes of Schmarrah McCarthy, a hard-charging center from Purdue who Chivers said may become one of the dominant players of her age. She is big and strong and very, very hard to stop. Candace Barley is just 15 and could well win this award in a couple of years. She's a high-schooler and also on the high school level, center Lisa Henneman has the poise and brilliance few have at her age. The try she set up for McCarthy against Canada, where she stepped her way through the line and cheekily held the cover defense at bay before swooping a pass to her oncoming teammate, was a tribute to both young women.

And finally a nod to Megan Thompson, who has been honorable mention in this award for three years, played 11 times for the USA U19s (and wasn't even available in '06) and might have won it if she didn't happen to know the person writing this article. Thompson, now in college this fall, is as smart and physical, as generous and as inspirational as any rugby player in the country.

Our 2006 U19 women's player of the year: Tess Kohanski.

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