When a sponsor pulled out, endangering a planned trip to England by the BC girls’ under-18 rugby team, Langley’s Jordyn Myers and her teammates refused to give up.
They had about a month to replace $25,000 in financial assistance before they were scheduled to leave.
Myers, a Walnut Grove Secondary graduate who was saving for university, didn’t have money to spare.
So she started a GoFundme page asking for help.
“My name is Jordyn Myers and I have lived in Langley for most of my life,” the message read.
“I have been playing rugby since I was in grade 8.”
Myers said it was an “honour” to be selected by BC Rugby to be on the BC girls’ U-18 team, which was going to go to England on Aug. 8 to play against British rugby teams in different regions of the country.
She explained how the team sponsor had pulled out unexpectedly and how the players were unable to find another sponsor in the short time before their tour begins.
The total cost of the 10-day tour was going to be $3,600, money Myers and her family didn’t have, because she was saving up to study at the University of Victoria, where she will be working towards a degree to teach elementary school.
In return for assistance, she offered to represent any individual or business sponsor.
“I could attend any public appearances that your company may hold and would explain how your financial support has helped me,” Myers said.
“I would also be happy to promote your business when doing media interviews and would be certain to tell them that, but for your business’ sponsorship, I could not have gone on the trip to England.”
The response has been more than she had hoped for, with 17 donors contributing more than $4,000 in 23 days (as of Wednesday).
“It is really cool,” a grateful Myers told the Times.
“I want to say a huge thank you.”
The rest of the team has managed to raise enough money as well, she said.
Myers is looking forward to playing the British teams and is confident the B.C. players will do well.
“I think I’m pretty optimistic,” she said.
Now that the financial issues have been sorted out, she still faces the challenge of adjusting to the eight-hour time difference between B.C. and England.
“I’ll be trying to sleep on the plane as much as I can (to adjust to the different time zone)” Myers said.
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The British tour is Myers’ first overseas competition, but not her first international meet.
In March, she helped B.C. win silver at one of the largest Rugby Sevens tournaments in North America, playing for BC Rugby’s Elite Youth Sevens girls’ U18 squad at the Las Vegas Invitational .
The B.C. team went 3-0 during pool play in the girls high school elite 7s division, defeating Atavus 17-5, the Lions 26-0 and Rocky Mountain 24-10.
The team then won their quarter-final and semifinal games, decisively, beating USA South 38-7 and Rugby Oregon 31-0.
But in the gold-medal game, the team was defeated 12-5 by Atlantis.
dan.ferguson@langleytimes.comLike us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
