by Natalie Ramsay | Aug 21, 2023 | Women's News
The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s Team is thrilled to usher in a new era for our rugby squad. We are excited to introduce our new Head Coach, JB Nikkel, who brings a wealth of experience, dedication, and passion to our team. Meet JB Nikkel JB Nikkel’s rugby journey is nothing short of inspiring. With over 20 years of experience in the sport, he has worn many hats - player, coach, and mentor. His deep-rooted love for rugby began at a young age and has evolved into a lifelong dedication to the game. JB’s roots are firmly planted in this community. He played for the 2023 BCRU Division 3 Provincial Champions, the Comox Valley Kickers Men’s Team, as well as represented Ashburton Celtic RFC, Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury Māori, and Westshore RFC. He was also recently chosen to join the Canadian Classics for their latest Boston tour. Looking to take a step back as a player, JB’s excited to share his extensive knowledge and expertise with a team eager to learn. JB’s coaching career is a testament to his commitment to the sport. He has served as both a youth and high school rugby coach, helping mold aspiring athletes into skilled players. His coaching philosophy centers around the principles of teamwork, discipline, and continuous improvement, values that align perfectly with the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s Team. The New Vision JB Nikkel’s appointment as Head Coach marks a significant milestone for the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s Team. Under his leadership, we are eager to pursue new heights in women’s rugby, with a strong emphasis on player development and team cohesion. One of...
by Natalie Ramsay | Apr 17, 2023 | Women's News
After five years at the helm of the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s Rugby Team, Coach JP Lussier (“JP”) has announced that he will not be returning for the following season. The news has come as a shock to many of the players, who have grown to respect and admire JP for his dedication and hard work in building the team into a competitive force. Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen says, “JP has been an integral part of our success over the past five years. He’s helped us to develop our skills and our teamwork and has always been there to support us both on and off the field. We’re going to miss him, and we’re not sure what the future holds at this point in time.” Despite the uncertainty, the players are determined to continue building on the progress that has been made. “We’ve got a strong team, and we’re all committed to continuing to improve,” says Nguyen. “We are sad to see JP go, but we will work hard to find a new coach this offseason who can help us grow and achieve our goals.” JP himself has expressed mixed feelings about leaving the team. “It’s been an amazing five years with the team, and I’m incredibly proud of everything we’ve achieved together,” he says. “I will remain involved with the club as Treasurer of the Executive Committee, but I also feel that it’s time for me to move on from coaching to new challenges.” As the Kickers Women’s Rugby Team looks ahead to the future, there is no doubt that they will face some challenges. But the players are...
by Natalie Ramsay | Feb 12, 2023 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
The Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team hosted Langley RFC at Cumberland Village Park and won a convincing victory of 47-5 this past Saturday. Tries were scored by Emma Jacobi (2), Tyra Schaad (2), Natalie Nguyen, Jess Nikkel, Frances Nye and Sienna Stigant with two converts added on by Christina Green-Speck and Nikkel and Stigant adding one a piece. “We had a strong game. Our set pieces look good, and we really worked on flow. We were able to maintain possession for most of the game and were able to shut Langley down quickly on their possessions. We ran the ball well and showed big improvement from last week,” says Coach JP Lussier. “Momentum is building for our squad. We are seeing more consistent numbers showing up to practice and it really makes a difference when it comes to games. Our chemistry is continually improving,” says Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen. The Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team traveled to Vancouver for their first of three consecutive trips to the mainland. They faced off against Scribes RFC at Rupert Park and triumphed 54-5. Tries were scored by Nate Bice (2), Brandon Hudson (2), Jimmy Brazier, Sebastian Lambert, Derek McCubbin and Will Perry with Kyle Hall adding six successful conversions. “We were able to travel with solid numbers which is paramount for away games. We haven’t played against the Scribes before in league play so we were uncertain of what to expect. It was very close the first twenty minutes but once we settled into a rhythm, we started to pull away,” says Captain Brandon Hudson. Next week the men’s team are on the...
by Natalie Ramsay | Jan 28, 2023 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
The 2022/23 Club Rugby Season started up again this past weekend with both Comox Valley Kickers Rugby teams hosting Richmond RFC at Cumberland Village Park. As the Comox Valley Kickers Women’s team had participated in regional play on the Island this fall, this was the start of the BC-wide regular season. The return to play showcased a mix of veteran players and new recruits and resulted in a dominating victory of 50-12 over Richmond. Tries were scored by Karli MacFarlane (2), Tyra Schaad (2), Sienna Stigant (2), Jenn Lund, Chloe Speed, with converts added on by Stigant (2), Christina Green-Speck (2) and Jess Nikkel. “We came out strong and put Richmond under pressure right from the start. Our defense was sound, and we made our tackles. We were able to string together plays on offense with support and that made a big difference,” says Coach JP Lussier. “This is a good start to our season, but we gave up a lot of penalties. There is definite room for improvement. We have a solid foundation to work with and will continue to build on it as the season progresses,” says Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen. The spring rugby season marks the continuation of the fall rugby season with the #4 ranked Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team upsetting the #1 ranked Richmond RFC in a landslide victory, 61-21. Brandon Hudson (3), Nate Bice (2), Steve Tien, Jimmy Robertson, Joe Barker and Sebastian Lambert scored tries for the Kickers with Kyle Hall adding 8 converts. “I’ve been putting off playing with the lads and I’m glad that they convinced me to do it. It was...
by Natalie Ramsay | Oct 15, 2022 | Game Reports, Men's News, Women's News
In their first match on the mainland this season, the Comox Valley Kickers Men’s team travelled to Surrey this past Saturday to face off against the Beavers, winning 46-20. Devon Moore (2), Craig Whiley (2), Brandon Hudson (2), Raffael Tonazzi and Derek McCubbin scored tries with Kyle Hall adding three successful conversions. “It was a very tough initial first 15 minutes. We found ourselves on our back foot often during this time and didn’t really have a chance to possess the ball. After that first 15 minutes, we were able to get into our groove and score a few quick tries with one right before the end of the half, which shifted the momentum of the game,” said Outside Centre Devon Moore. “We worked hard at the breakdowns and were able to run some plays which resulted in more scoring opportunities. Overall, we were successful at executing our game plan.” The Comox Valley Kickers Women hosted a combined side from Cowichan/Westshore. With the visiting team travelling light, the game had to be modified to 10-a-side rugby at Cumberland Village Park. The Kickers lost 33-10 with Kaitlyn Hazelman and Chloë Speed scoring a try each. “Playing 10’s is tough. There is a lot more open space on the field. One missed tackle can result in a big breakaway. The game was more fast paced, and we were caught out of place on defense a few times which hurt us,” says Co-Captain Natalie Nguyen. “The end result wasn’t what we wanted but there were still good takeaways from this game. We were better at jackaling the ball and had some...
by Natalie Ramsay | Oct 1, 2022 | Game Reports, Women's News
This past Saturday, the Comox Valley Kickers Women hosted the Castaway Wanderers (“CW”) at Cumberland Village Park. This was the second time both teams have played each other this season, but with a different result this time around. The Kickers won 29-26 with Dara DeMarce, Lauren Sargent, Lisa Korcsmaros, Jessica Nikkel and Daris Tendler Forberg scoring a try each. Christina Green-Speck added two converts. “We came back from an early deficit to take the lead and worked hard at the end of the second half to secure the win. There was a bigger focus on teamwork this game. As the saying goes, you can go faster alone but can go further together,” says Coach Jean-Pierre Lussier. “We ran better support lines, were strong in the scrums and improved with our rucking. Things are really coming along for the team.” Regretfully, there was no men’s game as CW Men’s defaulted. There is a league wide bye over Thanksgiving weekend with the league resuming on October 15. The Kickers Men’s Team will travel to the mainland to play against the Surrey Beavers while the Kickers Women’s Team will host a combined side from Cowichan/Westshore. Both the men’s and the women’s teams are continually recruiting players. No experience necessary. Practices are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cumberland Village Park. Everyone welcome. For more information, please visit...
