For Carleton Ravens rugby players Maureen and Katie Foran, family has a double meaning.
Maureen and Katie are not only sisters but teammates as well. Maureen is currently a third-year law student, while Katie is a second-year social work student. Both are members of the breakout 2018 Ravens rugby team, who made the playoffs for the first time in program history this past season.
They started playing rugby in high school and immediately fell in love with the game. Their elder sister also played rugby.
Both sisters credit their friends and family for always supporting them at games, and their high school coaches for pushing them to succeed.
Deciding to both stay in the Ottawa region after high school, Katie entered Carleton University whereas Maureen enrolled at Algonquin College. Playing for the school during the 2016-17 season as team captain, Maureen made the OCAA Women’s Rugby League All-Stars—comprised of the top rugby players within the Ontario College Athletic Association.
Maureen would later transfer to Carleton University the following year, joining Katie on the rugby team.
The Ravens women’s rugby team faced some challenging seasons in the past but the Foran sisters credit a “great culture” for their 2018 season.
“Everyone really bought into the culture,” Katie said. “Everyone bought into the system.”
The women’s rugby team’s first regular season game was against the Concordia University Stingers. The team beat them 56-0, their first win against the Stingers in program history. The Foran sisters said beating the Stingers was another goal for their team.
“Our team had a strong sense of core values, which instilled a positive environment,” Katie said.
Maureen was field captain during their game on Oct. 14, when the Ravens beat Bishop’s University 88-7. She said previous leadership experiences helped prepare her for the moment, adding how the team was able to bounce back after a slow start.
The win over Bishop’s clinched a playoff berth for the Ravens with their next match being a semi-final game against the number two seeded Universite Laval.
“We worked hard getting to that point,” Katie said. “I was proud [of] how we played.”
The Ravens lost to Laval 23-12 which ended their successful season.
With the Ravens’ season having ended, the Foran sisters described how awesome it was to have a part of their family on their team.
“I always looked up to her,” Maureen said on her sister. “We’re able to always talk about our game once it’s finished.”
“It’s like playing with my best friend,” Katie added. “She’s awesome to have on our team.”
Photo from files
