This season, we are hoping to build a greater sense of community in our club. To allow players from various teams to put names to faces, we're going to extend the spotlight to a few individual players and publish a short article about each of them. We'll start with the senior teams, first up Jane Kirby of the Senior Women!

Name: Jane Kirby
Position(s): Hooker/Back Row
Team: Senior Women

Jane has played with Highland since 2008. Her rugby career began in 2004 when her highschool, Mayfield SS was sending a team on tour in the United Kingdom. All of Jane's friends were playing rugby and they needed more female players, so she decided to sign up.

Jane's rugby resume is lengthy, having played for Mayfield SS, Brampton Beavers (U18 and Senior Women), Brantford Harlequins, and the University of Guelph before coming to Highland. Jane has also played for Ontario on the under 18, under 23 and senior women's teams. She has also represented Canada on the under 18, under 20, and most recently the National Senior Women's team, competing in the Women's World Cup in 2014!

When she isn't playing rugby, Jane has a passion for coaching. She has helped with a variety of teams at all age groups and loves the opportunity to share her vast experience with future generations of rugby stars! Jane is also trying to find a less physically demanding hobby and plans to try her hand at gardening this summer. Time will tell if she can be as successful in the garden as she has been on the rugby field.

Jane's most memorable moment on the rugby field should come as no surprise. She explains that "playing with the National Senior Women's Team in the World Cup Final in France, in front of 20,000 people, including my family and friends was my absolute greatest accomplishment!"

Jane doesn't plan to sit back and reminisce for too long. She is training hard in hopes of being selected for the Canadian Super Series. It’s a brand new event happening in Alberta, with Canada, USA, England and New Zealand vying for rugby supremacy. This would represent Jane's first chance to play with the National Senior Women's Team on home soil. Good luck Jane!

Jane loves watching rugby almost as much as she loves playing. She is excited to travel to England this September to watch the men’s Rugby World Cup. She is excited to see the difference in the atmosphere, being in the stands rather than on the field as she was at the last World Cup. She is very excited for the opportunity to go and watch Canada play on such a big stage.

Jane would like to encourage all players from Highland to do their best and most importantly, to have fun!

We will continue this player profile series throughout the summer, rotating through all of our teams. If you have someone you think should be interviewed for this feature, please send a quick note to explain why. Click here to email the webmaster and nominate someone to be profiled.