An Okotoks athlete will represent his country in two different sports within a span of 12 months.
Reid Watkins, a Grade 11 student at Holy Trinity Academy, was selected to the Team Canada U-17 rugby team last week. His selection comes seven months after he won a gold medal in wrestling for Canada at the Pan American Games in Brazil.
“I’m really excited and I’m honored,” Watkins said. “There are not a lot of people who get a chance to represent their country in two sports.”
Watkins was selected to Team Canada after a strong showing in a pair of exhibition games in British Columbia in February.
He will now play scrum half for Team Canada at a tournament in England in April.
Watkins said he enjoys wrestling and rugby, although they are quite different sports.
“In wrestling it’s just me on the mat,” he said. “I am the one who either takes the glory or takes the loss.
“In rugby it’s a team effort. You get to celebrate as a team and you lose as a team.”
Watkins first got involved in rugby with the Foothills U-14 Lions in Okotoks.
He gives credit to Joe Buck, the Holy Trinity Academy Knights rugby coach and his coach with the U-14 Lions.
“He has a lot of experience,” Watkins said. “He helped me get to this level.”
Meanwhile, Watkins is going to be busy. He wrestles in the high school provincial championships this weekend in Stony Plain before heading to the Canadian Junior National Wrestling championships in Windsor, ON April 7-10. Watkins then hops on a plane for England to play rugby for Team Canada (his teammates will have flown out the day before).
He estimates he will be missing 10 days of school.
“My teachers are the greatest,” Watkins said. “They are working with me so I won’t get behind.”
Rugby update
Buck was ecstatic to hear Watkins made Team Canada as Watkins is the second former Lion to make the team.
Okotokian Jeff Hassler, now a running back for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies, was selected to the U-17 team three years ago.
“This is a really big deal,” Buck said. “(Rugby) Sevens will be an Olympic sport in 2016. Those two guys are on the radar now. I’m really happy for them.”
Buck said the success of rugby in the foothills has allowed the program to grow. There will be three boys’ teams this spring (U-13, U-15, U-17) and a U-15 girls’ team.
As well, the Foothills Rampant Lions men’s team will be back in action.
Buck added the Holy Trinity Academy Knights — for whom Watkins will play — could have their strongest team ever. He also expects the Foothills Composite High School Falcons to be a force this season.
