Rugby Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee have announced Canada’s U20 Women’s Rugby 7s team nominated to compete at the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games – congratulations to BC representatives Adia Pye and Kelsa Kempf on their selection!

The team will be led by BC-based duo Brittany Waters (Head Coach) and Robin MacDowell (Assistant Coach).

The Team Canada U20 women’s rugby sevens team for the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games are:

1. Bomi Lawal (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Canadian Irish Rugby Club
2. Kiki Idowu (Toronto, ON) – Toronto Scottish/UBC Thunderbirds
3. Sarah (Jiggy) Schonfeld (Ottawa, ON) – Kingston Panthers
4. Olivia Newsome (Calgary, AB) – Lanark Highlanders / Calgary Saints
5. Adia Pye (Victoria, BC) – UBC Thunderbirds
6. Zina Umeh (Calgary, AB) – Canucks Rugby Club
7. Ivy Poetker (Calgary, AB) – Calgary Rams
8. Kennedi Stevenson (Georgetown, ON) – Brantford Harlequins
9. Adelaide Holmes (Waterloo, ON) – Guelph RFC
10. Charlotte Hilton (Fall River, NS) – Halifax Tars FC
11. Elle Douglas (Saskatoon, SK) – UVic Vikes
12. Kelsa Kempf (Langley, BC) – Trinity Western University

Non-Travelling Alternates 

1. Delphine Champagne (Québec City, QC) – Club de Rugby de Québec
2. Lauren Cheng (Toronto, ON) – Aurora Barbarians
3. Guinevere O’Hara (Toronto, ON) – Aurora Barbarians
4. Grace Jenkins (Port Hope, ON) – Oshawa Vikings

Rugby Canada will participate in the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games, with a Canadian U20 women’s sevens team coached by Brittany Waters and Robin MacDowell taking to the field at Paraguay’s Olympic Park.

“It is an incredible honour to be named the Head Coach of our Junior Pan American Games team and to work with a group of passionate and talented players and staff,” said Waters. “The Junior Pan American Games offer a unique and exciting opportunity to compete at an elite level, and to embrace the energy and spirit of a multi-sport event. Representing Canada on this stage will be an amazing experience for up-and-coming players as they continue their high-performance journey.”

The second-ever edition of the Junior Pan American Games will take place August 9 to 23, 2025, in Asunción, Paraguay, with more than 4000 athletes from 41 countries competing in 28 sports. This will be the first time that rugby sevens, which is scheduled for August 16 and 17, is included in this international multi-sport event for young rising athletes.

Rugby sevens will take place August 16-17 (Days 8 to 9) at Paraguay’s Olympic Park.

Team Canada’s U20 women’s rugby sevens team’s coaches and support staff for the Asunción 2025 Junior Pan American Games are:

Coaches 

• Brittany Waters (Vancouver, BC) – Head Coach
• Robin MacDowell (Cowichan Bay, BC) – Assistant Coach

Support Staff 

• Aiyana Grubac (Cedar, BC) – Medical
• Clarence Gay (Ajax, ON) – Strength & Conditioning Coach

More information on the Asuncion 2025 Junior Pan American Games can be found here, with the event streamed live on the Panam Sports Channel.

Prior to being named to Team Canada, all nominations are subject to approval by the Canadian Olympic Committee’s Team Selection Committee following its receipt of nominations by all National Sport Organisations.