Daniella Mayo celebrates her final university rugby season

ANTIGONISH: For Daniela Mayo, playing rugby for the first time was love at first sight.
The 21-year-old Milford Station product has played with the St. Francis Xavier University rugby X-Women for the past three years, which has included stretching their consecutive Atlantic University Sport (AUS) championship streak to 14 consecutive years.
Although she never played at the Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS) nationals where the X-Women fell to the Guelph Gryphons in the gold medal game, Mayo was there to support her teammates. The championship was held at Justin Chiu Stadium on the campus of Trent University in Peterborough, Ont., from Nov. 3-6.
“Even though we left with the silver medal, it was a great experience, and one I will never forget,” Mayo said.
She said it was hard to watch her team suffer the 28-0 loss to Guelph, especially since the X-Women were the defending CIS champs. It was just the Gryphons’ second CIS women’s rugby title.
“It was difficult, simply because I knew the team was not playing at the level we could have been,” she said. “The girls did not go into the game overly-confident, but I feel like they just weren’t prepared for how hungry Guelph was going to be. We were upset with the outcome, but Guelph worked hard and earned the gold medal.”
The fourth year Bachelor of Arts with a double major in Development Studies and Sociology athlete graduates this year and will miss out on the X-Women hosting the CIS Nationals in 2012.
“I know the team is very excited to host nationals next year,” Mayo said. “We’re upset about the loss but it is time to start focusing on what needs to be worked on for next year.”
The athletic Mayo first started playing rugby in Grade 11 at Hants East Rural High School in Milford.
“Rugby was the only sport that I hadn’t tried,” she said. “I ended up falling in love with it, and continued playing at the varsity level.”
The five-foot-seven Mayo placed 9th in AUS overall scoring, something she’s proud of because the majority of those points came from kicking— which she did more of this past season.
She feels her improvements and development in the sport came strictly as a result of her involvement with the Enfield RFC women’s team. By playing it gave her the opportunity to play competitively outside of school. Daniela’s sister, Andrea, also plays on the Enfield RFC team.
“It also allowed me to play at the provincial level for the past two summers,” Mayo said.
Prior to taking up rugby and playing as a fly-half with Enfield RFC or winger/centre with St. F.X., the quick-footed Mayo was a soccer star.
“I always found that there was something missing in the sense that I only saw the team at practice and games,” she said. “With rugby there is a real sense of family and, with both teams, we make a point of getting involved with the community as well as getting together at other social events.”
phealey@enfieldweeklypress.com