Dairy Farmers Of Canada Present Fueling Women's Champions: Grusnick Continues Assendance In Canadian Rugby
Jacey Grusnick can easily be defined as a cornerstone, a stalwart or a paramount in Ontario’s provincial rugby program. The Alliston, Ontario native and Aurora Barbarian alumna has found a place in Ontario’s provincial rugby system, as a member of the Ontario Storm and she continues to prove herself on the national stage.
As a member of the veteran core of the Ontario Storm Senior team, the 27-year-old has been with the program for 11 years. She continues to excel at the provincial level along with fellow long-standing players Jane Kirby (Brampton, Ont.) and Laura Russell (Bolton, Ont.).
Jacey began her rugby career at Ernest Elementary School in Alliston, playing touch rugby in grade seven. Although excelling early on at baseball and soccer, Grusnick found a new passion in the sport of rugby.
When she started high school at Banting Memorial High School in Alliston, Jacey found a new opportunity to play the sport; this time at a competitive level.
“I was very fortunate growing up that my parents encouraged me to participate in athletics and saw the value that they bring to life,” Grusnick explained. “Rugby was actually a pretty popular sport [at Banting], and both my older sisters played in high school, so I think that is part of why I kept playing [into highschool].“
She continued to be a force on the pitch; so much that Jacey’s high school coach quickly realized her potential.
“I didn’t even know that there was a higher level of rugby until my high school coach encouraged me to try out for the provincial team,” Grusnick recalled. “I started playing on the junior provincial team at 15 [years old].”
Jacey realized at this point the heights that rugby could take her and the opportunities that she had. It did not stop at provincial level rugby, though. Grusnick had her first taste of international play when she joined the Junior Canadian National Team at 15 years old – the same year she began at the provincial level.
“That’s when I knew that it was something that I wanted to stick with,” Jacey recalled.
With eyes opened to the elite rugby opportunities that were out there for her, Jacey began working hard to make a name for herself within Canada’s provincial and national rugby scene. As she grew older, she matured on the pitch and moved up the rankings of the provincial program.
The next step for the budding star’s career was university rugby. The Alliston native took her talent to Southwestern Ontario, where she suited up for the Guelph Gryphons women’s rugby team, while earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture.
It was with the Gryphons that her skills truly came to fruition. Jacey was a member of a powerhouse Gryphon side and she helped guide them to four straight OUA Championships. In her final year, she led the team to their first CIS Championship since 1998.
In her five-year career, Grusnick was named CIS Women’s Rugby Player of the Year twice, was dubbed the OUA Rookie of the Year in 2007, was nominated as a CIS All-Canadian three times and took home the OUA Female Athlete of the Year in 2011.
The national program duly noted Grusnick’s talents and she was selected to participate in the 2013 Nations Cup in Northern Colorado, representing Canada on the international stage. The Canadian side had a strong showing in the four-nation (England, USA, Canada and South Africa) contest, finishing in first place after defeating England 27-13 in the final.
After the Nations Cup, Jacey was selected for the 2014 Rugby World Cup team, where the team were runners-up to a strong England side. An honour in itself, Grusnick took the opportunity to show her talents on the international stage and hopefully help grow interest in female rugby.
“Our games were televised and that was huge for gaining interest, allowing supporters to follow the games and for inspiring the next generation of female athletes,” recalled Grusnick.
Reminiscing about her entrance into the sport and her journey to the top of women’s rugby, Grusnick recognized her parents as her biggest inspirations and supporters.
“My parents have probably had the biggest impact on my continued involvement in sports. They have shuttled me to and from more practices and games that I can count; they have flown all over the world to watch me compete, and they have encouraged me to continue to push myself.”
Grusnick is a perfect example of the growth of opportunities for female athletes, within sports. Jacey was encouraged by her parents, as well as her coaches to continue to compete in sports and in particular, the sport of rugby. She looks up to her sisters and her mother because of their strength.
“I have two powerful older sisters and an incredibly strong mother who have been an inspiration to me my whole life,” Grusnick added.
She was also quick to add how much her coaches have supported her and helped to craft her into the person she is today – on and off the field.
“I have had a lot of great female coaches over the years from Colette McAuley, to Natasha Wesch, to Sonia Sennik. I think rugby skills aside, they have taught me a lot about owning yourself, being powerful and leading the type of life that you can be proud of.”
Jacey has high hopes for future female rugby players, citing the growth of the sport and the increased support the women’s game is getting on the international stage.
“There is no shortage of female role models out there and that is evident after how well the Rio Olympics went [for Canada’s Women’s Sevens side],” she explained.
As for sport role models, Jacey, being “like any good Canadian” loved watching the Olympics and in particular, she looked up to Cassie Campbell and Hayley Wickenheiser of the Women’s Olympic hockey team. It excited her to see the support and pride that immersed the team’s success on the international stage.
Jacey looks to continue her successful rugby career, with the Ontario Storm and Canada’s national squad. She suited up once again for the Ontario Storm this past season in her 11th year with the provincial side. She recently had the opportunity to play for Canada again in the Women’s Rugby Super Series in Salt Lake City, where the Canadian side won the tournament, which included French, English and American national team opponents.
"As champions of healthy living, providing nutrition and playing an active role in our communities, Canada’s dairy farmers’ mission is to see that no hurdle exists that might hinder the passion for the game. The goal: to support women’s sports so they will become more watched, more appreciated and more financially stable, from the grassroots level to the elite level.
The Champions Fund, as an extension of Fuelling Women Champions, aims to inspire girls and women, regardless of age or ability, in local communities across Canada to realize the universal benefits of sport. Visit women champions.ca to learn more”
