Local Ladysmith athlete Nick Marshall loves to stay active.
From hockey to running, it’s hard to slow him down.
“I actually play lacrosse and hockey and a whole bunch of other sports. I basically am fit most of the year,” said Marshall.
It’s his speed and athletics that landed Marshall on the non-travelling reserve list for B.C.’s Elite Youth Rugby Sevens team heading to the Western Canada Summer Games in Kamloops in August.
Sevens is a shorter form of rugby, played with only seven players aside and for seven-minute halves compared to 15 players aside for 40-minute halves like the regular union. Sevens is soon to be an Olympic sport starting in 2016.
Those looking to make a name for themselves in the increasingly competitive field must have a combination of great speed and physicality.
For Marshall, those things come naturally.
The road to selection started in the Cowichan Valley in March. His stellar performance earned Marshall an invitation to a mini-tournament in Victoria, where he caught the eye of the selection committee.
“It was amazing. It was pretty nice to know I was going to Victoria for this,” said Marshall of his selection.
Marshall said he was very excited to hear from his mom that he had been selected to the reserve list and although he fell just short of the 10 needed for the team, getting the nod is still a great honour.
Marshall plays inside centre in the regular union game for LSS, which he loves, but prefers the running in sevens.
“It’s a wonderful game. I love it.”