Bridget VanDenHaute: Living Life by the Try

As a five foot tall sophomore at Ohio University, Bridget VanDenHaute has most of the interests a typical girl in college would: shopping, going out, hanging with friends, painting her nails, and going on her computer. However there’s one huge part of her life since she was a child is not typical of a normal 19 year old girl. Bridget is the starting outside center for the Ohio University Women’s Rugby team.

Bridget (right) and her roommate, Katie (left)
in their dorm room before a night out.

The three VanDenHaute girls Bridget (top left),
Kelsey (middle), and Brooke (right) cheering
on their older sister Shannon at one of
her rugby games.

Beginning her life in Parma Heights, Ohio ( a suburb of Cleveland), Bridget grew up with three sisters; two older, Shannon and Brooke and one younger, Kelsey. As children, the girls were all involved in various sports as well as dance. But it wasn’t until her freshmen year of college when her oldest sister, Shannon, began playing rugby for the University of Dayton. The family began attending her games on the regular, making 
rugby a big part of their lives. 

Entering her freshmen year of high school in 2006, Bridget was denied from the volleyball team because her height prevented her from being an all over player. That spring however, her high school started another sport for the girls to play, rugby. Bridget immediately jumped at the opportunity to play and joined the team. 

“Our freshmen year season was a rough one,” Bridget said. “We were still getting the hang of everything and in the midst of it didn’t win one single game.”

Disregarding the losses Bridget continued to play, she was asked to play for the u19 Ohio Select Side team freshmen year. Her game as well as the entire team’s got significantly better and better. The team’s 2008 season showed slight improvement and drew more curious freshmen players to join the team. Entering the 2009 season, Bridget  and the Jaguars were invited to the Midwest Tournament and she also won the MVP award for the entire season. They became closer as teammates doing various bonding activities which mostly consisted of pranking their coaches. 

Creeping up on their 2010 season, the team had improved greatly only losing one game the year before. The team was as strong as ever and so very determined to win the state title. After an entire season of blood, mud, sweat, and bruises the St. Joseph Academy Rugby team walked away from their last game with gold medals hanging around their necks. 

The St. Joseph Academy Girl's Rugby Team: State Champions 2010

“We went from nothing to state champs,” Bridget told us. “It was an amazing feeling to come as far as we did and accomplish everything that we had. The best part was going back as an alum the year after to watch my sister (Kelsey) win the state title again.”

Bridget (right) and her little sister ,
Kelsey (left) after their first
game at Ohio University.

After the rush of going off to college and getting used to a new surrounding, Bridget started up her Rugby career again here at Ohio University reunited again on the field with her sister Kelsey. Bridget is currently finishing up her Fall season of rugby. The team has a 2-2 record with one game remaining.

Aside from rugby, Bridget leads a very busy life here in Athens. She’s a member of Alpha Phi Omega as well as a member of Rectongan (her intramural sports team that participates in flag football, basketball, and softball). Bridget is currently majoring in speech pathology retaining a 3.4 GPA.

In the future, Bridget wishes to hold a good position in the Speech Pathology field and preferably create her own hours. When she has a family of her own in the future she knows she will want her girls to be involved in athletics and dance just like she was, especially by continuing her family’s rugby legacy. After all, it’s not just a sport for her anymore but instead a way of life.