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Mahoney in elite company
Liberty High student still in mix for spot on USA team
By Chris Geinosky
Wednesday, July 2, 2008 1:11 PM CDT
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When Nick Mahoney returned home this past weekend from the USA Rugby national camp in Ohio, his phone never rang.

There were no voicemails waiting for him when he stepped off the plane. Heading home half asleep with the clock near midnight, Mahoney started to face the reality of disappointment. But once he opened his e-mail before he hit the sack late Sunday night, the Liberty High junior-to-be found out he will be representing the United States of America at least one more time.

“I was pretty bummed on the way home, but when I got the e-mail, I was like ‘O-m-g'z,’” Mahoney said. “I was so surprised. I was like, ‘Wow, this is the real deal.’”

Mahoney, a member of the Kansas City Titans rugby program based out of the Northland area, has been invited to the USA Rugby national team camp July 21-27 in Elkhart, Ind., which will include an international U-17 match against Ontario, Canada.

“This is a sport that many people around the globe love, and I can’t wait to play at that level and represent our country,” said Mahoney, who began playing his first season of organized rugby just a few months ago. “To think I could do this at my age and first year playing, it’s pretty overwhelming. I have a lot of confidence in myself, but to be trying out for the United States team, I never thought I could make it this far.

“I can’t say enough about everyone who helped me get where I am. I’ve had so much support from my family, my teammates and the coaching staff. Those are the people that mean the most to me.”

Not only is this quite an accomplishment for Mahoney, it’s also a credit to the Titans program, which is in its first year. Aaron Eddrecht, who will be a junior at Park Hill this fall, also received an invitation to last week’s camp.

“When most of us started playing for the first time this winter, we barely knew the basics,” Eddrecht said. “Apparently, we learned a lot more than we thought, if we have a couple guys going to this national camp. There’s a real love of the game for us, and we’re there for our teammates. It’s just how bad you want it and how far you’re willing to go, because we have some awesome coaches to learn from.”

Tracey Davies, the head coach of the local Titans boys program and Dragons girls program, has been a national team pool player herself on several occasions. Now, her players are making a habit of following in her footsteps and succeeding at a high level.

Since the start of the Dragons program in 1999, seven girls have received invitations to USA Rugby national camps. Laura Parker, a 2006 Park Hill South graduate, has played three seasons with the national team and served as captain the last two, which included a trip abroad to England last summer. This marks the first time for the local boys program to step into the national spotlight.

“We have a lot of players with the potential to play at a high level,” Davies said. “I’m just glad Nick took the chance. Sometimes it’s easy to believe you’re not good enough, but the fact is that a lot of people have the ability to compete at that level if you have the desire.

“This is a great opportunity for Nick. I’m excited for him, and I’m excited for our incredibly young program. This tells me we’re on the right path.”