Zoe Aldcroft shares her early experiences playing rugby as a girl at age 12, detailing a memorable match against Whitby. On a freezing day, she stopped a large opponent with a significant tackle, earning respect from her teammates. Aldcroft recalls another incident where she had to show resilience after a collision during training, reinforcing her determination to prove her toughness. Transitioning from ballet to rugby, she became involved in the sport after watching her brother, which sparked her passionate journey in athletics.
I must have been 12 at the time as I was the only girl playing rugby and we were up at Whitby. It was the coldest day ever and the wind was whipping.
That crunching tackle marked a sea change in attitudes towards me as a girl playing boys' rugby. Definitely in respect of my teammates, which was something I really enjoyed.
I had to show I was stronger, tougher and could take playing with the boys. Aldcroft was always super-sporty but, before rugby, she also did ballet.
I was down there watching him on the sidelines with my parents and the coach was like: C'mon then. Get involved.' I thought Yes' and never looked back.
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