Success has come come full circle for the Greenwich High School Girls Rugby Team and Head Coach Erin Martschenko.
In May, the Greenwich Girls won their first State Championship in a 21-19 victory over state rival Aspetuck.
This past Tuesday, Coach Martschenko received her award for the 2022 Connecticut Rugby Girls Coach of the Year.
The award came as no surprise.
“It was an easy decision for myself and the rest of the CT Rugby Board,” said CT Rugby President, Joe Kelly. “Not only did she lead her team to their first State Championship, but she was also League Director for Girls Divisions 1 and 2. She ran both divisions seamlessly. The league would not be what it is without Erin.”
Martschenko, who is also an Assistant Coach for the Cardinals’ Girls Soccer team, was joined by GHS Headmaster, Ralph Mayo, and Athletic Director Pete Georgiou at Cardinal Stadium, who each praised Erin for representing Greenwich so well.
When asked about what set Martschenko apart from other coaches, Kelly pointed to her positive relationship with the players.
“She is quite like a mother in the way she cares for her girls. Her program has always been about building confidence for high school Girls,” he said. “They really have a lot of fun playing and look forward to practice every day.”
Martschenko was the one to lead the charge to bring Girls Rugby’s to Greenwich.
Just four years later, the same girls who were freshmen in the program’s inaugural season became seniors leading the team, and Martschenko brought the state title home to Greenwich.
And she is just getting started.