Bow Valley High's Daisy Shackley is playing for one of the two U18 Wolfpack teams vying for Women’s Western Canada Rugby Championship that's currently underway in Regina.

Forty-eight players in all were selected for the two Alberta Wolfpack U18 women's teams in the Western championship. Shackley is on Wolfpack White team that plays their opening game later this afternoon against British Columbia. Saturday morning they play Manitoba. Medal rounds are on Sunday.

About 70 players participating in a series of three tryouts for the team. Shackley, who played for the U16 Wolfpack team last summer, says there was stiff competition.

"There were a lot of talented girls there so it was pretty rough," she says.

"We've got a strong team this year. We've got a lot of power forwards and some really strong players. It's looking really good," she said late last week.

Shackley, 17, is a Bow Valley High School student and played for the Cochrane CobraCats high school team that won the RVS divisional 7s championship this spring. At the club level, she plays for the Hornets in Calgary.

She was introduced to the sport in grade 9 at Bow Valley High.

"My dad played rugby when he was younger so it was something I was always very curious about. I saw there were rugby tryouts at school and I went out and I just fell in love with it instantly."

She says the sport has a place for everyone, no matter their shape or size.

Being quite tall, Shackley was the natural size to play forward. She plays on the second line in the number 8 position. She says she was able to quickly developed the required skills for the position. The sport has also given her self-confidence.

"I've always been quite shy and rugby has brought out a lot of confidence in me," she says.

She's looking forward to returning to the CobraCats next year and says the coaches did an amazing job this season in developing the team and attracting more players.

After graduating next year she hopes to be able to continue the sport at a post-secondary level and is particularly interested in playing for the University of Calgary.

Two U18 men's players from the Bow Valley Rugby Club are also competing in the Western Canada championship for the Wolfpack. Isaiah and Elijah Springer were both selected and are also competing right now in Regina.