USA RUGBY – USA Rugby High Performance Pathways has named Joel Bonnaud as Head Coach of the Women’s Under-20s and Katie Dowty as Head Coach of the Under-23s. Bonnaud and Dowty will be supported by Assistant Coaches Farrah Douglas (U20) and Ricardo Ramirez (U23).
All four coaches have been embedded in the community game for years, having each served the junior national team pathway as a player, scout or coach at various points.
Martha Daines, Manager of Women’s High Performance Pathways said:
“The experience these coaches bring to their roles will help them provide the opportunities and support players need to succeed at the international level. I look forward to working with them to help bring their visions to life and to develop an ever more effective and successful pathway for our national teams.”
As the collegiate season concludes and with recent success of Talent ID Camps (hosted alongside World Rugby), Daines and her staff have an immediate runway to build on talent identification and development. Coaches, parents and players can also nominate an athlete for the Women’s U20 and U23 programs at pathways.usa.rugby.
USA Rugby’s Junior National Teams are heavily dependent on philanthropic support from the community to deliver events that foster meaningful development for tomorrow’s Eagles. The age-grade pathways are a primary vehicle for moving players into the senior national team programs, creating an important streamline for the United States to be competitive in the global game. To support USA Rugby’s Junior National Teams as a donor or sponsor, click here.
Joel Bonnaud | jbonnaud@usa.rugby Head Coach, USA Women’s U20s
- 12 years coaching experience at all levels
- USA Rugby U18 Girls and East Region Scout Coordinator
- USA South Women’s Panthers Head Coach
“It’s such a privilege to serve the next generation of Eagles and share a part of their journey. After such a long hiatus, I’m eager to reconnect with players and coaches to continue building a thriving pathway for the next generation of players.”
Farrah Douglas | fdouglas@usa.rugby Assistant Coach, USA Women’s U20s
- 26 test caps as an Eagle; 17 years coaching experience
- Former Head Coach USA U18s and Assistant Coach of USA Women’s Eagles
- Current Head Coach at Mount St Mary’s University
“Representing your country on the international stage is the ultimate highlight of one’s athletic career and coaching future Eagles is an amazing way to give back to the game. I am honored to rejoin the HP pathway and continue to help identify and develop future Eagles. I look forward to assisting in the continued development of the legacy of women’s rugby in the United States.”
Katie Dowty | kdowty@usa.rugby Head Coach, USA Women’s U23
- Former 7s and XVs Eagle
- Over eight years coaching experience
- Current Head Coach of DI NCAA Dartmouth Women’s Rugby (6 years)
“It’s a joy and an honor to support our future Eagles. Investing in our pathways is critical to future World Cup and Olympic success and I look forward to working with the High Performance Department to continue developing a robust U23 program that identifies and prepares more athletes for the world stage. I hope to engage the USA Rugby community, collaborate with collegiate programs and provide development opportunities for both players and coaches across the country.”
Ricardo Ramirez | rramirez@usa.rugby Assistant Coach, USA Women’s U23
- 6th year in the pathway
- Former Head Coach for USA Women’s U20s, USA Women’s U18s
- Current Head Coach University of Notre Dame
“I’m excited to continue working in the age-grade pathway. Moving to the U23 program allows me to continue working with the Under-20 players who’ve moved up, also giving me the opportunity to work with Head Coach Katie Dowty.”