The Citizen, 2019-09-19, Page 30PAGE 30. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2019.
Brussels native making noise on U.S. rugby team
Brussels native Kate Higgins is
now in her second season playing
rugby for Palmer College of
Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa.
The season began in early
September, with Palmer winning its
first game by a score of 40-10
against the Milwaukee Scylla. The
team is in the midwest division and
plays teams from surrounding states
like Wisconsin, Minnesota and
Illinois, tangling with opponents
from even farther afield in regular
tournaments the team undertakes.
Higgins is a Huron County rugby
veteran, playing for F.E. Madill for
her four years at the school. She had
no intention of playing at the
university level until she was
convinced by a roommate last year.
After attending the University of
Western Ontario in London and
studying kinesiology, Higgins said
she was looking for a next step in
her life and her career. After
volunteering with a chiropractor, she
felt she could do some good in the
field and decided to do some more
research on the profession.
With only two chiropractic
colleges in Canada, one of which is
a French language school in Quebec,
Higgins was faced with having to be
a student in Toronto. Not a big fan of
Ontario’s capital, she began to look
at schools in the United States and
fell in love with Palmer College after
speaking to an admissions
representative.
The private college was founded
in 1897 and stands as the first
official chiropractic school in
the world, founded by D.D. Palmer,
the founder of chiropractic. It’s
also said that many American
chiropractic schools that would
follow were founded by Palmer
alumni.
The school’s main campus is in
Davenport, Iowa, a city of just under
100,000 that sits equidistant
between Des Moines, Iowa and
Chicago, Illinois. It’s the third-
largest city in Iowa.
When Higgins first began
attending classes there last year, her
roommate was a big advocate for the
school’s rugby program and worked
to recruit Higgins once she found
out she had played the sport in high
school.
At first, Higgins said she was
worried about getting injured on the
field with insurance concerns being
a Canadian in the United States, but
she was soon convinced to get back
on the field and now she’s a
consistent member of the team.
The Palmer women’s team had a
good year in 2018/2019, Higgins
said, but with a new coach in place,
the team is finding success this year
they haven’t had in her time there.
Higgins says she’s enjoyed her
time as a member of the team and
that it’s great to be part of a mature
group of adult players who are
focused on success.
While the team plays against local
teams in its league regularly, they
often participate in tournaments as
well, during which they have played
teams from Michigan, Missouri and
more.
Higgins is in her second year as a
student at the school. She has
approximately a year and a half left
of her 10-semester program and says
she plans to continue living in the
midwest after she graduates, or in a
bigger city in Canada to gain
experience as a chiropractor. Her
plan, however, is to get back to
Huron County as soon as she can.
The Palmer women’s team next
plays on Sept. 21, taking on the
Chicago Sirens at home in Iowa.
They continue playing through the
end of October before playoffs start
in November.
For more information and a full
schedule of the team’s upcoming
games, as well as player profiles,
visit palmerrugby.com.
541 Turnberry St., Brussels
519-887-9114
405 Queen St., Blyth
519-523-4792 The Citizen
Great books available for every age at...
Rural Living & Local Authors
Specializing in
The Rural Reading Room
FIFTY FOODS THAT
CHANGED THE COURSE
OF HISTORY
A beautifully presented guide to the
foods that have had the greatest impact
on human civilization, organized into
short illustrated chapters of each food’s
introduction and its impact on
civilization. Fifty Foods That Changed
the Course of History is an informative
and entertaining look at how what we
eat has made us who we are. $2995
DIGITAL HEARING PROTECTION AND
SOUND ENHANCEMENT
SoundGear is the ideal solution to protect your hearing
from muzzle blasts, while helping you hear clearly to
optimize communication, success and safety in the woods
or on the range.
226.640.8771
135 Argyle Ave North,
Listowel, ON N4W 1M7
Follow Us on www.facebook.com/
groups/LISTOWELHEARING
LISTOWELHEARING.COM
•Many features and bene昀ts including: Dynamic digital
protection for you ears, high-de昀nation sound reproduction,
25dB Noise Reductioni Rating (NRR), up to 5x sound
enhancement, discreet in-the-canal design and more!
•Soundgear kits available.
•One-year limited warranty (with option to extend).
Call 226.640.8771 before hunting season starts!
• Many features and benefits including: Dynamic digital
protection for your ears, high-definition sound reproduction,
25dB Noise Reduction Rating (NRR), up to 5x sound
enhancement, discreet in-the-canal design and more!
• Soundgear kits available.
• One-year limited warranty (with option to extend).
A new beginning
Kate Higgins of Brussels, being tackled on the left, but not before getting rid of the ball, is now
in her second season as a member of the Palmer College of Chiropractic women’s rugby team
in Davenport, Iowa. Though she had no intentions of playing in the U.S., she was convinced to
return and she’s glad she has. (Courtesy photo)
By Shawn Loughlin
The Citizen
Continued from page 6
Burkholder, Linda Bird, Julena Pipe,
Lisa Glanville and Joan Smith. The
group served the meal at 4:30 p.m.
and clean-up and hall reset was done
by 6 p.m. because of the group
working so well together. Good job
everyone!
Two names were missed from the
list of helpers of last week’s fish fry
in Blyth. They were Kathy
Burkholder and Devon Josling.
Thanks to them for their assistance.
The catch the ace is back. Look
for tickets at Jam Jar, Bulk and
Bargain, Brussels Variety,
McDonald Home Hardware, Walton
Inn and, of course, the Branch.
It is Legion Week across Ontario
and the Branch began the week by
hosting the Zone Convention. They
will finish the week by hosting a fish
fry at the Branch.
Some information about the
Royal Canadian Legion in Ontario is
that there are 399 Branches in
Ontario. Over $5 million is gathered
during the yearly poppy campaign to
support veterans, their dependants
and the greater community. There
was over $1.3 million spent on
medical equipment and research and
over $500,000 on senior programs,
hospitals, health clinics, homes for
the aged and charities, as well as
almost $350,000 in bursaries for
Ontario students, $1.3 million for
youth programs, $1.5 million to
local charities, and $1.3 million to
local community projects by the
combined 399 Branches.
There were over 450,000
volunteer hours by members to the
Branches and communities. The
Royal Canadian Legion in Ontario
employs 1,300 full-time and
part-time employees. The many
Branches donate the use of their hall
over 27,500 free of charge for
community use during a single
year.
Locals mourned
It certainly seems more like fall as
the days start out cool and damp,
warm nicely, then get dark early and
cool again. The beans are starting to
turn in some fields and farmers are
out spraying if they can.
Our condolences to the
Williamson family on the passing of
Brian Williamson. He will be missed
by his wife Lori and children Ashley,
Brianna, Brandon, Victoria, Kaitlyn
and Jacob and their families. He will
also be lovingly missed by mother
Doris Williamson and extended
Jamieson and Baker/Williamson
families. Our sympathies to all.
We have suffered our own loss this
past week with the passing of my
mother, Gerry Clarke, of Mitchell.
Our family of Doug, Paul, Nancy
and myself were with her at the time
and will mourn her loss. She was a
month short of her 92nd birthday
and had lived a good life. We have
received many calls and cards from
area folks which are very much
appreciated.
By Jo-Ann
McDonald
Call
887-6570
PEOPLE AROUND
WALTON
NEWS
FROM WALTON
Catch the Ace back