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USA Rugby great Kathy Flores has died at the age of 66 after a battle with illness. A long-time Head Coach of the USA Women’s Eagles, she had been Head Coach of Brown University for the past eight years.
An accomplished player before turning to coaching, Flores captained the USA Senior Women’s side when they played their first international test against Canada in 1987. She was the starting No8 on the team that won the 1991 World Cup in Wales and would continue on as a test regular through the 1994 World Cup, eventually retiring as a player in 1998.
Flores took charge of the Eagles as Head Coach in 2003, and would lead the team to 5th place finishes in at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. She was named IRB Women’s Personality of the Year in 2003, and in 2016 was inducted into the US Rugby Hall of Fame.
A notable tribute on social media came from former Canada Senior Women’s coach Neil Langevin:
Sad to hear this, our national team coaching terms started in the same year. While she was fiercely competitive she collaborated to grow the woman’s game. I have deep respect for her and was awe struck I knew such an important pioneer. Condolences to those whose lives she impacted.
— Neil Langevin (@neillangevin) October 21, 2021
