Far From the Ordinary: Flora Poole’s Journey Extends Far Beyond Hamden
9/28/2017 1:45:00 PM | Women's Rugby
Far From the Ordinary: Flora Poole's Journey Extends Far Beyond Hamden
By: Phil Akre '20
Quinnipiac's women's rugby team is just about ready to get things going against the day's opponent, Penn State.
It's a much anticipated match. The crowds buzzing, fans are entering the stands, and the team is finishing its warmups. Nearly the entire team is methodical through warmups, not taking a break, minimal laughter, and focus at a high.
The one exception from the group takes her time in preparation for drills and games alike. Once a play or drill is over, though, she doesn't wait to crack a joke, smile, or lighten the mood on the team.
"She comes off the field and has this goofy laugh, and she's a little bit silly. She's got this kid that's inside of her," Head Coach Becky Carlson said. "That kid gets absolutely put in timeout every time she steps on the rugby field."
The kid spirit from Poole is something that's developed over the course of her entire life. That's because she's taken a wildly unique path to Quinnipiac.
In many ways, Quinnipiac is just another pit stop for the soon-to-be graduate.
Officially being listed from Christchurch, New Zealand, the senior standout was born in England, where her entire family before her is from.
After moving to New Zealand at the age of eight, Poole grew up in the country until she was an 18-year-old.
"My high school in New Zealand offered an exchange program for just a month in Manhattan," Poole said. "I stayed with a host family and got on with them really well."
The taste of American life was all Flora needed, as she left everything behind to travel the world. Her first stop? The United States
As fate would have it, Poole ended up working for a summer camp in Pennsylvania. During this time, she rekindled connections with her host family from high school.
"They said to me, you should come play rugby in the states. I told them I didn't know the states played rugby," Poole said.
The states, though, were far from the last stop she'd make.
"I traveled from New York down to Texas, and then out to Los Angeles," Poole said. "I flew back to England and played rugby there for a while and had a couple of jobs out there."
Flora has added Ireland, multiple countries in Europe and France to her list of places she's visited, too. On the top of the list, though? Germany.
"I love the culture there. I love the food. The people there are just so friendly. They're so inclusive," Poole reminisced.
After a stop at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Flora made the decision to become a history major when she eventually chose to attend Quinnipiac.
"I made awesome friends, I was never alone even though I was traveling alone," Poole remarked. "It was great."
From all of her travels, she's learned to appreciate what life has to offer, since she's seen how different cultures operate. The fly half is constantly regarded as one of the best people in terms of support, advice, and when someone needs a smile.
"You don't know people's stories. You don't know people's backgrounds until you've had that conversation with them," Flora said.
Her pit stop at Quinnipiac is coming to an end soon, though. The player who has done so much for the rugby program on and off the field, will move on from the stop in the road that is Hamden.
"I've got itchy feet. I plan on traveling the west coast after graduation," Poole thought to herself. "Maybe grad school in Europe, that's a possibility."
Poole's itchy feet have taken her a lot of places. For her, it's a matter of appreciating each stop in her life as she goes, rather than reminiscing on what she misses.
She's left her post-graduate life much of an open book. Nearly everything is on the table. If one things for sure, it's to expect the unexpected from the vagabond England-native.
"Maybe I'll play some summer seven's, we'll see."
------------------
Phil Akre is a sophomore at Quinnipiac, majoring in Advertising & Integrated Communications and minoring in Political Science.
By: Phil Akre '20
Quinnipiac's women's rugby team is just about ready to get things going against the day's opponent, Penn State.
It's a much anticipated match. The crowds buzzing, fans are entering the stands, and the team is finishing its warmups. Nearly the entire team is methodical through warmups, not taking a break, minimal laughter, and focus at a high.
The one exception from the group takes her time in preparation for drills and games alike. Once a play or drill is over, though, she doesn't wait to crack a joke, smile, or lighten the mood on the team.
"She comes off the field and has this goofy laugh, and she's a little bit silly. She's got this kid that's inside of her," Head Coach Becky Carlson said. "That kid gets absolutely put in timeout every time she steps on the rugby field."
The kid spirit from Poole is something that's developed over the course of her entire life. That's because she's taken a wildly unique path to Quinnipiac.
In many ways, Quinnipiac is just another pit stop for the soon-to-be graduate.
Officially being listed from Christchurch, New Zealand, the senior standout was born in England, where her entire family before her is from.
After moving to New Zealand at the age of eight, Poole grew up in the country until she was an 18-year-old.
"My high school in New Zealand offered an exchange program for just a month in Manhattan," Poole said. "I stayed with a host family and got on with them really well."
The taste of American life was all Flora needed, as she left everything behind to travel the world. Her first stop? The United States
Monument Valley, Arizona
As fate would have it, Poole ended up working for a summer camp in Pennsylvania. During this time, she rekindled connections with her host family from high school.
"They said to me, you should come play rugby in the states. I told them I didn't know the states played rugby," Poole said.
The states, though, were far from the last stop she'd make.
"I traveled from New York down to Texas, and then out to Los Angeles," Poole said. "I flew back to England and played rugby there for a while and had a couple of jobs out there."
Flora has added Ireland, multiple countries in Europe and France to her list of places she's visited, too. On the top of the list, though? Germany.
"I love the culture there. I love the food. The people there are just so friendly. They're so inclusive," Poole reminisced.
Neuschwanstein, Germany.
After a stop at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, Flora made the decision to become a history major when she eventually chose to attend Quinnipiac.
"I made awesome friends, I was never alone even though I was traveling alone," Poole remarked. "It was great."
From all of her travels, she's learned to appreciate what life has to offer, since she's seen how different cultures operate. The fly half is constantly regarded as one of the best people in terms of support, advice, and when someone needs a smile.
"You don't know people's stories. You don't know people's backgrounds until you've had that conversation with them," Flora said.
Her pit stop at Quinnipiac is coming to an end soon, though. The player who has done so much for the rugby program on and off the field, will move on from the stop in the road that is Hamden.
"I've got itchy feet. I plan on traveling the west coast after graduation," Poole thought to herself. "Maybe grad school in Europe, that's a possibility."
Poole's itchy feet have taken her a lot of places. For her, it's a matter of appreciating each stop in her life as she goes, rather than reminiscing on what she misses.
She's left her post-graduate life much of an open book. Nearly everything is on the table. If one things for sure, it's to expect the unexpected from the vagabond England-native.
"Maybe I'll play some summer seven's, we'll see."
------------------
Phil Akre is a sophomore at Quinnipiac, majoring in Advertising & Integrated Communications and minoring in Political Science.
Players Mentioned
Fly Half
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