Very few individuals have survived the punishing rigors of the sport of rugby to boast a playing career of some thirty-eight years. Owing to her athletic prowess, high level of skill, field acumen and dedication to fitness Simone Hernandez-Ramdwar is one such individual.
Simone’s first step onto the pitch came at the age of 18 at the 1981 SNAFU tournament at Frobisher
Park. One try down the sideline and she was hooked! She immediately joined the Wasp Women’s Athletic Association (WWAA), and it was the beginning of a long, successful rugby career. For most of that career she wore the #10 jersey but also played centre and scrumhalf. Simone was one of several Wasp Women players instrumental in winning 11 Manitoba Provincial Women’s Championships (1985-1988, 1990-1992, 2001, 2015-2017) and captained for many of these years. As a member of the Manitoba Provincial Women’s team from 1984 to 1995 she served as captain several times, received the Most Valuable Rookie award as well as several Most Valuable Player awards. Simone was selected as a travelling reserve for the Canadian Women’s National team in 1988, training in Montreal before the team headed to Saranac Lake, New York for a Can-Am game.
Her love for the game and desire to learn more and challenge herself led her to France in 1985 to join the Chilly Mazarin Rugby Club for a season. From 1996 to 1998 she travelled back and forth to Minneapolis to play with the Twin Cities Amazons Rugby Club. Simone toured with the WWAA both within Canada and abroad, and in 1987 took part in a tour that included England, Wales, and France. Owing to her enthusiasm for the sport she also travelled with the Wasp Men’s side to Ireland, England, Scotland, Trinidad, and Czechoslovakia.
Active in the sport off the pitch, Simone served on her club executive in various capacities for many years. She was also involved at the provincial level. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport led to several years of coaching both high school rugby and club Colts teams. In 2015 she was the first woman to receive the Don Innes Award in Recognition of Outstanding Service for the Winnipeg Wasps Rugby Club.
Simone is truly a rare individual whose dedication to the sport, fitness level, outstanding ability and
long, distinguished playing career, have and continue to inspire past, current, and future players of the game.
Simone’s first step onto the pitch came at the age of 18 at the 1981 SNAFU tournament at Frobisher
Park. One try down the sideline and she was hooked! She immediately joined the Wasp Women’s Athletic Association (WWAA), and it was the beginning of a long, successful rugby career. For most of that career she wore the #10 jersey but also played centre and scrumhalf. Simone was one of several Wasp Women players instrumental in winning 11 Manitoba Provincial Women’s Championships (1985-1988, 1990-1992, 2001, 2015-2017) and captained for many of these years. As a member of the Manitoba Provincial Women’s team from 1984 to 1995 she served as captain several times, received the Most Valuable Rookie award as well as several Most Valuable Player awards. Simone was selected as a travelling reserve for the Canadian Women’s National team in 1988, training in Montreal before the team headed to Saranac Lake, New York for a Can-Am game.
Her love for the game and desire to learn more and challenge herself led her to France in 1985 to join the Chilly Mazarin Rugby Club for a season. From 1996 to 1998 she travelled back and forth to Minneapolis to play with the Twin Cities Amazons Rugby Club. Simone toured with the WWAA both within Canada and abroad, and in 1987 took part in a tour that included England, Wales, and France. Owing to her enthusiasm for the sport she also travelled with the Wasp Men’s side to Ireland, England, Scotland, Trinidad, and Czechoslovakia.
Active in the sport off the pitch, Simone served on her club executive in various capacities for many years. She was also involved at the provincial level. Her enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport led to several years of coaching both high school rugby and club Colts teams. In 2015 she was the first woman to receive the Don Innes Award in Recognition of Outstanding Service for the Winnipeg Wasps Rugby Club.
Simone is truly a rare individual whose dedication to the sport, fitness level, outstanding ability and
long, distinguished playing career, have and continue to inspire past, current, and future players of the game.