AT13 years of age Beca Edwards has been an excellent scrum half throughout the age groups with Cardigan RFC’s junior section but now finds herself at a sporting crossroads in the sense that she is now at the time when girls can only play in matches involving their own sex and so she has to decide where she can play next and use the talents that have identified her as a very good player.

Perhaps it was therefore appropriate that the last game Beca should play for the Young Teifisiders was at the Pembrokeshire Cup Finals Day in Crymych where her team took on Pembroke in the under 13s age group and she caught the eye alongside half back partner Ifan Vaicaitis and No 8 Cai Ifans.

Sadly for Beca, there was to be no final delight as they lost to the Young Scarlets but she was totally involved throughout and featured in several attacks which were brought to a halt close to the opposition line which on another day might have swung the game more in Cardigan’s favour.

It was a similar story the previous season because Cardigan and Pembroke also met in the final on a very wet day at Narberth, where the bigger Scarlets’ pack ruled the roost and so made it a double this year.

But again Beca had played her heart out and was rightly praised for her efforts in the local press.

“I was well used to rugby because my dad Dyfed played rugby for Crymych Youth and also had a season at flanker with Cardigan Youth, whilst my brother, Sion Edwards, was a useful outside half through junior and youth rugby at Cardigan until he was injured and so took up refereeing, and was using his whistle and stop watch at the Finals’ Day, but not in our game!

“It was when I was much younger and it was watching Sion play that got me interested and he still gives me advice about tactics and my passing ability, and is helping me to work hard on my kicking skills.

“My mum Catrin and older sister Lisa have also given me 100% support so I’ve been very lucky there. Mum has always been there as an unofficial taxi driver to take me to the wide range of sports I enjoy. Both my mum and dad have been brilliant!”

Beca started out as a six-year old, with Dyfed coaching the team in tag rugby at under seven and eight levels alongside Richard Tomkinson - and when they entered the full-contact version at under nine level she took on the role of scrum half and has worn the No 9 jersey ever since.

“She took to the tackling aspect of the game like a duck to water,” said Dyfed, “and has never had an injury and so managed to play every match since then.”

The team has trained every Tuesday, with the emphasis on high skill levels and building fitness, with Beca always giving total commitment as she vied with Ifan and Cai to do well - and has really committed herself to developing a longer spin pass and having a range of kicking options.

Perhaps that is why, after joining Dyfed as an Ospreys’ supporter, her current favourite player is Welsh No 9 Rhys Webb, after previously being a fan of Shane Williams and James Hook!

Outside of her rugby, Beca also enjoys hockey and netball at Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi in Cardigan, where she plays centre forward, and in netball at centre for Ysgol Uwchradd Aberteifi, as well as hockey for the Crymych under 13 team which is well coached by Wendy Burge.

“We play for Crymych against Fishguard, Haverfordwest and other local clubs in friendlies on Sunday mornings and when we play Cardigan some of my school friends are in the other team.”

Beca has also taken part in gymnastics at the Teifi Gymnastics Club, where she gained her share of medals and passed her grades on a regular basis.

“I really enjoy the floor exercises and work out my routines with my friend, Leah Hutton.

“We also do vaults and the high and low bars can be scary because we have to move between them and it is easy to lose grip.

“It is the same story on the beam, which is only four inches wide, but we have always been taught that if you fall off then you have to get straight back on again and have another go!

Gymnastics has also helped me develop good balance and mobility, as well as helping me get more supple to wriggle out of tackles, which I also enjoy very much.”

Another tough sport that Beca has enjoyed alongside some of her rugby side-kicks is ju-jitsu, which takes place at Cardigan Leisure Centre with Derek Burton, who in another existence was a tough as teak hooker with Cardigan Rugby Club.

“We started at Easter 2016 and we are taught how to grapple, use hip and back throws, how to escape if we are held down on the ground, as well as lots of other things that help with self-defence, which is great fun and Derek does a good job with us.”

Not content with that little lot, she also plays tennis in the summer on the courts next to the rugby club and tried football, but wasn’t as happy with the round-ball game as she was with the oval one!

Now Beca has to decide where her rugby takes her and two of the options open to her are to utilise her talents with the junior female teams at Whitland and Carmarthen, both of whom would be delighted to have her on their books.

It all adds up to a talented young lady who loves her sport, whatever it is, and is a great credit to her family, club and herself – and we wish her every success as she switches her rugby to the girls’ and ladies’ games for the next campaign.