YORK College student Chevelle Clarke helped Jamaica’s national rugby league team secure their first-ever 13-a-side match – and is now being lined up to represent her country at the Olympic Games.
Chevelle, who recently turned 19, was called up to the Reggae Warriors’ squad for this month’s Rugby League World Cup qualifying play-off, which they contested along with Canada and the USA.
The mini tournament was played in the Florida city of Jacksonville and Chevelle’s performances, particularly in the history-making 48-12 triumph against the USA Pioneers Development Team, also caught the eye of Jamaica’s rugby sevens’ selectors.
Sevens is a small-sided variant of rugby union and Chevelle, who plays rugby league for York Valkyrie, is set to be invited to represent her country again in the sport’s other code for a January tournament in Dubai.
She is also seen as a strong long-term prospect for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, with the team having narrowly missed out on sevens qualification for this year’s Games in Paris.
On her excitement at that potential opportunity, Level 3 Sports Coaching & Development student Chevelle said:
I didn’t think that would be an option for me because I’m a rugby league player, but the team officials said that they think the future is bright for me and that I would be a great addition to the squad. It would be amazing if I could play at an Olympic Games one day.
She will certainly be monitoring her inbox more closely than in the past when her dislike of junk mail almost cost her the chance to make her international debut!
Chevelle said:
I thought I’d missed the opportunity.
My mum’s friend said that Jamaica were interested in recruiting people to play for them in the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers and that they might have contacted me, so I looked through my emails and found some from two months ago.
“I never really used to look at my emails much, because they’re full of spam from UberEats and everywhere, but I check them every day now! I rang the number that was on the email and, thankfully, they told me that they had seen me play for York, that I hadn’t left it too late and that they still wanted me to play in the games.
The three-nation tournament saw Jamaica play the full USA team in a semi-final to decide who would go on to meet top seeds Canada.
That game finished in a 44-0 loss but, after Chevelle and her team-mates had grown more accustomed to each other’s games and had time to bond as a squad, there was a marked improvement against the Pioneers side, who comprise of highly rated players being considered for full international call-ups.
Chevelle, who normally plays as a centre or on the wing, operated at full back for that match and claimed an assist for one of the tries.
Chevelle said:
We only had six hours to train before the first match after landing in America and I didn’t know any of the girls, but the last time the team played the full US side it was a much bigger loss, so it was an improvement on that and we played OK.
After that, we had a bit more training and attended some social events.
We went to the beach and out to some restaurant who welcomed all the teams with some free food and that made the squad come together more, which really helped in the second game. All the girls really wanted a win having gone all the way over there, so to get that first one ever felt so good.
For me, just to be selected for the squad was amazing, so to get a starting shirt as well was great and it was very exciting to play at international level. I’m only young, so I’m really grateful to have had the opportunity.
My dad is Jamaican and my mum is half-Jamaican so they were really proud and were posting about it everywhere.
Canada went on to beat USA in the final and will now join Fiji, Ireland and Nigeria in next year’s World Series event, which will decide who claims the final berth at the 2026 World Cup in Australia.
In the meantime, Chevelle’s attentions have switched back to her club, where she is sponsored by York College as part of the under-19 team who only lost one match in 2024 – against Leeds Rhinos – before gaining revenge in the return fixture.
She also trains with the senior team, who she made her debut for last year, and she was invited as a non-playing squad member to last month’s Grand Final, where Valykrie were crowned national champions for a second successive year.
With an ambition to play rugby league professionally as well as long-term career ambitions of becoming a coach or PE teacher, it was an occasion that has made Chevelle even more determined to gain more first-team exposure in 2025.
Chevelle said:
I was invited to go with the first team to the Grand Final.
The coach told me that she wanted me to know that she still sees me as part of the team and presented me with a shirt for the game.
“It was great to be there and see the team win and, now, I want to work really hard to play in that first-team shirt next year because the coach says I have the ability.
To learn more about York College’s Level 3 Foundation Diploma in Sports Coaching & Development, please click here
The college’s next Open Event on Saturday 23 November (10.30am-12.30pm) will also offer an opportunity to find out more about their full course offering and a chance to meet tutors. Places can be registered here
