Local Youth and High School Rugby Club is Scoring Tries
Did you know that Rugby will be introduced into the next Olympics? Did you know it is played in 1000 colleges across the country and that there are over 2500 rugby clubs in the US?
One of those clubs is right here in our backyard. Aspetuck Valley Rugby Club was established last year through the Boys and Girls Club with two teams; Under 13 and Under 15, drawing players from Redding, Easton, Weston, Wilton, Ridgefield, and Bethel. With only a handful of the boys having ever played before, let alone touching a rugby ball, their first season was a huge success with many wins against vastly more established clubs.
Coached by dads with loads of playing experience the boys quickly got used to the accents of Australia, New Zealand, England and Scotland (maybe not the Scottish), as well as the American dads who grew up playing rugby in California, New York and Connecticut. All coaches are certified by USA Rugby and have the appropriate skill and safety knowledge foremost when coaching the boys. Americans tend to think of Rugby as ‘Football without the pads’, but the truth is, it is more of a mix between soccer and football. Tackling and other physical contact takes a different form when done without pads.
With such a success in the first season, this Spring will see the introduction of a Regional High School level team, open for Freshman to Seniors. As one of the coaches states, “Rugby is a sport where everyone gets to touch the ball, all ability levels are accepted as there is a vast range of skill sets required in a team of 15, and there is a such a great level of camaraderie, more than any other sport. Rugby is also now widely recognized as a legitimate College sport. If your son is looking for a fun skillful sport to play, then come and join us, everyone gets to play and everyone gets to touch the ball.”
Practice starts in February, with 8 to 10 games rostered for each level, starting in March. Sign up and spread the word for Aspetuck Valley Rugby. For more information and to register visit the clubs website www.AspetuckValleyRugby.org
