It has begun..

As some of you may know I have been slowly getting involved with the code of Rugby League over the last few years. Its been a real treat to see some highs and lows, to be on the ground in growing this code and slowly turning negative perspective of lies told to many over decades into positive reinforcements and showing how League and Union can work in harmony and play into making each other stronger. one aspect of rugby that's seeing quite a bit of growth is the side of the women's game. From union to league women's rugby is growing rapidly and currently the USA women's national rugby league team is seeing the upside of union players, and league, making the switch in hopes of representing USA on the national stage. Haley Sheldon is a magnificent example of someone who started playing union and gave rugby League a chance only to be rewarded with great honor in not only getting her first test cap but also helping the USA Hawks in participating for world cup qualifications recently. Although falling just shy of qualifying for the next women's world cup, the USA Hawks and Haley have taken significant steps forward in growing women's rugby league in America where only a few years ago no such game was being played. 

LLR- Since when have you started playing rugby league?

HS- My rugby career started with the code of Union playing in college at

Salisbury University. Two years back, I began playing League

domestically with the Jacksonville AxeWomen as a Centre.

LLR- What drew you to rugby league?

HS- League instantly had me hooked from the first practice. The game

itself is absolutely insane; the team tackling effort coupled with the
speed of play while having a limited number of tackles was very
intriguing to me.

LLR- What was the emotions when you got the notification being selected to the USA HAWKS?

HS- Off the heels of participating in the NRL Combine hosted earlier in

the year in Las Vegas, I attended a USARL East Coast League Camp in
early May then rolled into my domestic season with the AxeWomen in
early June.  After having a successful domestic season, I received an
invitation to the USARL Hawk's selection camp in September. I then
traveled to Denver to compete along side some of USA's most talented
women League athletes to shoot my shot. I was totally stoked when I
got the official selection email to represent my country in the
Women's World Cup Qualifiers. Realizing this was the first time the
USA would play in a League Qualifier felt super exciting and playing
at this level had been a goal since the start of my career.

LLR- For those who aren't aware, what was the preparation like in lead up to the world cup qualifiers?

HS- Leading up to the WWCQ the preparation was extremely individual both

physically and financially. Since the women's competition is in the
initial growth stages in the US the athletes do not receive
compensation and are not afforded the opportunity to train together as
we are spread all across the country. The athletes work with a
strength and conditioning coach virtually through the USARL but for
me, I utilized our domestic coaches to hit my peak performance matrix
since they know my abilities best.

 It started with first round selections camps with weights and fitness
included and then another selection camp a few months prior in Denver
CO, where final selections were made. The team then flew in from
everywhere across the country 3 days before our first game against
Canada , where we had 2 a days, film sessions, workouts, etc. Then
continued through our game against Canada less than a week after
everyone arrived.

LLR- First thought that came into your head when the final whistle blew During qualifications?

HS-We beat Jamaica our first round and then fell short against Canada

in the qualifying match. This was painful, not the result we wanted but
that's sport and I know that the team will only continue to improve
from here.

LLR- What's been a highlight thus far playing with the axewomen?

HS- Playing for the AxeWomen has brought my love for rugby to a place I

never even knew existed. The team is truly an Axe family, our owner
Drew Slover is an amazing leader and makes sure every athlete feels
valued by the club. The women train with the men which personally
pushed me to new heights in my individual game. The head coach, Sean
Rutgerson, has established a mentality of winning as the only option
as well as personal accountability which is something I jived with
from the start.

  Honestly, my highlight comes with every time I step on the pitch and am

able to represent the Axe. I am beyond grateful to be a part of such a
special group of people and culture.

LLR- This year was a pretty monumental season for women's rugby league, what was the highs and lows during the season?

HS- One of the definitions of "highs" this year was USA hosting it's first

domestic Women’s League National Championship. There were six
competitive teams representing multiple regions this season, something
that has been a goal since the formation of the USARL's Women's
Committee who have been dedicated to domestic growth. Another would
have to be the NRL combine in Vegas where a limited number of elite
level US men and women athletes to got exposure to the NRL competition
which spread awareness across US market immensely. Notable lows were
overcome by the dedication of so many pushing to see the sport rise
for the women, like losing our Hawks Women's coaching staff 3 weeks
prior to the WWCQ. The athletes had to conform to new staff and new
coaching methodology in record time which played a role in the mental
aspect of the game.

LLR- Where would you like to see the women's game be in the next 5 years?

HS-In the next 5 years, I would love to see professional full time rugby

league athletes in America receiving compensation with pathways to
compete within the NRL. Female athletes need league as an option for
their future it needs to start with our youth at the elementary level
then high schools having teams, more college scholarships and NCAA
teams not only for League but also Union.

LLR- Can players play both union and league ?

HS- Absolutely players can play both union and league, most players do.

The only hindrance of this is that as we try and grow rugby league in
the states we need athletes to commit and prioritize their dedication
to league so that we can make more progress and compete at a higher
level.

LLR- To the potential players who maybe on the fence about coming out or maybe playing the union code, what would you like to tell them about taking the chance to come out and play rugby league ?

HS- For union players thinking about trying rugby league, being a women's

rugby player is a niche already, but being a women's rugby league
player will make you fall even more in love with the sport. You have a
chance to be part of a movement and make a difference in an incredible
sport with lots of opportunity for growth.

LLR- How can everyone follow you and the Axewomen this coming year ?

HS-Everyone can follow the AxeWomen through the insta @jaxaxeman for

steaming links, updates, etc.

Bright Future- Sydney the enforcer

 The 2033 women's rugby world cup is not that far and the current female athletes that are in high school and college will be the core of the USA lineup come that first kickoff. There is an explosion, albeit small right now, for women's and girls rugby in the USA. the emphasis on providing high quality matches and reporting on youth teams is seeing a rise for female players and their respected clubs. Sydney Copeland is one of those players who are taking advantage and thriving thanks to new programs being established and bridges being made between the various levels of rugby. She is a star on the rise and could very well be in the history books come 2033. A NorCal native Sydney has found her stride while attending and playing for Western Washington University, bringing pride to not just Bellingham but all the north west. With the PR7s and the much talked about potential investment into the WPL, players like Sydney and others could very well be better prepared for the future and  I hope you all enjoy learning about Sydney as much as I have.

LLR- Where abouts from the Bay Area are you from?

SC- I am from Martinez in the east bay area

LLR- When did you first start playing rugby and for what club?

SC- My senior year at Carondelet high school, they created a womens rugby team and I joined about halfway through the season in 2019.

LLR- You currently play for Western Washington university, how has your experience playing at the collegiate level been thus far?

SC- I have had a great experience with WWU, I have developed a lot of my core skills from being on this team and from the coaches that I have had. When I first came to western, my coach had taught me how to play scrumhalf and how to kick, and to see the progress I have made in those skills with where I am at on the team now is really cool. We also won our league last year and made it to regionals in California which was a great experience and a nice opportunity for our team to continue to progress to higher levels.

LLR- At such a young career you are experiencing some amazing opportunities, PNW selects, Pacific coast grizzlies. What are some key points that you feel those programs have helped you improve your overall playing experience?

SC- For both of these teams, being able to come together, having never played together as a team or even with most of the people there, and understand everyone's skills and the team dynamic is a great learning experience. Just being able to adapt to a new dynamic and figure out how to let everyone's skills shine and flow smoothly together is a great feeling and growth opportunity, and we got to see it work in Iowa with the PacCoast grizzlies with us winning tier 1.

     Also, just being able to play rugby at a higher level than our current collegiate level, with some of the best players in our region has been a huge factor in helping me improve as a player and teammate.

 Even with the PNW selects and our recent loss against UBC, it was a great learning experience. I feel like a game like that can help put into perspective what our weaknesses were as a team and individually, and how we can improve on those. If we are out here winning every single game we wouldn't get the opportunity to see those little things they were able to capitalize on and be able to grow from it.

LLR- Another amazing thing to point out is your time down in chula vista, can you explain what the reasoning was for the training and the impact it has had on you as a whole? 

SC- This year in 2023 I just started getting into 7s. My first camp at chula vista in June was a huge learning experience for me as a player and for my game in 7s especially. The first camp I attended was more of a learning-based camp to understand the strategies and skills for 7s and how to read the players and the field when on offense and defense. The next two camps in August and October were more performance based camps where we were able to take what we have learned and put it into practice with the scrimmages we did at the end. Overall, I have learned so so much just from these camps, especially being able to train and play with extremely talented athletes from all over the nation. I feel like I have grown with rugby and within my values, seeing how skilled and dedicated everyone is, is extremely motivating and pushes me to continue to work hard to be able to compete at this high of a level.

LLR- Focusing on WWU and the 2023/2024 season how has the team performed thus far reaching the halfway point.

SC- WWU has performed so well! We are currently 2-0 so far this season with big wins against U of O and UW. (our first game against OSU got rescheduled). We are looking forward to continuing to dominate in our league and hopefully we will be able to to compete at regionals again this Spring.

LLR- In your own opinion is there enough being done to get potentially young female players to pick up the ball?

SC- I have seen a lot of growth with girls and womens rugby but I always believe we can be doing more to spread the love of the game, especially to the next generation. Girls rugby is doing an amazing job of growing the name of rugby and empowering young girls all across the nation. I would love to see more funds and spotlight on them and their program.

LLR- Where would you like to see the women's game go here in North America come 2033 ?

SC- I would love to see womens rugby just as big as mens rugby in North America and the United S⁸tates specifically. I would also hope that by 2033, womens professional rugby players are getting paid enough to where they do not need another job.

LLR- Speaking of the USA Women's Rugby World Cup , is there any specific location you personally would like to see at least one round played at in 2033?

SC- I would love to see them play in San Francisco or at least somewhere in the bay area.

LLR- After WWU what's the next step in your rugby and personal journey ?

SC- After I graduate WWU I will have a bachelors in kinesiology exercise science, and will find a job in that field. With rugby, I am wanting to pursue it as far as I can and hopefully even playing professionally one day, thats the dream.

LLR- If you had an opportunity to go back to your middle school and high school, what would you say to those young girls in encouraging them to take up rugby and , for the older ones, going to WWU?

SC- I would tell them that they are capable of amazing things and to always, no matter what, through the ups and downs of life, always continue to believe in yourself. You are strong, powerful, and dangerous.

LLR- Final words of encouragement to those who are reading this?

SC- Keep putting in the work. Even if its not fruitful today or tomorrow, the hard work will pay off. Set your standards high and prove to yourself what you are capable of.

*If you would like to fallow Sydney on her journey along with the Western Washington Woman's rugby club and the PNW Womens Selects please give each profile below a fallow below!

Sydney- @sydneycopeland

WWU club team instagram- @wwuwomensrugby

PNW u23 regional instagram- @pnwws_rugby

Rebirth of Sparta

Men's Spartan Rugby Club at San Jose State has a very rich history that any program would be excited to have. However playing rugby in the San Francisco Bay Area unfortunately has its down sides. With Saint Mary's and Cal , and Stanford for that matter, many people tend to not realize there are plenty more college rugby being played although not at the consistency winning as the programs mentioned before each has a rich tradition and each has at times added wood to the fire as to why the Bay Area is a hot bed for Rugby in this country. San Jose State over the past several years has unfortunately slowly fallen down the ladder and become inconsistent in league play. Not for lack of trying by each of the coaches and staff but the culture and communication has broken down. 

Thankfully out of the ashes a rebirth is happening. With the rallying of alumni there's change happening to position the Spartan Men's amongst the best in the San Francisco Bay Area and out west. To be part of the conversation when speaking about St.Marys , Cal rugby . First step was hiring a homerun of a hire for a new head coach. Next was rebuilding communication & community among its alumni base and re-engage the players. I would like to thank the Chairman of the alumni association Lance for answering questions about the program and its future. A Rebirth of Sparta is happening,  take note and beware. 

LLR- Can you share a bit about your connection with the Spartan Rugby Club, when did you play and what position?

LC- I played from 1991-1995 for SJSU. I started playing my High school position of open side flanker #7 but when I got to college, I was undersized for that position. I was always a bit faster than I looked and had a good boot so I made the adjustment to flyhalf #10 and played at that position through my career at SJSU and beyond.

LLR- Most college rugby teams have some sort of alumni association, what makes this alumni association different from years past?

LC- SJSU never really had an organized Alumni Association. It was always seen as a social rugby club with a few bright spots of success on the pitch here and there. Mike Annab established the Alumni Association by vetting and selecting board members from various generations of SJSU Rugby that had a passion for the club, its history and the awareness of its impact on student athletes and the broader rugby community. We are just over a year into the establishment of the Alumni Association and we have made some positive moves to improve the club. We have hired a new coach, fundraiser for new kit, held a successful Spartan Rugby tailgate at the Homecoming game, began to develop sponsorships and partnerships with area companies to sponsor the club, rebranded our social media presence and committed to keep alumni updated with schedules, scores, events and highlights.

LLR- What is the relationship currently between the current players and those who have graduated and part of the alumni group now?

LC- This is an area of opportunity for us to connect these two groups. Formally, it occurs at the alumni match in spring each year but we are working on having more events throughout the year to foster tighter connections. We feel this is incredibly important for a number of reasons; to connect college players with men’s club teams like the San Jose Seahawks, connect current players with established professionals in their field of study who may be able to provide job opportunities and to share the love of the sport across generations. Rugby is a welcoming community and it’s important to crest the opportunities for those connections to occur.

LLR- As an association what's being done to help the growth of the team?

LC- We hired a new coach this season, Nick Schlobohm, who came via a close friend and former coach of mine at the Olde Gaels RFC, John Compaglia. When I told John we were looking for a coach to transform our team from a social club to a high performance competitive side, John simply said “I have your guy”. Nick was an Assistant Coach for the Olde Gaels at the time but had aspirations to lead his own club and the timing could not have been better. Nick is a two time Collegiate National Champion with St. Mary’s with a deep love of the sport and a high rugby IQ. We chatted a number of times, conferred with the Board and hired him. Coach Nick’s impact has already been felt with solid wins over Stanford and Cal Maritime this season. The team is looking good and the future looks bright.

We have also committed to providing more content for the alumni to raise the level of engagement and interest in their former team. So far, we have seen a nice uptick in our comments and feedback about the content and information we are providing online. It’s been very positive.

I arranged for a sports photographer to take team photos which is a hallmark of any organized team. This is a seemingly small act but means a great deal to the players, their family, and friends communicates history and tradition as this will be a standard from now on.

Through my company, I donated funds to purchase the Rugby jerseys for the season. The club was in transition, their finances were a mess which left them with no funds to replace their older incomplete set of jerseys. As an Architect and designer myself, I designed the jerseys for the team and presented them to them before their first match earlier this year. It was a humbling moment to be able to give back to the club that means so much to me.

The Board is working hard to connect the active players and coaches with ClubSports to secure funding moving forward. During the coaching transition, this was not addressed and left the club on the brink of collapse. It’s been great to work with Coach Nick on this and we are looking forward to more support from the school in the years to come.

LLR- What are some goals for this year and next season, and where would you like to see things with the alumni and club team in 5 years time?

LC- As an alumni association, We have some big goals but now we have a hill to climb to establish some of the basics including solid organization, reconnecting alumni with the current team, developing our Spartan Rugby Community, fundraising, putting on more events and supporting the coaching staff. If we do those things well, what happens on the pitch will take care of itself. Beyond that, we want to be a part of creating an experience for the players during their time at SJSU that they will never forget and hope they return as alumni and stay connected and to give back to the club in some way. 

LLR- What's been the most rewarding part and difficult?

LC- The most rewarding part is seeing the team on the pitch doing what they love and enjoying themselves. Talking to the players after the match and getting to know them as people, hearing their stories and supporting them in whatever way we can. The most difficult thing has been locating, connecting and engaging with the alumni. SJSU Rugby has been around for over 50 years now but it has been surprisingly challenging to find those players and develop a platform of connectivity. Depending on their generation, we have found that they use a wide variety of communications, so we end up communicating across several platforms to reach as many alum as we can. It’s been a good pace of growth but there are many more out there that we still need to connect with. We are excited about that challenge.

LLR-To the players what message would you like to tell them and also to the alumni who may not be aware of the change at hand, what would you like to pass on to them ?

LC- To the players, we want you to know that the alumni board is committed to supporting the club to help you succeed on the pitch. For the first time in the club’s history, you have an organized group of committed alumni focussed on the team’s success short term and long term.

To the alumni, change is here. For the first time in club history, the team is led by two coaches who each have won Rugby National Champions twice! Coach Nick and Assistant Coach Hadin are transforming the team into a competitive team with their sites on a league title and more. So, engage with us on social media, keep up to date on the team and attend the events to reconnect with your team and meet up with friends new and old. You will love it.

LLR- Are there any special events coming up or key dates we should all keep an eye out for?

LC- Yes. March 18 is the last home match of the season. Kickoff is at 12:30pm vs Nevada. It should be a great one.

April 28 is the alumni Golf Tournament. Please contact me if you are interested in playing. You can email me at llcrannell@yahoo.com

April 29 is the alumni Match. All are welcome to watch. There will be a BBQ and an opportunity to meet the players and buy some team gear. Bring a friend.

We are active on Facebook and Instagram. Look up Spartan Rugby or SJSU Rugby Alumni and you will find us. You can always text 925-550-6800 for any updates, information or questions you may have.

We are also continually fundraising and we have found that Venmo is the quickest and easiest way to show your support. You can venmo any amount you can spare to

@Spartan_Rugby_Alumni

Your donations will go a long way toward helping the club.

www.spartanrugbyalumni.org

#UnitythroughRugby #RuntotheFight 

Unity through Rugby

Change is coming, slowly but it is coming. over the last few years the health of rugby League in the USA has been on a decline and then for the most part a sudden blow up. currently there is still only 1 Governing body but now four competitions. Two out west and two out east, its hard to know exactly what is happening and who has the right formula to move the game forward. Over the course of time my plan is to speak with all parties involved to help shed light on where the code of League is going in America. Thus far the Pacific Coast Rugby League has been the only party willing to answer, others have been reached out to such as the USARL , Championship Rugby League and Rugby League United. Championship has responded but still waiting for answers from that organization and when they come in they will be posted soon as possible. I appreciate Ady from PCRL for responding to some questions I hope helps everyone learn a little bit more on they're development and how they are helping to grow the game and improve the National teams, all while unifing players from all backgrounds through Rugby regardless of union or league. 

LLR- How has 2023 gone so far for development of the teams involved?  

A- We have made great progress over the past 12 months. Our original plan was to play a one off game between Los Angeles Mongrel and San Diego Barracudas, however, we had other teams reach out to us with interest of joining our league. We currently have 4 teams with the Los Angeles Bandidos and Santa Rosa Dead Pelicans joining the fold. We expect to announce additional teams in the coming weeks.

LLR- Do any of the teams involved have their own website or social media accounts? 

A- Yes, see below:

LA Mongrel Insta @la_mongrel

  Twitter @la_mongrel

  FB /lamongrel

  Web www.lamongrel.com

SD Barracudas Insta @sd_barracudas

  Twitter @SD_Barracudas

  FB /SDbarracudas

  Web www.sdbarracudas.com

LA Bandidos Insta @bandidos_rl

  Twitter @lBandidosRL

  FB (Search Bandidos Rugby League)

  Web www.bandidosrugbyleague.com

Dead Pelicans Insta @deadrugby

  Twitter @DeadRugby

  FB /DeadPelicanRugby

  Web www.lamongrel.com

PCRL Insta @pacificcoastrl

  Twitter @pacificcoastrl

  FB /pacificcoastrl

  Web www.pacificcoastrl.com

LLR- How can potential players in the various teams markets get in touch if they would like to play ?  

A- There is a signup form on the Pacific Coast Rugby League website https://www.pacificcoastrl.com/contact

LLR- Is there any financial assistance for the teams who have to travel outside their home towns to matches, and if so in what form?  

A- Our model is based around teams being self-sufficient, we provide support to teams in numerous different ways including assistance with sponsorship, formulation of teams including but not limited to creation of their constitution, bylaws, code of conduct, 501(c)(3) applications etc. We have been very clear that the league is self-funded and that teams cannot be reliant on the league to cover the individual team expenses. We have seen that when sponsorship is pulled at league level it has an immediate impact to clubs. We encourage all teams to work with their local business partners to help grow locally and organically.  

In addition we recognize the travel implications for all teams so will be looking to host multiple games at one venue to limit the expense and travel commitments.

If the league secures a long term significant sponsor, then we will review this policy accordingly.

LLR- Where can fans find rosters for each of the teams?  

A- Rosters will be posted by individual clubs through a combination of their websites and social media channels. All players will also need to register with USARL under our league rules.

LLR- On the union side of things players have to register with the Governing Body, are players with the PCRL having to do something similar with yourselves or USARL?  

A- Players are required to register directly with USARL, currently we do not charge players or teams to participate in our competition.  

LLR- Can you provide insight as to what is happening with the national governing body, are players from the PCRL eligible for the men's and women's National sides?  

A- PCRL was sanctioned as an official competition under the NGB and all players who play in our competion who must register with USARL are eligible for selection as long as they meet the criteria for the national team, (and are good enough) the fee is nominal in comparison to the fees paid to USA Rugby Union. The IRL is working with USARL on governance and a new board is due to be voted in for 2024. Teams registered as full members with USARL will hold voting rights and be eligible to sit for positions on the board.

LLR- How has the Pacific Coast Rugby League been received here in America and internationally?  

A- We have had some great feedback from the rugby league community as a whole, our decision to be transparent certainly helps given the complexities and politics in Rugby League in America. We continue to offer our monthly town hall and hold bi-weekly meetings between member teams. We continue to promote the sport across all social media channels and have support throughout Europe and Australasia as well as here in America

LLR- How is the relationship between the League clubs and local union teams, do you think it's a recipe that can be replicated for other markets in the USA?  

A- We have had great success working with local Union teams, this was highlighted in what we believe was a first here in America where both league and union games were combined in a single day event. You may recall we worked with San Diego Legion to host two union games for their development and youth teams against Belmont Shore, sandwiched in between a women’s introduction to rugby league clinic and the league game between Mongrel and Barracudas. Furthermore LA Mongrel have close links to Eagle Rock Rugby Union and the Bandidos close ties to Belmont Shore. The Dead Pelicans go one step further and play both codes under the one name.

LLR- What more can fans expect going forward this year? 

A- We have a number of ongoing projects including a men’s game between the Bandidos and Dead Pelican and a dedicated SOCAL v NORCAL women’s game which will be the lead into our season which is slated to run June through August with all of our games being recorded and then posted to YouTube. Further events will be announced in due course, but per our policy, will not release details until everything is in place.

LLR- Are there discussions for plans on next year, can you share a bit what those might be?  

A- We hope to build on 2023 and continue with our expansion plans. It is important to build clusters of teams throughout the western region to limit travel and accommodation expenses for teams, we will bring them together for dedicated events as well as end of season playoffs. All interested teams should register at: https://www.pacificcoastrl.com/contact

LLR- Last one, if there players from Rugby Union who maybe on the fence or have been told not to play League. What would you like to say to them on why they should at least give it a try, and same for those from other sports.  

A- We are firm advocates that players should play both codes, our season structure will compliment the Union season and we do not want to clash with their schedule. We believe there are benefits for all players learning a new style of rugby and maintaining fitness and keeping skills sharp instead of taking long breaks between seasons. Many of the lessons learned in rugby league translate over to Union and vice versa, you see many former professional and international level league players coaching at the highest levels of the Union game. Similarly, we are keen to see crossover athletes try our sport, many have the dream of say making the NFL after college and completely stop all sports, we know once they try playing rugby league that they will be hooked. We do not want to limit this to football players and welcome athletes from any background to try rugby league.

I hope this has been helpful in some form and I implore anyone interested in playing to reach out to any of the current club teams and the PCRL as well. 

#RugbyforALL

#RugbyLeague

Pride of a Nation

  When I first moved to Oregon I began to look into the rugby scene through the state. Many club names kept coming up but Battle Ground always stuck out, the name alone would make anyone interested as to why Battle Ground. Some years passed and now that we are coming out of covid and rugby is now being played I wanted to recheck in and see what programs are coming back online and who's playing. I couldn't find anything about Battle Ground but Chinook now took its place. So when I did a quick search it came to my attention that Chinook rugby is Battle Ground youth rugby. I Thank Lance , club vice president and head youth coach,  for taking the time to answer some questions and giving great insight to where this amazing program is and going. Even though located in the state of Washington,  Chinook Rugby sits just outside Portland and near Vancouver, WA plays under the Rugby Oregon banner. 

LLR- Chinook Rugby was previously named Battle Ground Youth Rugby and Hockinson Youth Rugby, why the name change?

LH- Most of our players originally were from those areas so were known as that. We represent all of North & West Clark County so formed a club to encompassed the wider community and a new name search began. Went through the process of considering lots of names like Clark County but another club/team had that, the mountains like St. Helens and Silver Star we could see from our original home field. We moved from that to wanting to represent  the heritage and native culture of the area. First name that came to mind was the Klickitat tribe and the battle they were to have with the Army became known as Battle Ground, but having klickitat as a neighboring county might again be confusing. The next tribe in the region were the Chinook so we approached the Chinook Indian Nation for permission to use the name, they gave us their blessing and to this day we still liaise with the tribe and have their support.

 

LLR- What age levels does Chinook offer for those interested in joining?

LH- Cater for all student athletes. Officially 3^rd to 12^th grade but often get 1^st and 2^nd grade that can cut it with the 3^rd graders and are keen to play, so we welcome them to participate. The 3-6^th play non-contact co-ed Flag Rugby and 7^th grade up we commence Tackle Rugby with boys and girls teams. The divisions are now all in 2 year brackets to ensure safety and appropriate size.

 

LLR- With the covid pandemic have the programs seen numbers dropped with registration?

LH- Short answer is yes. 2020 was tough on all sports, rugby included. We did pre-season practices for 8 weeks, had our pre-season Jamboree and 3 days later the season was cancelled. We wanted to get students back out in 2021 so delayed the start to the season. For the older grades it was not feasible to do tackle rugby wearing a mask and we also had to localize the league as crossing boarders was not recommended. Not to be deterred we had a successful season of Touch Rugby with the generous help and support from Portland Touch. We had 86 turn out for the Spring and another 19 new to the sport with Girls Rugby in the Fall, so achieved our goal of getting student athletes out of lock-down and back outside having fun with their mates. 2022 we still have the largest club in the Rugby Oregon league (OR & SW WA) with 108 eager and ready to go for this Spring season.

 

LLR- What is a few highlights that Chinook rugby has experienced over the years?

LH- Sometimes the first thing some think of is State Championship titles. Yes, all our divisions have those. The HS Boys have a couple, HS Girls have more, and they are both currently hold the title since the last competitive league in 2019. Highlights are more than State Titles for us, it is about the growth or providing the sport to local student athletes. Best I explain with some bullet points on history of the growth in our club:

• 2007 Founding of Rugby in our local area by Coach Andre de Klerk with a combined Battle Ground & Prairie High Schools boys team.
• 2011 Introduced the HS Girls Lady Pack team.
• 2012 First youth 4-6^th grade team and a 2^nd combined High Schoolboys team. 4 teams, 78 players.
• 2013 First 7/8^th Boys team and another 4-6^th. High School boys divided into Prairie Wolf Pack & Battle Ground Bulls school teams.
• 2014 Added another 7/8^th boys team. 7 teams, 105 players.
• 2015 Introduced 7/8^th Girls and 4-6^th became 3/4^th and 5/6^th grade. 8 teams, 138 players.
• 2016 First official year for 7/8^th Girls and now 2 of each 3/4^th and 5/6^th. 10 teams, 168 players.
• 2017 Split High School and had 1^st JV team. 11 teams.
• 2018 More 3/4^th and 5/6^th with 3 of each. 13 teams, 189 players.
• 2019 First club in OR and SW WA to have 4 x 5/6^th teams. 14 teams 200 players.

 

LLR- When is the first game for 2022 season?

LH- Pres-season tournament was March 12^th and first round of the league March 19^th. Season runs until the finals on May 21^st.

 

LLR- Are there any key players that everyone should keep an eye out for in the coming season?

LH- That is a tough question. With so many missing out the last 2 years and all the Freshman missed their Middle School tackle. We are proud to say we got 5 players into college scholarships this current school year and are looking to do better than that after this season. Aiden Kerr is one of those and he is really making his mark with the WWU team and he could very well go all the way to a national side. We have 2 seniors, Israel Duncan and Brett Ebert that have already been accepted into WWU rugby team so watch out for them this season. On the High School Girls side there are some Freshman like Mae Otoupal, Clara Kapelka, Dillynn Ledbetter who were outstanding as 8^th graders in last year’s touch season and represented us in the high performance teams, so with 4 years in tackle ahead of them they are looking good to go far in the sport.

 

LLR- How can people follow along on what's happening ?

LH- We try our best to keep the community up to date with practice and game schedules. We have put a lot of work into our website to do this so all you need do is go to: https://www.chinookrugby.com/2022-spring-schedule

 

LLR- Many youth programs have various ways of recruiting new players, what's the one or two ways that Chinook has found to be the most effective way of getting new people to join?

LH- Yes, we put a lot of our fundraising dollars into flyers into schools, social media and the like, but word of mouth is what we have found to be most effective. To achieve that we stand by our clubs one and only priority goal for the youth of “Have Fun At Practice And On Game Day”. Even with the season about to start I still have kids coming to me and saying this is so much fun, can I bring a friend along. A long time servant of the game, fellow Kiwi who got me into the club in 2013, and past Head Coach of Prairie High School team who took them to 2 State titles in 2014 and 2019, once said to me. “If you can start the pre-season with 10 of 12 players you will have a full squad of 23 before the season starts. Just be a good coach make it enjoyable and they will all bring a mate along”. And yes when he won State in 2019 that is exactly what he did.

 

LLR- Seattle has the Seawolves, many of our hopes is that eventually another MLR team joins the PNW. Is a Portland team the final piece needed for rugby growth in Oregon?

LH- That is a great question. I love going to Seawolves games and a best mate and fellow coach Bradford Batten has season tickets. The growth of the sport will eventually need another team and Portland is and ideal spot for that. I see from Super Rugby and Northern hemisphere they sometimes struggle maintaining a high standard when they have too many teams vying for the same pool of players. Then again isn’t it great to see teams like Moana Pasifika and Fiji now in the Super Rugby.

The Rugby Oregon Red Hawks, our high performance teams, have built a relationship with The Loggers, the USA pathways academy in our region. They in turn are supported by the Seawolves with coach and player education. It is great for a coach like me down in SW WA to be involved in meetings with the Seawolves coaches and players.

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  I wish all those in the Chinook Rugby programs the best this season, and I look forward to following them not just this year but in the many years to come. 

*if you have a program, youth, College or senior level that you wanted featured here please reach out at llrugby@yahoo.com or on any social media accounts. 

Veggie delight.

   

 Growing up as a kid in San Jose the crazy old man seen at many sporting events was just a normal sighting. you where excited to see him because he just carried this aura of excitement with him and it was infectious. from San Jose sharks games to San Jose earthquakes, San Jose State University to Oakland Athletics and many more Krazy George was a staple at sporting events. your team could be getting blown out and season could already be lost but George had a way of whipping the crowd into a frenzy regardless if it was a few hundred or tens of thousands he knew how to command everyone's attention. Jim Stewart Allen also known now infamously as Broccoli Man has now slowly become what KG is to the San Francisco Bay Area. that is not a bad thing by any stretch, going back to when I was a kid I looked forward to when Krazy George came to my section of the stands and now as a parent before we moved to Oregon I was excited for my kids to experience Krazy George energy as I did, and they loved it. Jim is a kind loving man full of passion and I my self look forward to meeting him and when I am able to bring my kids to a Seawolves match and experience Broccoli man in the flesh.

LLR -Right off the bat question on everyone's mind, why broccoli?!

BM- Hahaha well what a valid question to ask! I made my first national TV appearance (ESPN Sportscenter) with potatoes at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl in early 2020, and I decided I wanted to keep doing stuff like that! Because dancing with and eating vegetables on TV seemed like such a wholesome endeavor! I still dance with Potatoes, but only at the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, that’s a special event, I needed another vegetable for the larger Pacific Northwest sporting community! After reflecting on it with some friends I decided on broccoli! Broccoli is my favorite vegetable, I love the texture, especially raw! They are very vibrant, when you see them you know, “oh, that guy brought giant crowns of broccoli with him to the game! That’s interesting!” One time I was doing my thing at a Seawolves game, and a lil 3-4 year old saw me, and started uncontrollably giggling, and he tapped on his Dad and said, “Daddy! That guy is dancing with broccoli!” in a very kind way, and then kept giggling, so cute! People compare them to pom poms, which I love! They are nature’s pom poms, and I use them to cheer on my favorite teams! In this case, the Seawolves!

<3 div="">

LLR- You've become a bit of an icon now in the Washington sports scene, do you see yourself as the Krazy George of the PNW?

BM- Hahahaha I don’t quite know how I see myself yet, this thing I do is so young still, ol George has been at it for years! I am tickled you’d compare me to such a legendary figure though, the inventor of the wave, wow! I think I’m definitely cut from the same cloth as he is, so to speak! That’d be fun to meet him, I think we’d both feel very validated knowing each other!

*(there is some controversy about the creation of The Wave. let it be known Krazy George is the inventor of the wave dont care what anyone says)

LLR- Can you share a little about yourself, day time profession and what led you to want to be an entertainer at events?

BM- My day job is being a teacher! A professional full time substitute teacher, I work in one school with that community of teachers and students and admin! But I try to be a good role model for healthy masculinity and for healthy eating. And that desire to try comes from working with kids!

I also have been doing stand up comedy since 2006! Since I was a junior in High School! So entertaining and working the crowd and figuring out how to get the crowd on my side! That is what stand up comedy is all about, and I definitely use those skills while veggie dancing, hah! Stand up taught me how to come up with a message, and then figure out how to get that message across in a way that many people will tap into and appreciate. My message is broccoli and kindness. And PNW love! And rugby love! And I guess just love in general <3 div="">

LLR- Last season for the Seawolves is when broccoli man was born, had you attended any games prior to that national television game?

BM- So this is actually an interesting question! Broccoli GUY has been a thing before rugby! The XFL Dragons in February and March, right before everything shut down, this is where I cut my teeth in the broccoli dancing biz! They liked me, the league liked me, I liked them, the XFL will be back in 2023 and I’ll be with them as Broccoli Guy

<3 div="">

    Broccoli MAN though, was never bestowed upon me though until the 2021 MLR season, so you are indeed correct, the 2021 Seawolves MLR season is when I became Broccoli Man!

I go by either and maybe I need to figure out my branding, but I think Broccoli Man fits the rugby aesthetic and I think Broccoli Guy fits the Mariners or the Dragons or the Seahawks aesthetic! Who knows hahaha, it’s just an honor to be known as these things, I do it for you broccoli! <3 div="">

As for the Nationally televised Broccoli eating session and dance, I had been to 2 games doing my thing before the Broccoli Man viral hit! The first game everyone was confused, but kind! They warmed up to me! The highlight of that game was someone successfully starting the chant, “Brocc-o-lee!! Brocc-o-lee!!” Very fun!

    The second game was during a PNW heat wave! And I actually was featured on the broadcast! But not much was said about my broccoli! I was wearing a pride romper and full on dancing during a heat wave, and they had never seen me before, so there was a lot to process, hahahahaha. But they did compliment my rhythm and I felt very validated.

The third game I went to though, that was where the magic happened! The Rugby Network was ready for me and I was ready for them, hahaha. The stars aligned!

LLR- What are your thoughts of Rugby in America, where the MLR and the Seawolves are at now and where you'd like to see it go?

BM- Ya know, here is the deal with rugby in America, ***in my humble opinion*** I always knew it existed, I went to Western Washington University, pretty big rugby school. I had friends in rugby, I went to some of the parties, they were wild, hahaha. But I never went to an actual game! After having gone to a few now, I can say I love it! It’s engaging, it’s fun, it’s accessible, I think it’s great! Americans have heard of rugby, but it’s one of those things you hear and go, “rugby. Yeah, that’s that sport all those other countries play right?” And it’s like, yeah, they do, but we play it too! On a club level, on a collegiate level and on a national level. We actually have our own full on major league, that’s broadcast on local networks and streaming services (shout out to The Rugby Network) and every once and again we are on FS2, or even CBS! So people know it exists, and I think if they came out and saw a game, they’d love it! The game speaks for itself! But Rugby in America has to find a way to get people into seats for the first time! Because as of right now it’s kind of still this thing people hear and go, “yeah but that’s not really a main sport here,”

    But there is no reason it shouldn’t be! Again, the game speaks for itself! And the atmosphere that rugby communities around the US are able to create together is I think magical, and something very beautifully American! The games I have been to, the tournaments, that’s just something I think Americans would have an easy time getting into! One of the reasons I bring my broccoli to the Seawolves, and to rugby in general, is to spotlight how much fun American rugby can be!

     As far as the Seawolves and the MLR? I would love to see them continue to build their brand based off of the excitable, kind and inclusive US rugby community. I think Rugby doing well here would add a lot to our American culture! And I think our American culture has a lot to offer Rugby! Rugby players and fans are so kind and respectful, yet competitive and fun. It’s good stuff, more of that in the US please! I’m here to help!

LLR- For those of us who have not attended a seawolves match yet, me and my wife will be attending the Austin match at the end of February. Can you share with us a few positive things about game day experience and one thing you'd like to see the club start to do?

BM- I mention this a lot, but before the second rugby game I ever attended started Seawolves player Ben Cima came over to me with a Seawolves ball, and thanked me for my energy and for what I gave of myself in my first game there!

    I just got so much of a jolt of passion from that. Rugby is still so small here, and every bit helps! Your presence is appreciated by the community! When you are at a game, you see people you know. People who are fans, people who are family members to the players, people deeply embedded in the sport and in the community. It’s humbling, it’s a cool atmosphere. I am privileged to get to be a part of it!

    Where would I like to see everything go for me personally? I’d love to see the Seawolves move to a bigger stadium, with a jumbotron! Either Cheney Stadium or Lumen Field? I have nothing but love for Starefire, and it gives so much to the Rugby community! But I think it’d speak to the growth of rugby as a whole to see the Seawolves in Lumen Field! Oh that’d be sweet!

LLR- What do you look forward to most in the coming season?

BM- Seeing people again! Yeah! There are a lot of folks within the community that I am really excited to see <3 div="">

LLR- -Any final message you'd like to get out to everyone before the first game?

BM- Go Seawolves, practice kindness, and eat some plants! <3 div="">

*if you'd like to fallow Jim the Broccoli man be sure to fallow him on any one of his social media accounts and be sure to say hi and snag a picture at Seawolves matches or many of the events around Seattle.

Twitter: @PNWBroccoliGuy

Instagram: @PNWBroccoliGuy

Linn Benton Youth Rugby

 Since moving to Corvallis Oregon I've always tried to keep up with the local rugby clubs, college, men's and youth. Linn Benton Youth Rugby supports primarly both main towns , Corvallis and Albany, in the neighboring counties, Linn and Benton county. since the lions where founded in 2001 the program has become a staple of excellence in the youth club landscape for Rugby Oregon. The director of Linn Benton was able to answer some brief questions about the lions and how to fallow. 

LLR -can you introduce yourself and what is your position with Linn Benton and when was the program founded?

JA- My name is Joe Alvernaz, I am Director of Linn Benton Rugby, I serve as middle school boys coach and an assistant coach to HS boys.  I have been involved as a coach since 2004.  Linn Benton Lions rugby was founded in 2001, winning the Rugby Oregon boys championship in its first season under coaches Amanda Six and Joey Webber (who is now Timber Joey, mascot of the Portland Timbers MLS team)

 

LLR -what age levels does LB offer? 

JA- Linn Benton Rugby offers HS boys and girls, middle school (7-8^th) boys and girls, and a co-ed flag rugby program for 3^rd-6^th grade

 

LLR -how many kids on average a year register with the Clubs? 

JA- 60 to 80 kids participate each year

 

LLR -what is a few highlights that LB has experienced over the years?

JA- HS girls were 2017 and 2019 Rugby Oregon Champions, 2018 runners up and 2017 Rugby Oregon 7s Champions.   In February of 2020 Lions alumni Joe Montgomery was signed by the Seattle Seawolves to a professional contract.

LLR -how can people follow along every season on what's happening?

JA- When things are going, we update Facebook and Instagram almost daily.

 

LLR -if a MLR team would come to Oregon, most likely Portland, how big would that be for rugby in Oregon?

JA- One good thing I can say about Portland is this:   They really do come out to support their professional sports teams, the Blazers sell out every game and the Timbers and Thorns are league leaders in attendance for professional soccer.   The addition of a Portland based MLR team would likely attract a solid following and lead to a natural growth in rugby participation.

 

LLR -Who in the MLR do you support?

JA- Given that we had an alumni on the Seawolves team in 2020, it is fair to say all of our coaches are solid Seawolves fans.    Although, I do have a soft spot for the New Orleans Gold.

 

LLR -if people want to learn more about the Linn Benton Lions how best can they do so?

JA- We use our team Facebook and Instagram for information and communication.   There’s always our team email,  lbyouthrugby@yahoo.com

*Rugby Oregon is going ahead with a 2021 season but modified. Click Here here to read how they've adjusted. 

Linn Benton Youth Rugby

www.lbyouthrugby.org