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 

Young Slug

    When I played rugby during my brief time at San Jose State University there was always one game we looked forward to. No matter how the season went, it was the rivalry match with University California Santa Cruz. But with that I never really had a opportunity to speak with a player from the opposition let alone learn a bit about the rugby program at UC Santa Cruz.  I am very lucky to able to get in contact with this year's captain of the Santa Cruz rugby club. Jackson who is a a junior at the college was able to give some info on the club, his own career thus far and his thoughts on who will win this year's MLR shield. Hope you all enjoy. 

LLR- Can you please share with us your rugby playing career up to now?

J- I first started playing rugby my freshman year of high school for the Marin Highlanders. I played for the JV my first year and we barely had enough kids to field a team. Now I play for the UCSC men's team with enough guys to put out two sides, so it's a blessing to have that kind of depth to practice and play with.

LLR- How did you get into rugby?

J- I got into rugby after my football teammates begged me to come out and try it. I got one practice in to figure out the rules and then played my first game against Lamorinda two days later.

LLR- Many people may not know about the UCSC rugby club, can you share with us a brief history on the club?

J- The rugby club is the oldest club and sport at UC Santa Cruz. We have alumni still helping the club that were part of the first team in 1967. We play in the PACWEST conference.

 

LLR- There is a pretty heated rivalry with San José state rugby, do you have any memories that stick out from any of those game ?

J- There's always been a rivalry between us and SJSU, we play for the Macbeath-Porter cup, named after the founder of UCSC and SJSU's first coach, but I've never played in the game. My freshman year our B side played them and lost in a close match and my sophomore year it didn't take place because of COVID, so this year I'm extremely excited to get after it.

LLR- How is recruitment done on campus and for incoming players?

J- At UCSC, our coaches and some players handle outreach to clubs that we have connections with or have played for. We can sometimes help players get into the school and if not we can certainly help them find a place that's right for them. Other than that, we have a big club day on campus where we recruit the bulk of our new players, with experience levels ranging from veteran to complete newbie. 

LLR- If you had a chance to speak with high school and youth students, what would you say to them to get them to not only come to UC Santa Cruz but join the rugby team?

J- UCSC is certainly a special place. I understand it's not for everyone, but I will say that you are guaranteed a team who is going to welcome any guy who is willing to commit and work hard. If you can do that, you'll have a strong community of people who look after you. We're not a team with clicks and separate groups. We work towards a common goal together. The rugby community in particular is one that celebrates the game and having fun, rather than wins and losses, even if we do want to win. 

LLR- Lastly, who do you fallow in the MLR and who are your two teams playing for the shield this season?

J- I got the Gillitini's taking it home again over the Warriors. Gotta root for the West Coast!

*This Q&A is out after the Macbeth-Porter Cup played on 1/29/22. Score was 

UCSC 57 - 17 SJSU 

If you would like to fallow and learn more about the rugby club at UC Santa Cruz please fallow them on Twitter @MensSlugRugby and also on Instagram @ucscmensrugby

*if you know of a club or player you'd like to be featured on here please email @ llrugby@yahoo.com or reach out via any social media platforms,  Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. 

SJSU- Women of Sparta !

There have been a few posts in the past on the men's program at SJSU, this time around I believe it is time for the women of Sparta to get the spot light. Even though the program has it's beginnings from several years ago it wasn't till recently that a revival and dedication from a few have now began to have this program blossoming and booming with participation numbers. Tiffany Lopez, current club president and fullback was gracious enough to answer some questions for LLR. I hope you all enjoy and fallow these remarkable women on their journey because soon they  will be Eagles! 

How did you find rugby ?

- I asked a friend of mine (previous president) If she could send me her game schedule so I can watch a game or two and she invited me to practice. It took me a week or so to get the courage to go and try it. After trying my first practice, I instantly fell in love with the sport. I spent most of my time watching All Blacks and Eagles videos and reading the rules of the game.

When did the club start?

The club was originally founded over a decade ago, however, it did not survive past the original team. in 2017, a student decided she wanted to revive it. The club was not able to take off with a team of 15 let alone a full roster of 23. Last year, we struggled to make 15 again but decided that we want to get this program fired up and ready to take on our conference. We currently have 39 girls rostered on USA Rugby for our team.

What conference does the team play in ?

West Coast Division II Women's Conference

Any team traditions worth sharing?

None yet. However, we are establishing a great foundation for our program now.

How is recruitment of new players every year?

Our hopes are to have at least 10-15 new players every year, especially after we started with 5 returning players and now have 39 on the team this year.

Is there a dedicated field for the women's rugby team to play on ?

Unfortunately not. Our club sports are given half of the School's Football field to practice on for our designated days and times, which we are very grateful for, however, we do have limited time to set up and take down when it comes to Game Days. We are booked up with a few other sports. This can cause a bit of panic and chaos for our team as we try to mentally and physically prepare on game day.

What's some struggles the team faces ?

Because our team is new, we work really hard to make a name for ourselves. We have to spend a lot of time reaching out to other organizations, individuals and students to support our team whether it be financially, fanatically or socially. We like to volunteer and spend some of our free time helping out other organizations in order to show our community that the SJSUWRC understands the humility, humbleness and sacrifice it takes on and off the field to become a great rugby player and athlete.

What has been some highlights for yourself and the team since you have been with them ?

One of my biggest highlights was winning our division at a Sevens Tournament held at CSUMB at the end of our season. We played some tough teams, yet were able to come out victoriously. We worked every day, some days twice a day, to get ourselves better conditioned and better equipped to play. Our team bonding and hard work seemed to pay off. After that, our 5 returning players, including myself, decided to make this year the bets year that SJSUWRC has ever had.

What is your opinion on the status of women's rugby in the US?

I think it is becoming a bigger thing now. Before, I know that female rugby players are naturally labelled as masculine and barbaric. But I think that unfair opinion is now slowly dying out. I have spent the past 20 years in physical sports while competing and winning nationally for Taekwondo with 15 years and collegiately for Judo. I have been lucky to have supportive peers, family and coaches in my life that encouraged my siblings and I to be strong athletes and love what we do just like any other male athlete. This is what I want for my program. To encourage all women, no matter your age, sexual orientation, identity, religious preference or lifestyle.

What would you like to see done to further the game for all levels of female players?

I would love to see more social awareness of local clubs. All of these clubs have so much to offer for boys and girls of all ages. In my hometown area, we have a few clubs not to far, however, you do not see many young girls playing. I think it would be great to share the culture and support that rugby has to offer in order to empower other young women to pursue whatever may come during or after rugby, as well.

Is there one particular player you would like to meet and why ?

I had the opportunity to briefly meet Porsha Woodman after the 2018 World Cup in San Francisco. Luckily after I volunteered for the event, I was chosen to be a part of the awards ceremonies for each winning team. I follow her on Social Media and think she is a fantastic rugby player on and off of the field. She shows so much mana, and positive pride that helps to encourage young women that we can face injury and setbacks, yet still come back and come out stronger than before. Her and her team, the Black Ferns, often give back to their community and show how appreciative for the love and support they receive.

How can people follow you and the women of Sparta rugby club?

We have a Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sjsuwrc and 

Instagram: @sjsu_womensrugby

Final closing words, any opinions, thoughts or heads up to pass along to the public?

At first I was apprehensive about the commitment and joining after I already retired my athletic career in Taekwondo after 15 years of competing. However, I decided that I wanted to give it a go. This was the best choice I made in college. I met new friends who are now family. Some times new doors open in life and you ahem to take advantage while they are still open.