TN High School Rugby makes National News

[rugbyfan444]

Hey Coach T, thought about putting a board up for this thriving Spring sport? We've got the same number of teams as Lacross (plus girls teams which they don't) and growing. Plus, 4 players from the UT side who went to Nationals last Spring came from Nashville High Schools. Here's a great article that made national news:

 

Here's to Old Tennessee

 

By Alex Goff

 

September 1 2005 – If you want to pick an up-and-coming state in American rugby, you wouldn’t go far wrong choosing Tennessee.

 

Having formed an excellent high school league, Tennessee boasts a couple of solid collegiate programs as well. Among them is the University of Tennessee. Known as the alma mater of Eagle center Scott Jones and 156-time USA flanker Rob Farley, the Volunteers are much more than that.

 

This past year they stepped up their game considerable, defeating a very good Dartmouth team 35-25 in the Round of 16 before falling 65-3 to Cal, a scoreline most teams encounter, especially against the Bears best lineup.

 

Tennessee came across with some professionalism, though, prompting Cal head coach Jack Clark to issue a few compliments.

 

"They were athletic, and big and strong. They were bigger than us I’ll tell you that," said Clark. "They had some really strong runners of the ball, appeared pretty organized, and overall they looked like a team that was there to be the number one team from their territory. I was impressed with them as a program."

 

Head coach Butch Robertson is very mindful of creating more than just a rugby team, but a program. His team web site carries a link to Clark’s article on college rugby done in collaboration with GoffonRugby – something more college rugby teams could stand to do.

 

Robertson has worked hard to foster a good relationship with alumni – the best way to funding and legitimization in the eyes of the administration – and through that the UT rugby program has created a few small scholarship programs for its players.

 

"We have had and continue to have a good relationship with the sports clubs office," said Robertson. "We’ve gone through three club sports administrators in recent years. There’s always a learning curve with regard with administrators, particularly if they had experiences with other rugby clubs who had not-as-high aspirations."

 

Robertson admits that in the past UT players were "were perhaps a little more robust in our approach to life than we needed to be."

 

Not now. Rugby is a serious endeavor these days.

 

"We emphasize personal responsibility," said Robertson. "We talk to the players the three fundamental priorities in their life: family, school, and rugby. Taking care of your family is something that is the most important thing all your life. School is the reason you’re here. And rugby ... we want you to be as committed as you can be."

 

And they’re pretty committed. The high school programs started in the Nashville area have a significant UT alumni influence. The growth of the high school game has meant UT gets more freshmen each year experienced in rugby.

 

"And if they haven’t played at least they are familiar with it," he said.

 

Of the XV which started against Dartmouth in the playoffs, eight had played high school rugby in Tennessee.

 

The alumni continue to be active in fundraising and administration. UT took 53 people, including 48 players, to Berkeley for the national playoffs. Much of that was thanks to alumni fundraising.

 

"We had a lot of guys who knew they were not going to get close to the field, but they wanted to be a part of it," Robertson said. "Our alumni have evolved from an old boys bunch to gets together once a year into a serious group who provide financial support and guidance. We couldn’t have made it out this year or last year without their financial commitment."

 

And when they got there the players were struck by what life as a varsity rugby program can be like.

 

"Saturday morning we wanted a runaround and we needed a field," said Robertson. "And we end up in the Cal football stadium. The only way we get in there is because Cal Rugby has the status it does and wanted to help us. The whole experience was really positive for us."

 

In 2004 Tennessee lost to Air Force big in the Round of 16 before defeating Penn State. That experience girded the loins of the returning players.

 

"Though, it’s going to be interesting to see how we are going to perform in top level matches," said Robertson. "There was no Gee-Whiz factor. We fell behind against Dartmouth and I think in 2004 we wouldn’t have adjusted, but this time we knew we could move in a different direction and pull out the win. The kids did it themselves. They figured it out."

 

Against Cal it was clearly two teams on a different plane, but Robertson took some positives out of the game and clearly wished some pressure the Vols exerted could have been turned into a try or two.

 

"We had some positive moments and we got all our seniors on the field, and that was important," said the coach.

 

This season UT welcomes back assistant coaches Marty Bradley and Bill Peterson, who have been excellent additions to the staff.

 

While they don’t aggressively recruit, UT will expect again this year another influx of players with experience in the Tennessee High School Rugby League.

 

"What that does for us is to move from being teachers first and coaches second to being able to spend our time on things that make us a better ball club while not necessarily leaving the non-experienced people out of the loop," he said.

 

And they’re going to have their hands full, as they host a very good Arkansas State side with a strong freshman group themselves, on September 10.

 

And as they say in the school's official fight song: Here's to old Tennessee