Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter

Opinion

To the Editor:

Poetry & Art

Classified Ads

Back Issues

Blogs

Rugby invades Corvallis-Albany areas

lucas_ketter
The Commuter

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

If you happened down Peoria Road between Corvallis and Albany on any recent Sunday or Wednesday afternoon, you may have been surprised to see a collection of people at the Dixie School, playing what appeared to be a football- hybrid game, meet the renewed Corvallis Men’s Rugby Club. Starting small, the club has included just thirteen members in the first few weeks of its renewed existence. Historically the men’s rugby club was primarily made up of ex- Oregon State players that wished to continue playing after graduating from college. Disbanded in 1999 the funds and materials for the team have sat in limbo for 9 years. A youth movement has given birth to a renewed men’s team, focusing primarily on players that haven’t played since high school or wanting to try a new sport and were unable to play on the Oregon State team. The movement is slowly starting but hopes to gain speed in the next few weeks. Talking to Quenten Wahlert, a player on the men’s team, he was pleased with the number of players already out, “[we’ve had] mild success in getting guys out. I mean we’re starting back up and we already have thirteen players.”

Although he passed on an opportunity to manage and coach the men’s team, Joe Alvernaz of Albany has been instrumental in the organization of this fledgling team. A player on the original men’s team he, along with Dave Malone, has been in charge of the funds and equipment for the team. Behind the scenes he has spent the last couple years trying to gauge interest in a men’s team, “we needed just enough [people] for practice and organization.” While Joe has taken a back seat to allow for younger players to step up he still maintains a high level of interest.

Practice has just started for the fledgling team. Only two weeks in, it is clear that interest has been building for this project for years. Most of the players on the newly formed team were members of the local high school rugby club and either did not have the chance or chose to pass on playing for the Oregon State team. Wahlert, dubbed “Q” by his teammates, explains that the players “range in age from 18-24.” The group also is all-inclusive; “no experience necessary” is their rallying cry. Opening their arms to anyone willing or wanting to try this unique sport. The team already has garnered interest of a few new players, two or three have shown up in the past two weeks and more are expected as the season progresses.

This week will be the third week of practice for the team, and they will continue meeting all the way through the fall into November. The first game is against the Eugene men’s club will take place on Oct. 25, with future dates to be announced against the Vancouver men’s team and possibly Linfield College’s team. Although the first game is just two weeks away all are invited out to gain experience all season, after the winter the season will pick back up in the spring with an estimated 5 games.

Comment

Any way I could get some kind of contact info for these guys. I like to join them.

— Marcus Hilliker · Nov 11, 11:36 PM · #

Commenting is closed for this article.